Green tea is full of antioxidants called Catechins; these help fat transport in the body and can help regulate cholesterol. Indeed, the effects of green tea can range from fat-loss to cognition; an all round winner! This meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials looked at the effect of green tea catechins on levels of fat in the blood, as well as total, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels.
After analysing 20 trials, including a total of 1,415 subjects, it was found that green tea catechins (doses ranging from 145 to 3,000 mg/d) reduced total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol compared to controls. These effects could be found after supplementation periods of 3-24 weeks , although no significant changes in HDL cholesterol or triglycerides were found.
If you’re good/bad cholesterol ratio is improved, then fat loss is made more efficient and the risk of cardiovascular disease decreases. Fancy a cuppa?
http://www.yoursportsnutrition.com/goals/fat-loss/egcg-green-tea-extract-400-mg-90-vcaps.html
“Green tea catechins decrease total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” Kim A, Chiu A, et al, J Am Diet Assoc, 2011 Nov; 111(11): 1720-9. (Address: University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Hartford, CT, USA).
Anti-oxidant supplements seem to be the “in thing” at the moment, but is the hype justified? This trial on 31 active middle-aged men and women (average age of 54) found that a multi-nutrient supplement offered benefits to recovery, reduced inflammation, and improved physical performance.
Volunteers were randomized to take either the multi-nutrient supplement or a placebo for 28 days before 1 week “wash-out” and repeating the trial on the alternative intervention.
The supplement was a combination of B-vitamins, essential for protein synthesis, anabolic amino-acids, and herbal antioxidants. It contained vitamin B5 (20mg), B6 (6mg), folic acid (.4mg), B12 (.25mg), taurine (500mg), 1-leucine (2,000mg), isoleucine (500mg), valine (500mg), Cat’s Claw (uncaria tomentosa, 100mg), quercetin (100mg), green tea (50mg), and grape extract (25mg).
The results in a study are only as good as the measures employed, and some caution must be employed in interpreting these results which were mainly subjective reports of how the volunteers felt. The researchers found increased energy levels in both men and women, as well as benefits to joint pain, by men but not women.
Women, but not men, experienced improvements in both anxiety levels and balance.
However, in combination with more subjective measures, improved inflammatory status was shown by biochemical markers of inflammatory markers (IL6) while and strength, and power improved in men. This study suggests that a multi-nutrient supplement may help middle-aged individuals maintain physical health and an active lifestyle.
Dunn-Lewis C, Kraemer WJ, et al, (2011), “A Multi-nutrient supplement reduced markers of inflammation and improved physical performance in active individuals of middle to older age: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study,” Nutrition Journal (epub)
Should you try a fat loss shortcut?
By · CommentsDon’t shortcut the shortcut.
Just had a consultation with one of my clients he’s an intelligent businessman, works hard and likes to exercise. He’s driven and wants results fast.
Over the years his weight has yo-yoed up and down between 75 and 110Kg, it’s quite a difference in old money it’s about 70lb or 5 stone.
So he’s started on Four Week Fat Loss and he has started dropping weight, he’s down about 7Kg already. He’s that determined he actually started Xmas Eve!
Most people would be happy with 7Kg in 12 days and content to keep on trucking along.
However some people like to try and shortcut the shortcut. Don’t do it!
In the past he’s lost weight faster, but he was doing all sorts of crazy stuff like starving himself.
Sure you are going to lose weight fast if you do that but it’s not a long term solution is it?
The weight loss soon plateaus when you starve yourself.
The problem with severe calorie restriction is you start to burn muscle for fuel, your body needs stores of fat to make hormones that are essential for body function.
Genetic survival mechanisms kick in and your body starts to break down more muscle and less fat, as you can do without muscle but you cant do without fat.
With some weight loss plans particularly those that are low fat and high carbs your actual weight loss may be as much as 50% muscle and 50% fat.
The main reason you want to preserve muscle mass is that muscles require a lot of energy just for your body to maintain them.
With more muscle you might need 2000 calories a day to stay at your current weight, less muscle you may only need 1750.
That 250 calorie deficit could add up over a year to an extra 26lbs of fat.
This is one of the reasons that people end up yo-yoing.
A major part of the Four Week Fat Loss philosophy is that it’s a method that you use for the rest of your life it’s not about a quick fix.
When you dont need to lose any more weight you make slight adjustments to your food and activity levels to stay at the same level.
Matt Lovell
P.S.
FWFL has a money back guarantee. The only thing you have to lose is unwanted flab
Vitamin D has a profound, systemic effect on all areas of health. It circulates around the body and is involved in cell-signalling which can influence everything from bone health to muscle function.
In this study examining the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and airway structure and function in 86 children, severely asthmatic children were found to have lower vitamin D levels than either moderate asthmatics or non-asthmatics.
In these children (average age 11.7 years), higher vitamin D levels correlated with reduced airway inflammation and improved airway structure and lung function.
The results suggest that vitamin D supplementation may be useful in treating asthma. However, many health problems are either caused or made worse by excessive inflammation, meaning that vitamin has a role in supporting all areas of health.
Olmedillas H, González-Agüero A, Moreno LA, Casajús JA, Vicente-Rodríguez G.(2011) “Bone related health status in adolescent cyclists”. PLoS One.;6(9):e24841. Epub 2011
Weight Loss explained on 1 page
By · CommentsWe’ve developed this one page sheet for you as a reminder of what you need to do for Four Week Fat Loss, also when you have friends ask you about your results you can send them a copy of this to help explain it.
Can you give us any feedback on this one page sheet, so we can make any changes before we start really sending the message out. There is a lot of nonsense out there when it comes to weight loss and we wanted to try and cut through the clutter and get our simple message out there.
Right click here and save as for pdf version
or right click on the image below and save for .jpg or image version.
Maintaining low body weight for the sake of performance can often combine with social pressures for aesthetics and “thinness” in young female athletes. However, insufficient energy intake throughout this stage of development can have profound consequences on maturation, reproductive capacity. High energy expenditure without adequate compensation in energy intake leads to an energy deficiency, and bone health.
The combination of low energy availability, menstrual disturbances and low bone mineral density is referred to as the ‘female athlete triad’.
Current recommendations focus on either increasing energy intake or decreasing energy expenditure; eating more, or training less.
Meal replacement products can help increase energy intake and may be a useful addition to a female athletes diet. In addition, ensuring sufficient intakes of calcium and iron are particularly important for female athletes.
A referral to a sports nutritionist will also give more perspective and can be an effective way of managing energy intake, although severe cases should be referred to a doctor.
Ducher G, Turner AI, Kukuljan S, Pantano KJ, Carlson JL, Williams NI, De Souza MJ. “Obstacles in the optimization of bone health outcomes in the female athlete triad”.
Sports Med. 2011 Jul 1;41(7):587-607.
on 
on 
on