The Dirty Secret Of Diet Pills: They Require Low-Calorie Diet, Exercise To Work

Dr. Wadden says eat low-calorie diet and exercise when taking diet pills

You know, it's a lot of fun being someone who is livin' la vida low-carb after reading stories like this one from Newsday.

It seems all those popular diet pills (some of which are under FTC investigation for making false claims) that are heavily marketed to overweight and obese people now come with some really, really fine print that they're not telling you about in their advertisements. It's the dirty secret about diet pills you won't hear from the manufacturers of these weight loss drugs.

While they promise that you will lose weight by taking their products, what they neglect to inform you about is the fact that you must also eat a low-calorie diet and begin a regular exercise routine to make the pills work. GASP!

You mean I'm actually going to have to alter my lifestyle to lose weight despite the fact I'm taking this silly pill?! AW MAN!

WAH WAH WAH! I hate to say I told you so, but any effective weight loss program worth anything will involve commitment to a structured eating plan and exercise program. Even if you take a diet pill, you still need to begin making changes in your life if you ever want to reach the point in your life where weight problems are no longer an issue.

We need to stop looking for the quick fix to obesity and do it the natural way. If you want to lose weight, then there are several ways to do it:

1. Low-Fat/Low-Calorie/Portion Control or
2. Low-Carb/High-Protein/High Fiber

The choice is yours.

With the former you will stay hungry and your body will not function at its optimum level. In fact, a study released this week found that metabolic syndrome is worsened on a low-fat diet.

However, with the low-carb lifestyle, issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are improved dramatically and, most importantly, naturally without the use of any medications.

That's what amazes me about people who choose to take a diet pill. I mean, what's the point?! You medicate yourself only to be forced to limit your fat and caloric intake. Why bother?! Just start livin' la vida low-carb and avoid the expense and possible side effects that come with taking a drug that contains who knows what in it. End of story, case closed.

Dr. Thomas Wadden from the University of Pennsylvania said in this week's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine that weight loss drugs such as Meridia, Acomplia, and Xenical are only effective when participants eat a 1,500-calorie diet, keep a food diary, and exercise moderately.

Wadden believe the "message is very clear" based on his research.

"When you just take the medication by itself you will lose weight, but you will lose less than half the weight of people who also change their eating habits and modify their behavior," Wadden stated. "It's putting the combination together that produces the best results."

I am not in favor of anyone taking a monoamine reuptake inhibitor to help them feel satisfied. Instead, you can eat all the satisfying foods you love and enjoy without having to count calories when you are livin' la vida low-carb.

Opponents of the low-carb lifestyle like to say how dangerous it is to your health. Where's their outcry over a DRUG that is being ACTIVELY PROMOTED to help people lose weight?! How much more seriously dangerous is taking one of these diet pills to someone than the naturally healthy low-carb way of eating? Am I missing something here?

Americans need the quick fix, though. That's why news of yet another diet pill in the works has people all excited. When are we ever going to learn? The risks associated with taking a drug that may or may not be good for you are much higher than any risks associated with eating less carbohydrates. I mean, let's keep this in the proper perspective here.

While I don't anticipate the fervor for quick-fix solutions to ever die down, those of us who have been successful at losing weight and keeping it off know that it takes more than popping a pill every day to get where we are. There's a little something called perseverance and commitment that go a long way towards making it happen. The good news is you are not forced to follow a low-fat diet to get there. Instead, you've got the deliciously healthy low-carb lifestyle! WOO HOO!