I've taken supplements on and off since I was a teenager. I've also been on the diet pill bandwagon, here and there. Everything from Dexatrim to Hoodia has been in my bathroom...obviously none of them had worked. The truth is there really is no quick fix to weight loss. It's taken me quite a while (and lots of trial and error) to figure that out. Lately, I've been trying to stick with natural/whole vitamin supplements or herbal remedies. I don't take all of these pills religiously, although I try to take a multi-vitamin daily. Here is what is in my cabinet right now:
- Multi-Vitamin: A must. We just ran out of our usual Centrum so I'm on the search for a really good one in pill or liquid form.
- Vitamin D: This vitamin has been all over the news lately. Few foods provide it and we get most of our daily dose from the sun. The benefits are astounding. The recommended dosage of Vitamin D (400 IU/day) is considered too low. I take about 4xs that amount. It has been said that taking it regularly will extend one's life by years.
- Complete EFA: Essential Fatty Acids are not made by the body. Most Americans are EFA deficient (specifically omega-3) because of our over-consumption of processed foods. It's been found to reduce inflammation, depression, memory loss. EFAs may reduce the risk of a variety of infections and some illnesses. My brand contains fish oil, flaxseed oil, borage oil, ALA, Omega-6, EPA and DHA.
- Flax Oil: Basically another EFA source. It's also believed to help in weight loss.
- Green Tea Pills: I take an all natural brand. Green tea has tons of health benefits including being linked to preventing certain cancers and cardiac diseases. Other benefits include reduced risk of infections, preventing tooth decay, increasing metabolic rates, as well as preventing and curing many other ailments.
- Tongue Scraper: Not a supplement, but worth a mention. Tongue scraping removes harmful bacteria, prevents tooth decay/oral diseases, and cures bad breath. I get colds and sore throats pretty often. I just started scraping and hope it will lessen the amount of colds I get.
Great Articles:
Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2007
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Online Vitamin Database
It's been a tough week. While my fitness routine has sort of fallen apart, things have been good on the nutrition side of things. I don't want to say I've picked up the good habit of eating nutritiously, but I'm pretty close. I still am having issues with drinking enough water. I missed last week's reflection so here is a brief version:
The last two days have been extremely rocky for me. There have been big changes at my job and a lot of people were unexpectedly laid off. Luckily, I still have a job but this has turned my whole fitness routine upside down. This brings me to the subject of stress eating (or lack of.)
The supermarkets around my home don't carry many healthy food options. However, they are getting better about it. We usually take a trip to 
We all know that Rome wasn't built in a day. So how can we expect ourselves to change years (even decades) of bad habits overnight? Yesterday was pretty rough for me. Everyone wants to be at their ideal weight NOW...including me. This is definitely one of the reasons why I've failed to lose weight over the years. I'm guilty of this way of thinking. Actually, it's this way of thinking that zaps my motivation. It's a vicious cycle. On my way to work this morning, I began thinking about where I'd like to be. One month from now...three months...6 months...1 year. The next thought that ran through my head is being exactly the same at those milestones. It's hard taking it one day at a time, even one meal at a time.
I didn't exercise yesterday. We got in late from dinner and I was just beat. I'll make it up tonight by doing cardio and strength. I made good food choices today. Actually, I made pretty good food choice all week. I'm surprised at how easy it seemed. Planning my meals out may have been the key.
Tonight will be my 
