Are There Any Fat Burning Supplements That Really Work?

If there were one industry out there that could be used to encapsulate the very definition of the word “marketing hype”, weight loss supplementation would be it.

I honestly don’t know of any other market out there filled with more fairy tale logic, exaggerations and flat-out lies than this one.

Promoting an endless array of “magical” pills, powders, creams and teas to entice your interest, those in the fat burning supplement industry seem to be willing to do just about anything to get their hands on your hard-earned money.

All they have to do is use fancy terms like “clinically proven”, “patented”, “scientifically formulated” and “research proven”... slap some ingredients together in a fancy bottle... place a grossly excessive price tag on it... place it on the shelves... and people will continue to fork over their cash.

Does it matter if the product actually works? No.

Does it matter if there is concrete research to support its effects? No.

Does it matter if there is any logical basis whatsoever for their claims? No.

As long as there is a compelling advertisement and an uninformed consumer willing to take the bait, this unfortunate situation will continue to perpetuate itself over and over again.

People will continue to spend billions of dollars on this garbage every single year, and the “geniuses” at the top of the ladder will continue to reel in the dough without ever delivering on their promises.

Am I going a bit over the top? Am I exaggerating to make my point stronger?

Not in the least.

Let me make one thing clear here…

There is not a SINGLE fat loss supplement available in the WORLD that could ever take the place of a proper fat loss training approach and nutritional program.

If your goal is to burn body fat and achieve a lean and defined body, then an intelligent workout routine and diet is the only way to get there. There are no shortcuts to any place worth going, and the notion that the “secret” to rapid fat loss lies in this pill or that powder is completely and totally false.

Does this mean that I am totally against the use of fat burning supplements?

No.

However, it’s very important that you see them for what they are: a very small additional boost that should be used in conjunction with a consistent workout plan and proper diet.

In addition, it’s also important that you understand that the majority of the fat burning supplements you see lining the shelves ARE a waste of money, and that only a select few are really worth bothering with.

There are literally hundreds, it not thousands of specific fat burning compounds available for use, but throughout my research I can count on one hand those that I really feel are worth trying out.

Here are 3 fat burning compounds that I feel might be worth experimenting with as a small addition to your overall program…

(Make sure to consult your physician before using any of the compounds I’m about to discuss, as individuals with certain pre-existing medical conditions should not use them.)


Ephedrine/Caffeine

Although these are two separate compounds, ephedrine and caffeine appear to have synergistic effects when used in combination with one another.

EC combinations increase thermogenesis within the body (the rate at which calories are burned as heat) as well as the metabolic rate. They are also a powerful energy-increasing combination that can be used as an effective pre-workout or pre-cardio stimulant.

The most commonly used dosage is to consume caffeine and ephedrine in a ratio of 10:1, meaning that you should be ingesting 10 times as much caffeine as compared to the amount of ephedrine. A typical dosage is 15-20mg of ephedrine coupled with 150-200mg of caffeine consumed 2-3 times daily.


Green Tea Extract

A very rich source of a powerful antioxidant known as “ECGC”, green tea extract also appears to have a thermionic effect in the body, but via different pathway than EC supplements.

It does so without increasing the heart rate or blood pressure, which is an added benefit for those who want to avoid the “jitters” that are a common response to other stimulants.

When purchasing green tea extract in pill form, look for products that are standardized to contain a minimum of 90% poly phenols and 55% EGCG. In order to derive all of the fat burning and energy enhancing benefits of green tea extract, aim to consume about 200-400mg of EGCG daily.


Yohimbine

Derived from the bark of a tree growing in West Africa, yohimbine is an alkaloid that appears to accelerate fat loss by increasing lypolysis during exercise.

It also appears to specifically target stubborn fat areas such as the hips, butt and thighs due to its effects on the “alpha adrenoreceptors”, which are present in high numbers on the lower body.

Yohimbine appears to be effective when used in conjunction with EC combinations. If you are not supplementing with an EC combination then it probably has little use. If you would like to give it a try, start by reducing your ephedrine/caffeine intake by 40-50%, and try adding in just 10mg of yohimbine to start.

