Fat Burners...to use or not to use?

s_waser
s_waser Posts: 92
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I recently began training with a personal trainer and we meet for the 6th time (in 3 weeks) tonight he asked me if I was taking any kind of fat burner. When I told him no he suggested Lipo 6 Black Hers and Oxy Elite Pro. I have never taken anything like this and don't want to take it if it will cause harm to my body. So here are my questions...

It is bad to take these things?
Is it a diet pill?
I do not drink anything with caffeine in it how will this effect me?
If I take it for the recommended two months will the weight I lose with it just come back on?
Should I take one of these pills?

Thank you for your help!

Replies

  • TayJoMama
    TayJoMama Posts: 348 Member
    I'm curious too! Bump!
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    i cant believe a personal trainer would suggest taking pills..
    i dont know anything about these exact pills.. but you want to loose your weight naturally, not by appetite suppressors, chemicals, fat burners, etc... your only suppose to lose 2lbs a week max; not try and loose it as fast as possible.
  • EKarma
    EKarma Posts: 594 Member
    I'm not too sure about the answers to your questions.. I tend to stay away from the pills because they are usually expensive and not really worth the money you spend on them. Try looking up the info online if you don't get a lot of feedback here. Good luck on your journey.. And just keep going =)
  • s_waser
    s_waser Posts: 92
    He said they had natural ingredients in them and caffeine in it...
  • FoamyRiver
    FoamyRiver Posts: 276 Member
    They are not a diet pill but they will increase your heart rate so that whether you are working out or not, your heart feels like you are working out. I suggest you call your doctor and ask them first. It seems that if you have high blood pressure or a heart issue fat burners could spell big trouble.

    And if you decide to take them, follow the directions. Some of them you take on an empty stomach and some of them you have to take with food. I know someone who took one on an empty stomach when she was supposed to eat something with the fat burner. When she worked out an hour or so later she got extremely sick and ended up throwing up in the middle of her workout. Luckily her workout was outside that day. :tongue:
  • Larius
    Larius Posts: 507 Member
    They often have caffeine and lots of weird things. Often time the caffeine is hidden in the ingredients as guarana or kola nut or a dozen other things. Caffeine is not really an effective fat burner. For a short time maybe, but then you crash and burn less.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    I enjoy a good boost to my workout every now and then, I choose buzzerk shakes though and not pills......some fat burners are thermogenics, some are all caffeine, guess it depends what's in it exactly and how you normally are with caffeine? If you're concerned, don't do it! If you don't feel like you need it, don't do it!! I say as long as you're not eating 12 pills a day and trying to live off them and have them lose the weight for you, they couldn't hurt........unless there's something in them you're sensitive to! and then there's all the variables like do you have high blood pressure, blah blah blah.......hmmmm.....might not be worth the trouble? ;)
  • meganotravels
    meganotravels Posts: 7 Member
    i took oxy elite pro for the recommended amount of time (you can only take it for 8 weeks and then you have to stop for 4 before you start the next round). it didn't do anything for me. i consistently ate between 1200-1500 cals a day and worked out several times a week, and barely lost 2 pounds most weeks. in my opinion, they're a waste of money and i wouldn't recommend them.
  • Bocker33
    Bocker33 Posts: 3
    A good clue would be to find out if the personal trainer or his gym is selling them. Often times advice like that might be motivated by commissions.
  • voodooziggy
    voodooziggy Posts: 13 Member
    I've taken fat burners and had terrible effects from them. I called 911 once because they were giving me such bad heart palpitations that I thought I was dying. I'd stay away from them.
  • misscfe
    misscfe Posts: 295 Member
    My trainer actually suggested some too and I took them for awhile but they didn't seem to make a difference for me plus the amount of caffeine in them caused me to have sleeping problems. I rarely put caffeine in my body so when I do it affects me. The caffeine in the pill is suppose to boost your metabolism.
  • s_waser
    s_waser Posts: 92
    I enjoy a good boost to my workout every now and then, I choose buzzerk shakes though and not pills......some fat burners are thermogenics, some are all caffeine, guess it depends what's in it exactly and how you normally are with caffeine? If you're concerned, don't do it! If you don't feel like you need it, don't do it!! I say as long as you're not eating 12 pills a day and trying to live off them and have them lose the weight for you, they couldn't hurt........unless there's something in them you're sensitive to! and then there's all the variables like do you have high blood pressure, blah blah blah.......hmmmm.....might not be worth the trouble? ;)


    He said they were a form of a thermogenic...he said it would heat up my body temperature which would in turn burn more energy
  • mosneakers
    mosneakers Posts: 343 Member
    I've tried them before and literally felt that my heart was going to come out of my chest. If it wasn't that, it was horrible headaches. And that's without consuming a lot of caffine. If you choose to take the pills, please check with your doctor first, especially if you have any heart issues. I also have high blood pressure that is regulated by pills. I can't afford to take any pill that is going to speed up my heart when I'm working to keep it at a normal rate.

