By Ali Wetherbee

This is part 2 in a 3-part review of recommendations from doctors. If you missed part 1, click here to find out about the supplement that can reduce the effects of stress and fight fatigue. Stay tuned for part 3, covering Natural Remedies.

Part 2: CLA, The Weight Loss Recommendation

CLA has been recommended by several doctors over the past few years. Recently, Dr. Rovenia Brock once again promoted CLA as a healthy fat burner. CLA is particularly ideal for “apple” shapes — those who tend to hold most of their excess fat in their midsection — because it reduces belly fat and increases lean body mass. There is growing evidence that CLA may be able to:

• boost metabolism
• increase muscle growth
• increase lean mass
• decrease body fat
• support the immune system
• lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• prevent atherosclerosis
• reduce blood glucose level
• decrease insulin resistance
• reduce food allergies
• fight cancer

Dosage: We recommend 1000mg of CLA daily, taken at lunch, with typical doses ranging from 1000 to 4000mg a day.

What is CLA?

Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is naturally occurring in dairy and meat. It is a polyunsaturated fat that must be obtained from food and supplements because your body cannot manufacture CLA. CLA levels are highest in grass-fed meat and dairy, with products from grain-fed animals containing only a third to a fifth of the amount of CLA in grass-fed animals. You would have to drink more than four glasses of raw, grass-fed milk a day to obtain the amount of CLA in one supplement capsule — and all those extra calories would hinder your weight loss efforts.

What foods are high in CLA?

While there are many isolated CLA supplements, there are also real food supplements that are naturally high in CLA, and also have lots of other beneficial nutrients. Walkabout Emu Oil is naturally high in CLA, but is also a good source of Vitamins K, A,  D3, and E. This is a good way to get multiple benefits from your supplements.

What else can “apple” body types do?

Dr. Brock suggests eating dessert for breakfast. This prevents cravings and overeating, and gives you plenty of time to burn off the calories throughout the day. Women who eat this way were found to lose 11 pounds in just three months. For apple shapes, it is important to balance protein and carbs. An ideal breakfast would be a bean, egg, and cheese burrito in a whole grain tortilla, with a cookie on the side. A turkey sandwich with avocado and olive oil, along with a dose of CLA, would make a great fat-burning lunch. Combine CLA with two cups of green tea a day for a “powerful one-two punch” to melt away more belly fat.

“Pear” shapes

Pear body types tend to have narrow torsos and wider hips, with the widest point below the waist. Today Show’s Hoda Kotb explained that 5 ounces of red wine a day can aid in weight loss for this body type. Some doctors say that red wine can stabilize and balance estrogen levels. Dr. Brock also suggested that these women eat 2% dairy at every meal. This can include yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, and cheese with each meal or snack. The calcium helps cells burn fat.

“Box” body types

Box shaped women are a combination of apple and pear shapes and tend to have little definition in their figure. This body type is associated with a high risk of several severe health problems. For these women, Dr. Brock recommended a daily multivitamin, which will increase metabolism and destroy fat cells. A study found that women who took multivitamins were thinner and lost more weight than those who did not take multivitamins.

For all body shapes:

The final recommendation was to brush your teeth after every meal. A fresh, clean mouth sends a signal to the body to stop eating. This reduces snacking and helps women and men of all body shapes to shed more pounds.