As an athlete, it’s hard to perform your best when you are carrying a few extra pounds.
That excess weight can make you slower and less agile.
Plus, it can make you tired and out of breath more easily.
If you’re looking to lose weight and get back in shape, you may be wondering if there are any special fat burners for athletes that can help.
The good news is that there are a few different options available.
Below we will break down the best fat burners for athletes to help you become a lean, mean, butt-kicking machine.
Why Trust Our Fat Burner Knowledge?
From its inception as a website exclusively for athletes, The Athletic Build has undergone a remarkable transformation into a comprehensive platform that caters to all aspects of fitness. Whether you seek the finest creatine or protein powders for men or recovery aids like massage guns, we have everything you need.
Our team is comprised of certified nutrition coaches, dietary professionals, certified personal trainers, and competitive weightlifters. However, what truly distinguishes us is our shared dedication to fitness. We understand the obsession and relentless pursuit of optimal supplements to enhance our training and achieve peak performance, just like you. Rest assured, our expert insights and trustworthy recommendations are designed to support your fitness goals and keep you at the forefront of your game.
#1 Instant Knockout Cut
Best Overall For Athletes
Our top selection was pretty easy. Instant Knockout Cut was originally made for MMA athletes looking to cut weight.
It’s also designed to help give you energy and focus while cutting those pounds.
One of the key ingredients in Instant Knockout Cut is a hefty 1800mg dose of Glucomannan. This dietary fiber expands in your stomach, making you feel fuller for more extended periods. Since you feel full, you will eat less food and lose weight.
Along with the Glucomannan, they also include generous doses of green tea extract, Cayenne pepper, and Vitamin B6 to keep your metabolism high, so you lose weight even while sleeping.
Taking this natural fat burner helps produce more insulin so your body can use its resources efficiently. It also suppresses appetite and regulates glucose production properly.
On top of all that, Instant Knockout Cut can even be combined with Complete, the company’s meal replacement powder which is part of the Instant Knockout System. This system is made to amplify fat loss with 2 products, so you achieve your fat loss goals even faster.
Instant Knockout isn’t cheap, but if you buy 2 bottles, you can get free shipping, and if you buy 3 bottles and get 1 free along with the Boss Shred workout program for free as well.
Overall if you are an athlete looking to get lean, Instant Knockout Cut is the best option on the market.
Pros
All-natural ingredients
Vegan Friendly
Suppresses appetite
Can be combined with their meal replacement for amplified results
Leanbean is our favorite fat burner for women athletes.
This fat-burning supplement has a hefty dose of Glucomannan and Garcinia Cambogia, giving you two appetite-suppressing ingredients for weight loss.
On top of that, it has a high dose of green coffee bean extract, which has been shown to boost metabolism and promote weight loss.
Leanbean also includes a nice mix of thermogenic ingredients like Turmeric and black pepper extract to help you burn more calories throughout the day.
Plus, it has added vitamins and minerals like B6, chromium, and zinc to help with energy levels and fat metabolism.
This fat-burning supplement has all-natural ingredients, has a 90-day money-back guarantee, and is made in a GMP facility so you know they have high standards.
As for the price, Leanbean is premium priced, but you can get some savings if you buy in bulk. Buying 2 bottles will get you free shipping in the US and UK, and if you buy 3 bottles, you get 1 free along with free shipping worldwide, a free workout program, and a weight loss cookbook.
Overall, Leanbean is a great option for any female athlete who is looking to cut weight and get leaner.
If you are looking for a stimulant-free fat burner, our top choice is Fat Burner STIM FREE by Transparent Labs.
Fat Burner STIM FREE uses a blend of natural ingredients that work without any caffeine or other stimulants.
The ingredient profile is slightly different from the other fat burners on this list, but it is still very effective.
This bad boy uses a 250 mg dose of Forslean, which has been found to decrease fat and increase lean muscle mass in obese men compared to a placebo. They also use 150mg of 5-HTP, which has been shown to suppress your appetite.
Another interesting ingredient in this fat burner supplement that you might like is Rhodiola Rosea. This ingredient has been shown to abolish binge eating altogether in an animal study, and it has also been shown to increase endurance in athletes.
This fat burning supplement also doesn’t contain anything artificial, is gluten-free, and is Non-GMO.
Pricewise, these fat-burning pills are above average but not unreasonable.
The coupon code TL10 can also save you 10% on your entire order at checkout so that helps.
Overall, STIM FREE is the best selection out there for those looking to avoid stimulants.
Pros
Coupon code TL10 saves you 10% on your order
Vegan friendly
Uses Acetyl L-carnitine to metabolize fat
Uses Rhodiola Rosea, which can increase endurance in athletes
This fat burner has ingredients that will help you run faster and longer by increasing your endurance and stamina.
It also has thermogenic ingredients that will help you burn more calories while running.
The main ingredient in PhenQ is Capsimax Powder, a blend of capsicum, piperine, caffeine, and niacin.
This blend has been shown to increase thermogenesis and help you burn more fat.
PhenQ also contains L-carnitine fumarate, which has been shown to increase endurance and stamina in athletes.
