I promised that I would write about the supplements that helped me get over my weight loss plateau. (After losing 22 pounds, I stalled at that weight and for around 6 weeks, could not get my weight to lower, until I read about these supplements, and began to take them. I have since lost an additional 6 pounds, and am losing 1 1/2-2 pounds weekly.)

It is possible to rev up your metabolism by taking nutritional supplements, rather than stimulants.

First, I want to offer a brief introduction about how energy is produced at the cellular level. The body’s energy is produced in tiny structures inside individual cells which are called mitochondria, they are basically microscopic energy producers, and produce a substance called ATP or adenosine triphosphate.

ATP affects our metabolism, as well as how energized we feel. It allows the individual cells to work, and determines our overall feelings of vitality.

As we age, the number of mitochondria in each cell declines, and the function of the remaining mitochondria diminish. This can be a result of lifelong exposure to varying stressors, such as toxins, infections, medications, radiation, and alcohol, even physical or mental stress. These stressors can interfere with the functioning of the mitochondria, as well as production of new mitochondria within the cells.

Fewer mitochondria and less effective functioning of the mitochondria results in less ATP. Our metabolism slows down, and we feel we have less energy.

There are some nutritional supplements which help improve the functioning of the mitochondria, as well as production of ATP, and this helps boost our metabolism, and helps with weight loss.

There are five supplements which seem especially effective. They are all readily available, and generally safe.

The first is CoQ-10, which is a substance found throughout the body. It is a potent antioxidant, and is so widely spread throughout the body, that it was originally called ubiquinol or ubiquinone, (both names come from the word ubiquitous). It is a nutrient that is required for ATP production. (If you are taking any kind of blood thinners, please check with your doctor before adding CoQ-10 to your diet, as it can also thin the blood.) 100 mg once a day is a typical dose, although if you are feeling very fatigued, you can take 100 mg two or three times a day. It’s generally helpful to take it with food.

L-Carnitine is the next supplement. It is considered to be a conditionally essential nutrient, because it can be made in the body, primarily in the liver and the kidneys, from two essential amino acids, lysine and methionine. One of its functions is to transport fatty acids into the mitochondria where they can be used as fuel. It also helps to remove waste products from the cell. 1500 mg twice a day is a suggested dose.

Resveratrol is another antioxidant, and is thought to be one of the factors that give red wine its health benefits. It is found in grape vines, roots, stalks, seeds, but the highest concentration in the grape plant is in the grape skins. (This is why red wine has a higher amount of Resveratrol than white wine, since white wine generally is prepared from juice, while red wine also uses the skin and seeds. Resveratrol seems to increase the number of mitochondria in muscles and other body tissues. It also activates the SRTI gene, which appears to be connected to longevity. Resveratrol also helps reduce fat deposits in the body. There are other sources of Resveratrol, including peanuts and some herbs. A suggested dose is 125 mg a day.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, after calcium, phosphorus and potassium. It is involved in more than three hundred metabolic reactions. It helps boost vitality, while also calming the nervous system. It is necessary for nearly every major biological process. Suggested dose is 200 mg twice daily.

d-Ribose, a sugar found in all of the body’s cells, acts as an alternative fuel source to glucose. It is found in all living cells, but is not considered an essential nutrient, since the body can manufacture it; but it is essential for life. It is used in the formation of ATP, as well as DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid, which basically carries the genetic blueprint for organic life) and RNA (ribonucleic acid, which is another nucleic acid, but with different functions). Suggested dose is 5 g twice-daily. (Although it is a sugar, it is safe for type II diabetics.)

Please consult with your doctor before taking any of these supplements. I have found them to be helpful to me, but your doctor can give you appropriate advice about your personal condition.

Technorati Tags: natural weight loss, weight loss supplements

A magic weight loss pill? I think everyone already knows the answer to that question. There is no magic pill which will give you the body of a Greek god (or goddess), so stop looking for it.

