Month: January 2010

A Brief Note on "Weight Loss Pills"

According to manufacturers, diet pills use natural ingredients capable of prolonging life and containing alcohol used in medication or flavoring.  One thing’s for sure, never take diet pills as substitute for cutting calories without the doctor’s recommendation.  There are simple but important steps to be followed when taking diet pills:

1.Never crush diet pills to mix in drinks or soups.  Take it whole with a full glass of water.
2.Diet pills causes a person to urinate more frequently due to its diuretic effect.  This could lead to dehydration, thus, causing complications.  As a pre-caution, it is best to drink eight glasses of water everyday while on diet pills.
3.Take only the suggested dosage.  Taking more than required will not help you lose weight but increase the risk of side effects.
4.Heartbeat should be less than 86 beats/minute.  Stop taking the pills if it reaches 90 or higher that is why regular checking of pulse is a must.
5.Always follow the instructions set by the dietician and/or doctor and not only rely on what’s enclosed in the box.  Also diet pills will only work as expected if diet plan is being followed.
6.After three months, stop taking the diet pills.  Common diet phenylpropanolamine is safe to use only up to sixteen weeks.  Other studies show that it can cause health problems if taken under one month.

There are two types of diet pills; one is the prescription only diet pills and the over-the-counter diet pills.

Prescription Diet Pills – are drugs regulated by the Food and Drug Administration agency which side effects are monitored, maybe advertised and prescribed under certain dosages.  The most popular of these is Xenical, which is licensed for long-term use.However, this too has it’s own side effects, diarrhea, oily and unintended fecal discharge are just some.  Therefore, users are advised to take a low fat diet plan.

While Over-the-Counter Diet Pills are categorized as food substitute and are unregulated.  Beware that these diet pills are not Federal authorities tested and may cause serious side effects up to and including death.

Aside from a dietician, local pharmacists can also assist in categorizing the pills that are safe and not for each person’s case.Just be extra cautious about the so-called “natural” or “organic” ingredients.  Not everything that comes from a natural source is safe.One example is Ma Huang, which is a botanical source of ephedrine known as a energizer and being studied for potential side effects.  This information about Weight Loss Pills I got from my friend, who is working for Vision Infonet which is the leading provider of Medical Transcription, Medical Billing, and Electronic Medical Records. 

Those who have or have a family history of prostate problems, thyroid disease, mental illness, high blood pressure, and heart problems should avoid taking diet supplements.  The same applies to those who’ve had seizures or strokes.If someone is taking cold medicines, particularly those with decongestants, diet pills should not be taken.  Whether it be a prescription or an over-the-counter diet pill, the dangers are unvarying with other similar drugs which controls the brain to reduce appetite and includes chest pains, hair fall, fever, depression, and even impotence.

And as a general rule, don’t ever try to take diet drugs if pregnancy is suspected.  Persons that are allergic to sulfites and tartrazine should also avoid taking diet pills.  And those who are under 18 years or over 60 years of age should consult their doctor first prior to taking any dietary drugs, especially if they rely on over-the-counter stimulants used as a replacement for increase exercise.

How to Lose Pregnancy Weight

So you just gave birth to a stunning baby boy or girl, how exciting! Hopefully motherhood is amazing and wonderful for you. One of the main concerns new mothers have (asides from the new baby) is how they can lose all the weight they’ve gained during their pregnancy. It is pretty understandable that you would rather spend your time with your new baby then going to the gym everyday.

It can be really difficult, once having a baby to lose pregnancy weight. There are ways you can lose pregnancy fat and spend time with your new child. Here are some things you can do to help lose that extra weight without having to sacrifice your precious time with your new baby.

First things first, you need to watch what you eat. Due to hormones, your body during pregnancy before and after can go through many emotional stress. Your body is trying to get back to the same hormone levels you had before you were pregnant. Due to hormone changes, you will start to have all these food cravings. Since your not pregnant, you can’t use the excuse your eating for two anymore. You  need to keep your sugar levels in your body stabilize if you want to control your cravings. Eat small meals and frequently as the day goes by. Instead of eating 2-3 large meals a day, it is more beneficial in weight loss to eat 5-6 small meals a day.

Secondly, other than the great benefits for your child during breast feeding, you can also lose more weight if you breast feed.  There really is a good reason to to why you gain weight during your pregnancy. Your body  needs fat to help you lactate. About 500-700 calories can be burned everyday by breast feeding. A great way to bond with your child is to breast feed plus the added bonus is it’s the most rewarding way to burn calories.

