Best Way To Lose Weight?
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The Complete Guide To Most Popular Weight Loss Solutions Today
Learn what works and what doesn’t so you don’t have to waste time, money, and effort for a weight loss products and services that don’t deliver. Experts and consumers did the work so you can benefit!
Losing weight is never easy. And that’s why people look for help. In fact, that’s probably why you’re here, right?
But with the literally thousands of programs, pills, and procedures, how do you even know where to start? And you will never be able to try them all to find the one that works for you.
…You just want to know what works.
Not just that if you’ve taken the time to read through some of our reviews you’ll know that many diet companies are downright deceitful at best and dangerous at worst.
With that in my mind, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide. We’ve created a neat and easy-to-use traffic light system for you to use when deciding on a new weight loss solution.
We’ve categorized types of weight loss solutions into groups as follows:
BEST
Weight Loss Programs
Workout Programs
Meal Delivery Services
WHY?
- Safest options
- Best success rate short and long-term
- Recommended by experts and doctors
- Learn healthy habits for life
MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD
Diet Supplements
Meal Replacements
Detox Cleanses
WHY?
- Many options may not work as advertised
- Can be a waste of money
- Can have side effects
- Doesn’t teach healthy lifestyle
CAUTION
Fat Burners
Appetite Suppressants
Prescriptions
WHY?
- Can be dangerous
- Can lead to heart problems
- Can lead to eating disorders
- Can gain weight after taking them
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1. WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS
How Effective Weight Loss Programs Are To Help You Lose Weight?
Weight loss programs may sound like boring and sensible advice but they are the best way to lose weight effectively for short and long term weight loss. Weight loss programs generally have the best success short and long term of any weight loss solution.
…Most weight loss programs are easy-to-follow…
Anyone can start a weight loss program and there are numerous health benefits to adopting a healthier diet including reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. Most weight loss programs are easy-to-follow and it’s for these reasons that weight loss programs make it to the top of our list.
Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Programs
- Safest option
- Recommended by health experts and doctors
- Good level of success both short and long term
- Economical
- Can be difficult for some to find time
- Not all weight loss programs are as nutritionally balanced as others
How to Choose The Right Weight Loss Program?
If you’re starting a weight loss program then a great way to improve your chances of success is to slim with family or friends. Losing weight is hard and it’s more than likely you’ll want to throw in the towel at some point. But if you’re slimming with others you’ll be far less likely to give in. You’ll also be more motivated to lose weight each week.
If that’s not an option, then look for a weight loss program that has an online community. Good weight loss programs have all the bases covered. So when making a choice look for these things:
- They have an eating plan that adheres to good nutrition practices and also allows you to lose weight fast.
- They have a plan or strategy for integrating healthy eating habits into your lifestyle.
- They have evidence to support the weight loss claims
- They have good support that extends beyond the weight loss phase
- They have long track record helping people lose weight
- They have positive user reviews
- They have good money back guarantee if for some reason it would not work for you
- They have community of people that you can connect with and get help along the way
- The products they sell have been proven to assist in weight loss
The Bottom Line
We ranked Weight Loss Programs as #1 solution to help with weight loss because the evidence points to this being the most effective way to lose weight.
Weight loss programs that offer community support and counseling are essentially considered to be the best way to lose weight.
All in all, weight loss programs the most realistic way and successful way to slim. Certainly if your dieting yourself it’s all too easy to develop an internal rhetoric of hate rather than love.
Aside from being considered the best and most successful course of action for many slimmers, this is also the safest and cheapest way.
It’s for these reasons that weight loss programs make the top of our list.
POPULAR COMBINATIONS
TOP 5 WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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2. WORKOUT PROGRAMS
How Effective Workout Programs Are To Help You Lose Weight?
Ever heard the phrase, “Eat less. Move more.” Well as annoying as it might be, there’s nothing much truer when it comes to losing weight.
