Why Weight Loss Drugs Are So Attractive?

Once a subscriber to my healthy weight loss newsletter asked me what weight loss drugs I can recommend. I did some research for her and found out that each weight loss drug has a long list of side effects, some of them very serious. I sent my subscriber an e-mail with all the information. Shortly after that she unsubscribed.

We always look for the easiest and quick solutions. Even though we spend more time on them (since they don’t work and we have to start over and over again) we still continue looking for the easiest and quickest way to achieve things we want – hence the popularity of weight loss drugs. They seem to be an instant answer to weight loss problems.

We got accustomed to “instantaneity” and “no effort” with remote controls, frozen foods and instant coffees and now we expect it in everything we do – weight loss is not an exception.

However weight loss drugs are not an instant solution to the weight loss problem. In order to lose weight with these drugs you still need to change your diet and exercise. So what is the point of taking these drugs if you need to lose under 50 pounds?

If your BMI index is less than 30, I wouldn’t recommend that you take weight loss pills. However if you are seriously obese, speak to your doctor about the best weight loss pill for you.

It is better to buy a prescribed weight loss pill than the OTC one since prescribed means that your doctor recommended it to you based on your particular needs and health condition while the decision to buy an OTC weight loss pill is usually based on advertising which doesn’t cover all the potential risks.

If you still decide to go with weight loss pills, make sure to do a thorough research before you start taking them. Some weight loss pills, for example drug rimonabant, can cause deep depression with suicidal thoughts.

Clearly, it is much safer to lose weight the traditional, safe way than to take this kind of drugs. Other drugs might have side effects unknown today so even if you do a good research you will not be able to uncover those.

What about just taking an action right away? Drink about 8 glasses of water today, starting NOW, go to the closest food market and get organic fruits and vegetables (park your car far so you can walk), cut them nicely and serve with a home made low-fat deep and baked fish, do 10 minutes of rope jumping at home and do not watch the TV today, instead do a simple breathing and relaxation exercise.

Continue doing this for some time – don’t be scared you don’t have to eat the same food everyday, there are lots of healthy, delicious recipes around – and you will eventually lose all your extra weight without any unwanted side effects.

Weight Loss Drugs – Are They Miracle Weight Loss Products?

Many people are looking for “magic weight-loss products” and turn to weight loss drugs.

Some of the obesity drugs approved by FDA are:

Dexedrine and other amphetamines, Ionamin and Adipex-P (phentermine), Sanorex (mazindol), Tenuate (diethylpropion), Prelu-2 (phendimetrazine) and other amphetamine derivatives, meridia (sibutramine), xenical (orlistat).

FDA approved the weight loss drugs only for use with calorie-restricted diets, according to a report published by FDA. The drugs are “not magic pills,” warns Leo Lutwak, M.D., Ph.D., of FDA’s division of metabolism and endocrine drug products. “They don’t work unless you make dietary and exercise changes.”

Also, they should be used only for a few weeks because the drugs are addictive and have the potential for abuse. They shouldn’t be used in combination with each other or with other drugs for appetite control because such combinations have not been evaluated for safety.

And the drugs should be used only in people who are obese–not people looking to lose a few pounds, Lutwak says. “Weight-loss drugs are serious medicine for a serious disease,” he says.

For overweight but not obese people it is better to follow a simple exercise and diet regime instead of taking weight-loss drugs. These drugs have a long list of side effects and hence, are dangerous for health.

Some side effects of popular weight-loss drugs:

Xenical – skin rash, tooth problems, vomiting, vaginal inflammation, respiratory tract infections, headache, dizziness, fatigue. Xenical also decreases the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins along with dietary fat. Alli is over-the-counter medication. It has half the strength of Xenical.

Meridia can cause insomnia, constipation and not recommended for people with a higher risk of cardiovascular heart disease.

Phentermine can cause depression, irritability, insomnia, affect the blood pressure.

As it was already mentioned in the article weight loss drugs might be appropriate for obese people but not for simply overweight ones.

The problem is that people do not believe in themselves in their ability to make things happen, to decide something and then take actions to make it a reality. That’s why they feel a need in “something” from outside, something that can help them magically lose weight. In reality there is really no magic in weight loss. Consume less calories, exercise, make sure to have adequate rest, detoxify your body and you will lose your weight and maintain it guaranteed.