Topamax is the trade name for topiramate, a prescription medication used to prevent seizures in people with epilepsy. What does a seizure medication have to do with weight loss? According to "Focus on Nursing Pharmacology," weight loss is a common side effect of Topamax. Therefore, Topamax is sometimes prescribed off label to help overweight and obese people slim down to a healthy weight. However, Topamax is not a magic weight loss pill. Your must supplement Topamax with your own weight loss efforts to yield success. Consult your physician before taking Topamax or any other medication.
Step 1
Adhere to a reduced calorie diet. A calorie is a unit of energy. Weight loss occurs because the body burns more calories than are consumed and is forced to use fat as fuel. Use an activity calculator to determine how many calories you burn through activity, and use a basal metabolic rate calculator to determine how many calories you burn at rest. Add these two figures together to determine the approximate number of calories you burn each day and aim to consume fewer calories than you burn. A total of 3,500 calories is equivalent to 1 lb., so to lose 1 lb. per week with dietary changes you need to reduce daily calorie intake by 500.
Step 2
Perform strength training exercise, such as weight lifting or calisthenics, for at least 20 minutes per day, three times per week. Gradually increase intensity, duration and frequency as your physical fitness improves. Strength training exercise builds muscle, which burns more calories at rest than fat does, thereby increasing your BMR and enhancing your weight loss.
Step 3
Perform at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular activity three times per week. Choose low-impact activity, such as walking, using an elliptical trainer or riding a recumbent bike. Increase duration and frequency of cardiovascular exercise as your fitness improves, but always avoid high-impact exercises and those which may present safety risks if you were to become dizzy or lightheaded, such as bicycling or inline skating. Dizziness, which is a common side effect of Topamax, is commonly triggered by fast-paced or high-impact aerobic activity, according to "Focus on Nursing Pharmacology."
References
- "Handbook of Obesity Treatment"; Thomas A. Wadden PhD and Albert J. Stunkard MD; 2004
- "Focus on Nursing Pharmacology"; Amy Morrison Karch; 2009
- "Foundations of Nursing"; Lois White, Gena Duncan and Wendy Baumle; 2010
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