Do Fat Burning Supplements Work?

I bet you have that friend, let’s call her Jill who has lost an amazing 7lbs in 7 days by using [replace with any trending fat burning pill] for a week and she is now swearing by it and thinks you should try it too so you can fit into that bikini for your late summer holidays...

Sounds a bit too good to be true? I can only agree and would be interesting o know how much and what Jill has eaten for those 7 days and how she exercised. That could tell us more about how she achieved her goals.
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On a bit more serious note unfortunately the media and the internet is fled with well-known and less popular products that claim to boost your metabolism and thus helping burn more fat quicker. Surprisingly they also come with a high price tag which makes us think it must be the “magic pill.” If that was true we wouldn’t have an obesity epidemic on the rise. Let’s dig in and understand better how these work.

What are fat burners or fat burning supplements?

Thermogenic supplements are one of the most common types of weight-loss supplements and they may help slightly increase your metabolism for a few hours after you take them. This can result in your body burning a few more calories whilst its effect lasts.

​Ephedra that now is a banned supplement belonged to this family, other types include ma huang and bitter orange extract. Some or most of fat burning supplements would include green tea or green tea extract, caffeine, capsaicin, carnitine or chromium. 

What does science say about them?

Not a lot really. Caffeine and green tea are the thermogenic fat burning supplements with the most supporting evidence. Caffeine also seem to have a dual effect, besides boosting metabolism it also suppresses appetite so it will make you eat less. The benefits may be only temporary until your body gets used to it however and you can become insensitive.

There are very few research available on any of the other supplements, the ones e have were only examining their effect in conjunction with other lifestyle choices of the participants. They seemed to work when nutrition and active lifestyle was present and had none to insignificant effect in other cases. This means you’re better off saving money by not buying into these products and trying a balanced food plan and keeping active regularly. Not to mention the potential side effects.

Some research data shows that fat-burning supplements including green tea extract, can cause liver failure or damage. Drinking green tea as a means of fluid intake can be a better choice, just keep an eye on total caffeine intake because in some people higher amounts can cause nervousness and anxiety.
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Other type of fat burning supplements tend to have more side effects than green tea: btter orange can cause high blood pressure, anxiety and chest pain: chromium can cause nausea, hives and vertigo amongst others and CLA can cause diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain.

More effective ways to lose weight

If you’d like to save money and avoid side effects, there are other ways to boost your fat loss.
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1. Create a caloric deficit of about 500 calories per day on average. This can be achieved by a combination cutting back on how much you eat and controlling portion sizes and increasing your activity levels to burn more calories.
2. Aim to do about 300 minutes of moderate and/or 150 minutes vigorous cardio exercise per week, complemented by 2-3 strength sessions and a few short high intensity workouts.
3. Eat your protein first, then low-calorie bulk foods like vegetables and clear soup. When your body is digesting protein, it burns more calories than digesting any other macronutrients, it also helps maintain satiety levels.
4. Get enough sleep. Your body wants more calories and you will crave your favourite junk more likely when tired. You will also have less willpower.
5. Stay consistent. Whatever you decide to do to achieve your fat loss goals, make sure you stay patient and give it a few weeks to see if it works. Jumping from one plan to another will only stress you out.

PS- Whenever you’re ready, here's the best way I can help you;

1 - You can work with me in my world renowned Online Transformation Academy. This is for you if you are ready to make the leap of faith and truly get into the best shape both physically and mentally in your life.

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