Slimming

Diet products, from slimming tea to fat burner supplements, meal replacement slimming shakes and protein powders, are big news right now and just about everyone has an opinion on them.

The great news is that many of these diet products really can help you to achieve your slimming goals. The bad news? Picking one can be a real minefield. 

Many of us use diet products expecting a quick fix, however dieting simply does not work like that. 

A dieting supplement of any type must be paired with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, ensuring that you burn more calories than you consume.

Depending on the product you choose, you may find that a slimming product helps you to feel fuller for longer or aids motivation at the gym. 

It may even give you the energy you need to burn more calories in every workout.

The slimming product you choose to help you on your weight management journey depends on your preferences and your aims.

For some people a slimming tea, which may contain green tea, yerba mate, ginger, garcinia cambogia or senna leaf, is a preferred choice. 

With no shakes to make and no pills to take, teas put a little bit of ritual into your diet and they often taste great too.

Slimming tablets are a more controversial choice. However, in combination with a healthy weight loss regime, they do offer benefits to many people and are sometimes even prescribed by GPs.

Like teas, diet pills can work in a number of ways. 

Some contain ingredients such as caffeine, guarana or capsicum, chosen to provide energy for exercise and encourage ketosis, or fat burning. 

Meanwhile some supplements contain ingredients that expand in your stomach to help you feel full for longer. These can be a good choice for those of us who can’t resist a dessert or mid-afternoon snack.

The short answer is no. 

Diet supplements, whether powders, teas, tablets or shakes, will only support a healthy diet and exercise.

For targeted weight loss a carefully designed workout program is key. 

Speaking to a personal trainer or nutritionist can help you to find the right combination of diet and exercise to help you achieve the realistic shape you want.

Buying a slimming product from a reputable retailer and consulting a doctor or nutritionist first is the best way to ensure you are choosing a safe, effective diet supplement.

Most slimming products, even natural supplements, can carry risks. 

However, when taken according to instructions and as part of a healthy weight management regime, most are no less risky than any other supplement.

It is important to be aware of the side effects – whether that is caffeine jitters or senna related bowel discomfort - and to stop taking a supplement if your experience becomes negative.