I’m trying to tone up for a trip to Hawaii. In addition to doing cardio, which are the best supplements on the market, in your opinion, for fat loss? I’m not interested in “fad supplements” but only supplements which really work.

When it comes to losing weight and fat loss, there are four fat loss / appetite supplements worth your consideration. Don’t worry, they’re not ephedrine or Ma Huang.

Chromium picolinate is a nutritional supplement that works to increase the efficiency of insulin to optimal levels. It’s been has been shown to help regulate blood glucose levels. Stable blood glucose levels may keep you from entering “fat storing” or “starvation” mode.

The amino acid carnitine helps to lower triglycerides and has been shown to help mobilize brown fat tissue. This is usually taken between (not with) meals.

Hoodia gordonii is a leafy, spineless succulent plant used for centuries by bushmen to suppress appetite while making long treks across the desert. It was the primary ingredient of the late Anna Nicole Smith’s product, Trim Spa. However, real hoodia is sometimes difficult to find.

The amino acid glutamine helps to preserve lean muscle mass and reduce cravings for sugar. It should be taken between meals.

And don’t forget caffeine. It’s old skool, but it totally works.

Used alone, supplements will not produce results. But when used intelligently in concert with a regular exercise regimen and a clean diet, these supplements may prove useful to you as you work to shed a few extra pounds.

I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR. I love Girl Scout cookies (who doesn’t?) and I am often guilted into buying them by my office co-workers. This year I have 8 boxes of Thin Mints and 3 boxes of Samoas—11 boxes total!! WTF!? What am I supposed to do with all of these cookies? —Sick of Samoas

I LIKE THEM TOO, but let’s face it: ever since the Girl Scouts took the trans-fat out of the recipes, they don’t taste nearly as good. Sort of like how you expect the bride’s wedding dress to be freakishly white, but instead she comes down the aisle wearing a “neutral gray.” The same holds true for the taste of the new Girl Scout Cookies. So your first line of defense when you’re under pressure to buy: Remember: they don’t taste as good anymore.

Second, you’re getting ripped off. I don’t understand how a “box” of Samoas can equate to 15 TINY cookies. And is it just me, or do the cookies themselves seem to be shrinking each year? My point is, you’re getting much less cookie for your money. If you’re addicted to Thin Mints, a better value would be had by trying the Keebler brand Grasshopper cookie, which is nearly identical in shape and flavor.

If you’ve already caved, then rationing is one way to put some control on your inner cookie monster. If you’ve already purchased the cookies, take one or two boxes of your favorite cookies and put them in the freezer and limit yourself to one every other day, or whatever you feel is reasonable. If you have problems controlling your consumption of the cookies, try my concept of Zen Cheating.

Give away the cookies to your local food bank, church, or community center. Send them overseas to our military personnel. Take them to an expecting mom. Or the next time you fly, bring a box for the flight attendants. They almost never receive anything nice from passengers, and it might just get you bumped up to first class.

I’m thinking of buying a weight vest (probably on-line). I was just going to get the cheapest one ($99 bucks at Amazon). Is one pretty much like the other, or should I look for certain features in a weight vest?

There are several different weight vests on the market, varying in price. I favor the X VEST, because it is used by Navy Seals and professional athletes. It’s comfortable at most speeds and body movements. The two-piece clamshell design has nylon surfaces with a elastic, velcro waistband and adjustable height and width so as to not affect arm motion, balance, or breathing. It’s also the most stable of the brands I’ve seen, moving very little even during fast running. There is a pocket for keys and a wallet, and it comes in 12 to 84 pound models. Price is $179, (800) 697-5658; www.thexvest.com

Two other options may be of interest to you if you want a slightly less expensive version. They are the Uni-Vest, which is non-adjustable, but provides a one-piece neoprene and nylon construction that enables a secure fit. The vest uses flexible, half-pound rubber weights that contour to the human form and could be safer than the X VEST’s metal weights if you’re uncoordinated. But there’s no place to put keys. Price: $69, (888) 556-7464; www.performbetter.com

The WalkVest is designed for use just with walking, and the sleeveless, cotton vest with midsection pockets hold up to 32 thin steel bars weighing each .5 pounds for a total of 16 pounds of resistance. The cotton construction provides a relatively comfortable fit, and because of the natural fibers, it’s cooler than neoprene vests. I wouldn’t recommend this vest if you plan on any running, because it bounces at all speeds above a simple walk. Straps aren’t made from velcro and must be tightened often. A rear pocket holds keys. And the vest only includes four pounds of weights with the first order. (You have to buy more if you want them).  Price: $85, (877) 925-5837; www.walkvest.com

HEY SAM: What’s a deadlift? —Tristan

The dumbbell deadlift, properly performed, is an excellent exercise to develop the back, core, glutes and hamstrings. To perform this exercise, observe the following training points:

1. Stand with feet about 8-inches apart and a dumbbell at each side of your feet.
2. Knees slightly bent, back straight and head up, bend at waist and grasp the dumbbells with both hands. Inhale on the way down.
3. Exhale and stand erect with the dumbbells in both hands while arms are locked out.

Lower weights to the floor with legs bent and inhale.  Remember to keep your abdominal muscles contracted throughout the movement to develop a strong core.

HEY SAM, I’m trying to lose 50 pounds but I seem to be in a rut. Can you tell me what I should be doing differently? —Karen, Long Beach, CA

Karen, life never stands still. If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward. Keeping a fitness journal is one of the best ways to ensure that you move in a positive direction.  You have to set goals for yourself and continue to strive for positive results.

The best way is to keep a personal fitness journal.  I like to use a small spiral bound book of lined recipe cards. (more…)

Every day, it seems I’m bombarded with tons of exercise devices, gadgets, special shoes, and the like. Do they really help, or speed things up, or are they purely there for “motivational purposes?”

Many of these gadgets and workouts are really just toys. Think of them as new forms of entertainment. Folks don’t want to be bored when they work out, they want to be entertained, and they want to have fun! After all, for most of us, fitness competes with our social time. This is probably why you don’t see a lot of people on stationery bikes anymore, because there’s something a lot more fun and engaging now: spinning, which is a high intensity cycling workout led by a coach with loud, pumping music.

Remember, fitness is a lifestyle choice. Successful exercisers are those who commit to a series of “unbreakable appointments.” There’s no such thing as a quick fix. There’s no machine or device that can replace just “putting in the time.”