To understand how to choose sports nutrition for weight loss, let’s figure out how fat burners work. These are dietary supplements of natural and synthetic origin, aimed at burning subcutaneous and visceral fat (fat accumulation around the abdominal organs). They have the same goal, but the mechanism of action is different. Based on the principle of operation, such additives are divided into four groups.
Thermogenic fat burners
Thermogenic fat burners stimulate thermogenesis, which is the process of generating heat necessary for the body to function (digestion of food, blood circulation, intracellular processes, etc.). For burning subcutaneous fat and visceral deposits, the process of thermogenesis is important because as body temperature rises, energy consumption increases; to compensate for it, the body uses glucose from glycogen stores and breaks down subcutaneous fat, which is sensitive to thermal stress.
An example of a thermogenic fat burner is synephrine hydrochloride; it stimulates the breakdown of adipose tissue into fatty acids, which are transported by ATP molecules to the muscles during intense physical activity. Simultaneously with fat burning, this process supplies the muscles with additional energy. contains 6% synephrine, therefore it also belongs to thermogenics.
Lipotropic fat burners
Lipotropic fat burners speed up metabolism. Stimulating metabolic processes increases the rate of release of fatty acids from adipose tissue, so accelerating metabolism is an effective way to lose weight. Unlike thermogenics, lipotropics do not increase body temperature, but some types of sports nutrition for weight loss combine both functions (for example, synephrine).
An example of a lipotropic fat burner is raspberry ketones. They speed up metabolism (experimental studies by Ch. Marimoto and K. Park), but the exact mechanism of action is unknown. Presumably, raspberry ketones stimulate norepinephrine-induced lipolysis, accelerating the oxidation of fatty acids directly in fat structures at the cellular level. Caffeine and green tea extract are also classified as lipotropics.
Biologically active additives
Sports nutrition in the form of dietary supplements is in demand among those involved in fitness and leading a physically active lifestyle. The dietary supplement consists of organic and synthetic nutrients, which are broken down during the digestion process and absorbed into the body much faster than regular food.
Sports nutrition maintains the balance of nutrients in the daily diet, subject to regular physical activity. If you stop exercising but continue to take dietary supplements, you can cause metabolic disorders and harm your health. Remember: it is impossible to lose weight without physical activity.
Many people believe that sports nutrition is used only to gain muscle mass. However, it is not. Additives are divided into several classes and solve different problems.
Protein supplements and carbohydrate mixtures
These are one of the most common types of sports nutrition. Protein shakes contain 80-90% protein and help athletes build muscle.
Carbohydrate mixtures are intended for thin people with fast metabolism. They normalize metabolic processes, increase lipid and muscle tissue. If you want to lose weight, you should not take such supplements.
Fat burners
The choice of women and men who want to lose weight. Fat burners are considered one of the most effective means in the fight against excess weight. This class of sports nutrition includes omega-3, caffeine, L-carnitine, guarana. They transport fatty acids into mitochondria, stimulate metabolism and accelerate the process of fat breakdown. Supplements can be taken during exercise, an hour before exercise, or immediately before exercise.
Amino acid complexes
Amino acid complexes are split proteins. These include BCAA amino acids, which cannot be synthesized by the body on its own. They participate in the process of nutrient absorption and do not accumulate fat.
Vitamin and mineral supplements
A disrupted diet and a limited range of food intake often lead to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. Such dietary supplements play a key role when losing weight - they balance the number of vitamins and minerals in the body and support the immune system.
Sports nutrition in the form of dietary supplements has its contraindications. Before taking it, you must undergo a medical examination and consult a doctor. Together with specialists, you will choose a sports nutrition class and select a dosage. The nutritionist will take into account your individual parameters and characteristics of the functioning of the body. Always adhere to the main principle of bioethics - “Do no harm!”
Fat and carbohydrate blockers
Carbohydrate blockers reduce the rate of absorption of target substances in the digestive tract by blocking enzymes that break down carbohydrates or by binding them so that they leave the digestive tract undigested. As a result, the body receives fewer calories and during training burns fat more intensely for energy.
Fat blockers act in a similar way, but do not block amylase (the enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates), but lipase, which is responsible for the breakdown of fats in the digestive tract. An example of a fat blocker is chitosan, a polysaccharide that increases the viscosity of intestinal contents and binds bile acids necessary for the digestion of fats.
Appetite Suppressant Supplements
Appetite suppressants (also known as anorexigenic drugs or anorectics) help reduce body weight by suppressing the feeling of hunger. An example of an appetite suppressant supplement is guarana extract, which simultaneously stimulates metabolism while serving as a lipotropic. Chromium picolinate is also used to regulate appetite and suppress sugar cravings.
