Monday, April 8, 2013

Diet Pills-Miracle Cure, or Evil?

As the title suggests, this post is about diet pills. I felt compelled to write this, as I saw some of my nearest and dearest struggle with weight and health issues.

To set the record straight, I am neither condoning, nor encouraging anyone to take such pills. I only hope that those who are taking the pills, after reading this, will make an informed choice.

The most common diet pills are basically divided into three types. The first will be the appetite suppressant. Second will be the fat burner, followed by the fat/carbo/starch blocker. Of course, there are those that are a combination of two or more of the above, but for simplicity's sake, let us just focus on the three.

Thee appetite suppressant works by blocking hunger signals to the brain. Sounds good, right? Less hunger means less food eaten, resulting in weight loss. But what happens when you stop taking them? You go back to your old eating habits. (Let's face it: Would you be taking this pill if you had the discipline to manage your cravings in the first place?) And the foe-your weight- comes piling back on, with a vengeance.

How about the fat burner then? It burns fat, so it will help you to get rid of those pesky bulges on your body... right? Well, yes and no. Unfortunately, there is no firm scientific evidence to back up claims of targeted fat burning, and our body fat comes off the way it came in: Last in, first out. So, rather than shaving inches off your middle, you could very well be losing them from where you dread the most.

The fat/carbo/starch blocker does seem like an ideal solution. It blocks the baddies that are preventing you from attaining that perfect figure, and you can eat what you want.  But, unfortunately, they also block the absorption of many fat soluble vitamins which, ironically, help your body rev up its metabolism for weight loss.

Ultimately, none of these are long term solutions for weight management.  A more realistic solution would be to look into a gradual, sustainable lifestyle change that will help with losing and keeping the weight off. Definitely, these pills can be used as a kick start for those who need a little more help, and the cons of taking the pills are outweighed by health problems. In such cases, it would be a good idea to rope in your family doctor, or a dietician to discuss what is needed.

Take care, and stay beautiful, my pretties!

**Reviews and DIY goodies coming up soon!

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