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Why A Low-Fat Diet Will Make You FATTER

As an individual who desires a lean, attractive and “fat-free” appearance, you most likely have the idea that your ultimate dietary goal is to limit your consumption of fat as much as possible.

And who could blame you for thinking that?

For years we’ve been told that low-fat diets are the only healthy solution and that dietary fat is somehow an evil, harmful substance that should be steered clear of at all costs. Just walk into any grocery store and you’ll be bombarded with package after package of “low fat” and “fat free” products lining the shelves.

For those of you who point the finger at dietary fat as the major cause of a soft and flabby body, here’s an interesting fact for you…

Despite the current obesity crisis in the United States (where 7 out of 10 individuals over the age of 25 are considered overweight) our consumption of dietary fat is actually at an all-time low!

That’s correct, we’re consuming LESS fat, yet we’re FATTER than ever!

How could this be?

Simple: diets that focus on the extreme restriction of fat consumption are actually counter-productive to your fat burning results.

Don’t believe me?

Let me give you 5 good reasons why…


1) Low-fat diets are naturally higher in sugar.

Fats contain 9 calories per gram, and when you place severe limitations on your fat intake, you’ll naturally have to make up for those lost calories through an increased consumption of protein and carbohydrates.

For most individuals, this means piling up their intake of fruits, breads, pastas and other such items that, while low in fat, are very high in sugar. Although your body requires a certain amount of glucose to fuel its daily tasks, any excess that isn’t needed and cannot be stored in the muscles for future use will simply be stored as fat.


2) Low-fat diets increase cravings and hunger pangs.

Not only does the addition of dietary fat provide a more “filling” effect from the meals that you eat, but since your carbohydrate consumption is now naturally higher, your blood sugar levels and insulin production will be in overdrive.

Constant rising and falling of blood sugar not only lowers your energy and increases your appetite, but it increases your body's rate of fat storage as well.


3) Low-fat diets decrease testosterone levels.

Most people are aware that testosterone plays a large role in the process of building lean muscle tissue (which in turn causes greater body fat losses), but testosterone in itself also has direct fat burning effects.

Diets that focus on significant reductions in fat consumption also produce a measurable negative effect on testosterone production.


4) Low-fat diets increase the rate of body fat storage.

Your body is a far more complex and intricate “machine” than you might think, and it has all sorts of defensive survival mechanisms in place to deal with stressful situations. When you severely reduce your fat intake, the body perceives this lack of dietary fat as a potential threat to its survival since fat is a primary source of energy.

As a result, the body will make the necessary adjustments which include a slow-down in the fat burning metabolism (to preserve its current fat stores) and a rise in hormones that promote fat storage.


5) Low-fat diets are unhealthy.

Your body quite simply NEEDS dietary fat in order for regular and healthy functioning. Forget about your concerns with storing body fat; if you deprive your body of the fat it needs to keep you alive and healthy, you will inevitably cause problems.

Fats perform an endless array of positive functions in the body, including brain and nerve tissue development, organ insulation, immune system strengthening, anti-inflammatory effects, controlling cell membrane fluids and regulating hemoglobin production just to name a small fraction.


For all of the reasons outlined above, your dietary fat intake should NEVER drop below 10% of your total daily caloric intake. This is just a minimum, and 15-20% is probably ideal.

It’s not fat itself that is the enemy; it’s simply consuming the wrong types of fat, and consuming it in excessive amounts. However, it must be noted that an excess of ANY nutrient will lead to body fat storage.

Your goal should be to limit your intake of saturated fats (those that are solid at room temperature and are typically found in animal meats), and instead place the majority of your focus on healthy, unsaturated fats which are derived from plant sources and are liquid at room temperature.

This favorable form of fat provides a whole host of powerful fat burning, muscle building and overall health benefits and should make up the vast majority of your daily fat intake.