    If your trainer suggested it, I wonder if they sell it at your gym or if he truly thinks it will speed up your weight loss results.

    Personally, I'd stay away from them. Now that I've been on MFP, my results have been slow, but they're MINE! I didn't get those results from a bottle or a magic pill, it was all my sweat and clean eating that made that happen. But, that's how I feel.
  • s_waser
    s_waser Posts: 92
    A good clue would be to find out if the personal trainer or his gym is selling them. Often times advice like that might be motivated by commissions.

    The gym does sell Lipo 6 Black Hers but they do not sell Oxy Elite Pro which is what he said would work better for me because it has less caffeine so I wouldn't think it was about commission.
  • JeffGDDG
    JeffGDDG Posts: 252 Member
    I wouldn't take both at once. Try either one if you like. They can make you jittery and feel warmer and make you sweat more and things like that. And you can't take them in the evening too close to bedtime because they can keep you up. It really is up to you. Some people get good results. Just monitor how you feel on them closely. There are some more natural things you can try too. Like green tea, ginseng and cayenne to mention a few. Not so many jittery side effects with these but maybe not quite as stunning of results. Good luck!
  • nerdieprofessor
    nerdieprofessor Posts: 512 Member
    I think most folks are better off working on (creating, improving) habits to keep for a lifetime. This doesn't sound like a supplement you'd want to take for a lifetime.
  • Crystal_Rudolph
    Crystal_Rudolph Posts: 632 Member
    I enjoy a good boost to my workout every now and then, I choose buzzerk shakes though and not pills......some fat burners are thermogenics, some are all caffeine, guess it depends what's in it exactly and how you normally are with caffeine? If you're concerned, don't do it! If you don't feel like you need it, don't do it!! I say as long as you're not eating 12 pills a day and trying to live off them and have them lose the weight for you, they couldn't hurt........unless there's something in them you're sensitive to! and then there's all the variables like do you have high blood pressure, blah blah blah.......hmmmm.....might not be worth the trouble? ;)


    He said they were a form of a thermogenic...he said it would heat up my body temperature which would in turn burn more energy

    You could "naturally" heat up your body tempature...try wearing a sweatshirt while you workout. I have good things baout your body needing to be warm to burn optimal calories, but I think naturally doing it would be a ton better! I wear a aweatshirt sometimes to Zumba and burn 33% more calories than my normal tank-top. I also have tried drinking hot green tea before working out and have burned up to 25% more calories...:wink:
  • valeriebpdx
    valeriebpdx Posts: 497 Member
    The trainers at my gym always push them, too. i am sure they are very profitable. My feeling is, I don't want to lose weight because I took something that is unsustainable. I could probably drop a few pounds if I started doing meth, too, but that's not the route I want to go. I have not been permanently successful at weight loss yet, but when I am, it's going to be because I learned how to live healthfully, not 'cause I took some crap pills I got at the gym. Just my 2 cents.
  • paperboyfabe
    paperboyfabe Posts: 19 Member
    I would take them only if you want to increase the speed of burning fat. Some weeks u may only burn 1 lbs.. some weeks u may burn 2.. If you take a fat burner.. u would always burn the maximum amount of fat ur body can burn. (which is 2.) If you trying to lose 8 pounds in a month.. U actually increase the chances of doing so with a fat burner boost. I recommend these for ppl who are actually training for an event or something short term.. not a long term goal. Me personally I will be using fat burners once I get closer to my goal just to speed things up. But they are not needed and u will not lose no more than 2 lbs a week if u take a fat burner. And yes.. they are really expensive.
  • VegGrrl
    VegGrrl Posts: 336 Member
    He said they were a form of a thermogenic...he said it would heat up my body temperature which would in turn burn more energy


    If that was true, those of us who have hot flashes would all be thin! :noway:

