“Fat Burners” (aka thermogenics) come in all shapes and sizes. Super HD. Oxy Elite Pro. Lipo 6. Hydroxycut. Etc.
Do they work? Are they dangerous? What are my thoughts on thermogenics?
Well, first off, I never used them during Round 1, 2 or 3. It’s not that I thought they were dangerous or harmful – it’s just that I was already spending my supplement budget on other things that I felt were helping me more than a thermogenic fat burner would. But then when I got the P90X2 call midway through my bulking round 4 (when my body fat was higher than it had been in months), I decided to use a thermogenic as I set out to cut body fat in less than a month for the filming.
As a side note, OEP may be discontinued or hard to find due to the DMAA that is in it (the same compound that is in the Jack3d product and other pre-workouts that was recently banned). So OEP may either be taken off the shelves or reformulated since the time I used it last year. Then there was even more trouble with it as “a possible link between OxyElite Pro products and cases of liver failure and non-viral hepatitis in Hawaii…” Read more here. All in all, I am glad I am never using it again!
Anyways, the concept is that a fat burner / thermogenic will keep your resting metabolism higher, thus causing you to burn more calories during the day than you would without the thermogenic.
Thermogenics have all sorts of different ingredients, but the most common is caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant, which will definitely give your resting heart rate a bump and cause you to burn more calories. There are also lots of other ingredients (herbs and other items) depending on the thermogenic, which each manufacturer will claim makes their thermogenic better than the rest at boosting metabolism.
But the bottom line is that anything that revs up your heart rate WILL cause you to burn more calories, and thus will make it an effective “fat burner”.
One other aspect of most thermogenics is that they contain ingredients that suppress your appetite, which will cause you to feel less hungry and thus eat less. This increases the caloric deficit and can aid in fat loss.
With all of that said, what’s my conclusion about thermogenics? Do they work? Yes, I’d say they do a little. Are they magic pills that make fat melt away? No! They are definitely not. But will they help some. I say yes.
When I was taking Oxy Elite Pro, I did notice that my appetite was reduced a bit, which is nice if you are trying to cut back on your cravings or on your sensation of hunger. This makes it easier to do that. I didn’t notice a big change in resting heart rate though, or in a feeling of being warm (as some report with thermogenics). So I wouldn’t call it very potent in that regard.
I still believe the best way to boost resting metabolism is some great High Intensity Interval Training or HEAVY lifiting in the morning! That will, without a doubt, melt fat all day!
Do I plan on using thermogenics as a regular part of my supplement strategy? No. I don’t. Again, it comes down to weighing the costs vs. the benefits of my supplements, and I would rather use my supplement budget on things like Shakeology, whey protein, recovery drink, and creatine. But that’s not to say that thermogenics are a waste of money…. They could be for you. It all comes down to your budget. I think they have a marginal impact, but again, don’t expect them to be a little magic fat melting pill! Because they aren’t. And please check with your doctor to get the best information. We want to be healthy first and foremost!
I hope this helps answer some of the most common questions about thermogenics and fat burners. Feel free to ask if you have more questions though! And keep melting fat by BRINGING IT and EATING RIGHT!!
Need a coach?
My email: coachwayne@teamripped.com
IG: @wayne_wyatt
