Do you need it? : Fat burners

​Sticking to a diet is one of the most difficult tasks tor today’s society. From convenient fast food, to the current addiction society has to processed sugars, it’s no surprise sometimes we let cravings beat our willpower. We live in a society where we want everything right now, where we like to create processes to make things as easy as possible. This has a lot of benefits but it also creates a culture of people who are uncomfortable with hard work. With the advances we have had in supplementation over the last few decades, it has helped many individuals reach their goals a little bit faster. The problem with this is that people are still seeking that magic pill that will get them in perfect shape overnight.
The supplement industry has seen this weak spot in society’s goals and has taken advantage of it by making promises that appeal to them. When you open up any fitness magazine, it is full of ads promising to get you a six pack as long as you take their products. Fat burners are amongst one of the largest categories of advertisements seen in magazines. Our industry is flooded with different forms of fat burners and are considered as a staple in any supplement store. But do you really need a fat burner?
Let’s begin by analyzing how fat burners work. Most fat burners found on a shelf legally at supplement stores, will help your body mobilize fat easier and speed up your metabolism. This will be important because the more calories you can burn, the easier you make the process for your body to burn fat. This will lead to some great progress through time. But are they necessary to actually burn fat?
NO!
They may help speed up the process of fat burning, but this will make a very small difference in your actual fat loss journey! The factors that will make the biggest difference will be your daily levels of activity compared to the amount of calories you’re taking in. What kind of micronutrients and macronutrients you are eating, hormones and other factors also play a role in fat burning. For simplicity of this article, we will not delve into them. I find many individuals benefit from fat burners not so much because of the fat burning properties of them but by the other effects they give you.
Many fat burners will contain stimulants like caffeine, yerba mate, yohimbine and many more which will help with your energy levels. When one is in a caloric deficit, it can be very tough to deal with the lower energy levels.  Another benefit that fat burners offer is that many of the ingredients in them have anti-hunger properties. It is much easier to stay on track with your diet when you are not getting cravings. Fat burners will also have ingredients that will help with less water retention. Although it does not directly impact fat loss, it helps the individual stay motivated as they look slightly leaner without the extra layer of water on their body.
Although fat burners may help many individuals lose fat slightly faster, they will not make or break your progress. The main factors that will help you see results are your nutrition program and your exercise routine. Fat burners can be very handy in making your life a little bit easier when you are in a cutting phase. Having reduced cravings, more energy and retaining less water are all things that individuals on a strict diet may find motivating. Make sure to not rely on fat burners as a magic solution to your success, but instead see them as just a tool that can be used to reach your goals!