By Hugo Rivera

When I am asked what I think about fat burners my first response immediately is that without the proper diet and training program there is no pill that will give you the results that you are looking for. If fat loss is your goal you need to create a nutritional program that will feed your muscle tissue while starving the fat. The way to do this is the following:

• Eat a slightly caloric deficient diet (a diet where you ingest less calories than what you burn on a given day). Take your approximate lean body mass and multiply it by 12 to get a good calorie base.

• Eat frequently: Your diet should consist of multiple small meals a day (5-6) consisting of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and some essential fats. A ratio of 40% carbs, 40% proteins and 20% fats will yield great results!

• Focus on weight training: Your workout program should focus on weight training as this activity will build more muscle which not only serves to give you a pleasing shape but also increases your metabolism permanently, thus making it easier to lose fat. Four to five sessions a week of 45 minutes will suffice for most people. Split your

THE TRUTH ABOUT FAT BURNERS!

Are There Any Fat Burners That Are Effective?

body over three workouts performing chest, shoulders and triceps on Workout (A) back, biceps and calves on Workout (B) and T thighs, hamstrings and abs on Workout (C). Perform 3 sets of 3 exercises of 8-12 repetitions for the large body parts and 3 sets of 2 exercises for the small body parts. Keep the workout fast paced in nature resting only 60-90 seconds in between sets.

• Do some cardio: In order to really accelerate fat loss, supplement your weight training with 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3-4 times per week. For best results, cardiovascular exercise should be performed either first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or right after the weight training.

As you can see, losing fat while toning up requires a multi-faceted approach that no pill in the market can substitute for.

Problems Created by Following a Proper Fat Loss Program

Following the proper fat loss program however is challenging. As you start to lose body fat your body, wanting always to remain in a state of homeostasis (a state of balance where it does not change), starts to send powerful signals to the brain that initiate food cravings. In addition, as you get into several weeks of dieting your body starts to feel tired, you start getting mood swings, and at times, you may even encounter some depression. While some of the fat loss products in the market do offer temporary relief for these symptoms they are way too high in stimulants, which after weeks of use may lead to neurotransmitter burn out as well as adrenal burnout. Both of these conditions worsen the problems of mood swings, depression and low energy. Worst of all, these two conditions lead to reduced thyroid function. Less thyroid activity means that your dieting and training efforts will be sabotaged as you won't be able to lose body fat or feed your muscles effectively (since thyroid is the hormone that regulates one's metabolism).

Effective Fat Loss Supplementation

There are certain supplements that can be taken in order to offset the problems that arise when implementing a proper fat loss program and that can help you to increase thyroid function, increase energy, improve your mood, protect you from burnout, maintain mental clarity, reduce cravings, and of course, increase your metabolism and burn fat!

Supplements to Increase Thyroid Function and Metabolism

In order for a diet to be effective, one must ensure that thyroid function is at its optimal level. A slow thyroid will lower your metabolism and make your dieting efforts futile bringing weight loss to a complete halt. Therefore, by using the two supplements below we ensure that our metabolism runs as efficiently as possible.

L-Tyrosine: This amino acid is a precursor (building block) to thyroid hormones, dopamine and also neurotransmitters like adrenaline. Reducing caloric levels lowers L-Tyrosine in the body thus contributing to a slower metabolism and also less energy and mood swings. Therefore, supplementing with this amino acid solves this problem. In addition, Tyrosine also acts as a mild stimulant, has appetite suppressing properties, helps improve symptoms of depression, helps to fight mental fatigue and has been shown to reduce cortisol (the stress hormone that likes to feed from muscles while protecting body fat stores). I've gotten great results just from this supplement by ingesting it 30 minutes before a workout with some caffeine.

Iodine: This is another essential supplement we must take in order to ensure the most optimal thyroid function and proper metabolism. Low iodine levels stops the metabolism dead on its tracks as iodine is needed to produce thyroid hormones. Research indicates that the amount of people with low intakes of iodine in the United States has increased dramatically. Also, a lowered calorie diet that is low in salt can further contribute to low iodine. Because of these reasons, I like to supplement my diet with some iodine.

