You lose weight when you eat fewer calories than you burn. A low-calorie diet is part of this strategy, but skimpy portions may leave you feeling hungry and deprived. Diet pills may be used to reduce your appetite and help you lose weight fast. Herbal diet pills are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so they may cause unwanted side effects. Other pills may cause digestive distress and frequent urination. In addition, these supplements may cost a lot of money, and no guarantee exists that they will work for you. Instead of spending money on pills, use proven strategies to help you reach a healthy weight.
Eat an Appetizer
Choosing a low-calorie, broth-based soup or green salad as an appetizer before a meal can help you eat fewer calories overall, thus promoting weight loss. In a study in the November 2007 issue of "Appetite," researchers from the Pennsylvania State University found that people who consumed soup prior to a meal consumed 20 percent fewer calories overall compared to those who did not eat soup. The participants who ate the soup reported greater feelings of satiation and satisfaction at the meal. In another study, published in the October 2004 issue of the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association," participants who ate a green salad prior to their meal consumed 7 to 17 percent fewer calories at their main meal, leading researchers to conclude that consuming a large serving of a low-calorie food before a meal can be an effective way to encourage weight control. Avoid creamy soups or high-calorie salad toppings, such as bacon and cheese.
Increase Physical Activity
Instead of focusing only on limiting food consumption, consider your energy output as well. Increasing physical activity helps you burn more calories daily, which gives you a bigger calorie deficit -- the difference between the number of calories you burn and consume. If you burn an additional 250 calories per day and do not replace those calories with extra food, you can lose 1/2 lb. per week. A one-hour walk burns about 277 calories for a 160-lb. person. You could do it all at once, or you could choose to walk 30 minutes in the morning and evening. You may even do 15-minute jaunts four times per day. You can also increase your daily calorie burn without focused exercise. Clean house rather than watch television; chase your kids at the park rather than sit on a park bench; or stand up and pace when talking on the phone. Adding in multiple small bursts of movement over the day adds up to a higher calorie burn and weight loss, without the need for supplements.
Keep Track
Keeping a food diary can help you lose weight. No diet pills are necessary. By recording your food intake, you become more aware of the calorie implications of the foods you eat. A food diary can help you control portion sizes, so you do not take in too many calories from seemingly healthy foods. A diary also makes you accountable -- you may think twice about eating a second scoop of ice cream if you know you have to write it down. A study in the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine," published in August 2008, concluded that strategies such as keeping a food log can help people lose twice as much weight compared to those who do not undertake behavioral strategies.
References
- TeensHealth: Are Diet Pills Bad For You?
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour
- PubMed.gov: Salad and Satiety: Energy Density and Portion Size of a First-course Salad Affect Energy Intake at Lunch
- PubMed Central: Soup Preloads in a Variety of Forms Reduce Meal Energy Intake
- PubMed.gov: Weight Loss During the Intensive Intervention Phase of the Weight-loss Maintenance Trial
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