Third, you can lose pregnancy fat and spend quality time with your baby just by taking a walk around the neighborhood. Your neighbors and friends are probably all dying to see your new baby, so instead of having them come to visit you, why not get some exercise and put your child in a stroller and walk all over the neighborhood to show him or her off. Tale your new baby out for a walk to meet the neighbors. Going for a walk is a fast exercise to lose weight, walking can also help you deal with the stress of being a new mother if this is done everyday.

Keep in mind it’s not important to lose this weight fast. Realize that your body has been through an ordeal, take it easy. For the sake of your baby and yourself, you would want to lose weight as safe and natural as you can. For your baby’s sake, lose weight healthy and naturally. Be patient and soon you will fit back into all your clothes before you were pregnant.

Four Myths about Diet That You Should Pay No Attention To

Nowhere are there more fad diets, weight loss schemes and wild, completely unsubstantiated weight loss advice circulating than in the USA. With so much conflicting “information” out there, it’s no wonder people don’t know where to turn to lose weight properly and in a healthy way. The fact is many people assume they are eating healthy although it’s closer to the truth that many of them don’t even come close to eating a balanced, nutritious diet.

The reason for this is mostly due to the fact that they are guiding themselves with false information propagated by fad diets put out there by weight loss companies. Most of these diets are leading people to believe that cutting out certain nutrients is what it takes to properly loose weight. Nothing can be further from the truth. Here are four common myths which lead many dieters to take the wrong road to try to find their weight loss salvation.

MYTH # 1) YOU HAVE TO STARVE YOURSELF TO LOOSE WEIGHT
This is probably the most commonly heard and longest running myth about weight loss out there. The fact is, if you don’t eat enough, your metabolism will slow down greatly making your body want to store fat thus making most of your initial weight loss come from water and muscle. This makes your body-fat percentage go up, meaning you are losing weight, but you are actually getting fatter!

The average woman should not eat less than 1000 calories per day and the average man should not eat less than 1200 calories per day unless under the direction of a physician. If you eat 5-6 smaller meals a day verses 3 bigger ones within a proper calorie range, you will never feel hungry and you will lose weight while staying healthy.

MYTH # 2) EAT NO FAT WHATSOEVER
This is another myth that has been around for a long time. It probably comes from the fact you do need to limit your fat intake to around 15% to 20% of your overall daily calorie intake. “If eating only a little is good, then eating none must be better”, but the fact is, your body does need that 15% to 20% of fat in your diet because fat helps lubricate your joints, keeps your skin smooth and elastic, provides a source of energy, helps your nervous system to function properly and provides insulation from cold weather. Olive, flaxseed and fish oils are good sources of fats. Avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated (trans) fats.

MYTH # 3) YOU SHOULD NOT EAT FROM CERTAIN FOOD GROUPS
A lot of fad diets adhere to cutting out one food group or another. The Atkins diet, which sparked a whole host of copycat diets, placed an emphasis on eliminating carbohydrates for example. The fact is your body needs a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to function properly and so none of them should be eliminated from your diet. Water, vitamins, minerals and fiber are also needed and should be a part of your regular daily intake. The key is to try to keep the carbs, proteins and fats in the proper range at approximately 60% for carbs, 25% for proteins and 15% for fats.

MYTH # 4) TO GET ENOUGH PROTEIN, YOU HAVE TO EAT MEAT
While it is true that meat is a great source of protein, it is certainly not the only one. Meat can also be high in fat and sodium. Dairy products are usually high in fat, but now there are plenty of low-fat and fat-free dairy products to choose from and they do not compromise the protein value. Egg whites are also a prime source of protein. These are all sources of complete proteins. Various vegetables and legumes also contain proteins but these are all incomplete proteins and must be eaten in the right combinations to become complete. One example is combining beans with rice.

The best way to be sure you are getting a well balanced, nutrient rich diet is to eat more whole foods and less processed, pre-packaged foods and to avoid eating out as much as possible. Make eating out an occasional treat, but try to prepare most of your meals yourself and you will be on your way to living a healthier, leaner lifestyle.

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What to Avoid If You Want to Lose Weight in 2 Weeks

One of the saddest things in life is the person who finally decides to commit to a diet and exercise program to lose excess body fat, but who then gets misled by one false diet fad after another. It is especially troubling when you consider how fundamentally simple true weight loss is for almost all types of people. If there is any simpler concept than the notion that you need to consume less food than your body needs to perform its daily activities, I have yet to see what it is.
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Developing Your Own Standard of Weight

Are you interested in losing weight for yourself or because you want a certain image for other people to see. If you are the latter then it can be hard to have the right idea of how you want to be. Studies have shown that American women often judge the way their bodies should look by the models they see, television shows, and magazines they read that feature healthy women.
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