| Imagine this scenario next January 1st: you | | | | The researchers note that pounds put on |
| dont make a New Years resolution to lose | | | | during the holidays are particularly hard to |
| weightbecause you havent gained any! | | | | lose. They also tell us that the heavier you |
| | | | are, the more weight you tend to gain during |
| Come January 1, most people look back on the | | | | the holidays: the heaviest folks in the study |
| last month or so of happy indulgence with a | | | | gained an average of 5 pounds in November and |
| tinge of scale-based regret. Well, theres a | | | | December. So CLA might be particularly |
| new scientific study that offers a | | | | helpful over the holidays for those who are |
| no-exercise, no-dieting way to not gain | | | | 20, 30 or more pounds overweight. |
| weight over holidaysand maybe stay trimmer | | | | |
| all year round. | | | | How does CLA work to prevent weight gain? |
| | | | Nobody knows for sure. It may stop fat from |
| The study was conducted by researchers at the | | | | getting into fat cells. It may affect the |
| University of Wisconsin, in Madison, and at | | | | development of new fat cells. It may burn up |
| the University of Guelph, in Ontario, , and | | | | fatty acids in muscle. But that it does work |
| was published recently in the International | | | | is a proven fact. |
| Journal of Obesity. The researchers | | | | |
| investigated conjugated linoleic acid, or | | | | A two-year study published in the American |
| CLA, a building block of fat, found mainly in | | | | Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that |
| meat and dairy. | | | | people who took CLA lost 5 pounds of fat and |
| | | | gained 2 pounds of muscle in about 3 |
| The researchers studied 40 healthy but | | | | monthsand remember, thats without reducing |
| overweight people: 32 women and 8 men, | | | | calories or increasing physical activity. |
| ranging in age from 18 to 44. They divided | | | | |
| them into 2 groups. Over six months, one | | | | Can you get enough CLA through your diet to |
| group took a supplement of 3.2 grams of CLA | | | | lose weight? No, say the experts Ive talked |
| daily and one didnt. The researchers weighed | | | | with. Youd practically have to live on meat |
| the study participants three times: | | | | and cheeseand even then you wouldnt get 3.2 |
| pre-holiday (August-October), holiday | | | | grams a day. |
| (November-December), and post-holiday | | | | |
| (January-February). The results? | | | | Ive taken to mentioning CLA supplements to |
| | | | anybody I talk to who wants to effortlessly |
| The CLA group actually lost a tiny amount of | | | | lose some fat and gain some trimming muscle. |
| weight during the holidays: about 1/5th of a | | | | (And who doesnt.) People (particularly women) |
| pound. Meanwhile, the group not taking CLA | | | | are telling me that they can definitely see |
| gained an average of 1.3 pounds. (With many | | | | the difference after a month or two of |
| gaining much more.) The non-CLA group also | | | | intake: a noticeable trimming and slimming, |
| gained a bit post-holidays, while the CLA | | | | as fat is lost and firming muscle is gained. |
| group stayed stable. Over the six months of | | | | Usually, women lose about a dress size in 1 |
| the study, the CLA group lost 2.2 pounds, | | | | to 2 months. |
| mostly fat, and mostly from the belly. | | | | |
| | | | Studies show that CLA is very safe. And its |
| Maybe youre thinking the non-CLA group simply | | | | also good for more than weight-loss. It may |
| ate more. Nope. Both groups ate the same | | | | play a role in preventing cancer, boosting |
| amount of calories and got the same amount of | | | | immunity, and strengthening the circulatory |
| physical activity. The only difference | | | | system. And it also has been shown to boost |
| between the two wastaking or not taking CLA. | | | | mood, particularly among dieters. The |
| | | | researchers in this study reported that |
| A couple of other interesting points from | | | | negative emotions decreased significantly |
| this study: | | | | among those taking CLA. |
| | | | |