    But seriously, when anyone who's not a HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL suggests taking a pill - DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!
  • bethvandenberg
    bethvandenberg Posts: 1,496 Member
    I looked them up and they are loaded with caffeine.... whatever.... I think these things are lame and can't believe that a personal trainer would recommend them. Are you in a plateau? Seems to me that she's//he's pushing a product for their benifit so that they can claim that their clients lose the most weight.
  • paperboyfabe
    paperboyfabe Posts: 19 Member
    Fat Burners only make u sweat more.. It also makes u feel like your kinda high.. lol. It can be a lil addictive in my opinion.. So if you have an addictive personality stay away from them lol
  • Scott613
    Scott613 Posts: 2,317 Member
    Some B12 and a cup of coffee or strong tea 30 minutes before a workout will do the same thing for you at a fraction of the cost! Plus you skip all the added crap they put in those pills.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I'd suggest ignoring his suggestion and finding a new trainer!
    You aren't paying him to suggest drugs, you have a doctor you can see if you want to go down that path.
    In my (humble!) opinion, you are better to find a healthy pattern of eating and exercise that you can keep up for the long term that doesn't include expensive drugs/supplements/etc

    Edited to add:
    I know they have to list all the side effects and they may not be common, but personally I wouldn't go near these. I find that too much caffeine or a single cold tablet with pseudoephedrine already make me really anxious and sleepless, so I would scared of this product.

    Info from: http://www.healthreviewscenter.com/lipo-6-black-hers-reviews/

    Some of the side effects reported include jitters, nausea, headaches, dry mouth, mood swings, depression or bloating. If you experience any of these side effects we recommend either taking less pills or give up using it. You don’t want to mess up your body just because you wanted to get rid of some fat.
    The best way to start using this Lipo 6 Black version is to make and appointment with your doctor and see what he thinks about it. This is an important step because you should not use it if you take meds like: anti-depressants, aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or products that contain phenylephrine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylethylamine and the list can go on.
    You should also be on the lookout if you suffer from conditions such as heart, liver, kidney or thyroid condition, psychiatric issues, diabetes, higher or lower blood pressure, glaucoma or prostate.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
    I sometimes take Green Tea Fat Burner to supplement my diet and exercise. Anybody know if those're good or bad for you? The only thing I really notice about them is that they tend to help me stay awake in the morning (I'm not a morning person... ) since it has caffeine... but other than that I don't feel much of anything.
  • Sadie98072
    Sadie98072 Posts: 212 Member
    http://www.oxyelite-pro.com/oxyelite-pro-ingredients

    If you cant pronounce the ingredients thats a good sign to steer clear...
  • s_waser
    s_waser Posts: 92
    The trainers at my gym always push them, too. i am sure they are very profitable. My feeling is, I don't want to lose weight because I took something that is unsustainable. I could probably drop a few pounds if I started doing meth, too, but that's not the route I want to go. I have not been permanently successful at weight loss yet, but when I am, it's going to be because I learned how to live healthfully, not 'cause I took some crap pills I got at the gym. Just my 2 cents.

    Thanks for giving me your 2 cents I liked it :)
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    I enjoy a good boost to my workout every now and then, I choose buzzerk shakes though and not pills......some fat burners are thermogenics, some are all caffeine, guess it depends what's in it exactly and how you normally are with caffeine? If you're concerned, don't do it! If you don't feel like you need it, don't do it!! I say as long as you're not eating 12 pills a day and trying to live off them and have them lose the weight for you, they couldn't hurt........unless there's something in them you're sensitive to! and then there's all the variables like do you have high blood pressure, blah blah blah.......hmmmm.....might not be worth the trouble? ;)


    He said they were a form of a thermogenic...he said it would heat up my body temperature which would in turn burn more energy

    You could "naturally" heat up your body tempature...try wearing a sweatshirt while you workout. I have good things baout your body needing to be warm to burn optimal calories, but I think naturally doing it would be a ton better! I wear a aweatshirt sometimes to Zumba and burn 33% more calories than my normal tank-top. I also have tried drinking hot green tea before working out and have burned up to 25% more calories...:wink:
    Wearing a sweatshirt does not contribute towards thermogenesis; if anything, it might counter it. Thermogenesis is when your body works to raise the body temperature. When you exercise, you burn calories and raise your body temperature as a side effect. Donning a sweatshirt simply prevents some of that heat from escaping your body. It does not cause your body to generate more heat.

    That said, it may be possible to burn more calories by wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants. I am no expert but since your body has to work towards keeping the temperature low, that could still count as "work" which means more calorie burning.



    In any case, I would still avoid those pills. I refuse to believe in any healthy, sustainable weight loss shortcuts unless there's extensive, trustworthy scientific studies done to prove otherwise.
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