Thermogenics often help you lose weight quickly because they additionally suppress your appetite. For example, geranium extract and synephrine reduce the need for satiety by stimulating the breakdown of subcutaneous fat, so that the body receives more nutrients.
Sports supplements for weight loss are not a panacea; they are not enough to get rid of excess fat deposits with a sedentary lifestyle in the absence of a balanced diet. There are conditions for burning fat, determined by human metabolism, only when they are fulfilled do we begin to lose weight. Ignorance of these conditions has given rise to many myths, here are the most popular.
Sports nutrition for weight loss: choosing the most effective supplements
If you have come to the conclusion that to successfully lose weight you simply need sports supplements for burning fat, then this article is what you need! In it we will analyze the most popular drugs and find out what their effect on our body is.
Which sports nutrition is best for burning fat?
How often do I hear questions like this from newbies? Usually I take a deep breath and tune in to a long, tedious lecture on the benefits of healthy eating. And guess what? When they are convinced that I will not reveal to them a great secret, I will not name a magic powder or a miraculous pill, their interest instantly fades. It also happens that, irritated, they abruptly interrupt the conversation they have begun. Of course, because everything turns out to be simple and uninteresting! No one wants to hear that persistence and hard work in the gym is best complemented by rational calorie and nutrient calculations rather than a magic pill. But in vain.
If they had stayed and listened to the end, they would have learned that nutritional supplements are an important component in building muscle mass, burning fat, improving attention, memory and performance, ultimately creating a body worthy of admiration. It doesn't matter who you are - a bodybuilder, a professional football player or a weekend warrior - they are all looking to improve their body.
Myth number one: losing weight without physical activity
According to a common statement, it is possible to lose weight without exercise, at home. In fact, this is not true. The body only loses weight when the number of calories burned exceeds the number of calories consumed. And without physical activity, energy expenditure is minimal.
Taking synephrine, geranium and other thermogenics is useless without training. A clear example of a targeted reduction in the percentage of body fat is “cutting” in bodybuilding, when a special training program, a well-thought-out diet and sports nutrition for weight loss are combined to achieve muscle definition and reduce subcutaneous fat deposits.
Myth two – losing weight without a proper diet
Millions of girls are wondering how to lose weight without dieting. The correct answer is no, this is another myth. A balanced diet is the basis of a program for losing excess weight; it is complemented by training and sports nutrition for weight loss. If the body receives too much fat and carbohydrates without having time to spend them during the day, then the excess food forms energy reserves - fat deposits.
Physical training does not burn subcutaneous and visceral fat reserves intensively enough if the amount of calories in is higher than the amount of calories expended. You need a nutrition plan that takes into account the caloric content of the diet and the number of meals. Diet directly affects your metabolic rate. Diet additions include fat and carbohydrate blockers, as well as appetite suppressants. Dietary fiber is relevant here; it improves intestinal motility, removes undigested food and slows down the absorption of other substances (including fats and carbohydrates). Inulin, being a prebiotic, stimulates the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and accelerates metabolism.
How does sports nutrition work for weight loss?
The operating principle of such products and supplements depends on the composition and focus: among sports nutrition you can find classic fat burners, appetite blockers, nutrient breakdown accelerators, etc. There are also options designed to replace meals without compromising your health: these are nutritional complexes with good calorie content, but without microelements that interfere with weight loss (for example, protein). Sports food for weight loss can be in the form of bars, mixtures for making soups and cocktails, and gels.
For burning fat
The key properties of these drugs, designed to reduce the amount of fat mass, are to accelerate metabolism, slow down the absorption of carbohydrates and reduce fluid levels. An additional quality that helps you lose weight is their ability to convert fat molecules into energy. Sports fat burners begin to do their work only during physical activity to which a person is exposed, so they are not effective without training.
Among these types of sports nutrition that help you lose weight are:
- thermogenics – warming substances;
- lipotropics – fat-breaking agents;
- calorie blockers.
L-carnitine
An alternative name for this supplement is levocarnitine. This is the main fat burner in sports nutrition, which is of interest to everyone who wants to lose weight safely. L-carnitine is a substance that is produced by the brain and kidneys, but sufficient amounts are produced only in people who eat a healthy diet that focuses on animal protein. If a person is aiming to lose weight with a strict diet, the doctor may prescribe additional L-carnitine capsules to make up for its deficiency.
This drug is not so much a sports nutrition as a nutritional supplement that:
- helps the body transport fatty acids to the breakdown zone;
- is needed so that a person can lose weight naturally, because... L-carnitine deficiency leads to obesity;
- converts fats into energy;
- helps reduce cholesterol levels;
- prevents the formation of new fat deposits.
