If you've read other parts of this web site you know that we recommend that you try and get most if not all your nutrition from whole foods. So, you might be wondering, 'Well if it's best to get all my nutrition from foods, why should I take any supplements?'

The answer is yes, but only additional supplements (other than that for your general health) to help your body when you are already following a full weight loss program that includes a nutritious, balanced diet and rigorous exercise.

If you are eating the right foods and working out, supplements can be beneficial to get more results out of your program. Remember, supplements are food based, so essentially you are having food. Supplements take the best things from food and put it in one place for you to conveniently and easily use. For example, you may have heard of athletes using protein supplements to ensure they get enough protein in their day. Using supplements in this way allows you to target your eating plan according to your goals.

Here are a couple of reasons why you should consider supplementing your diet once you are following all the nutritional and workout principles of healthy weight loss:

• Helps burn fat by enhancing the fat burning processes in your body.
• Provide the resources our body needs that we can't get if we don't manage to eat a balanced diet every day (sometimes life gets in the way). If there are any natural deficiencies in our bodies, supplements may help with that.
• Help keep our bodies and minds alert
• Aid in building up resistance to infections
• Help you recover faster from illnesses and also workouts
• Support increased workout performance and allows helps you push your body to its limits
• Provides insurance to get your nutrients for the day.
• Convenient form of nutrition a lot of times in its correct percentages for maximum benefit
• Conveniently boost calories when you body needs it. It's usually ready to eat anytime, anywhere.
• Reduces your chance of suffering vitamin deficient diseases.

So as you can see, although it is not necessary to take supplements, the above benefits are the reason why you should not totally discard the ideal of using them. The other side to this is don't get too caught up on how much, which type and what the latest supplements are. This is the exact trap that the marketing companies want you to fall for. They want you to be constantly on edge with your wallet ready to buy the next 'miracle' drug.

One easy way to not fall into this trap is to remember one plain and simple fact: your fat burning goals and abilities are NOT outside you. The supplements and everything external can only assist your fat loss progress. No pill, shake or whatever they come out with next will ever replace eating the optimal foods and doing the optimal workouts for fat loss.