If someone told you that you could lose weight and build muscle mass at the same time, you would think that the person is either joking or talking about intensive training with dieting and exercising.
Building muscle and losing fat simultaneously is possible and achievable.
If you have been leading a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet, doing cardio and some weightlifting, what you need now is effective, natural supplements to assist you in reaching your goals faster.
Take a look at these Top 5 supplements that are scientifically backed and effectively help in burning fat and gaining muscle;
Forskolin:
One of the best natural supplements that improves overall health along with losing weight and gaining lean muscle mass is Forskolin (read how Forskolin works here).
The active ingredient in Forskolin known as Coleus Forskohlii –
- Stimulates an enzyme that helps burn away stored fat.
- Has been studied to activate an enzyme that boosts calorie burning and metabolism.
- Helps curb appetite and improve lean mass muscle.
- Inhibits new fat storage as a way to support weight loss.
- Improves blood circulation
- Improves sleep and treat depression
- Fights skin allergies and help treat skin diseases.
- Stimulates thyroid gland and balances the hormone.
A research published in the journal Obesity showed that it has positive effects on the breakdown of stored fats without altering diet or exercise routine. Before choosing the right Forskolin supplement ensure that the it has a minimum of 10% concentration of the active ingredient. Be sure to read the labels for ingredients and purity of the supplement carefully.
Forskolin is often compared with Garcinia Cambogia for its effect on weight loss. However, unlike GC, Forskolin is effective in aiding in weight loss as well as gaining muscle mass.
Caffeine:
Caffeine is the most popular supplement among people who are looking to lose fat. This is why most fat-loss mixes contain some amount of caffeine due to its ability to burn fat. It works by binding to the fat cells stimulating the loss of stored fat and prevention of new fat storage. Clinical studies (read here and here) suggest that high caffeine intake accelerates weight loss through thermogenesis and fat oxidation as well as improves muscle endurance and strength during workouts.
A combination of green tea with caffeine further enhances the metabolic rate resulting in faster weight loss.
Most experts recommend consuming 200 mg of caffeine and 300 mg of green tea once or twice every day.
Creatine:
Another most researched supplement in the world of bodybuilding and supplements is Creatine. It is an amazing substance that is naturally found in our bodies and meats, but supplementation can provide additional benefits.
This supplementation helps –
- Build muscle mass and enhances strength,
- Improve endurance and lose weight
- Reduce muscle damage and speeds muscle repair
- Increases water retention in muscles meaning muscles get physically larger
It is recommended that 3gms of creatine supplement is safe for daily consumption.
CLA:
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)are “good fats” or the omega fatty acids that are popular and effective weight loss supplements. However, many people don’t know its complete set of benefits that includes muscle tissue preservation as well.
Here are some of the researched and proven benefits of CLA-
- Long-term supplementation of CLA reduces body fat mass by inhibiting the fat storage enzyme
- Promoting burning of fat as fuel rather than muscle protein resulting in muscle gain
- Increases lean body mass
- Improves weight training performance
Look for a supplement that contains at least 80% CLA. The recommended dosage of CLA is 3.4gm and should be ingested along with high-protein foods to reduce the risk of side effects like nausea and diarrhea.
Protein supplements:
If you ask any expert they’ll tell you the first step is to increase protein intake before and after workout. Protein is made up of amino acids and are absolutely essential in building and maintaining muscle tissue.
According to a study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that between the two groups consuming calorie restricted diet, the group consuming higher protein intake lost more body fat and increased muscle mass in comparison.
Include about 1gm of protein per pound of your weight. Protein is found naturally in foods like chicken, eggs, soy and cottage cheese. Different proteins are absorbed at a different rate by the body, some taking much longer like egg protein takes about 2-7 hours whereas whey protein is absorbed quickly in about 30-40 minutes. Most bodybuilders consume whey protein for fast muscle recovery and growth.
Author Bio
Namrata Kothari is software engineer by education and a food and fitness blogger by passion. She is a lover of yoga and satire. She has always been fascinated about nutrition and healthy living, however the real journey of research started after giving birth to two kids. She wanted to pass on good eating habits and balanced diet for their holistic growth, and started writing as a resource for others interested in the same.
