Your Weight Loss Program Needs Safety First

In today’s fast-paced "quick-fix" world, an entire industry of weight loss potions and pills has appeared. No sooner does the FDA or other regulatory body close one manufacturer down than another one appears. We’ve become increasingly health conscious as a society and weight management is at the forefront of the health news in all the popular media outlets. The consumer weight loss industry uses this focus as an opportunity to capitalize on such myths as "metabolic fatburning," "caloric absorption," "weight loss while you sleep," "fat sponges," and numerous other illusory concepts. While most of these are pretty obvious with their outlandish claims, some claim "little-known" secret ingredients, "laboratory tested," and "breakthrough medical research," in attempting to gain consumer credibility. The sad reality is that not only is there no product that can produce rapid weight loss, some of these can be dangerous to the user’s health and certainly the binge dieting habits often favored by the "programs" offered along with these products also proves harmful. A closer look at this can help us manage our weight more wisely.

Schemes And Scams

Many claims made for these products are contrary to a healthy weight loss regimen and the biology of the human body itself. For example:

• Calorie Blockers – these are often substances that swell upon water absorption to create a feeling of fullness; also some enzymes or extracts that purportedly block food absorption in the stomach. The "full feeling" is never enough to discourage a habitual overeater and the caloric blocking is insignificant.
• Fat Burners – these claim to increase metabolic rate so calories are consumed even while sleeping’ one popular product teamed theirs with a "Fat Trapper" that captured fat and let the hapless dieter "flush it away!" Sometimes the active "fatburning" ingredient is ephedra (or one of the herbs containing it, such as guarana) which will raise the metabolism similar to caffeine and reduce hunger pangs. There is no known benefit to this, either in weight loss or fat reduction, and the medical community in many states has urged a ban on ephedra. The only medically safe and proven way to raise metabolism is a consistent exercise program.
• Herbal Weight Loss Plans – These tout "nature’s diet" or "only natural ingredients" as a subterfuge for making the same unrealistic claims as their synthetic counterparts, such as, "See how I lost 54 pounds in less than 6 weeks!" If the herbs aren’t using ephedra compounds, (see above) they often are chosen for their laxative or diuretic effects, giving a temporary quick weight loss of a pound or two of water or a more thorough elimination of body waste for a feeling of lightness.
• Other Outlandish Products – Remember the old movies of someone strapped to an oscillating belt around their waist as the pounds shook like jelly? Well, other weight loss products have appeared to take that one's place. Now we have "Slim Slippers," slippers with magnets that give a reflexology treatment while walking wearing them. Perhaps an upside is that they encourage the wearer to walk; most likely that is their greatest benefit! Another is the Melt Belt that uses "infrared ray therapy" to remove fat. Also, the TENS, an electronic muscle stimulator, which is a device used in chiropractic medicine for pain relief, gives a twitching imitation of real exercise. The reality is none of these, or any other of the many new weigh loss devices appearing almost daily, will garner the results that a well planned diet and exercise program will.

Do The Right Things

Now, back to reality; if you are what is medically termed "morbidly obese," meaning 100 pounds or more over recommended body weight, then you should be on a medically supervised weigh loss program overseen closely by a physician. Most of us have less of a challenge, and can do much more self-management of our diet and weight issues. A realistic regimen will have at least these elements:

• • Reasonable (and hopefully enjoyable) consistent exercise participation
• Proactive self-awareness of diet, eating habits, and strategies to use diet safely for weight loss goals
• Regular physical examinations and education about those body functions relevant to healthy weight management
• A sound perspective on body image and acceptance of bodily aspects that may not be conducive to safe and realistic change

These simple core elements of weight management won’t produce overnight results, but long-term satisfaction and maintaining good health far "outweigh" dramatic "Hollywood Movie Star" results.