The AllStarHealth.com Fat Loss Supplement Manifesto

Alright boys and girls, here it is. Introducing the AllStarhealth.com Fat Loss Supplement Manifesto. Everything you need to know about fat loss supplements, including the low-down on supplements such as whey protein, thermogenics, CLA, fish oil, green tea extract, and their proper place in a fat loss regimen as well as the organizational tools to make sure you succeed in reaching all of your fitness goals in 2011.

If you’re one of the many who want to lose weight again this year, let us help you finally succeed by setting you up with the proper tools. First and foremost, you need to plan:

1. Preparation– Set fitness goals, benchmarks, and rewards for reaching each of them.
2. Organization– Have a workout program, partner (if possible), nutrition plan, and daily routine.
3. Supplementation– Know what to take, when to take it, and why you’re taking it. By the way, that’s kind of our speciality, so pay attention!

Preparation

Goals: How many pounds do you want to lose? What’s your timeframe?

• Ex. of Poor goal planning: I want to drop a few pounds before summer.
• Ex. of Excellent goal planning: I want to lose 12 pounds before summer starts in mid-June. It’s January 10th, so that leaves me approximately 6 months to lose 2 pounds each month, totaling 12 pounds.

Benchmarks: Once you have your goals, break each one down so you can set benchmarks. In the above example, the benchmark would be 2 pounds each month. At this rate, you should see a gradual trend of weight reduction over time. If, for example, 5 weeks* goes by and there is no change in weight, then most likely you’re doing something wrong and you need to examine your routine, work out problem areas and make necessary adjustments.

*Keep in mind—the body undergoes natural fluctuations in water  as well as food weight, so a period of 5 weeks is a more realistic timeframe for a benchmark goal rather than 1 week or even daily.

Rewards: Be sure and reward yourself for good progress. Plan and enjoy a cheat meal once or even twice each week, just make sure you keep the portions under control. Hey, c’mon, put down that bag of chips while you’re reading this…

Organization

Workout program: Aim to work out 3-4 days a week following Alwyn Cosgrove’s Hierarchy of Fat Loss. The most time should be spent doing these activities (in order of most importance):

Why does this Hierarchy matter? Time Management—If you are limited on time, then make sure you do #1 (Metabolic resistance training) first, and if you have extra time on your hands then proceed down the list. The activities higher up the list have been shown by studies to burn more fat and build or preserve muscle tissue.

Nutrition plan: Be sure and have your diet in line. Diet is the number one priority for any fat loss program. This topic is too broad to cover in the scope of this post, so I’ll just provide a short “cheat sheet” listing diet essentials:

1. Eat lean protein with each meal: Fish, lean meats, milk, and eggs.
2. Eat smaller meals, more often. Try and eat 5-7 small to moderate meals each day.
3. Include fruits and vegetables with each meal. Eat green vegetables in generous servings.
4. Don’t forget to eat fats. Balance your diet with healthy fats like those found in salmon, almonds, olive oil, flax seed oil, avacados, and milk.
5. Limit 85% of your carbohydrate intake to fruits and vegetables. The rest should come from sources like brown rice and milk, preferably pre- or post-workout.
6. Avoid processed foods like the plague. Michael Pollan suggests when shopping for food to stay in the perimeter of the grocery store.
7. Make sure your beverages are calorie-free. Except for milk, drink mostly water, black coffee, and home-brewed green tea.
8. Prepare food in advance. If you work in an office, prepare a healthy snack or two and a wholesome lunch the night or same morning before you work.

Daily routine: Get in the habit of doing the same thing each day. Try and wake up around the same time, eat the same healthy snacks and meals, workout at the same time each day, and go to sleep around the same time each night. You’re more likely to stay on track if you know what to expect and less likely to miss workouts.

Supplementation

Supplements—Now this is where we really shine, and of course this is what you’ve all been waiting for. Soo, what supplements should you use to maximize fat loss? Here is our recommended list in order of most importance:

1. Whey Protein: If you aren’t familiar with the benefits of whey protein, then you got a lot of catching up to do! Whey not only builds muscle (especially post-workout), but staves off hunger as well. Try having a whey shake in the morning with breakfast, post-workout, and at night before bedtime. Also, if you’re short on time then have a whey protein shake as a meal replacement. We also recommend having a slow-digesting protein blend to have at night, such as casein. Recommended product: BodyStrong Whey
2. Thermogenic: As far as sheer effectiveness is concerned, a thermogenic compound is not to be overlooked. The ingredients in this type of product boost metabolism, reduce hunger, and work directly on converting fat stores into readily usable energy. Furthermore, the ingredients help boost motivation and desire to train hard, mostly from the increase in energy. Either way, the fat loss synergies of thermogenic compounds are quite impressive. Take a serving in the morning upon waking and another serving before a workout or early-afternoon with water. Recommended product: BodyStrong Body Burn
3. CLA & Fish Oil: Do I even need to explain the benefits of supplementing with fish oil? CLA, on the other hand, is a lesser known supplement that has shown very promising results for fat loss. CLA, or Conjugated Linoleic Acid, is a special case of fat loss supplements because not only has it been shown to help reduce body fat, but promote muscle growth, too. Therefore, I’d consider this supplement an awesome recomposition agent for those looking to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. Recommended product: Body First CLA and Body First Fish Oil
4. Green Tea Extract: Green tea extract is a great way to fill in the gaps of your daily nutrition regimen. The host of phytonutrients and antioxidants found in green tea as well as it’s potent fat burning effect and low price make this supplement a no-brainer. Take 1-2 servings with each meal during the day. Since there is a bit of natural caffeine found in the extract, skip taking it at night so you can have restful sleep, which is also very important for maintaining a lean, healthy physique.  Recommended product Body First Green Tea Extract
5. L-Carnitine: This stuff is one of my personal favorites. I’ve always noticed I look especially lean the first 3-4 days after taking L-Carnitine with each meal, about 500mg 3-4 times a day to be exact. L-Carnitine assists in the transport of fatty acids into the energy producing units in the cells, the mitochondria, where they can be converted to energy. This is a major source of energy for muscle. Most importantly, L-Carnitine increases the body’s use of fat as an energy source. Recommended product: Body First L-Carnitine
6. GABA and Natural Sleep Aids: Take GABA and sleep aids like 5-HTP, Valerian Root, and Melatonin at night approximately 30-60 minutes before you plan on going to bed. These supplements will help you relax and calm your body down to ensure a restful night of sleep. GABA has also been shown to positively affect the metabolism and has been correlated with higher levels of HGH, meaning more muscle and less fat. I think we all like the sound of that. Recommended product: GABA, Natural Sleep Aids
7. Cinnamon: Cinnamon has been shown to regulate blood glucose as well as lower cholesterol. The real power of cinnamon lies in the fact that it can work synergistically with your body’s own natural insulin. In other words, sprinkle some cinnamon on everything! Purchasing cinnamon in capsules is a lot easier in case you don’t feel like cinnamon 5 meals a day. Recommended product: Cinnamon

Be prepared, organized, and use the right supplements from AllStarHealth.com and look great in 2011!