Fat burners do they work??
Discussion
As I have been training at bit more these days I have found it inceasingly difficult to loose weight and gain back muscle mass (am over 40!!) My CV is improving but Im finding it hard to keep motivated,and dont like the aches and pains you endure easily when young ,training wise Ive been jogging on treadmill for an hour at a slow pace around 9km p/h then doing some circuit and free weights,3-4 times aweek ,Ive noticed that supplements are quite widely promoted more these days my question is do they work? and what to take? any tips would help Im quite heavy at 15st so want to fat burn and get a bit more muscle mass back, again much more difficult as Ive got older.
Any help would be great thanks.
G
Any help would be great thanks.
G
Do they work?
Yes and no.
Yes they can work provided your following a good diet. Me personally I would go for a thermogenic fat burner which basically has caffeine in it. This gives you a nice boost throughout the day and has the benefits of an ordinary fat burner. I took these as a pre workout as I ran out of energy supps; the problem I encountered was my appetite went which is not good as im training for strongman and need lots of food
Now; which brand to go for? To be honest they're all the same. Do a quick google of some and check the ingredients and quantity. I normally do this and you'll find the same product with 50%+ price difference.
Ill answer any other questions but im by no means an expert on these
Yes and no.
Yes they can work provided your following a good diet. Me personally I would go for a thermogenic fat burner which basically has caffeine in it. This gives you a nice boost throughout the day and has the benefits of an ordinary fat burner. I took these as a pre workout as I ran out of energy supps; the problem I encountered was my appetite went which is not good as im training for strongman and need lots of food
Now; which brand to go for? To be honest they're all the same. Do a quick google of some and check the ingredients and quantity. I normally do this and you'll find the same product with 50%+ price difference.
Ill answer any other questions but im by no means an expert on these
Yes and no too.
Back in 2006 (29 years old at the time), I used Hyrdoycut for 3 months and got some decent results. With training and decent eating, I went from 20% BF down to 13%.
5 years on, last Aug I was 16% BF at the time and I decided to try and get really cut with NO SUPPLEMENTS. I completely overhauled my training but it was the eating regime that made the difference. I'm now at 6% BF which goes to show that you can achieve fat loss with no Thermogenics.
For me, the diet part is the most crucial aspect to get really cut. All the training is meaningless if you go and 'reward' yourself with 2x beers and a slice of pizza after your 'hard' gym session every night. This is typical of how a lot of gym goers can't work out why they're not getting the desired results.
With proper nutrition and training, you can get super cut without resorting to pills.
Back in 2006 (29 years old at the time), I used Hyrdoycut for 3 months and got some decent results. With training and decent eating, I went from 20% BF down to 13%.
5 years on, last Aug I was 16% BF at the time and I decided to try and get really cut with NO SUPPLEMENTS. I completely overhauled my training but it was the eating regime that made the difference. I'm now at 6% BF which goes to show that you can achieve fat loss with no Thermogenics.
For me, the diet part is the most crucial aspect to get really cut. All the training is meaningless if you go and 'reward' yourself with 2x beers and a slice of pizza after your 'hard' gym session every night. This is typical of how a lot of gym goers can't work out why they're not getting the desired results.
With proper nutrition and training, you can get super cut without resorting to pills.
Edited by amare32 on Sunday 21st October 16:55
Cut out that slow steady-state nonsense (or be prepared to run at least 50 miles a week). Hit it hard with circuit training involving weights, HIIT etc. And monitor your eating. You can't out-run a bad diet.
As for pain, you're a man. No such thing as pain.
"Don't reward yourself with food - you're not a dog!"
Edit: some overweight PHer did try a month's worth of fat burner... but trained and checked his diet as well so it could have been that or the fact he had two ears or... IIRC he also did the fat burner and ate normally... funnily he lost no weight. Stroking turtles may help you to lose weight as part of a diet and active lifestyle.
As for pain, you're a man. No such thing as pain.
amare32 said:
For me, the diet part is the most crucial aspect to get really cut. All the training is meaningless if you go and 'reward' yourself with 2x beers and a slice of pizza after your 'hard' gym session every night. This is typical of how a lot of gym goers can't work out why they're not getting the desired results.
"Don't reward yourself with food - you're not a dog!"
Edit: some overweight PHer did try a month's worth of fat burner... but trained and checked his diet as well so it could have been that or the fact he had two ears or... IIRC he also did the fat burner and ate normally... funnily he lost no weight. Stroking turtles may help you to lose weight as part of a diet and active lifestyle.
