Thinking About Weight Loss Pill Solutions ... Are You Sure?

This is a subject that nearly everyone who has seriously thought about losing weight has considered. In writing this, the fact that some people would prefer to drop a tablet rather than change their current practises or habits must be taken into consideration. If this makes you happy - well and good. This articles' purpose is to help you think about what you're doing before you rush in without some information to help you make that important decision.

It is enough to turn on your TV, read a magazine or open a website and you will find dozens of commercials for different weight loss pills. Most guarantee easy, fast weight loss, no side effects, some say they are 100% natural ingredients, money back guarantee and besides losing weight, you will feel much fitter and happier! You will see pictures of men and women before and after taking that specific weight loss pill. You will be amazed by the efficiency of that product: it turned them from “fat aware” into attractive slim people.

If you’re the unfortunate possessor of some extra pounds (and of a week mind, too) please don’t hesitate...order the X weight loss pill. It will completely change your life. Your friends will envy you, your partner will feel much more attracted to you, you will be happy all the time, etc. The question is...DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

Types of weight loss pills

First of all, it is important to know that there are two types of weight loss pills: prescription-only diet pills and over-the-counter (OTC) diet pills.

The prescription diet pills are diet drugs, they are regulated by authorities, their side effects are monitored and they are prescribed for weight loss under certain circumstances. Examples of weight loss pills from this category include Meridia, Xenical, Apidex, Bontril, Tenuate, Phentermine and Didrex. These kinds of products are designed for people suffering from serious obesity and they have to be used under medical supervision. They have to be correlated with a proper diet and an exercise program.

The OTC weight loss pills are often referred to as food supplements and they are not tested by authorities. In reality, they are diet drugs but they are usually not subject to the same regulations as the first sample discussed above. This is why they are even more dangerous. At least, for the former pills you are made aware of what side effects might occur.

Mechanism of action

The weight loss pills operate through one or more of these mechanisms: increase of the body’s metabolism, suppression of the appetite or modifications in the body’s ability to absorb specific nutrients in food. For instance, Anorectics are intended to suppress the appetite, but they also act as stimulants, as most of them contain amphetamine or other stimulant substances. Xenical (Orlistat) prevents the absorption of fats from the diet.

Easy and fast weight loss?

Yes, it can happen sometimes. When used under medical supervision and working together with a proper diet and added exercise, the weight loss pill can be effective. But as the body adjusts in the short term to the pills, the benefits may quickly wear off.
Side effects

If you want to get rid of your extra pounds, I suggest you don’t worry about the side effects. For the diet pills that work on the brain, these are: high blood pressure, chest pain, faster heart rate, palpitations, closed-angle glaucoma, impotence, drug addiction, depression, restlessness, fever, hair loss, agitation, and insomnia. The ones which work in the gut can have these next side effects: oily spotting bowel movements, diarrhea, unexpected fecal discharge, oily stools, stomach pain, and flatulence.

When it comes to an OTC weight loss pill, the side effects can vary enormously, because these pills contain a cocktail of ingredients. Some possible side effects are: nervousness, tremor, diarrhea, racing heartbeat, heart failure, and even death. Anyway…nothing to worry about…right?

100% natural ingredients

Why do people have the tendency to fully trust a drug that is made from herbs? Some of the most poisoning and brain damaging substances in the world are extracted from plants. Anyway, here are three possibilities or results from a weight loss pill described as “natural” or “herbal”:

1. No health issues (or insignificant side effects) but little or no weight loss;

2. Weight loss, but major health issues;

3. No significant weight loss, but major health issues.

Therefore, if you have a weight problem (and most of us do!) the weight loss pill is not at all the first solution to take into consideration. And think about this...what is the cause of your obesity? In most cases...we eat too much and we have a sedentary lifestyle. Don’t you think this is what you should change in the first place? If your doctor recommends you take weight loss pills, and you also follow a proper diet and an exercise program…that’s ok…he must know what he’s doing, that’s why he’s a doc. But don’t get tricked by some of those commercials you see every day...it is highly likely; you may only manage to seriously injure your health...and pay a lot of money in the process!