You can consume these fats through solid food sources such as:

- salmon
- cod
- sardines
- mackerel
- avocado
- almonds
- flax seeds
- olives
- peanuts
- pecans

Or from healthy oils such as:

- flax seed oil
- extra virgin olive oil
- fish oil
- canola oil
- sunflower oil
- hemp oil
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3 Reasons Why Proper Protein Intake Aids Fat Loss

If you want to maximize your body’s ability to burn fat, build muscle and take on the lean, athletic shape you desire, then consuming a high quality source of protein with every single meal is a must.

When we think about modifying our diet in order to burn fat, we tend to think only in terms of the foods that should be avoided. For example, “I should minimize my consumption of saturated fat”, or, “I should cut down on my intake of simple sugars”.

While this is a legitimate stance to take, we also need to think equally in terms of those foods that we should increase our consumption of. High quality protein is most definitely one of them.

Protein is a macronutrient containing 4 calories per gram that essentially forms the building blocks for your entire body. Among a virtually endless list of functions, protein plays the critical role of growth and maintenance in the cells of the muscle tissue, immune system, skin and eyes just to name a few.

It is also heavily involved in production of enzymes and the maintenance of blood health. Every single one of the trillions of cells that you are made up of contains protein.

The body does not have a readily available source of protein to use (as opposed to carbohydrates which are stored in the muscle tissue as glycogen), and therefore you must provide your body with a constant stream through your diet.

Here are 3 critical reasons why consuming lean protein with every single meal will aid you throughout your fat burning program…


1) Protein produces a thermogenic effect in the body.

A substance that has a “thermogenic” effect in the body is one that causes your core temperature to increase. The average temperature inside the body is 98.6 degrees, but when this level is increased by even 1-2 degrees, the fat burning metabolism is raised and more calories will be expended even at rest.

Because the amino acids from protein are more difficult for the body to digest than carbohydrates or fats, the body must inevitably work harder to break down the protein into these individual components.

This results in a thermogenic effect that causes the body to expend more calories by simply digesting the protein itself.


2) Protein consumption produces a greater satiety effect from meals.

Those on reduced-calorie diets may find it difficult to adjust to the smaller amount of food they will be consuming, and maintaining a high protein intake is a great way to counteract this.

Including a lean source of protein with every meal will keep you feeling full and more satisfied throughout the day and will keep your appetite and food cravings under control.


3) Protein builds and maintains muscle tissue.

One of the primary factors that determines the speed of your body’s fat burning metabolism is the amount of muscle tissue you have on your body. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, and the more muscle you have, the faster you burn fat.

Not only will sufficient protein intake help your muscles properly recover in between those hard workout sessions, but it will also allow you to maintain the muscle tissue that you already have on your body.

The end result is a fat burning metabolism operating on overdrive, and a lean, athletic appearance that can only be achieved by those with a reasonable level of muscular development.

Clearly, maintaining sufficient protein intake is a very important piece of the fat burning nutrition puzzle.

So, what are the best fat burning sources of protein to include in your nutritional plan?



The following is a list of “acceptable” protein sources to include in your diet. They are all high quality, lean sources of protein containing minimal amounts of fat…

- Skinless chicken breast
- Skinless turkey breast
- Salmon/tuna/fish of all types
- Egg whites
- Lean cuts of red meat
- Low-fat cottage cheese
- Whey protein powder
- Skim milk

If you want to see the most explosive fat burning and muscle developing results possible, you should aim to include one of these protein sources at every single meal.
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Losing Body FAT Versus Body WEIGHT: Do You Understand The Difference?

So much focus and attention is placed on the idea of “weight loss” and “losing weight” that most typical beginners seem to lose sight of the actual concrete goal of achieving a lean, defined and healthy body…

Here's a hint...
It's NOT a simple matter of "losing weight".

In fact, let’s go ahead and remove the term “weight loss” from our fitness vocabulary altogether.

Why?

It’s because “losing weight” is NOT what you should be concerned with!

If you’re reading this article right now, then chances are that you’re looking to achieve at least one of the following goals…

1) Improve your appearance to feel more confident, attractive and sexy.
2) Enhance your overall health to increase longevity and quality of living.
3) Boost your energy levels and mood to feel better about yourself on a daily basis.