…we can have a frustrating low basal metabolic rate (BMR)
Workout programs have great success rate in losing weight although it’s best to combine an exercise program with a weight loss program.
For many of us, we can have a frustrating low basal metabolic rate (BMR). Or the number of calories we need to function without moving. If you are a small mature woman then you may only need 1200-1300 calories a day.
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You need to undereat by 3500 calories to lose one pound of body fat. It can, therefore, be difficult to achieve a deficit of calories by diet alone. If you suddenly boost your calorie needs by 300 calories by walking to work and back, then you’ll be able to lose weight in a far more manageable way than cutting reduced calories down any further.
Virtually everyone can incorporate a workout program into their weight loss program and we recommend combining weight loss program with a workout program for the best weight loss success.*
Pros and Cons of Workout Programs
- Several health benefits
- Burns calories
- DIY free
- Slight risk of injury
- Some activities can be expensive
Benefits of Online Workout Program
There is nothing better than an old-school, face-to-face, personal training. You get all the motivation, accountability, physical push that is just incomparable with everything else. However, in today’s world, most of us live very busy lifestyles, and we may simply not have the luxury in hiring a personal trainer.
We also live in a world where there is a mobile solution for almost any problem. Can our fitness levels be fixed the same way, conveniently? Yes, it can!
Here are 5 benefits of choosing an online workout program:
- Fraction of the cost compared to in-person trainer
- Virtually available anytime and anywhere
- Access to a wide variety tools and resources
- Very effective and dependable
- Privacy! No one has to know about you
Virtually everyone can incorporate a workout program into their weight loss program.
How to Choose The Right Workout Program?
Moving better and losing weight requires several interconnected parts. Each of them is very important to your overall fitness success. When choosing an online workout program make sure it includes all of the fitness and exercise components. These are:
- Cardiovascular conditioning – The right cardio program can help you burn calories more efficiently.
- Flexibility – To avoid injuries your body needs to move efficiently. Flexibility training will improve proper posture.
- Core training – Your core is made up of your abs, lower back and hips. Your core needs to be trained to keep you strong from the inside and allow better movement.
- Balance training – Balance training allows you to be able to control your body during the movement. This helps you avoid falls and unwanted injuries.
- Resistance training – Keeping your body strong and increasing muscle mass is integral part to a workout program. The more muscle you have, the higher is your metabolism, and the lower body fat percentage.
Each of the above parts plays an important role in your overall fitness condition, so pick a workout program that incorporates all of them.
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The Bottom Line
We ranked Workout Programs as #2 solution to help with weight loss because the evidence in favor of exercise for all adults is undisputed.
It is recommended that adults exercise for 2 ½ to 5 hours per week depending on the level of activity. With sedentary lives having the vast majority of us typing away at laptops and at a push walking to a meeting, we need to find time to exercise. A statistic that reflects America’s battle with obesity is that only 22.9% of adults are meeting these exercise guidelines.
When you exercise you are benefiting in several different areas.
- Weight management
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
- Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Reduced risk for certain cancers
- Strengthened bones and muscles
- Better sleep
- Improved mental health
- Improved ability to move through everyday activities
POPULAR COMBINATIONS
TOP 5 WORKOUT PROGRAMS
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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3. MEAL-KIT DELIVERY SERVICES
How Effective Meal-Kit Delivery Services Are To Help You Lose Weight?
Meal-kit delivery services are a way to have all your meals delivered to your door, all calorie counted and nutritionally balanced. They’re effective provided you eat only the food send and any designated snacks such as fresh fruit.
Pros and Cons of Meal-Kits
- Convenient
- Calorie counted
- Nutritionally balanced
- Excellent choice of suppliers
- Can be expensive (especially for larger calorie needs such as men or more than one person)
- Food not always fresh
How to Choose The Right Meal-Kit Delivery Service?
In the US, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to meal delivery kits. The use of meals coming packed in ice and being “posted” has somewhat revolutionized this area of catering. The previous expense was seriously limiting but now suppliers can now make meals and use simple Fedex delivery rather than specialized couriers.