Supplements to Increase Energy and Boost Metabolism

Lowered calories eventually lead to low energy levels. Therefore, I like to take these two supplements in order to continue to have high energy levels but also to increase the metabolism.

Caffeine Anhydrous is a central nervous stimulant that helps to increase energy levels, alertness, reduce fatigue and also to increase fat burning. Caffeine in moderation will help to keep you going through the low energy periods caused by dieting and increase calorie burning by up to 13%.

Green Tea Extract with 50% EGCG & 98% polyphenols is proven to promote fat oxidation and improve metabolism significantly via sympathetic activation of thermogenesis. It is also a super anti-oxidant that is many times stronger than antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables and provides more sustained energy and fat burning effects than caffeine. Research conducted in Switzerland shows that men who consumed caffeine and green tea extract together burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo. In addition, the EGCG from Green Tea seems to help lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, prevent heart disease and also fight cancer cells!

As if this would not be enough, EGCG has been shown in both animal and human studies to have a profound effect on making the body burn fat for energy and prevent body fat from being stored. It seems that EGCG helps to suppress the enzymes that promote fat cell replication and the storage of excess calories into fat. This is great news as what this means is that not only the amount of stored body fat goes down but also the number of fat cells as well!

Supplements to Uplift Mood, Memory and Mental Health

(Nootropics)

The two supplements below that I am about to discuss are called Nootropics. Nootropics are super cool nutrients that improve the functions and capacities of your brain, including mood, energy and appetite control. Considering the fact that any good diet will have adverse effects on all of these factors, I would never consider dieting again without any of these two supplements listed below.

Thiamine Trisulfide Diisobutyrate is a derivative of vitamin B-1 (Thiamine) and is the only supplement known to cross the blood/brain barrier to boost the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is responsible for mental clarity and memory, appetite control, energy, mood and stress levels. Taking this B-1 derivative also increases physical resistance to fatigue and helps to enhance concentration.

Bottom line is that even though dieting affects mood, memory, endurance and appetite in an adverse manner, T2D will reverse all of these adverse effects and make you feel happy, energetic and focused all day long while at the same time providing superb appetite control!

Rhodiola Rosea Extract is an adaptogen which has been shown to combat fatigue and the physical effects of stress and help to elevate mood and promote a feeling of well being. It also helps to boost mental function (enhancing memory and associative thinking even when sleep deprived) by increasing blood flow to the brain and helps to release fat from adipose tissue to be burned immediately for energy by activating hormone-sensitive lipase (an enzyme that breaks down stored fat). On top of this, Rhodiola also helps to support the nervous system and reduce cortisol, a stress hormone that protects body fat from being burned and burns muscle, due to Rhodiola's positive effect on mood. As a matter of fact, these mood-enhancing effects are so pronounced that this herb has been shown to be very successful at fighting depression.

I also love the fact that this adaptogen is extremely powerful in terms of combating fatigue. It has been tested extensively and shown to increase one's ability to perform physical work and maintain focus and

concentration over long periods of times. As a matter of fact, some of the tests showing these positive effects were performed on night shift physicians and other night shift workers. These are all effects that anyone can benefit from whether dieting or not!

Introducing XHILAR8™ - the World's First Thermotropic™

Weight Loss Supplement

While you can get all of these supplements separately in order to create the ultimate mood/mental enhancing, appetite suppressing and fat burning stack, the cost would

quickly add up as well as the number of different pills that you would need to ingest. However, the research team of Labrada Nutrition has solved that problem by combining all of these ingredients in the exact ratios and quantities needed to exert the best fat burning, energy producing and mood enhancing effects in one product called Xhilar8, the world's first Thermotropic™ Weight Loss Supplement!