Weight Loss Medication

With more than 50% of the adult population in the UK and the USA currently classed as overweight, medication might sound like a perfect answer and it's not difficult to understand why. Many people struggle for years to lose weight, trying diet after diet with little or no success. Unfortunately, there are no magic pills and very little if any evidence to show that weight loss medication brings about any lasting results. Most people who lose weight whilst taking a diet pill, put it all straight back on again afterwards. There is only one way you can lose weight realistically, and that is to consume fewer calories over a period of time, than your body uses up. Weight loss medication is designed to artificially bring about this negative calorie balance.

There are basically 3 main ways in which weight loss medication works. Stimulants boost your metabolism so that you burn up more calories. Appetite suppressants trick your brain into telling you that you are full so that you eat fewer calories. Absorption inhibitors prevent fat and other nutrients from being absorbed by the body so that they are expelled and fewer calories are retained.

It is a sad symptom of our society today that instead of doing what we know for sure works; i.e. a healthy diet and more exercise, many people still look for a lazy way to lose weight that can also be detrimental to their health. Diet pills carry a number of serious health implications particularly if you suffer from heart problems, high blood pressure and many other medical conditions. They can also produce a variety of unpleasant side effects. Compare that with the fact that there are no side effects associated with eating a healthy diet and increasing your level of activity. Evidence clearly shows that a natural option is far more likely to result in permanent weight loss and better health than an artificial one, and yet many people continue to look for a quick fix.

The following are a few of the more common weight loss medications available either over the counter or on prescription.

Adipex - works by suppressing your appetite suppressant.

Bontril - is also an appetite suppressant.

Didrex (benzphetamine hydrochloride) - works in a similar way to amphetamine or speed to boost your metabolism and decrease your appetite.

Ionamin or phentermine - is an appetite suppressant.

Phendimetrazine - boosts your metabolism.

Reductil (Meridia in the US) or Sibutramine - works by inhibiting the reuptake of seratonin and noradrenaline in the brain giving you a "feel good" effect and making you feel full earlier than you normally would.

Tenuate - is a metabolism booster; it increases heart rate and blood pressure and decreases your appetite.

Xenical - inhibits the absorption of fats into the body

Weight loss medication is usually only prescribed by a physician to overweight people who have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or more, or sometimes less than 30 where there are serious risks to your health by being overweight that outweigh the risk of taking medication. Your BMI can be described as a body/fat ratio calculated using your height and weight and is an internationally recognised measure of obesity. If your BMI is between 25 and 30 then you are classed as overweight, if it's 30 or over then you are considered obese.

Weight loss medication puts an added strain on your body. This in itself should set alarm bells ringing. If your body is already under pressure from excess weight then why would anyone choose to make the situation worse? Diet pills can also interact with other medications you might be taking to counteract their effectiveness and, in some cases, can be highly addictive.

So what is the answer? The answer lies in the fundamental truth that the most efficient way to lose weight is to eat a healthy diet and to monitor your calorie intake so that you consume less than you are burning up. If you up your level of activity too then you will have the added bonus of an increased level of fitness and will speed up the process. Only in this way can you ultimately ensure a healthy and consistent weight loss. Permanent weight loss cannot be found in a bottle, it doesn't happen overnight either, and it certainly won't come by itself. You have to make the decision to lose weight and then take control of your diet. Once you've done that, you're on the road to a slimmer, healthier and happier you.

How to work out your BMI

A simple way to work out your own BMI is to divide your weight in kilograms squared by your height in centimetres. So for example, if your height is 160 centimetres and your weight is 60 kilograms, you divide 60 x 60 by 160. 60 x 60 = 3600 divided by 160 is 22.5. You have a BMI of 22.5, which is well within the normal range