Methodology
Supplements That Are a Waste of Money
Francesco Zen, founder of ZTraining · Last updated June 20, 2026
The honest list
- Fat burners. Certainly a waste of time, the actual mechanisms for fat loss lie elsewhere entirely.
- Metabolism enhancers. Marketed around a process that's better addressed through the metabolic setup principle, not a pill.
- Carb blockers. Working against carbohydrates that are usually being mismanaged, not the actual problem.
Why these specifically don't work
Each of these targets a symptom rather than the actual mechanism driving results, calorie balance, digestion efficiency, and macro setup. Spending on these instead of fixing the underlying setup is money that doesn't translate into results.
Related: Supplements that actually matter for recomposition · Creatine, is it worth it?
Francesco Zen is the founder of ZTraining and ZLIFE, with 18 years of coaching experience working with executives across the UK, US, and UAE. He built Mr Z, an AI coach trained on his methodology to bring the same approach to a wider audience.