Surely there are other reasons as well... but for the majority of you out there, these are probably your primary concerns.

Am I right?

If so, it is absolutely critical that you understand the following…

Losing body weight on its own will NOT allow you to achieve these goals. Instead, all of your focus must be placed on changing your body composition.

The reason for this is simple…

Your body is made up of various different “types” of weight, all of which contribute differently to your overall appearance and health.

There are very “heavy” individuals who are in excellent health with lean and impressive bodies... and there are very “light” individuals who are in poor health with soft, flabby and out-of-shape bodies.

Your overall body weight is made up of various different components, such as body fat, muscle tissue, water and glycogen. The haphazard approach of simply aiming to “lose weight” is incredibly misguided as it does not take these specific types of body weight into account.

In order to achieve your goal of a lean, energetic and healthy body, your goal is to get rid of the excessive amounts of “bad” body weight while maintaining as much “good” body weight as you can.

To put it simply, the underlying goal of your entire program is as follows…

Burn off body fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.

This is truly the only way to get into the shape you desire and to set yourself up for permanent, positive long-term results.

Stop obsessing about the number on the scale!

Instead, start worrying about gradually dropping your body fat percentage while holding on to your lean muscle mass.

There are three primary reasons why you should focus on this...

First of all... one very important factor that determines your body’s basal metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn at rest) is the amount of lean muscle tissue you have on your body. The more muscle you have, the faster your fat burning metabolism operates.

Secondly... maintaining a reasonable level of muscular development will allow you to achieve the shapely and athletic appearance that the majority of you are probably striving for.

A low body fat percentage may be the ultimate goal, but without a decent amount of muscle mass your body will simply take on a small and smooth form without those “cuts” and “lines” that are considered so desirable.

Finally... those who simply place themselves on “crash diets” and attempt to drop large amounts of body weight over short periods of time are inevitably doomed to fail. Such an approach places the body into a starved state and actually programs you to store more fat over the long run.

The body will react to severe calorie deficits by slowing down the metabolism in an attempt to conserve energy, wasting away lean muscle mass, and increasing the production of hormones that inhibit fat loss.

The end result is an unhealthy, out of shape body that, while being temporarily “lighter” than it was before, has now been programmed to store fat and will inevitably end up returning back to its original weight and more.

The way to avoid all of the negative effects listed above is simple...

Structure your “weight loss” approach in such a way that you aim to gradually reduce your body fat levels while keeping your lean muscle tissue levels in tact.

This is the ONLY realistic way to burn fat, keep it off over the long run, and achieve the kind of lean and athletic appearance that you strive for.

Forget about this obsession with trying to lower the number on the scale as fast as possible, as it is only one small piece of a much larger and more important puzzle.
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pH Miracle Diet and Water Ionizers

The pH miracle diet is a revolutionary new program for restoring balance to the body. By eating foods and drinks that are mostly alkaline, you remove the negative effects of acidic foods. People who have started the diet report that they experience weight loss, improvement in arthritis, removal of concentration problems and more energy as well as many other benefits. The key to the pH miracle diet is eating primarily alkaline foods, however, drinking alkaline water is also important.

Alkaline or ionized water provides your body with the right pH it needs for your cells to function. The human body and all of its cells have a pH of 7.4 that is slightly alkaline. Drinking alkaline water helps support this system. Ionized alkaline water can be created in your very own home with the use of a water ionizer. The water ionizer will take the water from your kitchen faucet and pass it through an advanced filter that will remove pesticides, chlorine and other contaminants. The water will then be pulls through an ionization chamber. In this chamber, the pre-filtered water is run over positive and negative electrodes to split it into acid and alkaline water.

Alkaline water is better tasting and has antioxidant activity. It improves your body’s ability to detoxify itself and increases the oxygen delivered to your cells. The minerals within the water are microclustered for better hydration. Drinking alkaline water each day will help your body become more balanced. If you use green drinks to support your pH miracle diet, mixing them with ionized water will increase their effectiveness. Using ionized water in cooking will also produce better tasting foods. Alkaline water will help vegetables maintain their natural colors when you steam them.