Dieters have also benefited from this huge increase in demand for nutritionally balanced meals delivered to your home. As such, high fiber, low fat, low sugar meals in smaller portions are the norm for many meals.
Competition has also brought these meals to an excellent affordable price. Most people would be able to afford meals for at least a few months.
You will find most delivery meal companies have options for all kinds of diets and it’s just a case of looking out for color-coded icons to indicate vegan, low-sugar, low-sodium, or low cholesterol options, for example. And read the individual meal details to choose the right calorie count for your needs.
The Bottom Line
We ranked Meal Delivery Kit Service as #3 solution to help with weight loss because they make it easy for many people to follow a calorie-controlled diet program.
Meal delivery kits offer a great option for the solo dieter. Many people find that just because they are dieting doesn’t mean they suddenly don’t have to cook and feed a family.
If all your family is dieting it doesn’t make sense to have all your family’s meals delivered this way and would break most people’s budgets.
But for just one or two people ready-prepared calorie-counted meals and weekly meal plans can make dieting a breeze. If you give-in and binge on sweets and snacks you’ll have wasted your money so make sure you choose filling meals that you enjoy to avoid temptation.
The only downside is that do still need to know how to prepare healthy meals, so as long as you do know or will learn, then it’s not an issue to get the added time-saving help as you slim.
Best of luck!
POPULAR COMBINATIONS
TOP 5 MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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4. DIET SUPPLEMENTS
How Effective Diet Supplements Are To Help You Lose Weight?
Dieting and losing weight is often easier said than done. Diet supplements offer a boost and can help you stick to your diet successfully.
They offer vitamins and minerals, often fillers to make you feel fuller, they can ease your mood, make you sleep better and make you feel less hungry. They may come with a diet and fitness program to follow.
But more supplements than not are either snake oil in a jar or dangerous snake oil in a jar. The FDA removes many supplements from the market every year so how do you choose the right one?
Pros and Cons of Diet Supplements
- Can increase your chances of success
- Can give added nutritional needs when food intake is limited
- Can be a waste of money
- Can be expensive
- Can be dangerous
- Can have side effects
How to Choose The Right Diet Supplement?
There are literally thousands of supplements on the market that claim to help with dieting but few actually offer any real help. In fact, some are even dangerous.
First of all, consider what you’re looking for exactly? Do you want something to help you feel full or something to calm your mood and aid sleep? Or do you want a vitamin and mineral support or something to help you achieve lean muscle mass as you lose weight?
A diet supplement may make a variety of claims and the only way to find out more is to carefully research the ingredients and any clinical trials associated with the ingredients.
But be wary of cheap ingredients used to fill these supplements, the main culprit being a hefty dose of caffeine. Not just can caffeine cause unpleasant side effects. But if that’s all it has to offer by way of appetite suppression, then you may as well head straight to the nearest Starbuck’s and spend your cash there.
We also identified a large number of MLM companies operating in the diet space. Lots of people choose not to support these companies due to their unfair business practices and high pricing.
If you’d rather not get caught up in the mayhem of dubious claims made by diet supplement claims, then just stick to ingredient supplements and take those instead.
The Bottom Line
We ranked Diet Supplements as #4 solution to help with weight loss because while the evidence supports some ingredients in some dietary supplements to be helpful, there can be side effects.
The ingredients in diet supplements vary so much they also encompass fat burners so the side effects can be numerous. Less serious side effects include nausea, vomiting, racing heartbeat, dizziness, headache, and fainting. More serious ones include heart and liver damage and failure.
Our advice is to thoroughly research the ingredients and check that the product is safe. Check out online reviews and information about the company.
There are some supplements that have a weight loss program included. If it doesn’t make sure you have that covered. It’s imperative that follow a program while taking the supplements as they are far from magic fat-melting pills.
