Shedding the last of your unwanted fat can be a challenge for even the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts. With so many weight loss methods claiming to be able to help you reach your ideal shape it can be difficult sieving through the gimmicks and the damn-right dangerous.
Fat-burning supplements can help you reach your goals when they’re used in conjunction with a healthy diet and a solid workout routine. 15% of US adults have used weight loss supplements at some point, but how do you identify which supplements are right for you?
In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at fat-burning supplements and how you can get the most from them. Let’s dive straight in.
The Truth About Fat-Burning Supplements
First things first, it's important to understand that there is no magic pill for fat loss. You can’t live a sedentary life, eat what you want, take a few pills a day, and expect to get the body of your dreams. So if you came here looking for a miracle cure, I’m sorry to disappoint.
With that being said, fat-burning supplements can offer great results when used in conjunction with hard work and healthy living.
Most effective fat-burning supplements are used before physical exercise, and they are known as thermogenic. Thermogenic supplements work by increasing heat in the body and this helps the body to burn more calories, especially during exercise.
We’ll take a look at some of the key ingredients that provide the thermogenic effect shortly. The most important thing to know is that thermogenic supplements usually contain high amounts of caffeine, so it's important to talk with your doctor if you have any existing health conditions. While they are an incredibly effective way to boost your workout, they might not be suitable for anyone sensitive to caffeine.
Key Fat-Burning Ingredients
If you look at the label for any fat-burner you’ll see a host of various ingredients. Unfortunately, not all fat-burners are made equally so it's important to know what ingredients are effective and what the ideal doses should be. Let’s take a look at some of the most scientifically proven fat-burning ingredients to look for in fat-burning supplements
Caffeine
Caffeine is the most tried and tested fat burner there is. Not only will it provide you with more energy so you can put more into your workout, but it will also increase your metabolism.
Caffeine has been shown to increase fat burning by up to 29%. It increases your resting metabolic rate meaning that you burn more calories even when you’re not doing anything. It also increases blood levels of the hormone epinephrine, which helps to break down fat cells.
For a pre-workout fat burning supplement, the most effective dose of caffeine seems to be between 250-350mg of caffeine. Our Absolute Supps MD #FATFREE hits the sweet spot with 300mg of caffeine per serving. That’s about the same amount of caffeine as 4 shots of espresso!
Yohimbe
Next up is Yohimbe. Yohimbe extract comes from the bark of an African evergreen tree. Yohimbe works by stimulating the body’s sympathetic nervous system, essentially triggering your fight or flight response.
This not only helps to burn fat, but it will also increase your focus when you’re working out. Many athletes report feeling ‘in the zone throughout their workout when taking Yohimbe.
A good fat-burning supplement should contain around 5mg of Yohimbe HCL. Any more, and users often report feelings of anxiety.
Achyranthes Aspera
The achyranthes aspera plant is used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and for wound healing as well as helping to reduce excess fat accumulation.
Studies in mice suggest that achyranthes aspera works by reducing the amount of dietary fat that is absorbed through the intestine. There is no studied dose in humans, but the most effective fat-burning supplements that contain the plant seem to stick to around 250mg.
Capsicum
Capsicum is the chemical that gives peppers their spice, and what gives spice to food can give heat to your body. This is what makes it such an effective ingredient in thermogenic products.
Grains of Paradise
One lesser-known thermogenic ingredient is Paradoxine®, also known as grains of paradise. This spice belongs to the same family of plants as ginger. Studies testing as little as 40mg of Paradoxine® found that it increased energy expenditure as well as reduced visceral fat.
The Best Weight Loss Methods
The most important thing when using fat-burning supplements is using them in conjunction with tried and tested weight loss methods.
We all know that cardiovascular activity can help people lose weight, but not all cardio is equal, and there are things you can be doing to make sure you’re getting the most from your workouts.
Fasted Cardio
When it comes to burning fat and losing weight, fasted cardio seems to be one of the most effective methods. When you train in a fasted state the body starts to break down fat cells for fuel for your workout.
To get the most out of fasted cardio, you should train in the morning and use a fat-burning supplement.
HIIT Training
What type of cardio you do can also make all the difference. Steady-state cardio, while popular, is not as effective as many people would like to think. The problem with steady-state cardio is that it stimulates minimal muscle recruitment.
Instead of going out for a long jog or spending an hour on the treadmill, try a HIIT workout. HIIT uses short bursts of intense exercise followed by a short break. This helps to keep the heart rate elevated as well as recruit more muscle fibers.
Fat Burning and Healthy Living
Once you combine an effective exercise routine with a healthy diet and fat-burning supplements, you will find yourself moving towards your fitness goals in no time at all.
Shedding those last few pounds of fat won’t happen overnight, but once you pledge to healthy living you will find the progress comes faster than you imagined and your sense of well-being will go through the roof.
If you’re looking for a tried and tested fat-burning supplement with all the right ingredients then check out our store. Don’t hesitate to drop us a line if you have any questions.