Ionized water helps rid your body of accumulated acid. The water helps flush toxins from all of the body tissues and into the kidneys, where it is then excreted through the urine. If you’ve been eating a highly acidic diet and start the pH miracle diet it is recommended that you drink 4 liters of ionized water per day to get your system back in order. Four liters of water per day may seem like a lot, but it will be better for your health if you flush out the toxins as fast as possible.

A water ionizer has two water chambers, one with positive electrodes and one with negative electrodes. The negative electrodes will attract the positive minerals (which are all alkaline) and the positive electrodes attract negatively charged minerals (or acid minerals). The alkaline minerals are calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium. The acid minerals are chlorine, fluoride, sulfur, silicon and copper.

The two chambers have a special membrane between them with microscopic holes. The holes are so small that the water molecules cannot mingle, but the ionized minerals can get through. After the process is complete, there will be about 70% alkaline water and 30% acid water. The alkaline water comes through the spigot, and the acid water is expelled directly into the drain.

Water ionizers have been in use for the last 60 years and were first developed in Japan’s agricultural universities. The health benefits of ionized water were well researched and then water ionizers became available to the Japanese public. They are now available to residents in other countries as well.

Easy Butt Exercises

The first factor that has led most, if not all, women to success with toning up their butt through exercise is this:

Consistency - sticking with their butt targeted exercise program on a long term basis.

Women start & stop exercise programs all the time - & those people are always the first to complain "I can never get my butt to look firm and toned."

Getting a super sexy butt and firmly sculpted thighs is not working out for a few weeks, or even a few months, and then stopping - it just doesn't work that way.

You must be consistent with the proper butt and thigh exercises to achieve the look you want.

Factor number two is being on the right butt exercise program. You can be consistent and faithful for months and months - and see no results if you are not on a good program. This does not mean you must spend two hours in the gym everyday, as a matter of fact, the best butt and thigh exercises can be done with no equipment right in your home.

We all know you can't spot reduce, from a theoretical standpoint anyway. But you can 'spot tone & lift' if you have a properly structured butt exercise program. I'm not talking about heavy weights, dangerous machines or sweaty & crowded health clubs. The easiest and most effective exercises can be done on a simple mat while you are watching TV or listening to your own music.

So, if you already have a good program - be consistent with it.

If you don't have a good butt exercise program - GET ONE! ...and get moving.

The third factor for getting your butt and thigh area in fit and sexy shape is proper nutrition.

Here are a few shortcuts for cutting unnecessary, fat producing calories from your diet:

(Note - For women trying to gain butt roundness and size - you do not have to worry about watching your calories as it applies to weight loss - just be sure that your food choices are from healthy sources - that will help build up your butt.)

1 - Keep track of all the calories you take in by way of liquids/drinks - you may be quite surprised - these are calories just the same as food calories - they can turn into fat if you are over you daily caloric needs - fat that goes right to your butt and thighs.

2 - Cooking too much, putting too much on your plate & eating too much - ALL WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT !! - see, most people eat subconsciously - without paying attention to what they are doing. Hence overeating becomes easy and regular. And those extra calories have a tendency to store themselves in the butt and thigh area of most women. Start eating consciously - be aware of what and HOW MUCH you are eating.

3 - Eating when you are not hungry - HELLO! If you are not hungry - your body is telling you something "I don't need the calories, right now." Don't eat out of boredom & don't eat just because 'everybody else is'. The best butt and thigh exercises won't work properly if you are negating the effects of a great butt and thigh exercise program with too many unnecessary calories.

Reminder - For women with 'flat butt syndrome' - you do not have to worry about cutting calories from your diet - keep calories at normal levels - this will promote proper development in the butt muscles as you incorporate the right exercises.

Take control of this kind of stuff and there is no stopping you, if you truly want to be sexy and fit. By being consistent with a properly structured butt & thigh exercise program and paying attention to your nutritional intake you can get a super sexy butt, hip and thigh area no matter what your age or previous exercise experience.