POPULAR COMBINATIONS
TOP 5 DIET SUPPLEMENTS
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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5. MEAL REPLACEMENTS
How Effective Meal Replacements Are To Help You Lose Weight?
Meal replacement consists of shakes and bars that replace your usual meals in order for you to lose weight. They can be effective, and in a recent study, it was found that meal replacement resulted in significant weight loss in 93% of patients.
When choosing meal replacement you should consider the cost, the ingredients, and the actual product, as well as the company.
But we recommend caution as meal replacements are not better than a healthy meal. In addition, meal replacement often makes up part of a very low daily calorie amount and you can become undernourished.
Pros and Cons of Meal Replacements
- Convenient
- Tasty option such as brownies and shakes
- Nutritionally balanced
- Not fresh
- Doesn’t teach healthy eating
- Associated with a very low-calorie diet
- Can be expensive
- Not a healthy option
How to Choose The Right Meal Replacement?
There are several meal replacement brands to choose from. You should consider the cost, the ingredients, and the actual product, as well as the company.
Meal replacements, for the most part, take the form of shakes. There are a number of providers that also produce bars and other products.
We only recommend you try out meal replacements if you have a small amount of weight to lose to avoid unhealthy eating patterns and potential undernourishment.
With soy being the main ingredient used in many of meal replacement shakes and bars there have been some issues raised about this ingredient.
Soy is a plant-based legume that is a great vegan ingredient. But for women, it is worried that an increased intake of estrogen found in soy may lead to a number of health issues. These include an increased risk of PCOS, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and other hormone imbalance-related disorders.
It’s also been linked to thyroid problems in post-menopausal women. If you think you are in a risk category or don’t like the idea of soy, then look for soy-free options.
Meal replacements are also often packed with other unhealthy ingredients such as artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, preservatives, and other chemicals. Proceed with caution!
The Bottom Line
We ranked Meal Replacements as #5 solution to help with weight loss because while the evidence suggests some people lose weight with meal replacements, it’s not a particularly healthy option.
The problem with meal replacements is they replace your meals, basically.
Losing weight and keeping it off is about finding and adapting to a new healthier way of eating. One that you can manage and enjoy as a permanent lifestyle change. Thus, meal replacements do nothing in this department.
That’s why meal replacements are associated with weight gain afterward since if you just go back to the way you were eating before, you’ll end up overweight again, just like you were. It’s very simple and obvious this will happen. If you are not going to make a change in your lifestyle and eating habits when you are slimming, then when are you going to?
If the answer is when you stop dieting, well fine. But it seems unlikely that a person who can’t be bothered to address their eating habits when losing weight is unlikely to address the matter when on a weight maintenance plan.
Not just that it’s almost as though some meal replacement brands are teaching unhealthy eating for the purposes of repeat customers. Shakes, bars, and cookies are not teaching healthy eating. Obviously, 6-weeks on a cookie, brownie, and shake meal replacement plan will have done nothing to help out your insatiable sweet tooth that’s the reason you pack on the pounds. And just because a shake is packed with vitamins and minerals doesn’t make it a healthy long-term choice.
But meal replacements are popular. People like the convenience and simplicity of just having a shake for breakfast and lunch. Often this can make up a low-calorie diet if you supplement the evening meal with just 400 calories or less.
However, studies have shown that compared to a food-based diet, those on a meal replacement diet lost more weight. There is nothing magic in meal replacement bars and so the results are thought to be because there was greater adherence to the meal replacement diet.
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There is far more to a diet than the food you are required to eat, being able to stick to it strictly is essential for best results. If you find shakes and bars are easy for you to stick to and you only need to lose a small amount of weight then it’s okay to proceed with caution.
It’s, therefore, going to be very difficult to stick to for a long or even short period of time. If you decide meal replacements are for you, then when you are at your goal weight, replace one bar with a healthy meal and up the calories of your healthy evening meal. Then add in a second healthy meal and you’re on your way to long term weight maintenance.
