How to Lose Weight & Keep It Off (FOREVER)

In this article, I will cover how over-the-counter fat burners are marketed and if the fat burning ingredients actually work, hopefully empowering you to make informed decisions on these supplements

It sounds too good to be true, right? It is. A magic pill does not exist. Fat burners do and so do scammy salespeople who like to prey on the dreams of the average society member.

Fat loss is usually the number one fitness goal so it only makes sense that fat burners would be very popular.

Fat burners are often advertised as a way to lose weight by increasing your metabolism and your bodyÔÇÖs thermogenesis. The ingredients in these supplements are questionable. 

YouÔÇÖll commonly see these ingredients:

• Caffeine

Research backs that caffeine increases Resting Metabolic Rate and increases energy expenditure. Caffeine can have a tolerance build over time. You will often see this overdosed in fat burners since it is cheap. While there are many studies supporting caffeine as a sports supplement, the dosages are low in the fat loss studies compared to the huge amount inputted in fat burners. 

• Green Tea Extract

Research is mixed on GTE. Some say that it has fat loss properties when combined with caffeine, while others find that it has no effect on resting metabolism. GTE has been shown safe.

• Bitter Orange
• Capsaicin
• Yohimbe

While research does back the effectiveness of some of the typical ingredients youÔÇÖll see, most of them come with side effects that are deemed unsafe for both at-risk and healthy adults. 

Side Effects that YouÔÇÖll see:

• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Elevated heart rate
• Diarrhea
• Anxiety
• Agitation
• Elevated blood pressure
• Upset stomach

 Remember, these are not approved by the FDA.

Fat burners are filled with stimulants that get your body hyped up with energy and sometimes will suppress your appetite.

Sounds like the solution to fat loss right? Wrong. Your body burns fat when it NEEDS to. Your body is smart, it adapts. Tolerance builds quickly, think about coffee for example. Those effects donÔÇÖt seem to last when you drink it every day. After a while, the stimulates just make you feel normal.

If youÔÇÖre a daily coffee drinker then you know how it feels when you stop drinking coffee. It feels terrible for at least a week. Fat burners that contain stimulants are very similar to this, but even worse! 

After the initial bump of energy and the appetite suppression wears off, you wonÔÇÖt feel the effects anymore. When you get off of the fat burners, youÔÇÖll rebound. YouÔÇÖll have a much higher appetite and your energy will be as low as Superman when heÔÇÖs around Kryptonite. This means whatever TEMPORARY pounds you lost during the first few weeks comes back. This can be disheartening and mentally make us worse off than we were before the fat burners.

Why do people still LOVE fat burners?

First,  fat burners are marketed to everyone who wants to lose fat fast and easily. 

Your body is always trying to maintain a level of homeostasis. If an outside force causes a hormone or chemical to go up to high, it will start lowering the production. 

So Do They Work?

The only way to lose fat is to be in a caloric deficit. DonÔÇÖt let anyone tell you otherwise. Simply, eat fewer calories than youÔÇÖre burning. This means that anything that is helping you maintain a caloric deficit is helping you lose fat. This could mean your food choices, workout intensity, meal timing, supplements, etc. Nutrition and training should always be prioritized before considering fat burners since this will determine the majority of your weight loss.

What Truly Works?

Taking a magic pill when you want to lose weight sounds like an easy answer & we do love easy.  However, in this case, we need to opt for the safest way. If you want to lose weight and sustain that weight loss, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends to skip on any diet that claims rapid weight loss, doesnÔÇÖt include exercise as part of the program, and requires you to follow a strict menu by eliminating entire food groups. These diets can result in quick weight loss,  but itÔÇÖs also likely youÔÇÖll regain some of those pounds with your old eating habits. 

Hardly anything at all can replace the results that you would get from a well-planned workout program and good nutrition. Supplements are not the answer, and certainly not the magic solution to your problems. While supplements have their place and can be a valuable addition to a healthy nutrition and activity program, most of them are expensive, false promises.

Save your money, If you do have money to spend on your fitness, you are better off hiring a great trainer, a registered dietitian, or buying high-quality whole food.