Edited by Hoofy on Sunday 21st October 17:18
Cut out that slow steady-state nonsense (or be prepared to run at least 50 miles a week). Hit it hard with circuit training involving weights, HIIT etc. And monitor your eating. You can't out-run a bad diet.
^yep! The older you get the harder you have to train, and smarter
I'm 41 and I train harder now than when I was 20. Try 3 days a week of hard hill work with heavy weights, but practical lifts with sandbags etc
^yep! The older you get the harder you have to train, and smarter
I'm 41 and I train harder now than when I was 20. Try 3 days a week of hard hill work with heavy weights, but practical lifts with sandbags etc Hoofy said:
Edit: some overweight PHer did try a month's worth of fat burner... but trained and checked his diet as well so it could have been that or the fact he had two ears or... IIRC he also did the fat burner and ate normally... funnily he lost no weight. Stroking turtles may help you to lose weight as part of a diet and active lifestyle.
That was me. It wasn't a particularly scientific test but I couldn't see the benefit of the stuff, sure I lost weight when taking it (as well as exercise and diet), but lost just as much without them.Edited by Hoofy on Sunday 21st October 17:18
It is frustrating. I have lost 2 stone now, but in the last month haven't lost anything despite running 5 times a week, last week I ran over 20 miles. I think I have fallen into the trap of thinking I can eat what I want because I am exercising so much.
944fan said:
That was me. It wasn't a particularly scientific test but I couldn't see the benefit of the stuff, sure I lost weight when taking it (as well as exercise and diet), but lost just as much without them.
It is frustrating. I have lost 2 stone now, but in the last month haven't lost anything despite running 5 times a week, last week I ran over 20 miles. I think I have fallen into the trap of thinking I can eat what I want because I am exercising so much.
Good to know my dementia is only 50% there then. It is frustrating. I have lost 2 stone now, but in the last month haven't lost anything despite running 5 times a week, last week I ran over 20 miles. I think I have fallen into the trap of thinking I can eat what I want because I am exercising so much.
It could be that you're eating back your calories but it could also be adaptive thermogenesis.
My thoughts here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
So either
-increase your weekly rate to 50-70 miles a week to shock the body into action
-stop eating calories back or
-slowly increase your mileage per week if it really is adaptive thermogenesis.
Ive found to give the sugar hit after a session Ive been having a "Isotonic" type drink,I only need to loose a stone and a half,however last time I did loose weight I dieted it off but lost a lot of muscle too,I feel quite happy at my fitness level but would not want to increase due to time also just dont enjoy the aches and pains and feeling battered,I run 10k 3 times a week and then do free weights and some circuit but just feel a bit lost and inefectual TBH.
Im consuming roughly 2-2.5k in calories a day.
I did try some fat burners last month but did have a few strange dizzy occurunces so dont really want to use them.
I feel as I reach the end of my 4th decade I just perhaps need to change my whole excersise regime may try a PT!!
Im consuming roughly 2-2.5k in calories a day.
I did try some fat burners last month but did have a few strange dizzy occurunces so dont really want to use them.
I feel as I reach the end of my 4th decade I just perhaps need to change my whole excersise regime may try a PT!!
944fan said:
It is frustrating. I have lost 2 stone now, but in the last month haven't lost anything despite running 5 times a week, last week I ran over 20 miles. I think I have fallen into the trap of thinking I can eat what I want because I am exercising so much.
You can train a whole lot smarter and get cut without running that many miles a week (save your knees in the process too).What intensity are you running when you do? I see a lot of people plodding along outside and it looks like they're not even breaking a sweat. Some will most likely overeat and instead of creating a calorific deficit which can be counter productive.
I don't know what type of physique you want to achieve but for myself, the ideal is to have a build not so dissimilar to Christian Bale in American Physcho. Enough muscle, not skinny but ultra toned. Obviously not act like the character
I achieved it in 8 months not by endlessly pounding the treadmill but advocating more compound training in the weights room. I lift for no more than 45mins-1hr for 3/4 times a week. Give and take 5-10mins of light cardio to warm up and stretching at the beginning. A bit of treadmill or skipping which is a great workout. I also mix up my training every 2/3 weeks and also mix in plymetrics, resistance band work which keeps things fresh.
