Losing Weight?

We all know the golden rules of weight loss – eat less and exercise more. Sounds simple, but as many of you will already know, it’s not! That’s where weight loss supplements come in. Whether you’re looking to beat the hunger pangs with a healthy meal replacement, or speed up the weight loss process with a fat burner, you’ve come to the right place. So if the thought of doning a bikini this summer is filling you with dread, then have no fear! Your Explosive new physique starts here...

There is a huge range of products out there, which can seem daunting to most of us - particularly newcomers. Fortunately, we at Explosive Nutrition have done the leg-work for you. We only sell products that have a successful track record – if they don’t work, we don’t stock them – it’s as simple as that. And we only supply the top sports nutrition brands, whether they’re home-grown names like Sci-MX, Reflex or Garnell, or from across the pond, like BSN, MuscleTech and Dymatize. Finally, to make life even easier, we’ve divided our products up into different groups, based on how they work, and listed our bestsellers below. So in a nutshell, here’s everything you need to know.

Tip - The most common reason people lapse when dieting is due to lack of preparation! Don’t rush headlong into an ambitious regime, take the time to plan your diet and exercise beforehand. If you fail to prepare, then you should prepare to fail!

Step 1. Burn Fat

This is what it’s all about – underneath your excess body fat lies a fantastic physique, you’ve just go to uncover it! A good quality fat burner contains natural ingredients or herbal extracts that have been proven to help your body mobilise fat stores much more effectively. This means you can increase the rate at which weight loss occurs, and therefore achieve your target physique more efficiently. If you’re tired of diet and exercising without seeing results on the scales, then these are for you.

Here are some of our bestselling fat burners – click on them to read more about how they work (different fat burners work in different ways, so choose the one that sounds right for you!)...

Tip – There’s no such thing as a magic weight loss pill! You can’t expect a fat burner to work if you sit on the sofa all day, eating junk food. They’re designed to enhance your already naturally occurring weight loss, so you have to be taking steps to lose weight before you start using these supplements, otherwise you’ll be flushing money down the toilet! Cut out the junk food and get active, even if it’s just going for a 30 minute walk – everything helps...

Step 2. Tone muscle

Getting a toned physique to be proud of comes through not just burning fat, but also by toning the underlying muscles. Many women may be put off at the thought of building muscle, thinking that they’ll turn into a female Arnie. This is definitely not the case! Weight training will tighten, tone and shape your muscles – essential for anyone that’s losing weight. But you can’t build lean muscle without the correct diet and nutrition. This is where protein comes in!

Protein is THE building block for the human body, including muscle tissue. Most of us struggle to get the optimum amount of protein needed to tone lean muscle mass through diet alone. Protein shakes offer an effective and cheap way to fuel your body with the vital protein it needs.

There are different types of protein available, but the best quality are the whey protein isolates. Invest in the best protein whey you can – this is by far one of the most effective supplements you can use:

Tip: Optimise your protein intake. Men should aim to consume a minimum of 1g of protein per lb of body weight every single day (or 0.8g per lb for women). So a 10st female should be eating at least 112g of protein daily. This is the equivalent of four chicken breasts, which is obviously a bit of a mission (hence why using a protein shake is both easier and cheaper!)

Step 3. Beat your hunger

Paying closer attention to your body’s protein requirement is beneficial for more than just one reason. A protein-rich diet is vital for anyone looking to sculpt a new, slender physique because it’s a great way to fight hunger without relying on fatty, carby foods (why do you think the Atkins diet was so popular?). Protein bars and protein-based meal replacement products contain almost non-existent levels of fat and carbs, and are low in calories. But, thanks to their high protein content, they can easily keep your appetite happy, plus there’s a huge range of flavours to enjoy.

Here are some of the best protein bars and meal replacement products available on the market today:

Tip: It's very common to confuse hunger and thirst. Keeping hydrated can be a highly effective way to manage hunger more easily. Try to drink at least six glasses of water each day.

Step 4. Get active

Getting physical is crucial – when you exercise you’re not only improving your muscle tone, but you’re burning extra energy. Without these two steps, achieving your weight loss goals is all but impossible. A balance of weight training and cardio exercise (jogging, cycling, swimming etc) is the key. As previously mentioned, women should not be deterred by the idea of weight training – it’s one of the most powerful tools in the weight loss arsenal. As such, you should consider investing in a set of weights. This way, you can concentrate on toning specific muscles in your own time, and in your own house. The internet is full of useful sites outlining the routines you’ll need to achieve the desired results, so get searching!

Cardio meanwhile cannot be ignored either. Low intensity cardiovascular activity is fantastic for weight loss. Not only does it directly cause the release of fatty acids from your tissues, it also increases the efficiency of the enzymes responsible for fat burning – so you’ll shift greater quantities of fat, in a shorter period of time. Again, the internet is awash with useful sites that can help you plan this all out.

Arm yourself with some basic gym equipment to maximise your chances of sticking to your exercise regime:

Tip: Box your bingo wings off! If you're tired of looking like a flying squirrel then you need to be sure to use an exercise that targets them - swimming is effective, as is a good session on the punch bag.

Step 5. Eat healthily

There’s no shortage of information on this subject, so we won’t attempt to summarise it all here. But in essence, avoid fatty and processed foods. Limit your carb intake, and up your fibre and protein intake. You can’t go wrong with fruit, veg, fish and chicken. But plan your meals carefully otherwise you’ll get bored and revert to the more sinful food groups!

None of the above is rocket science. But one element of eating that is less obvious, but just as important is meal size and frequency. Eating a smaller meal prevents your insulin levels (and therefore your blood sugar levels) from shooting up dramatically. This in turn increases the likelihood that any fat being consumed (along with any stored fat) is converted into energy (rather than into bingo wings or back-boobs). So, rather than eating two huge meals a day, why not eat three or four smaller ones? Simple!

Tip: The meal replacements and protein bars listed in Step 3 can be used as an effective means to provide your body with everything it needs without risking further weight gain.

Step 6. Set goals, and enjoy yourself

People who have a set goal in mind are much more likely to do well – whether they’re looking to lose a set amount of weight by a certain date, or just want to fit into an item of clothing a little more easily. Having something in mind will keep you motivated for longer. Another key motivating factor is enjoyment – if you hate every minute of dieting and exercising, then it’s not surprising when you lapse. Plan your meals to avoid boredom, and find a way to exercise that’s entertaining (or better yet, get an exercise buddy).

And finally, we’re here to help you achieve your goals, so if you’ve got any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us (link). Talking to people about your nutrition and exercise will make life much easier for you than if you try to go it alone. Plus to help you along the way, the Explosive Nutrition team regular check and update their prices to ensure that we remain competitive, and we offer free next day delivery as well as a complimentary shaker (for mixing your protein whey or meal replacements) with most orders.

We hope this brief intro into weight loss supplements has been useful. If you’ve got any feedback or want further info, then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Tip: Knowledge is king! The more you know about your body, nutrition and exercise, the more-informed and effective your decisions and actions will become. We're always happy to give you as much info as possible - usually through our blog pages. For more specific info on fat burners, check out our blog on the subject here, or check out our other blog posts for other more specific information and advice.