Myth three – complete exclusion of carbohydrates and fats
Complete exclusion of carbohydrates from the diet is unacceptable, since the body needs energy to function, especially during physical activity. A lack of carbohydrates leads to digestive disorders, disruptions in the functioning of the immune system and other body systems. According to current research by Dr. Z. Harcombe, carbohydrates should make up at least 30% of the total calorie intake, it is preferable to consume carbohydrates with a low absorption rate (for example, isomaltulose), they will supply the body with energy for a long time. Carbohydrates with a high absorption rate (for example, amylopectin) are in demand during physical activity (muscles get more energy and get less tired) and after them (for accelerated recovery).
The complete exclusion of fats is dangerous because the body needs fats for cellular synthesis, transport of nutrients across cell membranes, and functioning of the immune system. The absorption of vitamins A, E, K, D, B2, trace elements calcium and magnesium is impossible without the participation of fats. According to research by Z. Harcombe, fats should make up at least 10% of the calorie intake.
To burn excess fat, in combination with diet and physical training, polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 from fish oil and Omega-3-6-9 from flaxseed oil are used. Both complexes include alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, which slow down the absorption of carbohydrates, stimulate metabolism, stabilize metabolism and lipid metabolism. CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) accelerates metabolic reactions, stimulates glucose metabolism and mobilizes lipolysis (the rationale for its use as a fat burner has been proven in detail in the research work of L. Whigham).
Which sports nutrition for weight loss should you choose?
BCAA
Branched chain amino acids are the 3 essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine) that can be obtained from protein. These amino acids are instantly absorbed by muscles and are essential before, during and after workouts for maximum muscle recovery. In addition, amino acids create an anabolic environment in muscle tissue. Agree that it is quite difficult to provide muscles with protein during a busy workout, but when trying to burn fat cells, this is an ideal strategy.
BCAAs help maintain muscle mass while actively burning fat, which is appreciated by many athletes and bodybuilders. Also, the amino acid complex stimulates the production of insulin and normalizes its level. Of course, this effect will not help you get rid of hated fat deposits, but it will be very useful for maintaining muscles with a low glycemic index. Therefore, if your goal is to get lean while maintaining the intensity of physical activity, then branched chain amino acids will be an excellent addition to your sports diet. I noticed significant improvements in my muscles when I started taking supplements containing these three essential amino acids. I can also note an increase in energy, I have much more strength, and I am less tired. In addition, amino acids act as a powerful appetite regulator, which is ideal when cutting.
Whey Protein
If you want to burn fat and achieve harmonious body proportions, then high-quality protein is what you need. Whey protein has a uniquely high amount of the amino acid L-leucine, which is an initiator of rapid protein synthesis. Protein is an essential nutrient for any bodybuilder and athlete. During active weight loss, it is very important that your muscles receive enough protein to prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue.
PROTEIN IS AN ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT FOR ANY BODY BUILDER AND ATHLETE.
I'm sure everyone knows that whey protein is absorbed very quickly and that it is best consumed immediately after training. But not everyone is aware that it also acts as a high-quality meal replacement, in combination with other macronutrients (depending on your individual calorie intake). Skipping meals can harm fat burning more than you realize. When your body lacks nitrogen, it risks wasting muscle tissue and slowing down your metabolism. Your body will compensate for this deficiency by storing nutrients in fat cells.
I usually take whey protein 2 times a day. This is breakfast (I like to mix it with oatmeal and banana) and right after a workout. If you're looking to maintain your muscle while losing weight, stock up on enough whey protein to ensure you're replenishing your body's protein levels no matter what.
Creatine monohydrate
Creatine is a substance produced in the kidneys, liver and spleen. Once in the muscle fibers, it is converted into creatine phosphate (ATP), which plays the role of a kind of energy supplier for the muscles. To get enough creatine from food, you would have to eat many pounds of beef. This is unrealistic. Especially if you want to remove excess fat from your body. The ideal solution is to take it additionally in the form of dietary supplements. You will notice the result almost immediately - your muscles will fill out and become more prominent. And let the overwhelming amount of this volume be taken up by water - don’t be afraid! The water will remain deep in the muscle tissue rather than on the surface.
TO GET SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF CREATINE FROM FOOD, YOU WILL HAVE TO EAT MANY KILOGRAMS OF BEEF. THIS IS UNREAL.
Creatine can provide invaluable fat-burning benefits: it keeps your energy level high even when your blood glucose levels drop to zero. In recent years, a huge number of chemical substitutes for creatine monohydrate have appeared on the shelves. You may have heard of crealkaline, creatine phosphate, creatine citrate, creatine ethyl ester and many others. All of these complexes are designed to help you build muscle mass and increase your strength and endurance in the gym. I tried many supplements, but the most effective, in my opinion, was creatine monohydrate. I recommend micronized creatine from Biochem. Creatine here is presented in an ultra-thin consistency, which means the load on the kidneys will be minimal. Also, as a nice bonus, Biochem creatine does not cause bloating or other unpleasant sensations that are often found in other manufacturers. Don't be afraid to take creatine monohydrate while cutting - it does not retain water in the body. But it will help you maintain your strength and prevent the formation of stretch marks, which are not uncommon during weight loss, especially sudden ones.
