Fish Oil

When embarking on a diet, most people make the decision to cut out many foods that are considered unhealthy, such as refined carbohydrates, high calorie foods and fats. However, in order to eliminate excess body fat, you need to make sure you’re eating enough of the right fats. While it’s true that some fats are not good for you, others are absolutely essential for losing weight and maintaining a healthy diet. While the body can transform carbohydrates and proteins into saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, it cannot produce certain polyunsaturated fats. These fats that the body cannot produce are called essential fatty acids (EFAs), and they must be obtained from the food that we eat

EFAs actually help the body to dissolve fat. So to cut out foods high in them is like cutting out fat-burning agents!

What are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)?

EFAs are classed into two groups: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are needed by the body to keep the heart, eyes and brain healthy, and omega-6 fatty acids are needed to keep cells, skin, the blood and immune system healthy.

Essential Fatty Acids, otherwise known as Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids found in the oil from oily fish and vegetable sources such as flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, olive oil and canola oil.

Both types of EFAs are required for the production of the eicosanoids - hormones that are responsible for regulating the major body functions, including digestion, insulin production and the storage of fat.

How Omega-3 Fatty Acids Aids Weight Loss

It has now been proven scientifically that Omega-3 fatty acids help you lose weight.
Studies at the University of South Australia have found that taking omega-3 fish oil combined with moderate aerobic exercise boosts weight loss.

Over a period of 12 weeks, researchers gave a group of obese adults daily doses of omega-3 fish oil and supervised moderate aerobic exercise three times a week. The researches compared the results of this group with other groups that were not given omega-3 fish oil and exercise three times a week.

The group that had the omega-3 fish oil lost significantly more weight, particularly around the abdominal region, than the people who had not been given the omega-3 fish oil and exercise.

They concluded that Omega-3 fatty acids in the fish oil activates the enzymes responsible for burning fat, and combined with exercise and increased oxygen intake, they increase the metabolic rate, which has an effect of burning more fat and losing weight.

Warning About Fish Oil

Many reports have indicated that commercial fish can be harmful to people’s health, in particular the health of young children and women of childbearing age. This is because certain fish contain high levels of contaminants such as mercury and methyl mercury that can damage the nervous system of an unborn child or young child. These toxins can also be transferred into fish oil and fish oil capsules.

It is possible to get the same weight loss benefits from vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids, without the toxins. Eating a diet rich in olive oil, canola oil, and rapeseed oil, nuts, avocado and soy will give you the omega-3 fatty acids your body needs to help you lose weight, without any of the associated health risks.

Shola Osho is author of Diet Cheats - how to lose weight, burn fat while eating all the foods you enjoy. You can find out more by visiting http://www.dietcheats.com More articles on the relationship between omega 3 fish oil in the diet and weight loss are available in http://www.omega-3.b0bs.com

Information on Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids and Fish Oil can be found in the Omega 3 Fish Oil Directory http://www.omega-3.dreamhosters.com which contains web resources on omega 3 essential fatty acids and how to incorporate them in your diet to burn fat and lose weight.

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If I could only take two supplements, I would take a multivitamin along with fish oil supplements. Fish oil supplements offer much-needed essential fatty acids that the vast majority of people in the U.S. are deficient in today. Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential part of any healthy diet. Fish oils are one of the only sources of the essential fatty acid omega-3–a substance that is crucial to the health and function of every single cell in your body.

Eating oily fish on a regular basis is not appealing to most people. Not only that, oily fish are not easily available in many parts of the country, and currently there is a mercury scare that makes people wary to eat too much fish. However, fish oil supplements offer a convenient and easy way to experience all the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids.

In the past, omega 3’s were found in everyday foods to a much greater degree. However, due to modern processing methods, the average American’s diet is virtually devoid of any omega 3’s–and our bodies were designed to run on them every day. Without them, you WILL suffer health consequences, whether you realize it or not (you might not realize how GOOD you can really feel if you’re deficient in omega 3’s without knowing it!)

Fish oils are derived from the fat of deep-sea, cold water fish and are a natural source of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Omega-3 is an important nutrient for maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. Fish Oils themselves are said to contribute to healthy heart function and joint flexibility as well as supporting brain, nerve, and visual function.

Chances are you’ve heard about them before, but what do these fish oil supplements really do for overall health and can they assist in your fat-loss goals? Well, take a look at what having sufficient omega 3’s in the diet can do for you.

They:
1. Prevent fat cell growth and multiplication
2. Lowers serum triglyceride levels (they pose a cardiovascular risk)
3. Reduce blood pressure
4. Minimize hardening of the arteries
5. Stabilize heart rhythm
6. Are essential for optimal brain development and function.
7. Reduce interlukin-1beta production and result in a significant reduction in morning stiffness and painful joints related to rheumatoid arthritis.
8. Reduce inflammation which can cause pain
9. Block fat storage before it even starts
10. Lower risk of cancer
11. Force excess nutrients to be rapidly burned as fuel, which is extremely important in attempting to lose body fat and control bodyweight
12. Reduce cravings and also depression because they have a direct effect on serotonin levels

I recommend taking 3-6 gram capsules a day (Take 6 if you’re dieting strictly and/or rarely eat fatty fish), which is the equivalent of 3-6 1000mg capsules. If you are hoping that fish oils will help with pain or arthritis, also choose 6 grams.

I recommended starting with 2 grams per day and work your way up to an extra gram every week (1 gram = 1 capsule for most brands), because some people experience mild discomfort as their digestive tract gets used to the higher doses. Take your fish oil capsules with meals, so you don’t get unpleasant “”fish burps” and so that they digest more smoothly.

Gina Paulhus is the owner of an in-home fitness training company called ‘Home Bodies’ based in the Boston area. Gina Paulhus is the author of ‘Mind Over Fatter,’ a 30-day overhaul of the mindset that has sabotaged your fitness and weight loss success. Gina’s website is http://www.homeexercisecoach.com. You can find free fitness and nutrition tips to gain muscle and lose fat at home, no gyms, pills, or fad diets required!

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