Q: Dear Dr. Sievers & Coach Karen,
I have been overweight for many years and recently embarked on a weight loss and exercise plan. My personal trainer has been making recommendations on what supplements to take for weight loss, but I am not comfortable taking advice about supplements from a trainer. However, when I asked my doctor about supplements, he said I don’t need anything. Can you help me? Sandy from Estero
Dear Sandy,
Congratulations for taking action to lose weight. While your trainer is correct that you should be taking supplements to help lose weight and aid muscle growth, understanding which supplements to take, as well as how much, is best decided by a doctor with a robust, post-doctoral education in nutrition, supplements and functional medicine.
As we discussed in our November issue, most people would benefit from supplements. But before we discuss the specific roles supplements play, it’s extremely important to touch upon some common pitfalls people make in terms of food.
While I prescribe supplements for my patients, I cannot emphasis enough the importance of maintaining a proper diet. Many people think that if they work-out regularly and take supplements, they can eat whatever they want, and are disappointed when they see the scale hasn’t moved down. As I have stressed in the past, a low glycemic (low sugar) and low allergen (gluten and dairy free), plant-based diet has proven to be extremely effective for weight loss and overall health, especially when combined with proper supplements and exercise.
On the other hand, people who attempt to eat healthy diets, often make unhealthy choices. Let’s talk about protein. Many people tend to eat a lot more protein than they actually need and worse, think protein must come from animals. Most would be surprised to know that vegetables and other non-animal foods contain ample protein. For example, a 100 calorie serving of the following foods contain more protein then the same calorie intake of a steak (which contains only 5.4 grams of protein and a lot more fat): one cup of chick peas
has 15 grams of protein; 3 ounces of almonds has 10 grams; slightly over 2 cups of broccoli has 11.5 grams. Better yet, eating a plant based diet is not only healthier, but you get to eat a lot more food, so you actually feel full.
I often tell my patients to use animal protein as a condiment, rather than the main focus of the meal. Try swapping your typical protein portions and vegetable portions so that your plate reveals a heaping pile of vegetables, with a bit of animal protein on the side. We have discussed in previous articles the many down sides of animal protein, from inflammation to cancer, even if the scale moves down. But most of all, high intake of animal protein upsets the balance in the GI tract. I can’t stress enough how if the gut is not balanced you will not lose weight. Thus, I often use probiotics and other supplements that balance the GI tract.
Another overlooked pitfall: lack of restorative sleep and chronic stress. Both of these affect cortisol levels which affect muscle mass and weight gain. There are supplements that balance these issues, but it is important to embark on this with a functional medicine physician as it requires more evaluation and is beyond the scope of a personal trainer.
Even with the most pristine diet, restorative sleep and balanced stress, one often requires supplements. Of course, it is best when nutritional testing, which I regularly perform, reveals one’s individual needs. I prescribe high quality multi-vitamins and minerals as they are needed for the body’s metabolic functions for weight loss and energy production. There are a lot of trendy supplements marketed for weight loss, but I generally start with the basics. Following are a sampling of just a few of the supplements, which primarily improve insulin sensitization, that I regularly recommend for
weight loss. For instance, Vitamin D3, magnesium, chromium polynicotinate, zinc, and alpha lipoic acid are some examples. Fish oil also helps inflammation and insulin sensitivity. Conjugated linoleic acid is particularly beneficial as one nears their goal to work on residual belly fat.
Protein shakes are often part of the plan. However, it is important to use high quality, professional grade medical foods because many of the over-the-counter versions are tainted with heavy metals. Professional grades, those available through practitioners, also contain nutrients that help one detoxify, which further aids weight loss. Protein powders can be quick meals or snacks. This type of protein requires less energy expenditure; the body can instead put energy toward burning fat.
Transitioning to a healthy diet and lifestyle and incorporating supplements into one’s daily routine can be daunting. That’s why I work with Coach Karen. Just as you have chosen to work with a personal trainer to guide and instruct you in your quest for proper exercise, Coach Karen works with patients to help educate them and make them accountable for their health plans. Working with a health coach greatly improves patients’ success for weight loss.
Teresa A. Sievers, MD
Restorative Health & Healing Center
10201 Arcos Av., Suite 201, Estero
Learn more about Dr. Sievers at:
www.rhhcenter.com
Karen R. Callan, CHC, AADP
Certified Health Coach
10201 Arcos Ave., Suite 201 Estero
239-405-9169
Learn More About BEST BODY NOW at:
www.lovemybestbodynow.com