Plus, it has chromium picolinate, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels and cravings.
For a nice energy boost to keep you running further and faster, they include a nice dose of caffiene for a serious energy boost.
This weight loss pill is also a little pricy, but they have great deals if you want to buy in bulk. Buy 2 bottles and you get 1 free or you can buy 3 bottles and get 2 free.
Overall, PhenQ is an excellent choice for runners who are looking to burn more fat and increase their endurance with more energy.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly fat-burning supplement, our top choice is Burn XT by Jacked Factory.
This bad boy uses a blend of thermogenic and appetite suppressant ingredients to help you burn excess fat and lose weight.
This fat burner supplement uses a formula that is simple and effective. They start with a hefty dose of green tea extract and Acytil l-carnitine HCL to boost metabolism and burn fat.
Then they include a hefty dose of Capsimax powder to help you burn even more fat and suppress your appetite.
Plus, they use caffeine anhydrous for an energy boost and Bioperine for better absorption, and that’s it. Simple, like I said.
You will like the price point on this one, too. It comes in around half as much as some of the fat-burning supplements on this list.
It’s not perfect, though, while it does use effective ingredients, other key ingredients are missing, like Glucomannan and green coffee bean extract.
Also, the dose of caffeine is on the high side at 270 mg per serving. So if you are sensitive to stims, this might not be the best choice for you.
Pricewise Burn XT is affordable, but there are no savings when buying in bulk. However, you can get a subscription and save more on the already low price.
Overall, Burn XT is an excellent fat burner that is budget-friendly and will help you burn excess fat and lose weight.
Pros
Budget-friendly
Uses thermogenic and appetite suppressant ingredients
If you are looking for a fat-burning pre-workout supplement, our top choice is LEAN by Transparent Labs.
This fat burner uses a blend of thermogenic and performance-enhancing ingredients to help you burn fat and improve your workouts.
This bad boy is loaded with all of your typical pre-workout supplement ingredients like L-Citrulline, Beta-Alanine, Betaine Anhydrous, L-Carnitine, and also BCAAs, and more.
On top of all of those ingredients, it also contains a fat-burning and thyroid support complex that features chromium picolinate and zinc.
Each serving of this pre-workout is over 15 grams and includes 21 active ingredients, which are designed to provide a high-intensity pre-workout experience while focusing systematically on fat loss and additional energy expenditure. What’s not to like?
This pre-workout is above average in price, but there are savings when buying in bulk. If you buy 2 tubs they will knock $10 off the price, and if you 3 tubs they will knock $30 off and give you free shipping.
On top of that the coupon code TL10 will save you an additional 10% at checkout, which doesn’t suck.
Overall, LEAN is an excellent choice for those looking for a product that combines the benefits of fat burner supplements with a pre-workout.
Rounding out our list of the best fat-burning supplements for athletes, we have Leanmode from Evlution Nutrition.
This thermogenic fat burner comes in at a budget-friendly price and uses a formula with clinically dosed ingredients.
The first ingredient on the list is green coffee bean extract, known for its fat-burning properties. It is followed by Garcinia Cambogia, another popular weight-loss ingredient that helps with appetite suppression.
The top three are CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), a popular fat burning ingredient that has been shown to be effective in clinical studies.
Other notable ingredients in this fat burner include green tea extract, L-Carnitine, and caffeine anhydrous.
One thing we like about this fat burner is that it uses a straightforward formula, so you know exactly what you are getting with each serving.
It is also affordable, but you won’t save money when buying in bulk, but you can save up to 15% if you get a subscription.
Overall, Leanmode is a good fat burner if you are looking for something decent on Amazon. It’s not as good as the rest on this list but it can still help you burn fat and lose weight.
When it comes to finding the best fat burner supplements for athletes, there are a few key factors that we looked at:
Ingredients
Ingredients are easily the most important factor when grading a fat burner or any other supplement.
We made sure all of the supplements on this list used effective ingredients that have been shown to help with fat loss in clinical trials.
We made sure the fat burners weren’t just caffeine pills pretending to be fat burners that try to trick you into thinking they are working by giving you a lot of energy.
We also ensured that they avoided using proprietary blends, so you know exactly what you are getting with each serving.
Dosage
The next most important thing we looked for was dosage. Some fat burner supplements will have a great list of ingredients to make themselves look good but will skimp on the dosages, which make the product much less effective.
You have a winning product if you have a fat burner with good ingredients and solid dosages. The problem is, those products are few and far between.
Price
While all of the products on this list are effective, some are more affordable than others. We considered price when making our selections but it wasn’t the only factor we looked at.
We believe you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a good fat burner supplement, but you do get what you pay for most of the time.
The more expensive products on this list tend to use better ingredients and have higher dosages which is why they cost more.
User Feedback
We also looked at user feedback when creating this list. We believe that the people who use these products are the best judge of how well they work.
Of course, there will always be some haters no matter how good a product is, but we tried to focus on the overall consensus.
If a fat burner supplement has many positive reviews, it is likely a good product worth considering.