Complex Supplements
When it comes to choosing holistic supplements, there are many options. Firstly, you need to choose wisely (this applies to any nutritional supplements), since stores offer a lot of sports nutrition from a variety of manufacturers. There are several main types of complex supplements that help preserve muscles during active cutting. Once you've developed your diet, experienced the benefits of BCAAs, whey protein, and creatine, and noticed that unwanted fat melting away before your eyes, it's time to start supplementing comprehensively to support your support.
Glucosamine is an amino acid that is naturally produced in the body. It is from it that the molecules that form cartilage tissue are built. By using a glucosamine supplement, you will increase the rate of regeneration of joint cartilage.
Cissus is an excellent all-in-one supplement. Not only does it support healthy joints and restore them after exercise, but it is also a powerful antioxidant. Cissus will allow you, without reducing the intensity of physical activity, to take care of the normal condition of your joints and achieve the desired harmony. Glucosamine and cissus are simply irreplaceable for weight loss.
Essential fatty acids
Research shows that eating fish rich in essential fatty acids can help prevent many different diseases. Omega-3 has also been scientifically proven to help people improve memory functioning and promote brain development. Fish oil will keep your skin, hair, nails healthy, and will also improve your mood and overall well-being. What is especially important when following a diet is that essential fatty acids help improve the absorption of nutrients. Your metabolism speeds up, allowing you to use fat as energy during your workouts. Adding essential fatty acids to your diet enhances your body's ability to burn fat many times over.
Alpha lipoic acid
Alpha lipoic acid is a type of fatty acid and is present in every cell of the human body. The main function is to provide energy. I take alpha lipoic acid 2-3 times a day with carbohydrate meals as it helps quickly convert glucose into energy during exercise. When you want to lose weight, it is very important that carbohydrates are not stored in reserve, but used immediately.
Another benefit of alpha lipoic acid is its antioxidant effect. It helps us get rid of potentially harmful substances called free radicals. When the body is highly polluted, the fat burning process proceeds much more slowly. Alpha lipoic acid removes all unnecessary elements and improves the smooth functioning of internal organs.
Alpha lipoic acid can be called a water- and fat-soluble substance - it does its job perfectly in both water and fat. Other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E, remain active only in water or only in fat, making them less stable in the presence of damaging free radicals. Adding alpha lipoic acid to your diet means ensuring the most complete and effective absorption of food. Just think - you take it just once a day, after training, and reap the benefits!
Thermogenics
Be sure to read the label or instructions before use (this applies to any dietary supplement). But it is especially important before starting to take thermogenics. When you are in the active stage of burning fat, you become mega-sensitive to all the active ingredients of the drugs. Therefore, read the ingredients and make sure there is no excess niacin, as it can cause unpleasant symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. Of course, this is not fatal, but it can cause many unpleasant minutes.
One of the main components of thermogenic fat burners is caffeine. Most people underestimate its powerful effects, which can lead to overstimulation, excessive irritation and anxiety. Just follow the required proportions according to the instructions, and everything will be fine. Remember, more is not better! I only add thermogenics to my diet when I really need them. I would not advise you to panic swallow capsule after capsule, trying to lose weight as quickly as possible.
At the beginning of a long journey to slimness, spend time compiling and adjusting your diet, study what caloric intake you need, try nutritional supplements, choose the most optimal ones for yourself. Then, you can begin your experimental activities and discover new drugs.
Conclusion
When you come to the conclusion that you need to lose weight, the first thing you should do is adjust your diet. Then you can resort to using various nutritional supplements. Nowadays, when technology is developing by leaps and bounds, and the Internet is replete with advertising, it can be very difficult to understand the entire flow of this information and choose a truly worthy product. Therefore, it is better to focus on the experience of famous athletes and use already proven drugs. You also need to learn to observe your body and recognize its reactions to a particular supplement. You should feel good, your health should not be in danger - then, and only then, will you achieve your goal!
Also try breathing exercises for weight loss.
Conclusions about fat burners and weight loss
There are no “most effective” drugs for fat burning; supplements differ in their mechanism of action and can be combined (for example, as part of pre-workout complexes). The type of fat burner is selected based on contraindications and metabolic characteristics; for this, consult your doctor and personal trainer.
Losing weight with sports nutrition is ineffective without a well-thought-out diet and training program. Fat burners help you quickly achieve the desired effect and achieve your desired shape.
