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Every couple of years there seems to be a new “diet” that comes out and guarantees you success in a short amount of time. One that has been around for years though and continues to keep popping up are diet pills.
So, what exactly are diet pills? Diet pills encompass a number of prescription and over-the-counter supplements designed to help people reduce or control their weight.
Diet pills interfere with body processes that affect weight by suppressing appetite, increasing metabolism or preventing fat absorption.
They are designed to help us lose weight easier and faster and now with ⅔ of America being overweight this seems to be the approach that most people are taking to try to control it.
There seems to be a misconception though. People believe that just because their doctors prescribed them, or they are available at the drugstore to freely pick up that they are safe.
Risks of Diet Pills
Just like most things, there are risks and concerns that come with them. Here is a list of harmful side effects that can come when taking diet pills.
- Increased heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Agitation
- Diarrhea
- Sleeplessness
- Kidney problems
- Liver damage
There is also one more important and very crucial risk that comes from taking diet pills and that is becoming addicted to them. Pills are addictive and if not taken properly or any type of abuse of them can lead to physical or mental addiction.
Becoming dependent on diet pills is not uncommon as some people will see them as a way of controlling their life. Because these pills are so easily accessible and available, addictions can develop quite quickly.
Diet pills are also not a long-term solution. Yes, some people may see results from taking them but if they were stop taking them there is a very high chance that they will gain back the weight as now their body has nothing to help them.
It is important to know that there is no “magic” pill that will forever change your life. This will be a short-term fix, and we should be looking for a long-term solution.
The best way for you to create and live a healthy life is by creating a lifestyle of eating well and exercising. This will help keep weight off, but you will also start to see the difference in the way you feel. The best part of this type of lifestyle is that you can create a long-term solution for health and wellness and be able to do it anywhere in the world.
Tips Toward Becoming Healthier
Here are some great tips for how to begin eating healthier:
- Create balanced meals (you will want to make sure you eat enough protein, carbohydrates, and fats each day)
- Drink lots of water, this will help with hunger pains you may feel throughout the day. You will want to start drinking half your body weight in ounces.
- Make a menu plan and grocery list. When you plan ahead of time this helps with visually seeing what you will be eating each week and avoid grabbing items at the grocery store that are not healthy.
- Also, when grocery shopping, start on the outside of the store. This is where you will find the healthiest and most natural foods that are going to fuel your body properly. Then only go into the inside aisles if absolutely necessary.
Exercise Tips
Adding exercise into your daily routine can seem challenging and frustrating especially if you are just starting out. Here are some ways for you to begin without feeling overwhelmed:
- If going to the gym seems to scary or overwhelming to begin with, start with walks around your neighborhood each day and then gradually move up to jogging/running.
- Find some at home workouts you can engage in. Even 15-20-minute workouts will make a significant change.
- Consider finding a gym partner who will go with you and help guide you around so that you can learn what everything is and teach you what to do.
- Commit to at least exercising once a week to begin forming a habit that will help you become consistent.
Finally creating a lifestyle of eating healthy and exercising are going to outweigh the benefits of taking a diet pill. Yes, taking a pill may make you happy for a short period of time, but a healthy new lifestyle can be a lifetime solution where you don’t have to worry about what to do next.
If creating a lifestyle change is too difficult to do on your own and you feel as though you would be more successful with help, book a free strategy session with me to map out a plan to help you achieve your weight loss and health goals. Click on the link here to get started today.
