 |
 |
 |
| Weight
Lifting for Beginners Learn to lift weights at home, without expensive equipment or gym fees. Get the firm body you always wanted. |
Once-a-Month
Cooking Diet Plan Lose weight while eating delicious home-cooked portion control diet meals. It's the easy way to diet. |
Self-Help
for Sugar Addiction This program has helped hundreds of people kick the sugar habit, and stay committed to weight loss and health. |
Calcium for Weight Loss
Is calcium a "miracle" weight loss product?
In my mind, no weight loss product can be fairly called a "miracle" unless it offers the following benefits:
- It's known to be safe when used responsibly
- It's inexpensive
- Peer reviewed studies prove it has a measurable weight loss benefit
- As a nice bonus, it has other health benefits, in addition to weight loss
Calcium appears to fit these criteria when used responsibly for weight loss.
I'm happy to say that the calcium/weight loss research is being carried out by well-known laboratories and universities, and I found a number of studies concerning calcium and weight loss cited in medical journals.
So far the results of the studies are looking very promising.
Here's an excerpt from an article in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. published in April 2002. The article discussed the research findings of R. P. Heaney and colleagues from Creighton University in Nebraska.
"... increasing calcium intake by the equivalent of two dairy servings per day could reduce the risk of overweight substantially, perhaps by as much as 70 percent.
The calcium that was used in the study was only 300 mg more than the control subjects used.
Eating a diet that has an adequate amount of calcium and other trace minerals has also been shown to lower blood pressure, may help reduce PMS symptoms, and some doctors believe it can help cut the risk of colon cancer.
And calcium is inexpensive, when compared to other weight loss products, many of which are of questionable value and safety.
Because it's important to keep the proper balance of trace minerals, I have become quite interested in coral calcium, some of which have been advertised lately on TV.
My first concern when I heard about this calcium source was that removing the coral from the ocean might be bad for the environment. After all, we don't want to use calcium to lose weight if damages the ecosystem.
Fortunately, it appears that the coral calcium is taken from the sand around coral colonies near Okinawa, Japan, under full governmental scrutiny. I was unable to find any references to damage that this practice may have on the environment, so my fears were calmed.
Because these products have a natural mixture of many trace minerals, and seem to be easily digested, this may be a good source for many dieters. Many people do not drink dairy products, for a variety of reasons, and the weight loss studies that recommend dairy products as the best source of calcium for weight loss were paid for by the dairy industry. If another source of calcium is as digestible as dairy products (even more digestible for those with lactose intolerance), and if the supplement also offers a balance of trace minerals that are needed for health, this would be a benefit for many of us.
One thing that did come out during my research is the need to use calcium responsibly, because too much can be just as harmful as too little. The Ice Cream Diet book, which goes into great detail about the benefits of calcium when dieting, recommends that 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams a day is the maximum that anyone should consume on a daily basis. (The information about calcium is the only thing worth reading in The Ice Cream Diet, as far as I'm concerned.) As always, talk to your doctor if you want to use a pure form of calcium for weight loss.
I asked readers to give me feedback on whether or not calcium can help you lose weight. I received one email from a reader who told me that his son was taking coral calcium for an illness, and this young athlete began to lose weight he couldn't actually afford to lose. His parents talked to a doctor, and lowered the amount of calcium he was taking, which seemed to help.
Jasmine responded to my request for personal stories, and says "I've lost weight with coral calcium!"
Dear Jonni, I was just doing a search for calcium and weight loss and came upon your website. I was trying to figure out exactly why I have lost 14 pounds since I started the Nature's Benefit Coral Calcium Powder three months ago. I've been averaging about a pound of weight loss a week since taking 1,200 mg of coral calcium powder every night.
I wasn't expecting to lose weight as I saw Robert Barefoot infomercial on TV and started taking the coral calcium for my chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. The coral calcium has oxygenated my cells and therefore has given me more energy and I can walk further now. I'm also sleeping a bit better.
Just thought I'd drop you a note and let you know that I love my coral
calcium. I gained 40 pounds from the chronic fatigue syndrome and I've so far lost 14 pounds. I only have 12 more pounds to lose before I'm back to my normal weight. I wonder if I'll have to reduce the amount of coral calcium powder I'm taking when I get back to my regular weight because I don't want to lose too much weight!Jasmine N.
Another reader sent in this email, which she kindly gave me permission to use:
Jonni,
While doing a general search on coral calcium and weight loss, I came upon your site. I have been taking coral calcium for about two weeks. Additionally, I need to lose about 40 pounds and was ready to tackle that demon as well, but not looking forward to feeling hungry. What I didn't know and didn't expect about the coral calcium is that it seems to be suppressing my appetite. I had no idea this was "part of the deal" with coral calcium, but seems to be doing it for me which is making my diet much easier.
This is my personal take on the coral calcium for your information. Thanks for the very informative information on your site.
Robin S.
Remember - calcium can be obtained in a number of healthful, natural foods.
New research shows that low-calorie diets can cause food obsessions and binge eating. They can even make sugar addiction worse. No wonder most people end up fatter than they started when they try to lose weight with a low-calorie diet.
The answer? The New Craving Control Diet.
Lose 3 to 5 pounds a week without surgery, starvation diets or dangerous appetite suppressant pills. Enjoy the satisfying, delicious diet that controls your appetite naturally, reduces food cravings, and helps burn fat faster.
Finally - Fitness Without Pain:
Have
you ever purchased exercise videos you couldn't use because the exercises
were too strenuous or caused you too much pain? If so, I found the perfect
fitness program for you.
It's called the "Runner's Yoga" program, but it's definitely not just for runners.
These specially-selected yoga exercises are easy to learn, and take only 30 minutes for a full workout. They firm up your muscles, give you greater flexibility, and help calm the mind so you can concentrate better during the day.
And all without any pain at all. In fact, it can even help reduce pain if you now suffer from injured knees or joints.
To learn more about this new fitness yoga program, click here.
© 2003 - 2008 stress-free-weight-loss.com
All rights reserved.