subject: Burning Fat- Do Pills Work? [print this page] Author: Kevin Koskella Author: Kevin Koskella
Is this the year you finally give up the idea of a magic pill, and start burning fat the natural way? The sad thing is, while millions of people throw their money away on heavily-marketing "fat burning" pills, they are missing out on losing weight permanently, instead of using a gimmick that will give one results that are temporary at best. Let's take a look at what most of the pills or "fat burning formulas" offer. Typical ingredients in these "metabolism boosters" or "fat burners" include: bitter orange (a stimulant that slightly increases metabolism, similar to ephedrine and pseudoephedirine), guanara (herbal caffeine), white willow bark (similar to aspirin and no effect), green tea extract (has thermogenic properties). Other ingredients that often show up in these pills include inositol (a B-vitamin), and choline (a relative of the B-family that mobilizes fat). Both choline and inositol help the liver metabolize fat, so these might help the liver move fat through it. If the liver is the issue in your inability to lose weight, these supplements can help. Finally, the last two ingredients often found in these formulas are tyrosine (a mood-boosting amino acid), and phenylalanine (an amino acid that can be converted into tyrosine). And, both of these are precursors to dopamine, which can make you feel awake and bright. The bottom line is, combinations of all these ingredients can give you the jitters and MAYBE burn just a few extra calories. I personally would rather follow a program that allowed me to take charge of my own eating habits, rather than take ANY pill, even if this pill has been shown to help people lose a few pounds. The difference is, with the pill you are getting short term, temporary results at best, while by going through the process of making changes to your dietary lifestyle, you will not only make far greater changes, they more more likely to last a lifetime.About the Author:
Burning fat is a decision we make, and a good portion of this decision comes from having the self esteem to choose health over the so-called "quick fix"!
Kevin Koskella is a consultant in rational nutrition and building healthy minds and fit bodies. Most recently, he wrote the book " Healthy Mind Fit Body" He is also a professional triathlon and Master's swim coach in the San Diego area.
