09/12/2026
💊 SUPPLEMENT OR SCAM?
3 supplements I'd spend money on BEFORE a fat burner.
If I had $100 to spend on supplements and fat loss was the goal…
You know what probably ISN'T going in my cart first?
🔥 A FAT BURNER.
I understand why they sell.
“Burn more calories.”
“Boost your metabolism.”
“Melt stubborn fat.”
“Get shredded faster.”
Sounds pretty good. 😂
But before I spend money trying to squeeze an extra tiny percentage out of my metabolism, I'm putting my money toward things that actually support the foundation.
1️⃣ CREATINE MONOHYDRATE 💪
This is one of the easiest recommendations in sports nutrition.
Creatine can help support:
⚡ Strength & power
🏋️ High-intensity performance
📈 Training capacity
💪 Lean-mass gains alongside resistance training
Is it magic?
No.
Does it replace good programming and hard training?
Also no.
But it can help you get more out of the training you're already doing.
And you don't need the fanciest version with a ridiculous name.
Creatine monohydrate.
Simple.
Inexpensive.
Extensively researched.
For most healthy adults who choose to use it, 3–5g daily is a common maintenance dose.
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2️⃣ PROTEIN POWDER 🥤
Protein powder isn't magic either.
And YES—you can absolutely get enough protein from food.
But you know what protein powder is really good at?
Making life easier.
Busy morning?
🥤 Shake.
Didn't meal prep?
🥤 Shake + fruit + something simple.
Keep coming up 25g short on your protein goal?
🥤 Problem solved.
Protein powder isn't muscle-building fairy dust. 😂
It's basically convenient food.
And if you're trying to lose body fat while maintaining or building muscle, getting enough protein and resistance training are a much better place to put your attention than hoping a “fat burner” does the work for you.
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3️⃣ SLEEP & RECOVERY SUPPORT 😴
This one comes with an asterisk.
Before buying ANY sleep supplement, I'd ask:
HOW ARE YOU ACTUALLY SLEEPING?
Because you can:
✅ Train hard
✅ Hit your calories
✅ Hit your protein
✅ Take every trendy supplement on Instagram…
…but consistently terrible sleep isn't helping the equation.
So before buying another bottle, check the boring stuff:
🌙 Consistent sleep/wake time
☕ Caffeine under control
📱 Less stimulation before bed
🌑 Cool, dark room
⏰ Enough actual TIME allotted for sleep
Once those are handled, some people may benefit from additional support.
Depending on the person, that could include something like:
🌙 Magnesium, particularly when dietary intake is inadequate
or
🌿 A standardized ashwagandha extract, which has some research behind stress and sleep—but isn't appropriate for everyone.
Notice the wording:
SUPPORT.
Not:
“Take this gummy and magically undo five hours of sleep.” 😂
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OKAY… SO ARE FAT BURNERS A SCAM? 🔥
Not automatically.
Are they usually WAY more exciting on the label than they are in real life?
Absolutely.
Some ingredients—especially stimulants like caffeine—can temporarily increase energy expenditure, improve energy, or influence appetite.
But we're generally talking about a small assist.
Not:
🔥 THERMOGENIC FAT DESTROYER 9000
🔥 MELTS BELLY FAT WHILE YOU SLEEP
🔥 GET SHREDDED BY TUESDAY
😂
If your:
❌ Calories aren't appropriate for your goal
❌ Protein is too low
❌ Training is inconsistent
❌ Daily activity is nonexistent
❌ Sleep is terrible
…your fat burner probably isn't the missing piece.
BUILD THE FOUNDATION FIRST.
💪 Train.
🥩 Hit your protein.
🚶 Move.
😴 Recover.
🔥 Create an appropriate calorie deficit when fat loss is the goal.
Then use supplements where they actually make sense.
Because supplements should SUPPLEMENT the plan.
They shouldn't BE the plan.
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👀 WANT PART 2?
I've got 3 more supplements I'd spend money on before touching a fat burner.
👇 Comment PART 2 if you want it.
— Coach Joe Ronnebaum | Baum Fitness - BAUM SQUAD
Supplement needs vary by person. If you take medications, have a medical condition, are pregnant/breastfeeding, or have kidney, liver, thyroid, cardiovascular, or other health concerns, talk with an appropriate healthcare professional before adding supplements.
