Open a magazine or surf the net and you will see healthy bodies throughout the pages. You’ll see supplement and miracle pill ads along with diet fads and routines. Lots of people buy into this and shell out lots of cash on Fat Burning products in the hope they can achieve their dream bodies and boost their self-esteem. This month I will be reveal all you need to know about these “Miracle Pills”.
Before we start I have to emphasise my view that your body is capable of anything. We have a close relationship and if you treat your body right, it will reward you no end in return. This is no more true than with our diet and nutrition but also with what supplements we decide to shell out on and throw down our necks.
PEETS TIP: If you’re looking to buy a fat burner, chances are you have to search through thousands of products, jargon and fancy ads. You need to pick out a well known but not over hyped company. Do some research and remember, sometimes you get what you pay for.
OK, before even searching for a fat burner there are a few things you should know. A “Fat Burner” is not a miracle pill that will help you lose weight from the comfort of your couch. For results they need to be used with a solid diet and workout routine. Treat them as an extra boost.
I had a girlfriend that used to take (expensive) fat burners with coffee before work and swear that they helped her to lose weight. In reality it’s the fact that she starved herself buy eating one small meal a day for 2 weeks, this ending with her passing out at the beach one day.
I also had a friend who would swear by his Thermogenic* FB’s, but then went on to admit that he actually believed it a was placebo and welcomed it saying “If a placebo helps me work harder and burn fat, then I’ll pay money for it”. Not a point that I agree with personally!
*The term Thermogenic refers to a supplement that increases your body heat, thus burning more energy (calories).
PEETS TIP: Like any supplement, fat burners can be abused. Some popular and proven FB ingredients such as Ephedra have been banned as some high profile abusers unfortunately lost their lives. Regulate your use and stay safe.
What to look for in a fat burner
- Caffeine
- Green tea (my favourite)
- Taurine
- Yohimbe
- Guerana extract
What are the alternatives?
If thermogenics aren’t right for you, here are some of the best alternative fat-burning supplements on the market.
L-Carnitine
If burning fat during a workout is your priority, first you need to mobilise it. L-carnitine is an amino acid that transports fatty acids into the mitochondria – our internal power plants – to 
produce energy. Take a single dose of 500-3000mg before your workout to ensure that you transport the maximum amount of available fat for fuel during exercise. It’s especially useful if you’re training, fasting or on a low-carb diet where fat oxidation is already maximised.
Green Tea
One of the best natural fat-burners around, green tea can give your metabolism a jolt. It’s also packed full of antioxidants and has been linked to the prevention of everything from heart disease to Alzheimer’s. Drink it instead of regular tea or diet soft drinks for a huge variety of health benefits.
Phosphatidylserine
Anyone training intensely is likely to be under some serious stress. The stress hormone cortisol, which is responsible for fat storage, is secreted in high amounts as a result, but phosphatidylserine blocks its secretion. This allows you to recover quicker, burn more fat 
and build more muscle. Take it after your workout or in the evening, especially if you’re training at high intensity or particularly prone to elevated stress levels.
4 of the best natural fat burners
Grapefruit
How they help to burn fat: Researchers at Scripps Clinic in California found that eating just half a grapefruit before each meal can help you to lose weight, up to half a KG per week, even if you keep your diet exactly how it is now (assuming that you don’t eat junk food 3 times a day). Anything that helps lower insulin can help people lose weight and grapefruit is one of those foods.
How to work them into your diet: Peeling and segmenting is the most obvious way to get the goodness out of a grapefruit. Try cutting it into chunks and adding to a spinach salad or simply grab a spoon and eat as is, if you can handle the bitterness.
Almonds
How they help to burn fat: Eating a handful of almonds each day, alongside a healthy diet plan is quick and simple way to burn fat according to research published in the US International Journal of Obesity. Participants in the study who ate almonds on a daily basis for a period of six months found that they lost 18% of their body fat. Those who followed a diet with the exact same amount of calories and protein but swapped out almonds for an equal number of calories in complex carbohydrates (like bread) only lost 11% of their body fat.
How to work them into your diet: The perfect at-your-desk snack, grab a handful of these if you fancy a little nibble, they can be quite addictive. Alternatively, chop them up and add them to your morning porridge.
Pears
How they help to burn fat: A bit of a forgotten fruit. A study by the University of Rio de Janeiro revealed that people who ate three pears per day consumed less calories each day and also lost more weight than those who didn’t. They’re very rich in fibre and will help you to feel fuller for longer, keeping you from overeating.
How to work them into your diet: Be sure to keep the skin on them as it holds most of the beneficial fibres. Pears make a great addition to a leafy salad, especially when combined with a bit of blue cheese.
Chocolate
How they help to burn fat: Ha ha, yes I said chocolate. DARK chocolate, and other foods that are high in antioxidants have been proven to help prevent the build up of fat cells in the body, a precursor to obesity and heart disease, this is according to new research from the Taiwanese Journal of Food Chemistry and Agriculture.
How to work them into your diet: It’s chocolate. Do we need to tell you? Just try not to eat too much of it, kind of defeats the object.
BOTTOM LINE
There is no substitute for hard work, knowledge and dedication. This coupled with a solid diet plan and weight training program (yes ladies don’t be scared, muscle burns fat) you should shift the unwanted weight in no time.
However if you need that “extra push” then perhaps it’s time to add a fat burner to your daily routine.
