Is it ok to use supplements such as fat burners to help increase results?
I recommend that people stay as far away from such supplements as they possibly can. Supplements are not FDA regulated, and you may never know what you are actually taking. The weight loss supplements and fat burners – in my opinion – are the worst of the bunch because they are tapping into the market of the desperate. Some of the ingredients may be labeled ‘natural’ but that does not make them safe. Not to talk about the potential for supplements that come from contaminated facilities. Just go ahead and google ‘dangerous weight loss supplements’, and I hope you will lose your appetite for them.
Keep eating a healthy diet and look whether you can change your routine with interval training or other methods.
Gus, I wouldn’t want to suggest that you take any fat burning supplement to help you reach your goals.
I do know that if you continue resistance training, a favorable change will be that you will gain more muscle tissue which will in turn serve to be a natural resting metabolic rate booster.
Hope this helps!
As Karin suggests, the majority of so-called “fat burning” supplements are untested and unregulated with regard to efficacy, ingredient content and safety.
Without reservation, I do not recommend taking any of them.
As you review exercise biochemistry recall that fatty acids are oxidized in the mitochondria of various tissue cells, the greatest volume of which are in skeletal muscle. The most effective way to increase “fat burning” is to increase the energy (ATP) demand in exercising muscles, especially the large muscles, through both vigorous cardiovascular exercise and progress resistance training. Progressive resistance training, as Joanne suggests, will likely lead to an increase in lean body mass which increases the RMR.
Keep in mind, as well, that sustained, accelerated aerobic metabolism in the mitochondria depends on the presence of an adequate supply of the end anaerobic metabolite of glucose, pryuvate. So consistent consumption of high complex carbohydrate foods, minimal simple sugars, to ensure adequate glycogen packing in the muscles is essential for maximum “fat burning.”
Further, it’s essential that you consistently consume plently of fluids, since water is one of the major by-products of aerobic metabolism. Among its many uses, adequate water is necessary of the packing of glycogen in muscle cells.
Take care.