We only recommend you try out meal replacements if you have a small amount of weight to lose to avoid unhealthy eating patterns and potential undernourishment.POPULAR COMBINATIONS
TOP 5 MEAL REPLACEMENTS
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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6. DETOX CLEANSES
How Effective Detox and Cleanses Are To Help You Lose Weight?
A detox or cleanse generally involves a period of fasting or eliminating certain foods. It may involve several elements depending on the one you choose. And it may last a day or up to 30 days or more. Eliminating many food groups is a key part of a detox but it often also involves laxatives, colon cleanses or enemas.
It’s claimed that a detox can help in a number of ways such as:
- Clearer skin
- Fewer mood swings
- Better sleep
- More energy
- Less bloating
- Clearer thoughts
If you want to lose a small amount of weight before summer comes then a quick detox rather than a longer diet can seem like an attractive option. And detox and cleanses are effective in achieving short term weight loss. But we recommend proceeding with caution due to the unpleasant and stressful nature of a detox and the side effects.
Pros and Cons of Detox Cleanses
- Can achieve quick short term weight loss
- Can reduce bloating around the stomach
- Can be inexpensive
- Can be expensive
- Can have serious side effects
- Is unpleasant and causes severe hunger pangs
How to Choose The Right Detox and Cleanse?
There are a number of detoxes and cleanses to choose from so there are a few things to consider first. You should consider how much weight you want to lose in what time frame. As well as what you are prepared to give up and do in order to achieve your goals. We’ve rounded up some popular detoxes and cleanses.
Detoxes and cleanse typically are also short-term, very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) which are not widely recommended.
Whole30: A 30-day diet cleanse that eliminates sugar, dairy, legumes, grains, and alcohol. In response to anyone that suggests this diet is hard, the Whole30 site writes with feist and reality:
“Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Fighting cancer is hard. Birthing a baby is hard. Losing a parent is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard.”
It also claims that eliminating certain food has had life-changing benefits for some people with skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies, or chronic pain. You’re unlikely to come to any harm on this detox diet.
The Master Cleanse: Is also known as the Lemonade diet. It’s not for the faint-hearted but in a study, women lost on average 5.6 pounds in 7 days when fasting on the Lemonade diet. It’s also inexpensive all you need is some lemons and maple syrup and your good to go.
BeachBody Ultimate Reset: This is a 21-day diet focusing on the gradual elimination of first meat, then dairy, and on week three you’ll just eat fruit and vegetables. The site is big on selling you ongoing monthly supplements at up to $275 per month.
The Bottom Line
We ranked Detoxes and Cleanses as #6 solution to help with weight loss because while the evidence proves they work there are several downsides.
A detox can give you a psychological boost to kickstart your diet. Or it may be all you need. If you want to lose 10 pounds or less then choosing a detox or cleanse could have you at your goal weight, fast.
Detoxes and cleanse typically are also short-term, very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) which are not widely recommended. They are stressful and result in hunger pangs and strong desires to eat. Detoxes do seem to have the same benefits of intermittent fasting. However, in some people crash diets, fasts, detoxes and cleanses can be a problematic factor in developing disordered eating such as binge eating or other eating disorders.
This method of losing weight is also most associated with losing muscle mass when compared to a slower weight loss strategy.
There are concerns that detoxes and cleanses leave out vital elements such as protein. It’s important if you’re fasting for more than a day that you include 2 ounces of protein per day to meet your needs.
It’s also important that if you choose to buy a detox/cleansing product you choose wisely. As action is taken every year against suppliers for many things including false advertising and claims but worse still including illegal and potentially harmful ingredients.
Overall detoxes and cleanses are not fun so be sure that you feel the benefits outweigh the downsides. Few people truly enjoy the indignity and expense of a colon cleanse. Not least they carry the risk of serious side effects. And eating very little food is inordinately painful. But if three days of pain make all the difference of you wearing that little black dress to the must-go-to party, then proceed with caution.
TOP 5 DETOX CLEANSES
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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7. FAT BURNERS
How Effective Fat Burners Are To Help You Lose Weight?
