Thermogenics are drugs, herbs, or supplements that increase the amount of heat (cellular energy) that body produces.
You can find the drugs & supplements marketed as "fat-burners" or appetite suppressants, e.g Hydroxycut, Lipo-6 & they typically claim to help dramatically speed up weight loss. The same processes used to "speed up metabolism" cause negative side effects which come from an elevated metabolism & heart rate: such products, including nervousness, jitters, insomnia, anxiety, & chest pain.
*sidenote: I took Hydroxycut in first year uni, to counter act the "Freshman 15" and had a panick attack & nearly collapsed in the middle of the road, one day.
I believe it's more beneficial (for the long term) to increase your thermogenesis through regular exercise & consuming a diet that includes thermogenic foods.
The thermogenic foods increase the rate that the body burnsstored fat to release energy. Remember, as you burn more calories, you produce a need for more fuel (fat) for physical activities which in turn burn MORE CALORIES, by burning fat. When u combine thermogenic lean protein foods w/ the right amounts & types of essential fats,green vegetables and complex unprocessed carbs and 100% whole grains, your body will becomes its own revved-up fat burning machine, minus the adverse side effects!
"Natural Thermogenic Extracts" found in Supplements:
- Citrus Aurantium (Bitter Orange): This increases metabolic rate, promotes weight loss and increases energy level. (This is a caloric expender and fat burner)
- Guarana: Increases body's metabolic rate
- L-Carnitine: Aids in cellular function, recovery time & increases the metabolic rate.
Foods
- Turkey
- Bison
- Chicken (*use breasts, or thighs - leanest)
- Egg whites
- Seafood, Salmon, "Game fish" which contain high levels of Omega 3s
- Broccoli
- Kale, Spinach
- Red Cabbage
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Cayenne peppers, Hot peppers (Members of the "Hot Chili, Hot Pepper" families contain Capsaicin. The enzyme which you sense as "burning".)
- Green Tea Extract (*the amino ECGC) is an antioxidant thermogenic
- Black Tea, Red Tea & White Tea also contain these thermogenic & antioxidant properties.
- Coffee: Contains caffeine, a diuretic, and metabolism booster, can also have thermogenic properties. (*Black, Green, Red, White Teas also contain caffeine)
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>> While eating proper food combos help, I also like to sip on my Thermogenics!
Heres a quick Hot MixedBerry, Ginger, Peach Iced Tea
Hardware
- TeaKettle or Large Covered Pot (*able to boil 9-10L of water)
- 8L Juice Pitcher (*must be able to hold HOT AND COLD liquids - some plasic pitchers crack in extreme heat!)
Ingredients
- 6 Tea bags -- 2 Natural leaf Green Tea, 2 Ceylon Black Mixed berry tea, 1 GingerMint herbal teabag, 1 Peach blossom herbal tea
- 6-8cups of boiling water
- 1/4c Organic Raw Agave syrup or Honey
- 2tsp Cayenne Pepper (*it's enough, I promise!)
- 1TB fresh cinnamon
- 1 tsp fresh shaved Ginger Root
- 2 trays of Ice
- 1 Large peach peeled & sliced (*I cut it into halves & then 6pcs each half, and then wet & froze for a few hours before making the tea)
- 15 Blackberries (I used frozen, to help cool the tea)
Method
- Steep tea bags for about 10-15mins (*it seems long, but you want a strong taste & a lot of the extracts. plus its a LOT of tea!)
- Add the Sweetener (honey/agave) and the cayenne & cinnamon while the tea is steeping & scaulding hot!
- Remove tea bags and add in the ginger & 1 tray of Ice Cubes. When melted, add in the 2nd tray of ice, plus frozen fruits & put in Fridge. (*uncovered until cooled)
It's best served ICE cold, to mute the effects of the Cayenne & Ginger (*I recommend straining out the ginger, if you're sensitive to heat!)
My fave part: the longer it stays in the fridge the spicier & fruitier it gets! I LOVE IT!
Enjoy!
