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Your Pre-Workout Supplement Might be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss - Try These Instead

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SemicHealth Pulse
June 13, 2025

Fresh health tips, inspiring stories, and more every Friday. Brought to you by SemicHealth

Hey,

Welcome to SemicHealth Pulse.

You’re putting in the work at the gym, but the scale isn’t moving as fast as you’d like. Could your pre-workout supplement be part of the problem?

Many popular formulas give you a temporary energy rush, but actually slow fat burning in the long run.

This week, we’re breaking down:

  • The 5 best pre-workout ingredients for weight loss

  • How to avoid supplements that spike cortisol and store belly fat

  • Finding the best pre-workout supplement

  • 7-Day Pre-Workout Reset Challenge

Supplements #8 - www.supliful.com

The 5 Best Pre-Workout Ingredients for Weight Loss

You’re taking pre-workout supplements, crushing your sessions, but the fat won’t budge. Why? Most formulas focus on energy, not fat loss. These 5 ingredients actually accelerate results:

1. L-Carnitine: Shuttles fat into energy 67% faster
2. Green Tea Extract: Boosts calorie burn by 17% for hours post-workout
3. Citrulline Malate: Increases blood flow to muscles
4. Electrolytes: Prevent dehydration
5. Rhodiola Rosea: Fights fatigue without caffeine spikes

The catch? Most pre-workouts skip these for cheap stimulants.

How to Avoid Supplements That Spike Cortisol and Store Belly Fat

That "energy high" you love? It might be costing you results. Here’s what to ditch:

🚫 Excess Caffeine (>200mg): Triggers cortisol (your fat-storage hormone)
🚫 Artificial Sweeteners: Linked to insulin resistance and cravings
🚫 Proprietary Blends: Often hide filler ingredients that slow metabolism

Try this instead:
• Opt for 100-150mg caffeine (or stimulant-free)
• Look for natural sweeteners like stevia
• Choose transparent labels (no "blends")

"I cut high-stimulant pre-workout supplements and lost 5% body fat in 4 weeks." — Jake, SemicHealth reader

Finding the Best Pre-Workout Supplement

You might be thinking:
"Why am I not losing fat even with a calorie deficit?"
"Can my pre-workout really make that much difference?"
"Are fancy supplements my only hope?"

The truth? Your pre-workout isn’t just about energy; it’s a fat-loss tool. And most are built wrong.

What to Look For:
✓ Third-party tested (NSF or Informed Choice certified)
✓ Science-backed doses (No "proprietary blends")
✓ Adaptogens for recovery (Like rhodiola or ashwagandha)

The fix? A formula that works with your metabolism, not against it.

You Got This Come On GIF by Openfit

7-Day Pre-Workout Reset Challenge

Day 1-2: Ditch artificial sweeteners
Day 3-4: Try a stimulant-free formula
Day 5-6: Add 5g L-carnitine to your regimen
Day 7: Compare energy levels + weigh-in

Complete all → reply to this email with your result, and get featured in our newsletter

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Thanks for reading, and take care, friends! We’ll be back next week to talk about “Testosterone & Aging: The Surprising Link Between Low Testosterone and Wrinkles." See you then!

Here’s your reminder to email [email protected] with any (general) health and wellness questions you’d like for us to answer in a future edition.