calories
aren't
recommended
because
they
can
cut
so
many
calories
and
nutrients
that
they
lead
to
other
health
problems,
such
as
vitamin
deficiencies.
Fasting
isn't
the
answer,
either.
Most
of
the
weight
you
initially
lose
is
from
water,
and
it's
not
good
for
your
body
to
go
without
food
for
extended
periods.
Very
low
calorie
liquid
diets
are
sometimes
prescribed
as
an
intervention
for
seriously
obese
people.
These
mainly
liquid
diets,
such
as
Medifast
or
Optifast,
provide
about
800
calories
a
day
most
adults
consume
roughly
2,000
to
2,500
calories
a
day.
While
people
are
usually
able
to
lose
weight
on
these
very
low
calorie
diets,
most
people
regain
the
weight
just
as
quickly
when
they
stop
following
these
diets.
Over-the-counter
liquid
meal
replacements,
such
as
Slim-Fast,
also
cut
calories.
These
plans
suggest
that
you
replace
one
or
two
meals
with
their
products
low-calorie
shakes
then
eat
snacks
of
vegetables
and
fruits
and
a
healthy,
balanced
third
meal
that
is
low
in
fat
and
calories.
This
can
be
as
effective
as a
traditional
calorie-controlled
diet.
Increased
physical
activity
Cutting
250
calories
from
your
daily
diet
can
help
you
lose
about
half
a
pound
a
week:
3,500
calories
equals
1
pound
of
fat.
But
add
a
30-minute
brisk
walk
four
days
a
week,
and
you
can
double
your
rate
of
weight
loss.
The
goal
of
exercise
for
weight
loss
is
to
burn
more
calories,
although
exercise
offers
many
other
benefits
as
well.
How
many
calories
you
burn
depends
on
the
frequency,
duration
and
intensity
of
your
activities.
One
of
the
best
ways
to
lose
body
fat
is
through
steady
aerobic
exercise
such
as
walking
for
more
than
30
minutes
most
days
of
the
week.
Even
though
regularly
scheduled
aerobic
exercise
is
most
efficient
for
losing
fat,
any
extra
movement
helps
burn
calories.
Lifestyle
activities
may
be
easier
to
fit
into
your
day.
Think
about
ways
you
can
increase
your
physical
activity
throughout
the
day.
For
example,
make
several
trips
up
and
down
stairs
instead
of
using
the
elevator,
or
park
at
the
far
end
of
the
lot.
If
you're
obese,
particularly
if
you're
unfit
and
have
health
problems,
check
with
your
doctor
before
starting
an
exercise
program.
Behavior
modification
To
lose
weight
and
keep
it
off,
you
need
to
make
changes
in
your
lifestyle.
But
there's
more
to
changing
your
lifestyle
than
choosing
different
foods
and
putting
more
activity
into
your
day.
It
also
involves
changing
your
approach
to
eating
and
activity,
which
means
changing
how
you
think,
feel
and
act.
A
behavior
modification
program
led
by a
psychologist,
therapist
or
other
trained
professional
can
help
you
make
these
lifestyle
changes.
Behavior
modification
programs
may
include
examining
your
current
habits
to
find
out
what
factors
or
situations
may
have
contributed
to
your
excess
weight.
Exploring
your
current
eating
and
exercise
habits
gives
you
a
place
to
start
when
changing
your
behaviors.
Once
you
understand
which
habits
are
undermining
your
weight-loss
efforts,
you
can
take
steps
to
create
a
new,
healthier
lifestyle.
These
tips
can
help:
- Have a plan. Work out a strategy that will gradually change your habits and attitudes. Consider how often and how long you will exercise. Determine a realistic eating plan that includes plenty of water, fruits and vegetables. Write it down and choose a start date.
- Set realistic goals. Weight-loss goals can be process goals, such as exercising regularly, or outcome goals, such as losing 20 pounds. Make sure process goals are realistic, specific and measurable. For example, you'll walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. For outcome goals, aim to lose weight at a safe pace of 1 or 2 pounds a week. Losing weight more rapidly means losing water weight or muscle tissue, rather than fat.
- Avoid food triggers. Distract yourself from your desire to eat with something positive, such as calling a friend. Practice saying no to unhealthy foods and big portions. Eat when you're actually hungry not when the clock says it's time to eat.
- Keep a record. Keep a food and activity diary, so you can reinforce good habits and discover any behaviors that you may need to improve. Be sure to track other important health parameters such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and overall fitness.
Prescription
weight-loss
medication
It's
best
to
lose
weight
through
a
healthy
diet
and
regular
exercise.
But
if
you're
among
those
who
struggle
to
lose
weight
and
the
excess
weight
has
produced
medical
problems,
prescription
weight-loss
drugs
may
be
able
to
help
you.