What is a Thermotropic? Thermotropic = Fat Burner + Nootropic

XHILAR8™ combines all of the powerful fat burners and nootropics ("smart nutrients", which improve the functions and capacities of your brain, including mood) mentioned above in a formula that contains just a small amount of caffeine; much less than the amount found in most weight loss products. XHILAR8™ contains a unique blend of amino acids which work synergistically with the nootropic ingredients, resulting in a powerful energy boost for

improved mood, performance and maximum calorie burning

without excessive use of stimulants that make you jittery, irritable

and ultimately burn you out.

If you use XHILAR8™ you will experience:

• Improved mood, energy and focus.

• Improved mental capacity.

• Reduced cravings and suppressed appetite.

• Faster metabolism and increased fat burning capacity.

And you get all of this without any jitters or subsequent energy crash! I love it because it gives me steady energy, suppresses my appetite and gets me in a really good mood all day long. I also seem to be more focused and able to work harder all day long.

I guarantee you that if you use XHILAR8™, sticking to a fat loss program could not be any easier and the results obtained will increase TENFOLD! Add Xhilar8™ to your fat loss program today and a Lean Body can be yours in no time.

Xhilar8™: The Truth About Fat BurnersRefrences

1. Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, et al. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue - a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine 2000;7:365-371.

2. Abidov M, Crendal F, Grachev S, Seifulla R, Ziegenfuss T. Effect of extracts from Rhodiola rosea and Rhodiola crenulata (Crassulaceae) roots on ATP content in mitochondria of skeletal muscles. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2003 Dec;136(6):585-7.

3. De Bock K, Eijnde BO, Ramaekers M, Hespel P. Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Jun;14(3):298-307.

4. Brown RP, Gerbarg PL. The Rhodiola Revolution: Transform Your Health with the Herbal Breakthrough of the 21st Century. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books; 2004

5. Spasov AA, Wikman GK, Mandrikov VB, Mironova IA, Neumoin VV. A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of the stimulating and adapto-genic effect of Rhodiola�Phytomedicine. 2000 Apr;7(2):85-9.

6. Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, et al. A randomized trial of two different doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work. Phytomedicine. 2003 Mar;10(2-3):95-105.

7. Abidov M, Grachev S, Seifulla RD, Ziegenfuss TN. Extract of Rhodiola rosea radix reduces the level of C-reactive protein and creatinine kinase in the blood. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2004 Jul;138(1):63-4.

8. Salikhova RA, Aleksandrova IV, Mazurik VK, et al. Effect of Rhodiola rosea on the yield of mutation alterations and DNA repair in bone marrow cells. Patol Fiziol Eksp Ter. 1997 Oct;(4):22-4.

9. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1998;88:3401-3408.

10. J Appl Physiol 2000 Nov;89(5):1837-44 Comparison of caffeine and theophylline ingestion: exercise metabolism and endurance. Greer F, Friars D, Graham TE Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.

11. Costill DL, Dalsky GP, Fink WJ. Effects of caffeine ingestion on metabolism and exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exercise. 1978; 10:155-158

12. Ivy JL, Costill DL, Fink WJ, et al. Influence of caffeine and carbohydrate feedings on endurance performance Med Science Sports and Exercise. 1979; 11;6-1

13. Essig D, Costill DL, Van Handel RJ. Efects of caffeine ingestion on utilization of muscle glygogen and lipid during leg ergometer cycling. Interna-tional Journal of Sports Med. 1980; 1:86-90

14. Benzie IF, Szeto YT, Strain JJ, Tomlinson B. Consumption of green tea causes rapid increase in plasma antioxidant power in humans. Nutr Cancer. 1999;34(1):83-7.

15. Hasegawa R, Chujo T, Sai-Kato K, Umemura T, Tanimura A, Kurokawa Y. Preventive effects of green tea against liver oxidative DNA damage and hepatotoxicity in rats treated with 2-nitropropane. Food Chem Toxicol. 1995 Nov;3

16. Wu, LY. et. al. Effect of green tea supplementation on insulin sensitivity in Sprague-Dawley rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Feb 11;52(3):643-8.

