About a third of the population in developed countries suffers from obesity. Shops for overweight people are becoming increasingly popular, and people are saying that men don’t throw dice and there should be a lot of good people. What explains this trend?
A sedentary lifestyle, abuse of fast food and poor ecology are to blame. Having worked hard during the day, a person snacks on a sandwich or in the evening allows himself too much and goes to bed with a full stomach. But a complete meal replacement can not only satisfy the feeling of hunger, but also help normalize metabolism.
How to replace gainers and protein shakes
After your workout is over, drink a smoothie of a couple of bananas and one glass of milk. This drink will bring much more benefits to the body than protein isolate, which does not contain glucose. After all, thanks to sugar, your muscles will recover much faster. Well, milk will be an excellent source of protein.
It is important to consume protein not only after physical activity, but also a couple of hours before training. This will allow you to stock up on the proteins necessary for building muscles, avoiding the unpleasant feeling of heaviness in the stomach. Regular boiled eggs will help replace protein before training. They just have time to be completely digested. However, you should not eat more than three eggs at a time: the yolk contains a large amount of cholesterol.
Liquid meal replacement
When consuming refined foods, colonic motility is disrupted, which can lead to constipation and digestive problems, so every meal should be accompanied by dietary fiber intake. What is the easiest way to supply your body with vitamins and nutrients? Of course, make a cocktail! Many people believe that drinking, even thick, cannot be interpreted as a replacement for meals.
Therefore, in between meals, they drink sweet yogurt, soda, and milk, thereby consuming extra calories. There is no doubt that a person must drink, but the drinking must be correct. The quickest way to quench your thirst is with clean water, and to replenish your strength with a healthy cocktail, which you can prepare with plenty of protein. There is a protein norm that a person should receive daily. Protein itself is a heterogeneous product containing amino acids, eight of which are essential for the body. A protein shake is indicated for both people involved in sports and those living without significant physical activity. Using store-bought meal replacements, this cocktail can be made easily and simply. Typically, athletes buy protein, which in its consistency resembles regular powder or flour. The effect of the protein can be enhanced if you make a milk-based shake, but, in fact, this is not necessary, since one spoon of powder contains the daily value of protein, casein and whey.
Having received such a killer dose of energy, you can train for quite a long time without feeling very tired. Replacing a meal with protein does not imply a decrease in taste, and culinary art can be demonstrated with such an ingredient. After all, protein can be banana, strawberry or even vanilla. But we must remember that protein is very high in calories, so it is not recommended to eat it uncontrollably or add it to food.
How to replace protein isolates
Every athlete knows that muscle mass can only be built by consuming large amounts of protein. However, it has been proven that protein plays a major role in the process of muscle building, and the high calorie content of food consumed.
If you cannot purchase protein isolate, consider increasing the protein content in your diet. For example, you can replace the protein with milk (of course, if you are not allergic to lactose). Be sure to choose low-fat milk.
Research [edit | edit code]
In March 2001, The Journal of the American Dietetic Association published an article with a 1-year study on 64 overweight women, ages ranging from 18 to 55 years. The goal was to lose a few kilograms of weight. The subjects were unable to achieve their desired weight on their own by following a low-calorie diet.
After the start of the experiment, half of the women began to follow a diet with a calorie restriction of up to 1200 kcal per day, the other half replaced all three daily meals with meal replacement shakes containing approximately 220 calories, and they also consumed additional fruits and vegetables, which in general was also 1200 kcal per day.
After 3 months, the average weight in both groups decreased by approximately 1.5 - 3 kg, without loss of muscle mass. However, after a year of following the diet plan, the first group regained their original weight, and the second group, taking meal replacement products, continued to lose weight.
Another study (Obesity Research, August 2000) conducted on 100 obese people (21 men and 79 women, age range 35-55 years) was devoted to the study of meal replacement products. For the first three months, half of the subjects followed a 1,200-1,500-calorie diet, the other half took 2 servings of meal replacements per day and 1 full meal of regular foods. After this, it was found that the usual diet provided a weight loss of about 1 kg, while in the second group the weight loss reached 3 kg. Continuation of the experiment also showed the advantage of using additives.
How to replace pre-workout supplements
Pre-workout blends contain caffeine as well as "nitrogen boosters" to improve circulation. It is worth noting that the effectiveness of pre-workout mixtures has not been scientifically proven.
