The weight loss journey can be quite overwhelming. Following those workout regimes and healthy diet plans is daunting to many. As most of us are used to following a particular routine, adapting to sudden lifestyle changes can be tuff. But, if we wish to weigh less on that scale, we must take the first step. Fat burner supplements have gained immense popularity and are said to make your weight loss journey much easier.
However, knowing all about these magic supplements before you include them in your routine is important. Let us learn about these fat burners, how they work, and the best fat burner supplements on the market today.
Fat Burners – What are they?
Fat burners are things like foods, pills, or supplements that can help you lose weight. They say they work by speeding up your metabolism, which means your body burns more fat and you lose weight. Some foods can naturally help with this, but processed supplements and pills are designed specifically to boost your body’s fat-burning ability. These are known as weight loss supplements.
Fat Burners Supplements – How do they work?
It is all in the name! As the name says, fat burners help burn the stubborn fat accumulated in our bodies. Fat burners are classified into three kinds based on how they melt the fat in the body.
Thermogenic Supplements – Thermogenic supplement aid in fat burning by producing heat. When foods that produce heat in the body are consumed, we burn more calories, and our body produces more heat. All this leads to weight and fat loss.
Lipolytic Supplements – These supplements work on the process called lipolysis. Lipolysis breaks down fats, which are also known as lipids. The calories that we consume are burnt by the body to obtain energy. When we consume extra calories than needed, these get stored as fats. Lipolytic supplements help break down the stored fats and burn them generating energy. Such a process leads to fat and weight loss.
Appetite Suppressant Supplements – Eating more calories than what we burn is one of the main reasons for fat or weight gain. Cravings and hunger form the appetite, and appetite suppressants curb the appetite. Due to this, we end up consuming fewer calories and lose weight.
Natural Fat Burners
Fat burners need not be in the form of supplements. Several natural fat burners help get rid of stubborn fat via thermogenesis or by suppressing the appetite. These can be added to our daily diet and seen as active ingredients in various weight loss supplements. Let us have a look at what they are.
Caffeine
Caffeine helps burn calories by speeding up the body’s metabolism by more than 11%. It is a natural stimulant that makes us feel more awake and energetic, encouraging us to move and be active. Caffeine is also known for its thermogenic properties and helps in fat loss.
Green Tea
Green tea or green tea extract is high in a natural antioxidant known as catechin. Green tea has small amounts of caffeine, which works with catechin to burn fat. Green tea extract improves the body’s metabolism and supports the process of thermogenesis. Thus, the fat stored in the body is converted into energy, thus aiding in fat and weight loss.
Protein
Protein is an important nutrient that we eat every day. It’s like the building blocks for our body, helping us stay strong. Protein is crucial for our bones and helps our body do important jobs. When we eat lots of protein, it can make us feel less hungry. It also boosts our metabolism and lowers a hormone called ghrelin, which makes us feel hungry. Our body starts burning stored fat for energy when we eat fewer calories.
Soluble Fibre
We eat two kinds of fiber in our diets: soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber helps food move through our digestive system and strengthens our stool. On the other hand, soluble fiber soaks up water and becomes a gel in our gut. It makes us feel full and less hungry. When we eat more soluble fiber, we tend to eat less fat and calories, which can help us lose weight.
Now that we have different foods that act as natural fat-burners let us also look at some popular ingredients used in fat-burning supplements and pills. Though these ingredients are natural, a few additional ingredients are added to them to achieve results quicker.
Fat Burner Supplements That Are Popular Around the World
Yohimbine
Known to be a natural aphrodisiac derived from tree bark called Pausinystalia Yohimbe. Yohimbine is known for its fat-burning abilities, and it works by blocking the receptors called ‘alpha-2 adrenergic’. Due to this, the body holds adrenaline longer, and the fats are burned faster.
L-Carnitine
Just look at popular weight loss supplements, and there are high chances of finding L-Carnitine in the list of ingredients. L-Carnitine is an amino acid, and it helps with energy production in the body. The amino acid mobilizes the fatty acids from the cells and converts them into energy. This makes it one of the best fat burners on the market today.
Garcinia Cambogia
Derived from a small tropical fruit, Garcinia has HCA, which blocks the fat-making enzyme in the body. Due to this, the body produces less fat, leading to weight and fat loss.
Medium Chain Triglycerides
Also known as MCTs, medium-chain triglycerides are oils that have medium-length fat chains. These shorter chains make them easy and quick for our bodies to digest. MCTs have become a direct source of energy for us. They are important in low-carb diets because they help our body stay in a ” ketosis ” state for longer.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Also known as CLA, conjugated linoleic acid is a fatty acid commonly found in animal-based food. The same is also available as a supplement and helps reduce body fat by increasing energy and muscle production.
How safe are fat burner supplements?
People often think that fat burner supplements make our body burn fat faster, make us less hungry, and help us lose weight. Some are natural and powerful, but others are made by combining natural ingredients and additives. But we have to be honest, sometimes the extra things they add to fat burners can harm our health.
It is important to know that the ingredients in fat burner supplements might get along poorly with the medicines you are already taking. So, only use fat burner supplements after talking to a doctor first. It is always better to have a medical prescription before using them.
Final Thoughts
Fat burners can be good for our bodies, but choosing natural fat burner supplements is important. However, talk to your dietician or trainer before you use any of these.