Whether it's for the holidays or a special occasion, people are tempted to turn to weight loss products to help melt off those excess pounds. The correlation between obesity and diseases, such as heart disease, is clearly established through scientific research. The American Dietetic Association warns against any product that claims to help you rapidly lose weight without exercising, although these products are tempting. Weight loss products vary by type, hype and cost, but some are exponentially safer than others. Discuss any weight loss program or pill with your doctor before getting started.
Diet Pills
After the FDA ban of products containing ephedra and ephedra alkaloids, consumers hoping for rapid weight loss may be waiting for the next super weight loss pill. Pills for weight loss, such as orlistat, brand name Alli, are sold over the counter. Stronger versions are available by physician's prescription only. Orlistat flushes out ingested fats, unabsorbed, and can have side effects such as oily diarrhea and cramping. Over-the-counter herbs and supplements, such as hoodia, are meant to suppress the appetite and decrease daily calorie consumption.
Meal Plans
Weight loss plans with their own food products and meal specifications are marketed to remove the guesswork from dieting. NutriSystem, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig all offer individualized meal and diet plans for weight loss. Some of these plans offer online support and weight trackers, and others offer store-to-door service. The convenience of delivery and letting someone else count your carbs or calories may draw would-be-dieters to these weight loss plans.
Shakes and Bars
Many diet food brands sell products marketed for convenience when dieting. Protein shakes, meal replacement bars and even low-carb candies stock the grocery store shelves. The premise remains that by reducing caloric intake daily, weight will melt off. MayoClinic.com warns that some of these meal replacement products may not actually lower your daily calorie intake and will not be effective in weight loss. Adding excess daily proteins to a sedentary lifestyle can have the opposite effect of weight gain from the protein calories.
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