I am also sure that everyone already knows that there is no secret information that will melt the pounds off effortlessly, if only you can find it.

Weight loss is not complicated, if you consume more calories than your body metabolizes, you gain weight; if you consume fewer calories than you metabolize, you lose weight.

If you want to lose weight, you can reduce how much you eat, or increase how much you exercise, or do both. I think increasing the amount of the calories you burn every day while decreasing the amount of calories you eat is the fastest and surest way to lose weight.

The only trick here is that you need to make sustainable changes.

If you try starting an exercise program that looks like the Boston Marathon, or the Tour de France, after years of being a couch potato, your chances of success are slim. But if you just try to add 15 minutes of brisk walking to your daily schedule, thta’s something sustainable.

Likewise, if you try to go from eating 4000 calories a day to 400 calories, your body will develop extremely strong cravings, and also shift your metabolism into famine mode, and greatly reduce your metabolism, you will not be able to continue the extremely low caloric intake, and with your lower metabolism, you will likely gain weight as soon as you eat a litle more. If, instead, you try to eat sensible meals, without calorie dense foods (like high fat foods, sugary foods, artificial foods, what everyone knows is junk food), but gradually shift to nutrient dense foods, like fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetaables, that’s sustainable. (Just don’t try too drastic a change, your body develops habits around everything, including food, small, gradual changes are easier to maintain.)

Talking to your doctor is a good idea before starting any type of diet or exercise program, especially if you are seriously out of shape, or obese. Your doctor can help you decide on exercises that are safe for you, as well as make some suggestions about how many calories you should be eating every day to insure a safe and sustainable weight loss. A nutritionist or personal trainer might also help.

Look for more weight loss tips here, just don’t come hoping to find that magic weight loss pill.

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(It’s for an Irish soda bread, so it’s not a good recipe if you are on a no carb diet.)

I will give you the basic recipe first, and then some variations.

Basic recipe.

4 cups flour (I like to make this 2 cups whole wheat flour, and 2 cups all-purpose flour)

2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease and lightly flour the baking sheet.

Put the flour in a large bowl, along with the baking soda and salt. Use a whisk or fork to combine it well,
and make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk. Using either your hand, or a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture is blended. It should produce a soft dough, if it is too wet and sticky, add a little bit more flour. Try not to overwork the dough, as it will make for a tougher loaf.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface, and using floured hands, shape the dough gently into a round. (Before you shape the dough, you can also cut it in half, and make two small loaves rather than one large loaf.) Flatten the loaf slightly, it should be about 2 inches high. Transfer it to the baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf, and prick each of the four segments.

(If you’re baking two small loaves, reduce the cooking time given below.) Bake the bread for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Continue baking until the loaf is golden brown, and sounds hollow when tapped, another 20 to 30 minutes. (Oven temperatures vary, you may need to adjust these cooking times to your oven.) Transfer the soda bread to a wire rack and let cool 20 to 30 minutes.

This basic recipe has about 8 g of fat in total, 4 g from the buttermilk, and 4 g if you use 2 cups of whole
wheat flour.

Some variations on this recipe:

Add 1 cup of raisins or currants, which have been plumped in boiled water for 10 to 15 minutes and drain well.

Add 1 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans. (You could also add 1/2 cup raisins and 1/2 cup nuts.)

If your prefer sweeter soda bread, add a few tablespoons of sugar to the buttermilk and mix well. The sugar will add about 45 calories a tablespoon, but as little as three or 4 tablespoons makes the bread pleasantly sweet.

You can make this recipe with all whole wheat flour, it makes for a slightly denser loaf, and requires a
little bit more liquid, be careful not to add too much though. (You can also make it with all all-purpose
flour, which makes for a much lighter loaf, but I prefer the texture of the whole wheat and all-purpose flour mixture.)

This is a fairly easy bread to make, and you can be enjoying it in less than two hours.

Technorati Tags: Irish Soda Bread, low-fat recipe, St. Patrick's Day