17. Gupta S, Ahm� -one-mediated induction of ornithine decarboxylase. Cancer Res. 1999 May 1;59(9):

18. Oguni I, Nasu K, Kanaya S, Nomura T, Yamamoto S, Hara Y. A preliminary study on the protection against cancer risk by green tea drinking. Shi-zuoka, Japan: University of Shizuoka Hamamatsu College.

19. Sato Y, et al. Effects of green tea consumption on the reduction of brain-stroke history. J Exp Med. 1989;157:337-343.

20. Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P, Vandermander J. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nur 1999;70:1040-1045

21. Dulloo AG, Seydoux J, Girardier L, Chantre P, Vandermander J. Green tea and thermogenesis: interactions between catechin-polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity. Int. J. of Obesity 2000;24:252-258

22. Hase T, Komine Y, Meguro S, Takeda Y, Takahashi H, Matsui Y, Inaoka S, Katsuragi Y, Tokimitsu I, Shimasaki H, Itakura H. Anti-obesity effect of tea catechins in humans. J Oleo Sci 2001;50:599-605

23. Chantre P, Lairon D. Recent findings of green tea extract AR25 (Exolise) and its activity for the treatment of obesity. Phytomedicine 2002;9:3-8.

Muscle Building& Fat Loss Workout

The workouts shown below will get you started on the right track. Workout Notes: You can do this workout 2 days on and 1 day off picking up the next workout in the sequence on the following training day. Hardgainers do best by training Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday with weekends off.

Workout (A): Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Chest

Incline Bench Press (alternate with Incline Dumbbell Press every other workout) 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 repsFlat Dumbbell Press (Chest Dips every other workout) 3 sets of 10-12 reps Incline Flyes 3 sets of 12-15 reps (alternate with Flat Flyes every other workout)

Shoulders

Dumbbell Shoulder Press (alternate with Upright Rows every other workout) 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 repsLateral Raises (alternate with Military Press every other workout) 3 sets of 10-12 reps Bent Over Laterals (alternate with Rear Delt Machine) 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Triceps

Triceps Dips on Parallel Bars (alternate with Close Grip Bench Press every other workout) 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 repsStraight Bar Triceps Pushdowns (alternate with Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions every other workout) 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Workout (B): Thighs/Hamstrings/Abs

Quads

Squats (alternate with Wide Stance Squats) 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 reps Leg Press (alternate with Hack Squats) 3 sets of 10-12 repsLeg Extensions (alternate with One Legged Leg Extensions) 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Hamstrings

Standing Leg Curls (alternate with Lying Leg Curls w/ Toes Out) 3 sets of 8-10 reps Lying Leg Curls w/ Toes In (alternate with Seated Leg Curls) 3 sets of 8-10 reps Lunges (alternate with Step Ups) 3 sets of 12-15 reps(Note: Press with your heels on lunges and step ups)

Abs

Hanging Leg Raises (alternate with Knee-Ins) 3 sets of 10-15 reps Crunches on Exercise Ball (alternate with Bicycle Crunches) 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Workout (C): Back/Biceps/Calves

Back

Wide Grip Pull-ups to Front (alternate with Wide Grip Pull-ups to Back) 3 sets of 8-12 reps (Note: Use Pull-up assist machine if unable to do without help) Reverse Close Grip Chin-ups (alternate with T-Bar Rows) 3 sets of 10-12 reps(Note: Use Pull-up assist machine if unable to do without help) Low Pulley Rows (alternate with One Arm Rows every other workout) 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Biceps

Concentration Curls (alternate with Preacher Curls) 2 sets of 8-10 reps Incline Curls (alternate with Incline Hammer Curls) 2 sets of 10-12 reps Hammer Curls (alternate with High Pulley Curls) 2 sets of 12-15 reps

Calves

Standing Calf Raises (alternate with Calf Press) 3 sets of 8-10 reps Seated Calf Raises

with Toes In (alternate with Seated Calf Raises with Toes Out) 3 sets of 15-20 reps