Fat burners often claim to burn fat, stop you putting on fat, increase your metabolic rate, help you gain lean muscle mass, and stop you feeling hungry. Which all sounds great but we don’t recommend them. That’s because fat burners often contain ingredients such as stimulants which have serious side effects.
Pros and Cons of Fat Burners
- Can boost fat loss
- Can suppress appetite
- Can be expensive
- Can have cheap ingredients
- Can be dangerous
How to Choose The Right Fat Burner?
Every year countless new fat burners enter the diet space and their claims can be tempting. But each year the FDA removes many products and that might be due to wildly false claims or people may have become sick or even died.
So how do you decide which fat burner to choose, and should you take a fat burner at all?
If you’re considering buying a particular fat burner then the first thing to do is some basic research. Learn if:
- Is the company contactable?
- Where is the company based and how long have they been trading?
- Is the site written in good English and does it look professional?
- Do the testimonials seem real?
- What are the ingredients and is there supporting evidence?
Generally, fat burners tend to have you feeling on the edge of this all day long.
Very few companies selling fat burners have the budget for clinical trials and instead, they mimic their evidence on ingredient trials.
So look out for the ingredients in the fat burner and see if there is any effective and well-explained research for each.
Typical ingredients you’ll find in fat burners include:
Caffeine: This is a stimulant which reduces appetite and boosts metabolism, and it’s found in fat burners all too often. But here’s the cost of you feeling jittery all day. A 150-mg caffeine pill would only burn an additional 15 calories over the course of a day.
Green Tea Extract: This has been shown in trials to increase metabolism by 4%. However, when participants took green tea extract weight loss was disappointing. So it may be helpful for some but more research needs to be done.
Capsaicin and other plant extracts: A review of 20 studies found that capsaicin supplements can boost metabolism by about 50 calories per day, Which could lead to significant weight loss over time.
5-HTP: This is an amino acid and precursor to the hormone serotonin. There is evidence to suggest it may help you burn fat by curbing your appetite and carbohydrate cravings.
Synephrine: Taking 50 mg of synephrine also known as bitter orange has been shown to increase metabolism and burn an additional 65 calories per day,
There is mixed evidence for CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), Green coffee bean extract and L-carnitine which may also be beneficial in fat burning. And are also commonly found in fat burning formulas.
The Bottom Line
We ranked Fat Burners as We ranked Diet Prescriptions as #7 solution to help with weight loss because of the associated side effects.
If you choose a supplement with caffeine (and you’ll have to look around to find one without), then that may cause heart palpitations, anxiety, headache, restlessness, and dizziness.
Other side effects associated with fat burners include:
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
- Increased blood pressure
However, more serious side effects have been linked to fat burners. These include inflammation of the intestinal tract, serious enough to need surgery. As well as inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), liver damage and even failure.
And too often these incidents occur before a product is banned by the FDA. You can guard against such things by only taking a product that has been on the market for some time. You should also speak to your healthcare provider before taking a fat burner.
Most of us have had one espresso too many and have felt the effect of too much caffeine. Aside from being irritable when you take some fat burners, you can feel extremely agitated, jittery, faint, and dizzy.
Generally, fat burners tend to have you feeling on the edge of this all day long. While not faint, you may be uncharacteristically impatient with people and generally not a nice person.
If you are going to take a fat burner then we recommend LeanBean The Female Fat Burner, Transparent Labs Fat Burner, Quadralean, and Evlution Nutrition LeanMode. All of these are caffeine-free and contain high-quality ingredients.
TOP 5 FAT BURNERS
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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8. APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS
How Effective Appetite Suppressants Are To Help You Lose Weight?
Hunger! It’s the bane of many people’s lives. Make no mistake, appetite suppressants are seriously appealing. For the majority of adults, eating as much as we actually want leads to weight gain.
Appetite suppressants are not recommended by us due to their various and serious health implications.
