It is that time of the year when many Americans will refocus on their weight loss and management goals. Approximately 1 in 3 adults are overweight and many people need support in achieving their weight loss goals. There are several ways I support my patients and Health Breakthroughs readers with their weight loss goals since many factors are involved in the success of weight management. Examples of susceptibility factors include:
In this article, I provide a protocol that most people can follow to kickstart their 2024 weight loss goals. This program does not involve any stimulants or wild dietary changes that put your health at risk. Nevertheless, if you have medical conditions, check with your healthcare provider before starting any weight loss program.
One of the ways we make it easier for patients to lose weight is to have a diet that is reasonable and healthy to follow. Depending on genetics and preferences, I offer patients various diets. My Modified Mediterranean Diet meal plan is one that can be effective for many people. The diet is healthy and restricts gluten and dairy products, which are common food sensitivities. One could also follow a different, well-balanced diet of around 1300 calories if one is not involved in high-level physical activity.
For more aggressive weight loss, I recommend taking our MetaboWellness (vanilla or chocolate) to replace one meal a day until meaningful weight loss has been achieved. Even two meals could be replaced for a period of 30 days. Most people choose breakfast to replace but it could be any meal. By replacing one meal a day, you can reduce your calories by 25% to 30%. Since MetaboWellness is low in carbs and contains hypoallergenic protein, one should not feel fatigued or have blood sugar imbalances. In addition, MetaboWellness contains a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals to support optimal health.
The next item to consider is our Lean Wellness. I believe this is one of the few valid weight management supportive formulas available on the market. Many weight loss formulas contain dangerous stimulants and I avoid these types of products with patients. Lean wellness contains two studied ingredients, Metabolaid and Green Coffee Bean Extract (GCBE). To date, there have been 7 clinical studies conducted with Metabolaid. The combination of lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora) and hibiscus flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) extracts comprise Metabolaid. These extracts have been shown to work synergistically on the activation of the chemical messenger AMPK which promotes fat metabolism. In addition, several studies have shown that Metabolaid significantly increases the sensation of fullness and satiety and decreases hunger compared to a placebo.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in 2020 demonstrated that Metabolaid used for 84 days effectively reduced body fat mass, body weight, and fat mass of the chest and torso in healthy people compared to those taking a placebo. Another study in 2022 found Metabolaid to decrease appetite sensation in an overweight and obese population and reduce calorie intake.
In addition, Lean Wellness contains green coffee bean (GCBE) extract, which has been shown to reduce body weight, body mass, and fat index more effectively in obese women who were on a calorie-restricted diet as compared to women on a calorie-restricted diet only. GCBE contains chlorogenic acid and other non-caffeine compounds that support weight loss.
Now is a good time to focus on a healthy diet and lifestyle to improve your weight and body composition. Many people find that a specific protocol like the one I outlined in this article will provide the results they need to see in order to keep their motivation levels at a good level.
Dr. Mark Stengler NMD, MS, is a bestselling author in private practice in Encinitas, California, at the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine. His newsletter, Dr. Stengler’s Health Breakthroughs, is available at www.markstengler.com and his product line at www.drstengler.com
Haidari, F et al. (2017). Energy restriction combined with green coffee bean extract affects serum adipocytokines and the body composition in obese women. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 26(6), 1048–1054.
Marhuenda, J., Perez, S., Victoria-Montesinos, D., Abellán, M. S., Caturla, N., Jones, J., & López-Román, J. (2020). A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial to Determine the Effectiveness a Polyphenolic Extract (Hibiscus sabdariffa and Lippia citriodora) in the Reduction of Body Fat Mass in Healthy Subjects. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 9(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9010055
Marina Boix-Castejón, Maria Herranz-López, Nuria Caturla, Enrique Roche, Enrique Barrajón-Catalán, Vicente Micol. Hibiscus and lemon verbena polyphenols: Assessment for weight management in overweight volunteers. Appetite control and satiety. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. Volume 108, Supplement 1,2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2017.04.311
Serna, A., Marhuenda, J., Arcusa, R., Pérez-Piñero, S., Sánchez-Macarro, M., García-Muñoz, A. M., Victoria-Montesinos, D., Cánovas, F., & López-Román, F. J. (2022). Effectiveness of a polyphenolic extract (Lippia citriodora and Hibiscus sabdariffa) on appetite regulation in overweight and obese grade I population: an 8-week randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled trial. European journal of nutrition, 61(2), 825–841. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02678-x
Sudeep, H. V., & Shyam Prasad, K. (2021). Supplementation of green coffee bean extract in healthy overweight subjects increases lean mass/fat mass ratio: A randomized, double-blind clinical study. SAGE open medicine, 9, 20503121211002590. https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121211002590
