Vitamins for Slimming-Down

I have been neglecting taking a multi-vitamin.

There are those points where I am really good at taking my vitamins and do it for a week straight, then I slack off and forget. It turns into not taking them for months and the bottles get pushed to the back of the cupboard and forgotten.

There is an article in the February issue of SHAPE magazine called "Slim-Down Supplements Every Woman Needs" written by a registered dietitian. The first paragraph begins like this:

                          "If you're working out, watching what you eat and still not 
                         shedding pounds, upping your intake of certain key nutrients 
                                                may help improve results..."

The article talks about 3 different vitamins that aid in a woman's weight loss- Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Calcium.

A study of overweight men and women who had a higher level of Vitamin D when starting a low calorie eating plan lost more weight and belly fat than the control group. The article suggests to begin with 400 IU and get a blood test to see if you need more.

Vitamin C helps the body use fat for energy instead of storing it in the body. Vitamin C comes from a fruit and veggies. Start with 500mg but decrease if you eat lots of fruits and veg.

Calcium makes you feel fuller longer. Feeling full = not overeating. Makes sense right? The study cited found that overweight women who took 1200mg of Calcium a day lost 13 lbs. more in a 15 week period than those who took a placebo. The article cautions to start with 2 doses of 500mg of Calcium per day. Why 2 doses? The body can't absorb more than 500mg at a time.

This article set off some weight loss sirens for me! I thought, you dumbass, why aren't you taking your vitamins?!? So, I dug out the bottles from the back of my breakfast cupboard and checked the expiry dates. Still good! I set out another challenge for myself- take your vitamins for a full week (let's start small).

Will you take the vitamin challenge with me?