Your
doctor
may
consider
you
a
candidate
for
medication
treatment
if
these
criteria
apply:
- Other methods of weight loss haven't worked for you.
- Your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 27 and you have medical complications of obesity, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea.
- Your BMI is greater than 30.
Two
prescription
drugs
have
been
approved
by
the
Food
and
Drug
Administration
(FDA)
for
long-term
weight
loss.
These
drugs
work
in
different
ways
and
cause
different
side
effects.
- Sibutramine (Meridia). This drug changes your brain chemistry, making you feel full more quickly. Though sibutramine generally helps you lose more weight than you could through diet and exercise alone, it's no magic bullet. Studies have shown that after a year, sibutramine users lost an average of about 10 pounds more than did people simply following a low-calorie diet and taking a placebo. Side effects can include increased blood pressure, headache, dry mouth, constipation and insomnia.
- Orlistat (Xenical). This drug prevents the absorption of fat in your intestines. Unabsorbed fat is eliminated in the stool. Average weight loss with orlistat is modest about 6 pounds after one year. Side effects associated with the drug include oily and frequent bowel movements. Because orlistat blocks absorption of some nutrients, your doctor will recommend that you also take a multivitamin. The FDA has approved a reduced-strength version of orlistat (Alli) to be sold without a prescription. This medication works the same as prescription-strength orlistat and is meant only to supplement not replace a healthy diet and regular exercise.
If
you're
among
those
who
can
benefit
from
weight-loss
medication,
you'll
likely
need
to
take
it
indefinitely.
When
drug
treatment
is
stopped,
much
or
all
of
the
excess
weight
generally
returns.
Even
if
you
qualify
for
weight-loss
drug
therapy,
the
drugs
might
not
work
for
you.
And,
if
they
do
work,
their
effects
tend
to
level
off
after
six
months
of
use.
Weight-loss
surgery
If
you're
among
those
who
have
tried
and
can't
lose
the
excess
weight
that's
causing
your
health
problems,
weight-loss
(bariatric)
surgery
may
be
an
option.
Weight-loss
surgery
may
be
considered
if:
- Your body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher
- Your BMI is 35 to 39.9, and you have a serious weight-related health problem such as diabetes or high blood pressure
Gastric
bypass
surgery,
which
changes
the
anatomy
of
your
digestive
system
to
limit
the
amount
of
food
you
can
eat
and
digest,
is
the
favored
weight-loss
surgery
in
the
United
States.
In
gastric
bypass
(Roux-en-Y
gastric
bypass)
the
surgeon
creates
a
small
pouch
at
the
top
of
the
stomach.
The
small
intestine
is
then
cut
a
short
distance
below
the
main
stomach
and
connected
to
the
new
pouch.
Food
and
liquid
flow
directly
from
the
pouch
into
this
part
of
the
intestine,
bypassing
most
of
the
stomach.
The
stomach
continues
to
make
digestive
juices
to
help
break
down
food.
So
the
portion
of
the
intestines
still
attached
to
the
stomach
is
reattached
farther
down.
This
allows
the
digestive
juices
to
flow
to
the
small
intestine.
Weight
loss
is
achieved
by
restricting
the
amount
of
food
that
the
stomach
can
hold
and
to a
lesser
extent
by
reducing
the
amount
of
calories
that
are
absorbed.
When
appropriate,
weight-loss
surgery
can
result
in
dramatic
improvements
in
weight
and
health.
Within
the
first
two
years,
you
can
expect
to
lose
50
percent
to
60
percent
of
your
excess
weight.
Those
people
who
follow
dietary
and
exercise
recommendations
tend
to
keep
most
of
that
weight
off
long
term.
Weight-loss
surgery
does
have
side
effects,
however.
Complications
such
as
pneumonia,
blood
clots
and
infection
can
occur
with
any
type
of
surgery.
Rapid
weight
loss
can
result
in
gallstones;
a
hernia
or
weakness,
which
may
require
surgery
to
correct,
may
develop
at
the
site
of
your
incision.
Gastric
bypass
can
also
cause
dumping
syndrome,
a
condition
in
which
stomach
contents
move
too
quickly
through
the
small
intestine,
causing
nausea,
vomiting,
diarrhea,
dizziness
and
sweating.
Surgery
for
weight
reduction
isn't
a
miracle
procedure.
It
doesn't
guarantee
that
you'll
lose
all
of
your
excess
weight
or
that
you'll
keep
it
off
long
term.
Weight-loss
success
after
gastric
bypass
surgery
depends
on
your
commitment
to
making
lifelong
changes
in
your
eating
and
exercise
habits.