Fat burners bad or good? - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

mommyannette · 12-28-2001, 01:24 PM

I am getting back into working out after an extended break from having babies. I am 5'5" and weigh 185. I want to loose at least 45 pounds and go from there. I am doing aerobics 3 days a week and weights 3 days a week. I am gaining muscle but the fat isn't going anywhere. I have changed my diet. No cokes, low carbs, high protein, low fat. So I bought a fat burner called Thermosyn. I wanted Hydroxycut the the GNC guy said get Thermosyn instead. I found out later that GNC gets a better cut or something for selling the Thermosyn.

Anyway, now I'm reading terrible stories about taking fat burners. I just want to jump start loosing the fat. I don't want to die or hurt my heart or organs in any way. Are they as bad as they sound? Are any of them good? Is Chromium Piconolate safer and effective?

jl8201 · 01-01-2002, 03:50 PM

Fat burners. Depends on which ones. Ephedrine + caffiene have proven to be a natural fat burner, and studies have shown to help in the aid of weight reduction. But they have been known to cause high blood pressure, strokes and even death. You should really talk to your doctor about it, he'll look at your medical history and determine if it's safe to take it. It's also best to take in small dosages, these fat burners are very strong, so your body needs to gradually be able to tolerate it. Consumption of water is crucial, to maintain your body temperture. Also studies have shown that by drinking large amounts of water, your chances of losing fat increases by 25% If you are drinking juices, switch to fruits. A regular glass of apple juice contains 200 calories, where as an apple in itself only has 50 calories and more of a nutrition value.

Missy2 · 01-06-2002, 01:00 PM

You can lose the weight without that crap. I wouldn't take that stuff. Losing weight takes a long time. Just keeping working hard at it and watching what you eat. You didn't put on 45 lbs overnight, it took a long time. I would up your cardio to 4 or 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes. I wouldn't be crazy strict on what I eat either, just eat normal but appropriate portions. You should do it slow and be proud of everyday you do it. When I first started working out I didn't lose any weight but all of the sudden (at my original weight) I fit into clothes that were two sizes smaller.

fyi1974 · 01-27-2002, 01:27 PM

I, too wanted to take a fat burner and bought Stacker 2. A friend of mine had stacker 2 lite which she felt was better because I do work out. I read about it and it has ephedra in it which has been the cause of many side effects (stroke, heart attacks, and even death!) I now refuse to take any of it! I'll stick to my routine and lose weight the good old fashion way. I hope you do the same. Good Luck!

John Collins · 01-28-2002, 05:46 PM

Earlier poster is right. You don't need these, all you need is patience. And you do not need to starve.

Cut out the stuff you KNOW is junk. Sodas, candy bars, donuts. If you can't do that, fat burners won't help. Now you're down to "real" food. Without worrying about it too much try to move on a continuum away from highly processed carbs to less processed carbs. For example the following have the same carbs in them.

2 slices typical white bread (carbs), sliced turkey breast (protein), mayonnaise (fat). Not horrible for lunch, but try this.

2 slices whole wheat bread, sliced turkey breast, spicy mustard (less fat) and a small handful of peanuts (more favorable fat).

Better yet, 1 slice whole grain wheat bread, turkey breast, mustard, an apple or pear (carbs), and peanuts.

These are all the same in terms of macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fats), but the carbs in the better meals break down into blood sugar more slowly than the highly processed starches in the white bread and the fat in the peanuts is actually GOOD for you as opposed to the mayo. It is monounsaturated and should decrease your triglicerides, increase your HDL (good) cholesterol and lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

If you exercise moderately and eat stuff you know is better for you, you won't be hungry and you'll feel terrific. I feel much better after the third lunch described above than after the first. You'll be amazed at the difference.

You can lose 2-3 lbs. of fat just by changing your eating habits this way without starving yourself. Good luck!

Check out "The Zone" by Dr. Barry Sears. You can get a lot more anal about tracking what you eat, but you don't really need to. The 80/20 rule is in effect. Pay a little attention to the quality of what you put in your mouth and you've got the problem licked.