With winter upon us once again fatty comfort foods are always on the cards, with long Friday afternoons at the pub expected and that winter spare tyre becoming inevitable. The human body’s metabolism is genetically designed to slow down during winter which in turn leaves us with those 5-10 kilos of unwanted weight. So what can we do to stem the kilos from piling on? The answer is quite simple... exercise.

However in order to achieve the results that we desire it is important to place significant focus on diet and supplementation. With this said one of the most important supplements that assists in fat reduction and muscle gains is tribulus, a 100% natural testosterone enhancer.

With 90% of our appearances being attributed to diet, it is important to ensure we consume not only the correct foods but also the correct supplements. Tribulus is widely renowned as one of the most essential training supplements that you can take to enhance your results. The reason for Tribulus’s potency is due to its effects on testosterone production. Enhanced testosterone production allows muscles to heal quicker which in turn enables faster gains in strength and muscle mass. This is due to testosterone providing faster and more effective synthesis of proteins within the body. Tribulus has been used for thousands of years, originally being used to treat infertility and a low libido. Today tribulus is widely used by professional athletes allowing for superior levels of performance on and off the sporting field.

So what should you be looking for in a tribulus supplement and what should you be looking out for you may ask? The unfortunate fact of the matter is the supplement market is flooded with an array of products that are very similar, claim very much the same things, but leave you out of pocket and have little to no effect. By examining the specifications on the packaging you can gain a greater insight into what is actually contained within the product. A major point to look out for on the packaging is the use of proprietary blend.

The term proprietary blend is used throughout the supplement industry as a way to mask certain fillers that go into specific products. For instance, if a product contains 500mg of proprietary blend it could be masking several different ingredients such as sugar, caffeine and corn starch which are solely used as fillers which don’t serve any purpose what so ever. Another factor that must be taken into consideration before using a testosterone booster such as tribulus is the effects alcohol has on testosterone production within the body.

When you are trying to either lose weight or gain muscle mass and strength, excessive consumption of alcohol can be considerably counterproductive in relation to testosterone production. Although it is widely believed that weight gain is derived solely from the empty calories contained within specific alcohols, weight gain in relation to alcohol is principally derived from the body’s inability to process the bodies existing fat as well as the introduced alcohol. The effect that alcohol has on testosterone is vast, with alcohol acting as an inhibitor as well as dissipater to existing testosterone levels. However if you are to consume alcohol there are some rules of thumb to take into consideration.

• Try to drink a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you drink.

• If you are drinking beer try to look for beers that are low in carbohydrates and alcohol content.

• If spirits are more your taste, try to consume spirits that are clear in appearance. This is due to the fact that clear spirits contain fewer added sugars. Also try to limit the amount of carbonated drinks used as mixes.

When it comes to losing weight and building muscle, exercise and diet aren’t the only ingredients required for success. The key determinant in whether you are able to lose weight and gain muscle mass is attributed to self motivation. If the desire and will is not there the results will not follow. However there are certain supplements such as tribulus that provide the body with extra energy, focus and motivation to keep active during the cold winter months.