The Best Times to Take Fat Burners
Written By Martin Ebner
Fat burners, also known as thermogenics, are exactly what they sound like. These dietary supplements are popular among bodybuilders, athletes and nowadays, everyone in between. They are used to maximize fat burning during and after exercise and to improve overall body composition. Here's how they work their magic!
Fat burning, or fat oxidation, takes place in virtually every cell of the human body every single day. Fat is made up of fatty acids, which can be used by the body as fuel. This is what fat-burning supplements aim to do; to take stored fat and enable it to be oxidized and used by the body as fuel (AKA burned). Thermogenic fat burners work by stimulating thermogenesis, a metabolic process in which your body burns calories to produce heat. Thermogenic fat burners stimulate hormonal reactions and encourage the body to use fat as its primary source of energy rather than carbs.
Fat-burning supplements can help support weight loss in many ways including acting as an appetite suppressant, enabling more fat to be used for energy, boosting your energy for longer workouts, and increasing your metabolism. Fat burners don't necessarily have to be taken as part of a weight-loss goal, they can also help you retain the toned figure you worked so hard for in the gym by improving body composition (ratio of fat to muscle) by yes, you guessed it, eliminating body fat. Actually, fat burners should never be taken as the primary method of achieving your ideal weight loss results. Instead, your first order of business should be to follow a healthy diet, get your macronutrient timing right, do sufficient cardio, and follow a prolonged and vigorous exercise routine. Think of it this way - fat burners work like sunlight through a magnifying glass to help your body break down and target stored fat.
See: The 5 Best stimulant-free fat burners 2021
Fat Burner Ingredients
Many of the ingredients in high-quality fat burner supplements have long been proven to promote fat loss when consumed through your diet. Like any good supplement, fat burners just aim to isolate these hardworking ingredients and complement your diet to match your fitness goals. The best fat burners will likely contain many of the following active ingredients:
Black Pepper: This pungent little spice has been shown to be a great natural fat burner. A recent study suggests that the piperine found in black pepper fights fat by blocking the formation of new fat cells. Does this mean if you sprinkle some freshly cracked pepper over your avocado toast that you’ll be burning fat all day? Sadly, no. But check the label of your fat burner to see if they’ve included black pepper extract or piperine to help you feel the burn!
Caffeine: Lucky for us, our good friend, coffee contains an ingredient to help us burn fat and boost energy levels so that we can stay in the gym even longer! In addition to containing many free-radical fighting antioxidants, caffeine may also help promote weight loss, a healthy BMI, and body fat reduction.
Cayenne Pepper: Really want to feel the burn? Try cayenne pepper! Capsaicin, the thermogenic chemical that gives peppers their beloved and hated spice, may help you to burn fat by speeding up your metabolism and suppressing appetite.
Yohimbine: Yohimbe is a chemical that comes from the bark of an African tree called Pausinystalia Yohimbe. One particular study conducted on professional soccer players found that taking yohimbine supplements reduced their body fat composition by 2.2 percent. This is pretty damn impressive, especially for fit and already lean athletes!
Protein powder: Wait, isn't protein supposed to help me bulk up not slim down? Well, yes and no! Protein is crucial for fat burning because it helps suppress your appetite, encourages lean muscle mass, and enhances your metabolism. If you want to bulk up and reduce your fat percentage, this is a great place to start. While most fat burners won’t include any protein, it’s a good idea to consume a high protein diet in conjunction with a strength training program for better body composition.
Green tea extract: On top of containing caffeine, green tea contains an antioxidant called catechin which also promotes thermogenesis!
Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber is another crucial component of fat burning. It acts as an appetite suppressant which helps you to consume fewer calories, leaving plenty of room to burn off all the excess.
Other popular ingredients in fat burners include raspberry ketones, forskolin, green coffee bean extract, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and Acetyl L-Carnitine.
Related: The best Stimulant-free Fat-burners for men and women 2021
The Best Time to Take Fat Burners
Much like macronutrient timing, determining when to take your fat burner can make a world of a difference, but it's important to set realistic expectations of exactly what your fat burner can do. Unfortunately, it’s not a miracle weight loss supplement that can melt body fat like butter - especially if it isn't paired properly with a consistently healthy diet and exercise routine. An average safe rate of fat loss is about 1-2 pounds per week for healthy individuals. Any more and you could cause your body to break down that all-important lean muscle mass so it’s crucial to be patient and think longer term. If you're just starting out with fat burners, take it nice and slow. Always follow the recommended dosage or a bit less initially until your body adapts to the caffeine and other active ingredients. If you’d prefer to keep your caffeine consumption down but are still dead set on taking a fat burner, fear not! There are a couple of great fat burners on the market that are Caffeine free. Two of our favorites are Burn Lab Pro (for men) and Hourglassfit (for women)
Here are the ideal times to take your fat burner:
Take it in the morning: Try starting off your day with a fat-burning supplement, about 30 or 40 minutes before breakfast. Your metabolic rate is slowest in the morning and the active ingredients can help to kick it back into gear and help you manage your appetite throughout the day.
Note: Some fat burners can upset an empty stomach. If you feel it isn’t sitting right, make sure to consume a meal at the same time.
Take it before your workout: Fat burners can work similarly to a pre-workout supplement by giving you a little extra oomph without any additional calories. As most are calorie-free, they are also suitable for fasted workouts.
Avoid taking it after 6 PM: If you work out in the evenings, make sure to choose a fat burner that is caffeine-free otherwise it could interfere with your sleep schedule. Sleep is crucial for healthy body composition and if you aren’t properly rested, your workouts and fat-burning potential could suffer.
Cycle it: If you notice that your fat burner isn't working the way it used to, whatever you do, don’t up the dose! Instead, try weaning off of it or cycling it for a few weeks. Like many other things in life, the more used we get to something, the less effective it can become. Don’t panic! Just take a break and come back to it when you’re ready.
Conclusion
It’s important to keep in mind that fat burners are a tool, not a cure to effortlessly burn fat. Yes, they can facilitate stored fat to be oxidized and used by the body as fuel, suppress appetite and even give you a little extra boost during tough workouts, but by no means should be they be used as an excuse to be lazy. Fat burners work best when taken in conjunction with a balanced diet and well-structured exercise plan.
It’s also important to note that not all fat-burners are created equally. Some use below-par quality and poorly sourced ingredients that can cause side-effects such as anxiousness, jitters, increased heart rate, or "crashing". Therefore it’s really important to do your research.
If like me, you're unwilling to give up your daily cups of brew, we recommend opting for an all-natural caffeine-free fat burner such as Burn lab pro and Hourglass fit. Both use high-quality and research-backed formulas and this way, you can get all of the fat-burning benefits without any of the nasty side effects.
If you ever have any doubts about certain ingredients, doses or formulas, always consult with your doctor or health care specialist before taking any supplements.
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References:
Taylor & Francis - Research in Sports medicine - The Effects on Body Composition and Exercise Performance in Soccer Players.
