Fat Burners! Do they actually work?

26/05/2016

Lean, mean, fat burning machine…

Fat Burners! Do they actually work? article about fat burning supplements by sheffield personal trainer nick screeton who is the owner of LEP Fitness a sheffield based personal training business that specialises in fat loss and muscle building

The elusive ‘Magic Pill‘…

6 weeks ago I was asked by the company Discount Supplements to try out some fat burning products in return for writing an honest review of my experience.

After doing some research I came across a controversial fat burning supplement called ‘Thermo Detonator’ by Grenade – I decided to see what all the hype was about and test it out for myself.

In this article i’m going to give you an honest account of my experience and share some absolute knowledge bombs on fat burning supps!

What Are fat burners?

Fat burners are supplements that essentially contain certain chemicals and herbs that either stimulate energy, stimulate metabolism, and/or suppress appetite. There are thousands of fat burners to choose from, all with the claim they’ll help you lose weight!

Is the wool being pulled over our eyes?

supplements that pull the wool over our eyes

Put your hand up if you want the quickest results for the least amount of effort? My hands up!

Don’t we all. If we could get the same outcome and cut a few corners to speed up the process then why wouldn’t we? In an industry saturated with supplements, some good, others… well you may as well slot your money down a drain!

It can be hard to know who to trust! Which ones work and which don’t? If your not careful… before you know it you’ve spent hundreds (if not thousands!) on these supplements but with nothing to show for it (apart from a rather large credit bill!)

Marketers are super switched on when it comes to influencing our buying behaviour. They play on our emotions, and they claim that their product(s) will transform our lives! Our society is constantly looking for that quick fix, that ‘magic pill’ that will make us lose 2 stone over night! The truth is the magic pill just doesn’t exist i’m afraid!

Often people take fat burning supplements believing that they will replace the need for exercise, a disciplined diet, or other necessary life style changes needed to lose fat. If it sounds too good to be true, 99.9% of the time…it is!

Fat burners could provide huge benefits to supplement the correct lifestyle but you have to know about their effects, and when and when not to use them…

A Tool in the box…

You can take all the fat burners in the world but if your still stuffing your face with cheesecake, and not doing enough exercise… then they are pretty dam useless!

Yes fat burners can work. But they are a small part of the overall fat loss puzzle. The reality is weight loss comes down to calories in – calories out. You cannot get away from this fact. He / she who creates a healthy energy deficit and stays in it long enough to see results, WINS.

That said using fat burners as an aid, providing your diet/training is good and consistent – can provide that extra boost, that extra 5-10% which makes a difference.

My Experience with Grenade ‘Thermo Detonators’…

I’ve been training/working out for approximately 14 years and prior to this experiment I had never taken a fat burning supplement, I was a little skeptical and apprehensive…

Initially I took 2 ‘thermo detonator’ tablets 30 minutes prior to working out, this video just about sums up what happened lol…

The Pros

Within 30 minutes of taking ‘thermo detonator’ I felt pretty damn good, my heart was racing like a McLaren F1! I felt focused and ready to take on a big workout.

I’d gone from feeling pretty tired to buzzing in just 30 minutes. My workout was very intense and I noticed I had more immediate energy which subsequently allowed me to get in more sets + reps and ultimately a better workout. The effects were consistent each day – my body was able to train harder than usual and I completed more volume in my workouts. Win.

I have lost a significant amount of body fat the past 6 week (approx 2-3%) but it’s hard to decipher how much the fat burners have contributed to this result – as my diet and training have been on point.

The Cons

The fat burning pills came with a mighty high, but also with a mighty crash. I’d be on cloud 9 for approximately 4-6 hrs and then be absolutely shattered beyond belief, barely able to move. This was partly due to the higher intensity of my workouts.

At times i’d also feel anxious and over stimulated which made it hard to focus with any great clarity. My heart was beating rapidly… great for the workout, not so great when the effects continue to linger long after your session!

I found It difficult to unwind from the stimulation. Any activities that required me to be calm straight afterwards proved to be extremely difficult. I couldn’t sit still, read a book or watch tv – i’d just keep fidgeting! until the effects dispersed hrs later.

When I upped my dose to 4 tablets per day, my sleep largely suffered. I’d find it difficult to switch off and found myself waking up at numerous times in the night.

Overall Opinion

I found that the Thermo Detonators worked best for me when I only took 1 per day and first thing in the morning. The high wasn’t as high (but good enough to make a difference to my workouts) and I only felt a very marginal slump afterwards. My sleeping patterns also returned to normal.

Results will differ from person to person but for me 1 tablet in the morning was the sweet spot. I also benefited from taking 2-3 days off per week. The devil is in the dose! I wouldn’t want to become too dependant on them and to be honest you could probably get the same kick from a double expresso! That said for me the tablets work because they are quick and easy (you don’t have to make a coffee!) – a nice convenience when in a rush.

I would definitely recommend them, but i’ll come back to the point I made earlier…

The first port of call is taking care of your diet and training, once you’ve established this then you could look to pick up a fat burner to give you that extra boost.

The reality is that there are no shortcuts to success, whether your looking to transform your body, business, or life! Hard work, consistency and patience although not glamorous are the real keys to success.

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