October 2017 Weight Loss Center Member Questions Answered

You asked, so we’re answering the top weight loss questions asked by Weight Loss Center members. Keep the questions coming and we’ll continue to give our best answers to support your healthy weight loss efforts.

• How do monounsaturated fatty acids help you lose fat? asked by 1000kw

Though it may sound counterintuitive to say that certain kinds of dietary fats can help your body to lose body fat, that is actually the case when you consume the right quantities of monounsaturated fatty acid. According to the Journal for Diabetes Care, eating an appropriate amount of these fats with your daily meals raises your basal metabolic rate. This helps your body to burn calories and stored fats more quickly. In fact, the paper in the journal suggested that it specifically helps in the burning of fat stored around the middle.

• What is HCA and how does it cause weight loss? asked by Tammy

HCA stands for hydroxycitric acid, which is a chemical in weight loss supplements containing garcinia cambogia. HCA is believed to work by suppressing the appetite by raising serotonin levels in the brain. Increased serotonin also helps to improve the mood, reduce anxiety and lower the risk of depression. When your mood is under control, it is easier to stay motivated to exercise regularly and eat right.

• What are some fat burners that are not caffeine? asked by Maggie

Even if the majority of us think of caffeine when it comes to fat burning ingredients, there are actually many others that studies have shown will function as fat burners, too. These include: green tea extract, citrus aurantium (synephrine), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), 7-Keto (DHEA), green coffee bean extract (chlorogenic acid), and possibly raspberry ketones, chromium and ashwagandha, though those last three have less evidence to support them than the rest in this list.

• Is horsetail a good ingredient and what does it do? asked by LegendaryTroy

Horsetail is a plant often used in natural medicine for water retention and other related conditions. That said, it is also believed to have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Primarily, it works as a “water pill.” As such, it doesn’t help you to lose fat at all. It may help to overcome struggles with retained water, but only under a doctor’s guidance. The reason is that improper use risks dehydration and other unwanted side effects. That said, any weight lost will only return when the body fully rehydrates.

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