Meal 1 (7:00 am)

1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1 piece of fruit such as an apple, 5 egg whites, ½ tablespoon of flaxseed oilSupplements: Multiple Vitamins/Minerals, Vitamin C (1000 mg)

Meal 2 (10:00 am)

1 scoops of Pro V60® -or-Lean Body® Protein Bar -or- Lean Body® MRP or 1/2 RTD

Meal 3 (12:30 pm)

1/2 cup of brown rice, Serving of vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, 3 ounces of chickenSupplements: Vitamin C (1000 mg)

Meal 4 (3:00 pm)

1 scoops of Pro V60® -or- Lean Body® Protein Bar -or- Lean Body® MRP or 1/2 RTD

Meal 5 (5:30 pm)

4 ounces of baked potatoes, Serving of vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, 4 ounces of tilapia, ½ tablespoon of flaxseed oil, Supplements: Vitamin C (1000 mg)

Pre Workout Supplement: 1 scoops Super Charge!® Xtreme N.O. 45 Min Weight Training Workout (7:30pm)

Post Workout Supplement: 4 capsules of Re-Charge!™

Meal 6 (9:00 pm)

Lean Body® for Her -or- 1 scoops of Pro V60® pre-mixed as a shake with ½ tablespoon of flaxseed oil and 1/2 cup of oatmeal.

Water Intake: Drink your bodyweight x 0.66 in ounces of water throughout the day. Your body is mostly composed of water so if you do not drink your daily requirement you may be jeopardizing your muscle gains and also not letting your body get rid of the toxins and waste produced by all of the physical activity efficiently.

1 Serving of XHILAR8™ & 5 Capsules of Re-Charge!™ (5:30 am)

Cardio: 30-45 minutes of cardio (6:00 am)

Note: On days that you are not performing cardio, take the XHILAR8™ prior to Meal 1.

FEMALEFat Burning &

Muscle Building Diet Meal Plan

Meal 1 (7:00 am)

1 cup of oatmeal, 1 piece of fruit such as an apple, 10 egg whites, ½ tablespoon of flaxseed oilSupplements: Multiple Vitamins/Minerals, Vitamin C (1000 mg)

Meal 2 (10:00 am)

1-1/2 scoops of Pro V60® -or- Lean Body® Protein Bar -or- Lean Body® MRP or RTD

Meal 3 (12:30 pm)

1 cup of brown rice, Serving of vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, 5 ounces of chickenSupplements: Vitamin C (1000 mg)

Meal 4 (3:00 pm)

1-1/2 scoops of Pro V60® -or- Lean Body® Protein Bar -or- Lean Body® MRP or RTD

Meal 5 (5:30 pm)

8 ounces of baked potatoes, Serving of vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, 8 ounces of tilapia, ½ tablespoon of flaxseed oil, Supplements: Vitamin C (1000 mg)

Pre Workout Supplement: 1-2 scoops Super Charge!® Xtreme N.O. 45 Min Weight Training Workout (7:30pm)

Post Workout Supplement: 5 capsules of Re-Charge!™

Meal 6 (9:00 pm)

Lean Body® MRP -or- 1-1/2 scoops of Pro V60® pre-mixed as a shake with ½ tablespoon of flaxseed oil and 1 cup of oatmeal.

Water Intake: Drink your bodyweight x 0.66 in ounces of water throughout the day. Your body is mostly composed of water so if you do not drink your daily requirement you may be jeopardizing your muscle gains and also not letting your body get rid of the toxins and waste produced by all of the physical activity efficiently.

1 Serving of XHILAR8™ & 5 Capsules of Re-Charge!™ (5:30 am)

Cardio: 30-45 minutes of cardio (6:00 am)

Note: On days that you are not performing cardio, take the XHILAR8™ prior to Meal 1.

MALEFat Burning &

Muscle Building Diet Meal Plan