To avoid pre-workout blends, try to only drink coffee the night before your workout. This will allow you to save on sports nutrition, while increasing the effectiveness of your training. One cup of strong espresso contains up to 70 mg of caffeine, about the same amount in a teaspoon of instant.
How to replace fat burners
Most fat burners contain plant extracts that affect the body in much the same way as amphetamines. Due to this, appetite disappears and energy appears for training. It is obvious that the abuse of fat burners leads to the formation of a dangerous addiction.
Do not believe the tempting promises of manufacturers: modern medicine does not know of substances that can “burn” fat without any physical effort. Therefore, you should not hope that the use of fat burners will contribute to the loss of excess weight: you should not hope for a miraculous effect from taking pills, but carefully plan a diet.
What food is suitable for burning fat?
The range of sports nutrition for burning fat is represented by the following types of supplements: fat burners, thermogenics, appetite suppressants and meal replacements. They are produced by both Western and domestic sports nutrition brands.
Before purchasing any supplement, you should pay special attention to its originality. Check with the seller where the product is supplied from. Carefully inspect the packaging: the label must be securely glued, the lid must be tightly screwed on, the expiration date of the product, the composition of the product and the manufacturer’s coordinates must be indicated. Please note the GMP compliance symbol. There should be no spelling errors in the text on the label. If at least one of these points is not met, with a 99% probability you have a fake in your hands. This happens all the time, even in large retail chains of sports nutrition stores. And the funniest thing about this situation is that often the seller himself does not even suspect that he is selling counterfeit sports nutrition.
Under no circumstances use supplements that you are not sure are original, since no one will give you a guarantee that the composition of the product corresponds to what is written on the packaging. At best, you will eat a “dummy”. At worst, you consume a product of unknown origin from the cheapest raw materials, potentially carrying a huge risk to your health, in some cases even containing narcotic substances.
Fat burners
Fat burners are a group of supplements whose action is aimed at breaking down fat cells. This effect is achieved due to the content of caffeine, L-carnitine, yohimbine, taurine, zinc, green tea extract and other substances of natural origin.
1,3-Dimethylamylamine (DMAA)
There are also a number of stronger fat burners that contain stimulants that affect the functioning of the central nervous system. They increase the production of dopamine and norepinephrine, which allows us to train harder and enjoy physical activity. Most often this is an extract of geranium oil (1,3-dimethylamylamine, DMAA), which has a strong energetic and euphoric effect on the body.
Geranium oil extract is prohibited for consumption by the world anti-doping agency and is legally prohibited from distribution in some European countries. In Russia, 1,3-dimethylamylamine is completely legal.
This substance is found in many pre-workout supplements and fat burners at a dosage of 25-75 mg per serving. These supplements really “unwind” your body, increase strength, improve relief, burn excess fat, but there is also a dark side to the issue. With long-term use, they cease to have such a powerful effect, and very often many athletes exceed the recommended dosage in order to obtain a powerful stimulating effect. This is not beneficial: the cardiovascular system constantly has to work in a very difficult mode, the central nervous system is overexcited, appetite worsens, sleep is disturbed, and potency weakens.
Beta-phenylethylamine (PEA)
Beta-phenylethylamine (PEA), which also has a psychostimulating effect, is often found in fat burners. Unlike geranium oil extract, PEA is not a natural remedy. It is obtained synthetically. Phenylethylalamine enhances mental focus and improves mood, which allows you to train more intensely. In sports supplements it is used in a dosage of 400-500 mg.
In the Russian Federation, phenylethylalamine in concentrations above 15% is prohibited and included in the list of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
Ephedrine
Some manufacturers (whose legal status is questionable) add ephedrine to fat burners and pre-workout complexes, which is a narcotic drug, the sale, production and possession of which entails criminal liability. In terms of its effect on the body, ephedrine is similar to amphetamine - it has a powerful psychostimulating effect, increases energy, increases heart rate, suppresses appetite, and speeds up metabolism. All this leads to rapid weight loss, and the satisfied customer runs to the store for a new can of fat burner, once again breaking the law and risking criminal liability. But even if we ignore the legal side of the issue, using ephedrine for fat burning can hardly be called advisable. In addition to weight loss, ephedrine leads to tachycardia, arrhythmia, hypertension, angina pectoris, nausea, excessive sweating, insomnia, attacks of aggression, hyperglycemia, salt imbalance in the body, etc.