Other than that I do no more cardio in the gym and just play tennis (2/3 times a week during Apr-Sep and less so in the winter months). I make my tennis training sessions as intense as possible and matches will be the same too. When I'm out on the court, losing fat is a byproduct of doing sports rather than the opposite where you've got to 'force' yourself to do boring cardio to trying and burn fat.
I've said it before and others have said many times, you want results then a lot of the hard work comes from what you do in the kitchen - nutrition is key. All of this can be achieved without supplements.
Just by running won't get the job done. Unless you want to end like like a skinny Ethiopian.
Hoofy said:
Good to know my dementia is only 50% there then.
It could be that you're eating back your calories but it could also be adaptive thermogenesis.
My thoughts here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
So either
-increase your weekly rate to 50-70 miles a week to shock the body into action
-stop eating calories back or
-slowly increase your mileage per week if it really is adaptive thermogenesis.
Thanks, some interesting points there. I started tracking my calorie intake on MFP and I am certainly over eating at times. Particularly at the weekend when the wine consumption is a bit too high.It could be that you're eating back your calories but it could also be adaptive thermogenesis.
My thoughts here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
So either
-increase your weekly rate to 50-70 miles a week to shock the body into action
-stop eating calories back or
-slowly increase your mileage per week if it really is adaptive thermogenesis.
The current training plan I am doing builds up to about 30 miles per week. A mix of LSD and tempo/interval training. That leads me to the Wolverton 5 mile race. After that I am undecided on whether to go for a PB in the MK 10K or possibly step up to the MK/Silverstone Half Marathon.
amare32 said:
You can train a whole lot smarter and get cut without running that many miles a week (save your knees in the process too).
What intensity are you running when you do? I see a lot of people plodding along outside and it looks like they're not even breaking a sweat. Some will most likely overeat and instead of creating a calorific deficit which can be counter productive.
I don't know what type of physique you want to achieve but for myself, the ideal is to have a build not so dissimilar to Christian Bale in American Physcho. Enough muscle, not skinny but ultra toned. Obviously not act like the character
I achieved it in 8 months not by endlessly pounding the treadmill but advocating more compound training in the weights room. I lift for no more than 45mins-1hr for 3/4 times a week. Give and take 5-10mins of light cardio to warm up and stretching at the beginning. A bit of treadmill or skipping which is a great workout. I also mix up my training every 2/3 weeks and also mix in plymetrics, resistance band work which keeps things fresh.
Other than that I do no more cardio in the gym and just play tennis (2/3 times a week during Apr-Sep and less so in the winter months). I make my tennis training sessions as intense as possible and matches will be the same too. When I'm out on the court, losing fat is a byproduct of doing sports rather than the opposite where you've got to 'force' yourself to do boring cardio to trying and burn fat.
I've said it before and others have said many times, you want results then a lot of the hard work comes from what you do in the kitchen - nutrition is key. All of this can be achieved without supplements.
Just by running won't get the job done. Unless you want to end like like a skinny Ethiopian.
I've been married for over 5 years and have two kids so I am long passed really caring what I look like What intensity are you running when you do? I see a lot of people plodding along outside and it looks like they're not even breaking a sweat. Some will most likely overeat and instead of creating a calorific deficit which can be counter productive.
I don't know what type of physique you want to achieve but for myself, the ideal is to have a build not so dissimilar to Christian Bale in American Physcho. Enough muscle, not skinny but ultra toned. Obviously not act like the character
I achieved it in 8 months not by endlessly pounding the treadmill but advocating more compound training in the weights room. I lift for no more than 45mins-1hr for 3/4 times a week. Give and take 5-10mins of light cardio to warm up and stretching at the beginning. A bit of treadmill or skipping which is a great workout. I also mix up my training every 2/3 weeks and also mix in plymetrics, resistance band work which keeps things fresh.
Other than that I do no more cardio in the gym and just play tennis (2/3 times a week during Apr-Sep and less so in the winter months). I make my tennis training sessions as intense as possible and matches will be the same too. When I'm out on the court, losing fat is a byproduct of doing sports rather than the opposite where you've got to 'force' yourself to do boring cardio to trying and burn fat.
I've said it before and others have said many times, you want results then a lot of the hard work comes from what you do in the kitchen - nutrition is key. All of this can be achieved without supplements.
Just by running won't get the job done. Unless you want to end like like a skinny Ethiopian.
.I am a long way from becoming a skinny long distance runner. The running is more of a hobby with the weight loss as a side-effect.