Very few of us can eat anything we want and be the weight we want. So it’s easy to get tired of being tempted at every meal and take a magic pill so we are not so hungry.
And appetite suppressants can be extremely effective in terms of weight loss. But so is amputating a limb and similarly, many appetite suppressants are a terrible idea.
The appestat is part of the brain is the region of the hypothalamus that controls appetite. And like everything in life, this varies from one individual to the next. While it may be tempting to try and “adjust” that regulation in your favor with appetite suppressants, do so at your peril.
Appetite suppressants are not recommended by us due to their various and serious health implications.
Pros and Cons of Appetite Suppressants
- Effective weight loss
- Staves off hunger pangs
- Can help you follow a diet program more easily
- Highly addictive
- Gain weight after taking them
- Can lead to heart problems
- Can lead to eating disorders
- Can be fatal
How to Choose The Right Appetite Suppressant?
Not all appetite suppressants are created equally. How to pick the right one, what to look for.
There are worse appetite suppressants than others but once again it’s like rating criminals. They are all generally bad but some could be useful.
If you have a BMI of over 30, you may be able to get a prescription for an appetite suppressant such as phentermine.
Over the counter, natural appetite suppressants can be used in safe doses such as:
- Hoodia Gordonii
- Garcinia Cambodia
- Chromium
- Guarana
- Green Coffee Bean Extract
Soluble fiber such as glucomannan from the konjac plant or psyllium husk is a safer way to produce a full feeling.But you can even overdo it with natural over-the-counter appetite suppressants.
Watch out for appetite suppressing diet supplements that are packed full of cheap caffeine.
Appetite suppressants can set your heart racing, cause a dry mouth, dizziness, faintness and make you very irritable and hectic.
Overdo it on soluble fiber and these could have a laxative effect that temporarily puts the kybosh on any social activities.
The Bottom Line
We ranked Appetite Suppressants as #8 solution to help with weight loss because the evidence points to many serious associated problems.
Here’s some evidence that ought to be a sobering thought if you are tempted by appetite suppressants. A shocking 64% of eating disorder (ED) sufferers are also hooked on appetite suppressants.
Do not misinterpret this FACT. That is not to say that people suffering from anorexia and bulimia, then turn to appetite suppressants. That is to say, many people first start taking appetite suppressants, become addicted, and the ED follows.
One way to entirely devastate your body’s natural appestat is to take appetite suppressants. Because eating is absolutely essential to life, ED sufferers face a tremendous battle with their food and dieting addiction. A mind and appestat that no longer responds correctly to hunger signals is a huge hurdle for the ED sufferer.
Appetite suppressants are a major causal factor in eating disorders. And they can kill you while making your life miserable for a long time. So it’s best not to take the chance.
Aside from eating disorders, appetite suppressants can be highly addictive. Most of us, if we are used to starting the day with a cup of coffee will know they are addicted to that fix. And don’t function too well without it. Similarly, coming off appetite suppressants can be difficult for many people.
And since many appetite suppressants increase the heart rate, some people can have unknown underlying heart conditions and appetite suppressants may prove fatal.
Many appetite suppressants can cause unpleasant side effects, PERIOD. They can make you feel dizzy, nauseous, irritable and wired. You can become quite short with people and an unpleasant version of yourself.
If you have a big appetite and you like big meals then satisfy your appetite with lots of fruits, vegetables, and salads.
Make delicious hearty soups. Drink lots of water. Stay busy. Have an occasional coffee. And learn to love yourself and your life knowing that catwalk modeling in a size zero ain’t going to be your thing.
TOP 5 APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS
*Please keep in mind that with any diet, weight loss program, or workout regime the individual results will vary.
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9. DIET PRESCRIPTIONS
How Effective Diet Prescriptions Are To Help You Lose Weight?
There are a number of diet prescriptions available to doctors to prescribe for obese patients. Typically these help you to stick to a diet by helping control your appetite. However, we don’t recommend them as these methods are only “safe” for short term use and may have a number of side effects.
