In this day and age, with technology advancing and new supplements coming out all the time, everyone seems to think there is a miracle pill out there. One that will help them get that dream body without changing their diet or exercise habits, because who really wants to do that? Well I’m sorry but I’m here to burst your bubble. That magic pill doesn’t exist.

One of the example of this “magic pill” is a fat burner. These are common supplements bought by people who are trying to lose weight quickly. While this is actually possible, the fat burner needs help. You need to maintain a healthy diet along with regular exercise in order for the fat burner to work.

There are a wide variety of fat burners out there to choose from. Some have caffeine, appetite suppressants, thermogenic properties, or all three. These types of supplements are made to speed up your metabolism and encourage your body to use fat as an energy source. The only way your body can do these things to help you lose fat is if you do some exercise to jump start these benefits while using the supplement.

Now we have to keep reality in mind. Just because you are taking a fat burner DOES NOT mean the fat is just going to slough off tremendously week after week. Maintainable fat loss is 1-2 pounds a week. If you lose more than this you might be depriving your body of its macro-nutrients (not taking in enough food) which will lead to losing lean body mass (muscle). This is why, in my opinion, fat burners are great to start supplementing when you have hit a plateau and start maintaining weight instead of losing. Set realistic goals for yourself and your weight-loss journey while keeping the above information in mind.

Choose your fat burners based on your needs. There are so many different ones out there. For me, I like to use the non-stimulant ones, which means they boost my metabolism and may have some caffeine in them but NO thermogenic. If you feel like you need an extra kick during your workout, you might think about taking one WITH a thermo. This means that it makes your body temperature go up which gets your blood and sweat flowing. You will be drenched after that workout for sure. There are plenty more components to different products so talk to your local GNC salesman and they can help you pick the perfect one for your goals.

The biggest bit of information I want you to take away from this is that fat burners will not work on their own. You still need to eat right and exercise for them to do anything to benefit you. They are great supplements to utilize but be smart about it and do your research. You can do this and fat burners can definitely help you in your exercise journey!