The best Pre-Workout/ fat burner!

Let me start off by saying this; as a Trainer and fitness coach,  I rarely if ever recommend my clients take a pre-workout/ fat burner supplement (or any supplement for that matter). I am very traditional in my apporah to health and well being. There are no short-cuts and no quick fixes. And that's what pre-workouts are, a quick fix to a long term problem. Consider this, why are you taking the pre workout?  If your answer is lack of energy then why are you lacking energy?

Are you getting enough sleep?

Are you drinking enough water?

Do you eat lots of vegetables?

Do you get enough sunlight?

Do you you stretch daily?

Do  you perform cardiovascular and strength exercises regularly?

Are you eating high quality foods and in moderation?

Are you avoiding junk, processed foods, refined sugar, and soda?

If you answered no to most of these questions consider resolving them before jumping on the supplement bandwagon. But on to the real reason you came here.  

So what's the best Pre-workout or fat burner on the market right now? It's not really a preworkout per say but it can be found in almost all pre workouts. what if I told you it dates back to the 6th century and perhaps even further, with the number of reports and legends surrounding it's first usage. The origin of this mystical planet  began in the lush mountains of Ethiopia. 

Where the people who lived on the mountains soon discovered the mystical effects of none other than the coffee plant. Legend has it a goat herder by the name of Kaldi found his goats having a boost of energy after consuming red berries of a coffee shrub. After trying for himself and having a similar reaction the rest was history. This was indeed the first ever effective stimulant / preworkout. [1]

Let's move the clocks forward a little bit to the 1960's, 70's and 80's better known as the Golden age of bodybuilding. 

So what was the pre workout of choose back then? What did iconic figures like Frank Zane, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sergio Oliva and many more take before understaking their behemoth training sessions? None other than Coffee; other popular alternatives along side coffee was B Vitamin and Niacin. 

Shady ingredients and long term health risks

As I've previously stated if you're training, it's most likely for the long-haul and not just short term achievements. All fitness goals deep down should either include or always be about longevity. Coffee's main ingredient has always been caffeine. Of course some companies try to cut corners and add in fillers most commonly include wheat, soybeans, brown sugar , rye ,corn etc

This is why you should always read labels and do some research before purchasing any product. But with that said coffee's ingredients are indigenous to the body. The same can't be said for the current list of pre workouts on the market today. Most pre workouts will include the following ingredients: 

1. Caffeine Primary purpose: Energy Optimal dose: 200-500 mg, or 1.8-2.7 mg per kg of body weight 

2. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Primary purpose: helps create an anabolic environment Optimal dose: 5 g in pre-workout, 20 g total throughout the day 

3. Creatine Monohydrate Primary purpose: Increases strength Optimal dose: 5 g in pre-workout, up to 20 g per day 

4. Beta-Alanine Primary purpose: Increases muscular endurance Optimal dose: 1.5-5 g 

5. L-arginine 

Primary purpose: Increases nitric oxide levels in  the blood:More blood flow. Optimal dose: 1.5-5 g 

For more or for less these are generally the key ingredients when creating an effective pre workout. Since most of these ingredients are synthetic we'll have to wait and see the long term effects of their usage but for now there hasn't been any major health issues with consuming them. But there is something much more insidious at play, these aren't the only ingredients that can be found or used in preworkouts. There's a lot more harmful substances that most consumers are unaware of. 

Ingredients such as...

Aspartame 

Artificial 'Food' Dyes

DMAA (dimethylamylamine ) 

Synephrine

Yohimbe

Proprietary Blends/ Complex??? 

What's more alarming than most of these ingredients listed above? The notorious proprietary blends. You'll usually see these when  companies/ manufacturers place a whole list of ingredients under one label. 

A proprietary blend is a number of ingredients listed together under a single label. The weight of the entire blend is given but each individual ingredient in the blend does not have to be listed, only the total.  

This raises huge red flags! Not being able to gage the proper amount of ingredients you're getting is misleading and can be very harmful as well. 

The danger of proprietary blends are very real. Remember what I said about shortcuts? Nothing good rarely comes from cutting corners. Most of these companies top priority isn't to maximize your health/lifespan, rather their profits. The blends are basically a result of undercutting the more expensive quality ingredients and fill their mixtures with less expensive ones. This is why the amount of each ingredient isn't specified or given. 

Every dietary ingredient in a supplement has an effective dose which was tested and confirmed through scientific studies or clinical trials. But, when it comes to blends its impossible to gage  wheather you're getting an effective dose or not.

Why would you purchase/consume a product without knowing the correct doesages? Isn't your health worth it? And health aside don't you want your money's worth atleast?  These companies will argue that the blends are simply to protect your formula from infringement and copying from their competitors. But let's be honest, are you willing to risk your health for a short term gain? 

You honestly don’t need any supplements to get a great workout , feel a rush or get all pumped up. If you’re eating right and living a healthy and active lifestlye. You really don’t need that kind of boost But GNC, Bodybuilding.com and others will try to convince/ sell you on it.  If you still feel like you need a boost; the best preworkout will always be good old coffee and if you happen to be allergic to coffee by any chance you can always create your own preworkout now that you have a better understanding of what goes into making it.  Remember when considering a fit/healthy lifestyle the end goal should always be about longevity. 

Best Health, 

Rance Pacquette, PT/HC