Pros and Cons of Diet Prescriptions
- Can be useful for a BMI over 30 with difficulty in sticking to diets
- Can be useful for people with weight-related illnesses
- Have side effects
- Expensive
- Still need to follow a diet and exercise program
How to Choose The Right Diet Prescription?
A doctor will only prescribe diet pills if you have a BMI over 30. You’ll also likely have to present to the doctor that you have tried over options without success. It may be that your weight is causing other health problems and thus the side effects of diet pills have to be taken into consideration versus the problems your weight is already causing.
There are a number of options that your doctor can prescribe. You can discuss these with your doctor but ultimately your doctor may decide which is best for you.
Prescriptions currently approved for American doctors to prescribe include:
Orlistat sold under the brand name Alli
This drug works by blocking fat. So 30% of the fat and calories are not absorbed. Side effects include diarrhea when eating fatty foods. And oily stools are a given. Some people that take Orlistat are at risk of liver failure so it now carries a health warning. That something to be aware of if you buy Alli over-the-counter. It costs from $120 to $500 per month.
Phentermine or Topiramate sold under the brand name Qsymia
Phentermine is a stimulant and an appetite suppressant that affects the central nervous system. The drug is effective and in trials, patients lost 8.9% of their body weight after a year. However, with it being a stimulant it increases heart rate and is not recommended for many people. Your doctor should also closely monitor you while taking this drug. It costs around $200 per month.
Lorcaserin Hydrochloride sold under the brand name Belviq
Lorcaserin helps you feel full by targeting a hunger receptor in the brain. It produces feelings of satisfaction so by adding it to your weight-loss routine, you may be able to eat less and still feel satisfied. Your doctor can prescribe the medication if you have a BMI over 30 or a BMI of 27 if you have weight-related issues of high cholesterol, high blood pressure of type 2 diabetes.
The drug can be effective for weight loss as well as helping all these conditions and better glycemic control has been reported in diabetic patients. However, there are numerous side effects including migraines, memory problems, and serotonin syndrome. It costs around$240 per month.
Naltrexone Hydrochloride And Bupropion Hydrochloride sold under the brand name Contrave
Bupropion is thought to increase dopamine activity in the brain, which helps reduce appetite by blocking opioid receptors. Your doctor can prescribe the drug if you have a BMI of over 30 or a BMI of over 27 and have high cholesterol or diabetes. It is effective but it’s not recommended for people with high blood pressure as it can raise the heart rate. It also has several side effects. You may also experience nausea, insomnia, constipation, headaches, vomiting, seizures, and suicidal thoughts. It costs from $55 to over $200 per month.
Liraglutide sold under the brand name Saxenda
This drug works to regulate your appetite so that you don’t feel hungry. But it’s not a stimulant so there are no issues with a racing heartbeat and it has proved its effectiveness in trials. There are side effects including nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, rare but serious side effects include thyroid, kidney, and pancreas issues as well as suicidal thoughts. The downside to this drug is the current price tag of around $1200 or $40 per day!
The Bottom Line
We ranked Diet Prescriptions as #9 solution to help with weight loss…
We ranked Diet Prescriptions as #9 solution to help with weight loss because of the number of side effects they can cause. They are certainly not a magic pill and they don’t work for everyone. And they are pretty expensive at around $200 per month.
It will still require you to commit to a healthy weight loss plan and preferably a fitness program too.Ultimately you will have to come off the drug and other than Orlistat there are likely to be issues when coming off the medication. It’s likely you’ll have developed a reliance on an appetite suppressant and may once again struggle to control your appetite after taking the medication.
However, that is not to say that a diet prescription isn’t worth considering if you have difficulties maintaining a healthy weight. Especially if you have developed health problems as a result of your increased weight.
Once you come off the medication you’ll still need to try hard to stick to your healthy diet. And instead snack on fruit, vegetables, and salad when you’re hungry.
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