Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could just take a daily
pill(s) and you start to lose weight in a week?
That's what several of the diet pill manufacturers would like you to
believe. Eat all you want and lose weight fast. Or so the commercials say. These
miracle diet pills work in basically three ways.
- The pills fill your digestive system with bulk fibers so you think you're full, so you eat less.
- The pills suppress your appetite and therefore you don't want to eat as much.
- The pills increase your metabolism by increasing your internal temperature.
Do diet pills work?
Yes to a certain extent. Most have to be combined with a diet program to
succeed. Keep in mind that when they say "Eat all you want and lose weight
fast," they mean you won't want to eat as much.
Another pill that has recently come on the market is Alli. It
works by blocking your stomach and intestines from digesting about 20% of the
fat you eat. Alli was originally available by prescription only at about double
the strength of the over the counter Alli. You have to go on a low fat diet
when you start taking Alli. Some people recommending going on a low fat diet
several days before taking Alli to get rid of any fat in your digestive system
when you start. In addition you can't eat more than 15 grams of fat at any one
time. You can't save up your fat
allotment for the day, or several days, in order to splurge. If you break either of these rules, you suffer
'treatment effects' which include unexpected diarrhea and stomach cramps.
Alli actually recommends that you wear dark pants and bring
a change of clothing with you for the first week of the program. And stay close
to the bathroom. Alli claims that in
scientific studies participants have lost 50% more when taking Alli then just
staying on a low calorie, low fat diet.
The advantages include having a little help to get you
started on your diet. You can lose weight in a week. The disadvantage includes
the expense, and in the case of Alli, the treatment effects. Alli is not a diet
program you can cheat on and then return to without suffering ill effects. Some
participants have reported treatment effects for several weeks after they
stopped the program. Others have said they get treatment effects even when they
make sure their fat consumption is within limits.