When considering whether to lose weight with diet pills or with exercise, safety and effectiveness should be a top consideration. Talk to your doctor before starting to take a diet pill. She can tell you if she considers it safe and whether it will interact with any prescription medications you are taking. Also, consult with your physician to make sure that an exercise program is right for you. Experts consider a change of lifestyle, which includes diet changes and exercise, the best way to lose weight.
Lifestyle Changes
Making lifestyle changes will not only help you lose weight, but may improve your general health, as well. Weight loss is a balancing act that occurs when you burn off more calories than you take in. So, an increase of physical activity is important. You should eat as many low-calorie, healthy foods as possible. Check your weight each week to watch your progress. Keeping a log of the amount of food you eat and the amount of exercise you do may be helpful. A log will help you see if you are eating too much or doing too little exercise.
Are Diet Pills a Quick Fix?
Diet pills are advertised as a quick way to lose weight, but there are no quick fixes when it comes to a healthy weight loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, an over-the-counter diet pill that contains a reduced-strength dose of orlistat only gives you a few extra pounds of weight loss over a combination of exercise and diet. This diet pill would give you three to five additional pounds of weight loss each year. If you take the prescription strength of orlistat, you will loss about five to seven additional pounds per year.
Diet Pill Safety
Because they are not screened for safety and effectiveness prior to being sold, as prescription medications are, there may be safety issues with over-the-counter diet pills. The Food and Drug Administration releases an alert when a diet pill's safety is in question. The FDA is investigating whether the over-the-counter diet pill that contains orlistat is safe because there have been associated reports of liver problems. Some doctors will consider prescribing weight loss pills only if you have a health issue related to your weight.
Exercise for Weight Loss
Aerobic exercise is an effective form of exercise for losing weight. Any physical activity that raises your heart rate for a sustained amount of time is considered aerobic. Your body also uses more oxygen when you do this type of exercise. People differ in the amount of exercise they need to lose weight. For general health, experts recommend you do a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week. Examples of moderate-intensity exercise are water aerobics, light gardening and brisk walking. Swimming laps, running, heavy gardening, competitive sports are all examples of vigorous aerobic exercise. If you have been inactive for some time, start slowly, then increase your physical activity level.
References
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research: Over-The-Counter Weight-Loss Pills: Do They Work?
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research: Alli Weight-Loss Pill: Does It Work?
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Physical Activity and Weight Control
- USDA: Steps to a Healthier Weight
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