Meridia is the brand name for sibutramine, an appetite suppressant medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity. Taking Meridia properly is essential to maximizing healthy weight loss. If your doctor has prescribed Meridia, keeping a few vital points in mind will help you get the most out of this medication.
Step 1
Store your Meridia diet pills in a location where the pills will be away from heat, light and moisture. Keep the bottle closed when not in use. A bedside table or medicine cabinet works well and provides a convenient location where you are likely to see the pills each morning.
Step 2
Keep a calendar near where you store your pills. According to the Mayo Clinic, dosing is crucial with Meridia--your doctor may start you at 10 mg per day in a once-a-day dose, then adjust your dose if necessary. Making a simple check mark on a small calendar is helpful to keep you on track with your dose and prevents you from doubling the medication.
Step 3
Drink a full glass of water--about 8 oz to 12 oz--when you take your dose of Meridia. The medication can be taken with or without food, reports MedlinePlus, but drinking plenty of water when swallowing the pill will not only aid the medicine's absorption into your digestive system, but keep the capsule from sticking in your esophagus--a situation that can cause discomfort.
Step 4
Eat a healthy, low-calorie diet when taking Meridia. Since the medication reduces your appetite and cravings for food, use this to your advantage to choose healthy meals with plenty of leafy green vegetables, whole grains and lean meat or other non-meat forms of protein such as lentils and rice.
Step 5
Commit to a regular exercise routine. Combined with a reduced caloric intake, exercise will help you burn off those unwanted and unhealthy extra pounds of fat while maintaining trim, lean muscle mass. You don't have to start running marathons--light cardiovascular activity such as brisk walking four to five times a week for 30 to 45 minutes will help you lose weight and build lean muscle; and muscle helps to burn fat. Mark your exercise activity on your Meridia-devoted calendar to track your progress; you may be surprised at how quickly you watch the fat melt away when you commit to a regular exercise regimen.
Things You'll Need
- Meridia prescription
- Water
- Calendar
- Pen
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