The Essential Supplements for Women That Want to Lose Weight

Last updated on April 19th, 2024 at 10:16 am

We all know that the main goal of exercising is not always losing weight; sometimes, women train to become stronger, faster, or just more athletic. Depending on the goal, a particular diet and training plan has to be followed – one that makes it easier to reach whatever end result a person has in mind.

Having said that, many women decide to start going to the gym and following a nutrition plan with the idea of losing weight in mind. And this article is exactly the right one for them. In it, we’re going to talk about the essential supplements for weight loss, how they can help you reach your goals, and why you should consider adding them to your diet. 

What are the Essential Supplements for Weight Loss? 

Before we dive into the essential supplements, we first have to mention that the key to weight loss is nutrition. Without eating properly and according to your needs, you will fail to reach the goals you have in mind. So before you run off to the supplement store to buy a bunch of packets, you first have to ensure that you have a nutrition plan that works for you and that suits your end goal. 

If you already have that in the bag and you’re also following a good exercise routine, then you can go ahead and start reading about how you can make the process even more effective with the help of the supplements we’re going to discuss below. 

Protein Powder

Protein powder is the holy grail of muscle building supplements, and for a good reason. Protein is a key macronutrient that your body uses to build muscle and recover from hard training sessions. It’s also one of the nutrients that helps keep you fuller for longer, which makes it a terrific choice for people who want to lose weight. Along with helping you feel full, protein is also a terrific way to get something sweet in your diet when you’re trying to consume fewer calories.

L-Carnitine 

L-carnitine is one of the supplements you will most often see marketed for fat loss, but you likely have no idea what it does or how it actually affects your weight loss journey. Essentially, l-carnitine is one of the twenty amino acids that make up protein. It also happens to be one of the nine considered essential, and it’s typically found in many dairy and meat products, so if you’re not vegan, you’re likely getting enough of it either way. 

However, if you’d rather eat more plants or you’re on a full-on vegan meal plan, supplementing with l-carnitine might be a good idea. It has a good effect on overall weight loss, as it helps with both reducing fat and lowering the BMI of adults. 

Caffeine 

Most people enjoy caffeine in different forms – in energy drinks, in coffee, and even in pre-workout supplements. And while most of us drink it for energy and to keep us awake in moments when we need to be, caffeine can also help our metabolism. This means that it can speed up our metabolization of food and help us burn more calories. But can that actually affect weight loss? 

In 2018, a study showed that caffeine can potentially be a great ally in reducing BMI, fat, and weight. However, this statement is only true if the person taking caffeine is also following a good exercise program and a solid nutrition plan. It cannot be used to replace bad habits or to serve as a do-it-all cure. If you’re new to caffeine, you can start by taking only around 100 milligrams, and you will reap the benefits. However, if you’re a regular coffee drinker or a fan of pre-workout, you may consider taking around 200 milligrams or more – just be careful not to overdo it. 

Fiber 

If you eat more processed foods, or you heavily include meat and dairy in your diet instead of fruits and veggies, then fiber might be a good supplement idea. It has been shown that it’s great for weight loss for a variety of reasons – it increases satiety, alters the secretion of gut hormones, optimizes the gut microbiome, and decreases the absorption of macronutrients.

You can get fiber supplements at every vitamin shop, and you will likely not need to take a lot, depending on how much fiber you naturally consume with your diet. Additionally, if you don’t want to take an extra pill, you can try incorporating more whole grains, veggies, and fruits into your eating habits, as those will also increase the amount of fiber you get. 

Vitamin D 

There are studies that show the link between low levels of vitamin D and obesity. There are two supposed reasons for this: 

• Obese people probably spend less time outside and in the sun
• Fat tissue stores vitamin D, which results in lower plasma levels

But it seems that the link between the two can link the opposite way as well. Some studies do show that supplementing vitamin D can help with weight loss in both children and adults. The effect was particularly noticeable in women who took both vitamin D and calcium on their journey to losing weight, according to this study. 

In Conclusion

Despite what you might have read in ads, there’s no magical tea, pill, or any kind of supplement that will work as a miracle and help you lose weight magically. Regardless of whether you want to lose just 1-2 lbs or more than 10, the most important pillars in your journey will remain good diet and exercise. Supplementation comes to help and aid, but only after you’ve gotten the two key parts in order.

In this article, we’ve recommended only supplements that have proven to have a positive effect on weight loss, and that will make the road to your goal just a little bit easier than it would typically be. If you’ve already tried any of them or if they’re a frequent partner as you lose weight, let us know your thoughts in the comment. We’d love to keep learning more.

*collaboration and photos credit pexels.com