Why Fat Burners are Bad News

Posted on 27 August 2008

When you check into a supplement store or open a health magazine you will notice that you are bombarded with various fat burning “magical” pills which will promise a leaner you in 7 days or get you amazing abs in 4 weeks……I have had bad experiences with fat burners, having experimented with many in my younger days, this post is going to run over why I don’t recommend them and why you don’t need them.

Nothing Special

Most of the ‘Fat Burners’ on the market are nothing more than glorified Caffeine, which basically means they are pharmaceutically manufactured caffeine in high doses, mixed with some other odd herbs which most likely do nothing and probably damage your health in the long run. Add to this they are basically a big rip-off as they cost nothing to make and they cost extortionate prices.

Health Concerns

These fat burners with their high doses of caffeine and other stimulating herbs will undoubtably put unnecessary strain on not only your heart but also your Endocrine and Central Nervous Systems. This is bad news, your body works hard to repair these systems at night and through exercise by flushing them free of toxins so adding the extra stress these stimulants will cause, will likely lead to:

Central Nervous System Burnout
Exhaustion
Mental Fatigue
Aggressiveness and Mood swings
Hamper body’s ability to recover from everyday stress
And even Psycological problems (Depression, anxiety etc)

Which is really not worth it when you take into account they really don’t make much difference….

They Don’t Really Work

At the end of the day losing fat comes down to two things which are Diet and Exercise. If your eating good foods when your hungry (Meat, Vegetables, Nuts, Fruit. Check these guidelines…..) And you are doing a good amount of Activity each week (Running, Martial Arts, Weight Lifting, Intense Yoga, Surfing etc…) you will lose weight.

There is Another Way

The only thing that these ‘Fat Burners’ have right is the fact they contain caffeine which actually does help your body burn fat in various ways including handling blood sugar levels and releasing fat stores. Caffeine is also a great pre-workout stimulant it will give you mental clarity and let you work harder. Thats Why I suggest natural stimulants that won’t cost you the earth and contain enough caffeine to help you burn fat and exercise harder.

Coffee

Always Black, Have a nice shot of Espresso or an Americano before exercise. This is the purest and most reliable form of natural caffeine I have found and its cheap. A small bag of coffee will cost you a fraction of what a tub of Fat Burners costs and will save your health and get you the same results. Experiment with coffee and see how it best works for you!

Yerba Mate

This stuff is great, Its a traditional tea from South America and very popular in places like Argentina, and Brazil it has a great effect on heating up your body and will help activate the fat burning process. It also gives a slightly more relaxing kick than Coffee so it can be a great alternative for those who don’t fare too well with coffee. This stuff is also cheap and can be bought at most health stores (make sure you get the loose variety and brew it strong) have a look at this site….. for a great piece on Yerba Mate which is packed full of Anti-Oxidants and Minerals which is an added bonus to its cleansing, fat burning properties.

Green Tea

I am sure you have all heard the hype about green tea but this stuff really is a great tonic for the body it has been proven to:

Raise Metabolism
Be a Potent Anti-Oxidant
Anti-Estrogenic
Help Burn Fat
Relax the Mind and Body

Again make sure you get the loose variety, its cheaper and fresher. I try to have a few glasses a day and this is the best option for those who don’t do well with any caffeine whatever the form.

Don’t Waste your $$$ on Fat Burners

Hopefully this article has saved a few people from burning away there money on useless supplements, and given you some ideas for a more natural route. I tend to have a Coffee pre-workout or when I need a lift and sip Green Tea throughout the day, this is what I have found to be the optimal way to get the most out of natural stimulants without any adverse effects.

12 comments so far

Comment by Methuselah - Pay Now Live Later
27 August 2008

Couldn’t agree more with you about the vast array of snake oil products and borderline soft drugs being peddled in the name of weight loss. Anyone who has seen ‘Requiem for a Dream’ will have an insight into where these products can take someone. Not a film for a Sunday night!

I would even suggest caution on the use of caffeine – my other turns into a twitchy mess after an expresso so it’s definately not for her!
Comment by Fit Bottomed Girl
27 August 2008

I agree 100 percent! So many of those drugs freak me out…and even if they were regulated, I don’t think I’d consider them. My green tea works just fine, thank you.
Comment by Mark
27 August 2008

I’m a big tea drinker. I’ll had to order up me some Yerba Mate – never had it before.
Comment by Keith Norris
27 August 2008

A redeye on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, followed by an intense, 30-minute or so weight blast. Resist eating anything post-workout for at least an hour. Fat inferno, baby!

Thanks for your diligence, Chris –
Keith
Comment by Chris
27 August 2008

@ Methuselah. Definitely know what you mean with the Coffee, some people do not tolerate it well at all, so imagine fat burners would spell disaster.

@ Mark. Give Yerbamatecafe.biz a try they have some great affordable stuff (try Mint Mate), and their Ultimate Bombilla makes it a snap to brew and drink the stuff.

@ Keith. Red-Eye slightly too much for me pre-workout on an empty stomach But definitely gonna shred the fat!! I hit a double Expresso occasionally, but usually stick to the single.
Comment by Blake
27 August 2008

Yeah fat burners are nothing more than hype. Good call with the yerba mate. i lived in argentina for a couple of years and they love that stuff. i didnt grow too fond of it though!
Comment by Tom Parker
28 August 2008

Gotta agree with you on the green tea. On top of the benefits you have listed I just find it really refreshing and hydrating. It really helps me get through the day.
Comment by robart
29 December 2008

Tom Parker I agree with you

Nice post….

The simple, no-nonsense guide to staying fit while living life

Why Fat Burners are Bad News

Nothing Special

Health Concerns

They Don’t Really Work