Think about it: is losing weight with the help of drugs containing ephedrine worth serious health problems, addiction and the risk of ending up in prison?
Thermogenics
This type of supplement works on the principle of increasing thermogenesis, which leads to burning more calories during workouts. The body's heat production increases, body temperature rises, and the body removes a large amount of water. In addition to the main components like caffeine or green tea extract, contained in almost all fat burners, thermogenics also contain naringin and tyramine, which are responsible for the breakdown of glucose in the body and the production of adrenaline.
Thermogenics can be classified as “light” fat burners; they do not overload the central nervous system with large doses of stimulants and do not contain creatine, which is designed to increase strength by accumulating ATP in cells.
Keep in mind that this type of sports nutrition for burning fat is more intended for women and girls who want to prepare for the beach season or simply lose a few extra pounds.
Appetite suppressants
This type of supplement (also called anorexigens or anorectics) leads to faster fat burning by suppressing the hunger center and activating the satiety center located in the hypothalamus.
Main active ingredients:
- fluoxetine;
- sibutramine;
- lorcaserin;
- dexfenfluramine;
- their analogues.
Research confirms the effectiveness of using these supplements. However, doctors also point out their side effects and possible harm to health: damage to the heart valves, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, myocardial fibrosis, insomnia, arrhythmia, etc.
Appetite suppressants can be bought not only at a sports nutrition store, but also at a regular pharmacy. They are often purchased by women who do not have enough time to exercise and hope to lose extra pounds by reducing the amount of food they consume.
However, due to the expensive cost and potential health hazards of these supplements, it is recommended that you simply make adjustments to your diet and add physical activity to your daily life - the results will be no worse, and the health benefits will be much greater.
Meal replacements
This group of supplements, produced by leading sports nutrition brands, is designed to be a complete meal replacement. This could be a cocktail that should be diluted with water in a shaker or blender, or a bar containing all the necessary nutrients.
Their advantages are obvious:
- the amount of all necessary micro- and macroelements is already balanced;
- low amount of calories;
- ease of storage;
- speed of preparation and consumption.
Meal replacements contain a complex protein containing proteins with different rates of absorption, complex carbohydrates obtained from natural products, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. They have only one drawback - the excessively high price.
Meal replacements are well suited for those who sometimes do not have the opportunity to take a full meal due to being very busy. This will have a much better effect on your weight loss or gain of lean muscle mass than if you make quick snacks by eating fast food, sweets or flour products.
Side effects of substitutes can manifest themselves in the form of disruption of the digestive system only in the case of individual intolerance to one or another component included in the product.
L-carnitine
L-carnitine (levocarnitine) is a natural substance found in dairy products, fish and red meat. It is not a fat burner, but its use during weight loss is very effective. Its benefit lies in the fact that it transports part of the adipose tissue into muscle mitochondria, where it is converted into energy (ATP) and consumed during strength training. In addition, L-carnitine has a number of other beneficial functions, including: increasing mental and physical activity, increasing stress resistance, reducing bad cholesterol levels and improving myocardial metabolism. It is also a powerful antioxidant. L-carnitine is included in most fat burners, but is also sold as a separate supplement in all sports nutrition stores. It is recommended for consumption in a dosage of about 2 grams per day.
How to replace calorie blockers
It was said above that there are no pills that can burn existing fat deposits. But there are drugs that block the absorption of fats. Unfortunately, their systematic use causes great damage to the metabolism: hormones necessary for normal life are no longer synthesized, and vitamins are not absorbed.
For this reason, calories need to be blocked not when they have already entered the body, but during meals. It is better to carefully control your diet, consuming proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the right amount, rather than trying to look for a magic cure that will allow you to overeat on fatty foods without gaining weight.
Expert reviews [edit | edit code]
Meal replacement products should only be recommended to people who are not experiencing financial difficulties, otherwise there may be other options. All supplements in this class consist of several basic ingredients: protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, dietary fiber (fiber). The other components are not particularly valuable. Thus, you can purchase the main components separately and save up to 80% of costs.
An example of an adequate replacement:
