Can Fat Burners be used as Pre-Workout?
Fat burners are primarily used as a way to help weight reduction, however, can fat burners be used as pre-workout? In this article, we’ve got the low-down on everything you need to know about fat burners, what goes into them and how to use them.
What are fat burners?
Predominately, fat burners are a form of supplement used to aid weight-loss and should be taken in conjunction with a balanced diet and regular exercise. Most supplements work through thermogenesis, the ingredients stimulate the body’s basal metabolic rate through heat so that your body burns more calories throughout the day. Fat burners also often have a high caffeine content to help give you the extra energy to push through a tough workout.
Most people don’t need to use fat burners, but they can be especially useful for bodybuilding competitors that are looking for a way to shed the last few pounds and become as lean as possible. Fat burners are not a meal replacement and you should do your research before purchasing as not all of them may be approved. If you’re looking for the best fat burners you can find them here.
Different types of fat burners
There are several different types of fat burners that will have various methods of aiding your weight reduction. One of the most popular types of fat burner are thermogenic. Thermogenesis is the process of producing heat which in the body will lead to a rise in body temperature. From here, heat production takes place in the adipose cells and breaks down fat stored in these cells. This stored fat is then burnt to create heat.
Another form of fat burner is a suppressant. These helps to supress your appetite so you don’t feel as hungry throughout the day. Caffeine, a prominent ingredient in many fat burners is often seen as an appetite suppressant and therefore helps to reduce the amount you eat.
Some fat burners can also act as ‘carb blockers’. This type of supplement stops carbohydrates from being fully digested as the enzymes are not allowed to meet the carbohydrate to break them down. This means that the food goes straight to the intestine without providing the body with calories or sugars.
Ingredients in fat burners
Different brands have different ingredients in their supplements, however, many of them contain some staple ingredients that can contribute to fat loss:
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant that will give you a kick when you’re doing some particularly strenuous. It also helps to increase the mobilisation of fatty acids as fuel during exercise so you’re using fat as a source of energy.
Green tea
Green tea also has naturally occurring caffeine and has been shown to provide many health benefits for the body. This are some studies that reveal EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which is found in green tea can help to burn fat as fuel.
CLA
This ingredient is commonly found in most fat burners and stands for conjugated linoleic acid. CLA is a type of fat usually found in raw dairy and grass-fed beef and studies have shown that it could possibly aid the increase of fat loss whilst still allowing you to maintain lean muscle.
Green coffee bean
If you’ve looked at a lot of weight-loss supplements then you’ll have probably seen this as it is a popular ingredient in most. Green coffee bean is a buzz word at the moment, it’s a coffee bean that hasn’t yet been processed so it is high in caffeine. Along with this, green coffee bean is high in chlorogenic acid which is a polyphenol. There is little evidence to show that this could be a factor in aiding weight-loss, however, more studies need to be done before this is confirmed.
What is pre-workout?
Pre-workout on the other hand is a supplement that helps fuel the body for a workout. The primary goal of pre-workout is to help you train harder, not help you lose weight.
That being said, more often than not, many of the ingredients in pre-workout and fat burner supplements can often be the same. Things such as caffeine are usually found in both types of supplement as it can have benefits for weight loss and training. Pre-workout supplements often carry a lot more ingredients that will help with muscle endurance and allow you to pro-long your workout, something that isn’t a necessity with a fat burner supplement.
Can fat burners be used as pre-workout?
So, can fat burners be used as pre-workout? As with most things, there is no straight forward answer to this, and it depends on the type of fat burner supplement you use. If the supplement doesn’t include caffeine and is stimulant free then chances are it won’t work as a very good pre-workout as it won’t be giving you the energy boost you want before getting stuck into a training session. Similarly, if the supplement is a suppressant, the last thing you probably want to do is train when you’re lacking energy from not eating as much.
On the other hand, a lot of fat burner supplements could potentially also be used as a form of pre-workout. If there are ingredients such as caffeine, green tea and green coffee bean then these are all products that will hopefully help you train a little longer. However, if your fat burner does have a thermogenic effect then be prepared to truly sweat if you opt to take it before a session.
If you’re looking primarily to shed those last few pounds that don’t seem to be shifting, then fat burners could be incorporated into your regime to help with this. But, if you’re looking for something to help you get that ‘pump’ with your workout then check for key ingredients such as caffeine and if they aren’t included, it might be best that you supplement your training with pre-workout.