Manufacturer Reputation
We looked at the manufacturer’s reputation when judging these thermogenic fat burners.
We only included products from Supplement companies with a good reputation and are known for producing quality products.
You can always look up a company online to see what customers have to say about them and get a feel for their reputation.
We just talked about the importance of the ingredients when it comes to natural fat burners. Here are some of the best ingredients to look for:
Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the most popular and effective ingredients in fat burners. It helps to increase energy levels, improve mental focus, and can even help to boost your metabolism.
Green Tea Extract
Green tea extract is a very common ingredient in fat burner supplements. In multiple clinical studies, green tea has shown to be effective for fat loss.
This study shows that green tea decreases fat synthesis, and increases the breakdown of fat, and increases the utilization of glucose.
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)
CLA is a type of fatty acid that has been shown to be effective for fat loss in multiple clinical studies. It is believed to work by reducing fat storage and increasing the amount of fat that is burned for energy.
This study shows that CLA supplementation reduces body fat mass in overweight and obese adults.
Forskolin
Forskolin is a popular ingredient in fat burners. It is believed to work by increasing the amount of fat that is burned for energy.
This study found that forskolin reduces fat and increases lean muscle mass in obese men compared to placebo. Then there is also this 12-week study that showed forskolin to be effective at helping obese people lose fat.
Green Coffee Bean Extract
This is another ingredient that is quite common in weight loss supplements because unroasted coffee beans are high in Chlorogenic Acid. This acid has been shown to be possibly effective in the “inhibition of fat absorption and activation of fat metabolism in the liver,” which means it may help reduce stored fat.
5 HTP
5 HTP is a popular ingredient in fat burners because it is believed to help increase serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a hormone that is associated with feelings of happiness and well-being.
It has also been shown to possibly be effective for weight loss by reducing appetite and food intake.
Glucomannan
Glucomannan is a root extract that is often used as a dietary fiber supplement. This fiber expands in the stomach, making you feel full, which means you will eat less and consume fewer calories, leading to more significant weight loss.
Cayenne Pepper
If you take a look at the ingredients in the best thermogenic fat burner out there, you will find Cayenne Pepper on the ingredients list. This is because Cayenne Pepper contains capsaicin which has fat-burning properties.
Capsaicin has been shown to be effective for weight loss by reducing fat storage and increasing the amount of fat burned for energy.
These are just some of the many ingredients that you will find in fat burner supplements. When it comes to fat burners, the ingredients are just as essential, if not more important, than the brand.
Dosage and Timing
When it comes to fat burners, dosage and timing are very important. You want to ensure you take the proper dosage and take it at the right time for maximum effect.
Most fat burners recommend that you take 1-3 capsules daily. It is best to start with the lower dosage and see how your body reacts before increasing the dosage.
Regarding timing, taking fat burners 30-60 minutes before meals is best. This will help reduce hunger and cravings and help you utilize the fat-burning ingredients better.
How Do Thermogenic Fat Burners Help you Lose Weight?
Thermogenic fat burner supplements help you lose weight by increasing your body’s natural ability to burn fat. They work by stimulating thermogenesis, which is the body’s heat production process. When your body temperature increases, your body works to cool itself off which burns exta calories.
Thermogenic fat burners usually contain stimulants such as caffeine, green tea extract, and cayenne pepper, which can help increase thermogenesis. Thermogenic fat burners are a great way to lose weight and get rid of stubborn fat. However, it’s important to remember that they should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise plan for optimal results.
Side Effects for Fat Burners
When it comes to weight loss pills and natural fat burners, the most significant side effect you will find is from stimulants like caffeine.
Stimulants can cause side effects like:
Anxiety
Jitters
Insomnia
Headaches
If you are sensitive to stimulants, you may want to avoid fat burners containing them. Many Stimulant-free fat burners on the market can still be effective.
There are also a few other side effects that have been associated with fat burners, including:
Upset stomach
Diarrhea
Cramping
These side effects are typically mild and go away on their own. If you do experience any severe side effects, stop taking the fat burner and see a doctor.
How can I get the best results from fat burning supplements?
Some people think taking a fat burner is all you have to do to lose weight unfortunately, there is more to it than that. You will also need to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
A fat burner can help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism, reducing hunger, and helping you to utilize fat for energy better. But, if you are shoving pizza and cheeseburgers in your face all day, then there isnt a weight loss supplement on Earth that will help you. A fat burner is not a magic pill that will cause you to lose weight without any effort on your part.
To get the best results from fat burners, make sure you are:
Eating a healthy diet that is lower in calories
Exercising regularly
Taking the proper dosage
Timing your fat burner correctly
If you do all of these things, you will be well on achieving your weight loss goals.
Final Word
If you’re an athlete or looking to become one, adding a fat burner to your supplement routine is a great way to help you stay lighter and faster with more energy. We’ve looked at some of the best fat-burning supplements for athletes and given you our top picks.
Now it’s up to you to choose the right one and get started on becoming lean and mean! Have any questions about these supplements? Leave them in the comments below – we love hearing from our readers.
Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.
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