944fan said:
Thanks, some interesting points there. I started tracking my calorie intake on MFP and I am certainly over eating at times. Particularly at the weekend when the wine consumption is a bit too high.
The current training plan I am doing builds up to about 30 miles per week. A mix of LSD and tempo/interval training. That leads me to the Wolverton 5 mile race. After that I am undecided on whether to go for a PB in the MK 10K or possibly step up to the MK/Silverstone Half Marathon.
Well, unless you really enjoy running, then ditch the long distance stuff altogether and do spring training. Depends what you want, really, especially regarding the wine.The current training plan I am doing builds up to about 30 miles per week. A mix of LSD and tempo/interval training. That leads me to the Wolverton 5 mile race. After that I am undecided on whether to go for a PB in the MK 10K or possibly step up to the MK/Silverstone Half Marathon.
Hoofy said:
Well, unless you really enjoy running, then ditch the long distance stuff altogether and do spring training. Depends what you want, really, especially regarding the wine.
I know, the wine is my biggest downfall - well in terms of loosing weight. On the plus side I have recovered from a winter vomiting bug and have lost 4 pounds!I am thinking that rather than train for the HM to focus on speed for a good 5K time. When I do long runs it is at such a relaxed place that I feel like I could run for miles and miles and after don't feel like I have pushed myself.
8 x 400m repeats at full tilt and I really feel like I have worked out.
Oops. Meant "sprint training". Well, it sounds like you enjoy running so crank up the mileage. 
You will become more "Mo Farah" in physique, though. Something I'd find all too easy to achieve (still referring to his physique, not his achievements, obviously).
<Hoofy ramble>I wonder if we should train for or participate in sports our bodies are more suited to rather than sports we want play simply because we'd achieve greater success (relative) which would encourage us to continue. ?</Hoofy ramble>
You will become more "Mo Farah" in physique, though. Something I'd find all too easy to achieve (still referring to his physique, not his achievements, obviously).
<Hoofy ramble>I wonder if we should train for or participate in sports our bodies are more suited to rather than sports we want play simply because we'd achieve greater success (relative) which would encourage us to continue. ?</Hoofy ramble>
Edited by Hoofy on Tuesday 23 October 18:05
Hoofy said:
<Hoofy ramble>I wonder if we should train for or participate in sports our bodies are more suited to rather than sports we want play simply because we'd achieve greater success (relative) which would encourage us to continue. ?</Hoofy ramble>
Only way to find out if you have the physique to play any sport well is to try it. I've played basketball all my life but decided to give tennis a try last year and found that I got pretty good quickly. A lot of it has to with the footwork and certain skills is transferable.I now train specifically for tennis which gives focus to my training. I think it gives you constant challenges and more targets to better every day.
amare32 said:
Only way to find out if you have the physique to play any sport well is to try it. I've played basketball all my life but decided to give tennis a try last year and found that I got pretty good quickly. A lot of it has to with the footwork and certain skills is transferable.
I now train specifically for tennis which gives focus to my training. I think it gives you constant challenges and more targets to better every day.
Yeah, that's true. I'm considering a few sports at the moment.I now train specifically for tennis which gives focus to my training. I think it gives you constant challenges and more targets to better every day.
Hoofy said:
Oops. Meant "sprint training". Well, it sounds like you enjoy running so crank up the mileage.
You will become more "Mo Farah" in physique, though. Something I'd find all too easy to achieve (still referring to his physique, not his achievements, obviously).
<Hoofy ramble>I wonder if we should train for or participate in sports our bodies are more suited to rather than sports we want play simply because we'd achieve greater success (relative) which would encourage us to continue. ?</Hoofy ramble>
I gathered you meant sprint! You will become more "Mo Farah" in physique, though. Something I'd find all too easy to achieve (still referring to his physique, not his achievements, obviously).
<Hoofy ramble>I wonder if we should train for or participate in sports our bodies are more suited to rather than sports we want play simply because we'd achieve greater success (relative) which would encourage us to continue. ?</Hoofy ramble>
Edited by Hoofy on Tuesday 23 October 18:05
"Mo Farah physique" - is my hair going to fall out and am I going to shrink? Only joking. I am 6'5'' and despite loosing two stone so far, I am still about 2-2.5 stone overweight so I am a long way from looking like that.
The loosing weight for me is more about health than looks. Its not that I don't care what I look like but that is not the driving force.
In my twenties I used to lift weights a lot and once I have lost the fat would like to go back to doing that along side the running. Maybe cut the running down a bit and put some muscle on.
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