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Already eating healthily and working out regularly, but feel like your fat loss could do with a bit of a boost? Burning fat is a big part of losing weight healthily or achieving a lower body fat percentage, and - luckily for us - nature has provided us with some ingredients that could help to speed up that process.
How to lose weight:
Sometimes the simplest things seem the hardest, and this can definitely be true when it comes to weight and fat loss. All our bodies require us to do is consume less calories than what our body needs to maintain our current weight, and just like that, it will start to use excess fat stores as energy. However, a lot of us don’t move as much as we should and high-calorie food can be irresistible, so it’s only natural to take all the extra help we can get.
What is fat and what does it do?
There are different types of fat in our bodies – brown, white, visceral and subcutaneous, each performing a different function. Having excessive amounts of visceral and subcutaneous fat in your body can be bad for your health, as those are the ones that surround your internal organs and insulate the skin – acting as an energy reserve that most people will never use in this day in age.
This is why it is important to be active and make sure we exercise when trying to lose fat, as our body will use up excess fat stores and build muscle at the same time. It’s not all about losing weight. More muscle in the body means your body will burn more calories and allows you to eat a less restrictive diet when you’re happy with your body and want to maintain it.
We've answered other FAQs in an article about fat burners including how they work and side effects.
Hugely popular amongst dieters, fat burners are food supplements that offer properties associated with weight loss.
A wide range of different ingredients can be used in fat burners. Some feature just one, while others will contain a blend of ingredients.
Popular fat burners include caffeine, guarana, capsaicin and L-carnitine.
Green tea fat burners are especially popular thanks to green tea’s winning combination of caffeine and antioxidants, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a substance known to supportyour metabolism.
Fat burners are thought to be thermogenic. While your metabolism converts food into energy, a thermogenic fat burner ‘burns’ calories to create heat, almost literally burning off the fat.
How successful the thermogenic process is tends to be completely dependent on your commitment to losing weight.
Fat burners are no quick fix - they may help you to burn more calories as you exercise but the fat will not simply drop off while you sit at your desk.
Used alongside a healthy diet and exercise routine, fat burners can give you a little extra drive, upping your energy levels, to help you work harder during exercise.
Fat burners can’t target specific fat either, for example it is no good seeking out a belly fat burner or a thigh fat burner.
Instead, targeting your problem areas with strengthening, muscle building exercises alongside high quality cardio, driven by a good fat burner, is the only way to shift stubborn fat in specific areas.
People often seek out a specific fat burner for women or for men.
However, there tends to be very little difference between those products marketed at each sex.
In fact, the difference appears to be mainly in the additional ingredients – some men’s fat burner products will be added into a whey protein powder, a popular body building choice whereas products marketed at women might claim to promote a slimmer figure.
The best fat burner for you, whatever your gender, is one that provides you with the energy and motivation you require for a successful workout!
Taking fat burners is a safe option provided you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and take no more than the recommended dose.
Side effects, depending on the fat burner you choose, can include headaches, jitteriness, stomach complaints and anxiety. Taking too many fat burners can lead to acute liver failure.
It is also important to be aware that some fat burning products, particularly protein powders, contain sugar and other additives, which can contribute to weight gain if used to excess.
With so many products on the market you may be tempted to simply pick the cheapest fat burner or the one with the most impressive claims.
However, when it comes to diet supplements, it is important to choose wisely and buy from a reputable source, such as Holland & Barrett.
What works for one person may not be successful for another, so consider consulting your GP or a nutritional therapist before buying a weight loss supplement.
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