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Fat and flab loss is the number one fitness goal of both men and women around the world. The problem is most advice is either too overwhelming - or downright ineffective to begin with. Here are 3 unconventional, yet simple, fat loss tips to help you lose the flab, tone-up, look awesome and feel phenomenal.

1) Although breakfast is important - it DOES NOT have to be eaten first thing in the morning. I don't eat breakfast until 10 or 11 am. And it wasn't until I started doing this that I found it MUCH easier to keep my body fat down in the zone where I feel and look my best. The women and men who adopt this 'meal shifting' tactic love it because it helps them reduce calories and burn more fat by reducing the 'daily window' of calorie consumption.

Essentially - by condensing the amount of time, during the day, to consume calories - it makes it more difficult to ingest too many calories. This 'unconventional' tactic may not be popular with 'by the book' type nutritionists. But the truth is - it works and is quite safe and conservative for most people. And you will not lose any muscle - only fat and flab.

2) It's ok to go 4 hours between meals. I know this may go against some things you've heard - such as - "You need to eat every 2 hours or your metabolism will shut down." ... but the truth is - your metabolism will not shut down. This is some kind of old 'gym myth' - and just isn't true. Think about it - you are not a machine that needs food every 2 hours, around the clock. The human body is much more intelligent and efficient than that.

The human body was created with natural powers of inherent strength and flexibility - one of those being the ability to rely on calories at irregular, non-predetermined intervals which is in-line with nature itself.

3) Believe it or not - you don't have to keep "changing your workouts to shock your body - and stay lean, etc..." - that's another bull$#!t 'gym myth' that simply isn't true. There are women and men who can find a program that works for them, delivers great results - and they can stick with that program forever - maybe with some minor variations. That's it.

The ridiculous 'gym terms' such as plateau, sticking point, stale or stagnated - are all 'made-up' to create more excuses for why certain programs don't deliver results - and to confuse 'fitness seekers' into thinking that fitness success is much more complicated than it actually is.

These are just 3 fitness and fat loss tips to help you move forward in your quest for physical success. For more fitness and fat loss tips, articles and programs be sure to visit... Firm Your Buttocks

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joey_Atlas

Setting a Goal (I finally can get into those jeans)

When you’re trying to lose weight, it can be frustrating to not see any results or to stop seeing results. However, this happens to many people for a variety of different reasons. Losing weight is never easy; at least, it is not as easy as putting on the weight. If you truly want to see the results you wish you could have, the best way to do that is to set weight losing goals. Having goals will put you on the fast track to success with your weight loss.

Before you simply set goals and start dieting and exercising, talk to your doctor or a professional trainer. These people will be able to help you set healthy goals that you’ll be able to reach with a little hard work. They’ll also be able to point out goals that could result in dangerous eating or exercising habits. Poor eating can easily turn into an eating disorder and unhealthy amounts of exercise can cause you body to weaken and make you prone to injury. Professionals know what they are talking about in weight loss, so trust their opinion on most matters. Believe me there is a right way and a wrong way to do things.

When setting weight loss goals, try to come up with a plan that will allow you to reach your goals, but not without effort. This requires a lot of balance and will possible require you to reset goals after a few months. If your goals are too easy, you will not be losing weight at the maximum rate or pushing yourself to try harder, which is not a good idea when it comes to weight loss, as it may cause you to give up your plan completely. If your goals are too difficult to reach, on the other hand, you may also want to give up because you become frustrating at not seeing the results you think you should be seeing. There’s a fine line between pushing yourself too much and not enough.

As you set goals, consider a number of things, such as how often you’re able to work out, your weight now and what it would be in a perfect world, the specific parts of your body that make you most unhappy, and you physical abilities. Don’t just set a number goal—work towards a number of different goals. Set goals to cover you total weight, the inches you want to lose from your waist or other areas, the pants size you’d like to be able to wear, and the health factors, like a certain cholesterol or blood pressure, that you want to achieve. Set both long term and short term goals and you’ll be well on your way to losing the weight.

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