Has anyone tried Phentermine for weight loss???

[YMA]

I was thinking about going to a "Diet DR. and getting some to help curb my appetite, of course with diet and working out.

I love to eat and have a hard time with portion control.



Any pros or cons????

 

[Mara]

Personally I think that any type of diet drug is about 99% cons. The only pro is weight loss, maybe. But does that matter, if it doesn't change your mental habits and all the weight comes piling back on when you go off the drug? And nevermind side effects.

Really what one should do long-term is employ a bit more portion control, eat more of the right things, and work out/move around more...exactly as you just said up above.

A drug will do none of that for you really. The only thing it can really 'help' you with is getting weight off through trick methods.

Don't just think about a quick fix. Think about how to change your lifestyle to be more healthy overall. Make overall life changes. Move around more...eat a little less. Even small changes can add up, cut out sodas, drink more water, walk a mile a day. All of that can really make a difference in the long run...without strange sounding 'diet drugs' or 'diet doctors'. It can be a really long process but in the end doing it the right way means a higher chance of long-term success. Good luck!!

 

[Skippy123]

Gosh, I think a lot of those drugs have cons. I remember back in the 90's the FDA approved a appetite suppressent and people had heart attacks and then they pulled the drug. Also, look at Metabolife and people had strokes and that got pulled as well. I rather do it the healthy way too. I wouldn't mess with that stuff just to be on the safe side. I actually do weight watchers and like it. I have had friends who do Jenny Craig and others just read books on nutrition. Maybe make little changes.

 

[perry]

Con: Even if it works for you... It is at best a temporary solution. If you do not learn to ballance your food intake and exercise you will regain the weight you lost once you stop taking the medication.

I too have struggled with some weight issues. Right now I''m relearning about proper diet and exercise forced by the recent diagnoses of Type II diagetes - and the related issues.

I have started to keep track of what I eat and drink, along with a list of the approximate carbs, fat, protien for my common foods (and portions)... and it is real easy to see where some of the problems are - and it has been surprisingly easy to start modifying what I eat to reduce calories.

It is possible to switch some foods to other items with good bulk but less calories - which helps with the fullness fealing.

Exercise can be more of a challange. The secret that seems to be working for me this time (unlike my previous three attemps to run a long term exercise program). I have two different exercise machines; a Total Gym exercise machine and a Landice treadmill. I alternate between them - and am not pushing myself: which has been working well.

In the past I focused only on one machine day after day and pushed myself to do more each week until I hurt myself and needed significant time off to recover.

Comment on exercise equipment: By and large you get what you pay for. There are tons of very cheaply build exercise equipment on the market. I broke several machines like that ranging from rowing machines to treadmills just by routine moderate use for a month or two (Sears warrantee repaired or replaced that rowing machine twice... and then I had a machine shop produce custom parts in an attempt to make it last.

I found it hard to maintain any kind of workout on machines that routinely broke down...

I have owned my Total Gym, model 11,000 for over 5 years now - and it actually has several solid years of routine use on it. I now need a new set of rollers for the glideboard ($4. The current equivelent model is now the 14,000 at www.totalgym.com The Informercial model is lighterweight - and I have no idea how well it stands up.

Oh, and Chuck Norris really was using a Total Gym as his principle exercise machine for about 20 years prior to his signing up to be the infomercial spokesman. I have also seen the heavier commercial model in two ocupational rehab clinics - so the Total Gym is indeed a machines that the professionals use (and during one of my rehab sessions we went over the exercises I was doing on the Total Gym - and I was told as long as I followed the exercises that Total Gym provides that you cannot really hurt yourself like you can on many other exercise machines (you can overdo it though... like I did).

Landice treadmills are built to last - and the home models have many of the same components as their professional work-out club models. They offer a lifetime warrantee. Again, a solid years worth of use and not a single indication of problems. Note if you are going to look for a used one... the lightest weight Landice Treadmill weighs about 300 Lb assembled and is best moved by people who know how to move them.

Neither of these machines are cheap - but I can use them with confidence; and altering between them (i.e today was the treadmill, tomorrow the Total Gym) has made exercising more tolerable... Not pushing myself too hard also helps. I am satisfied to slowly work my way up - and know that there is not much to be gained by going past 1 hour each day (when I get there). Currently I am at between 1/2 and 3/4 hour of light exercise on the machines. I have read several reports that people who exercise hard 1.5 hours or more per day are subject to injury or premature wearing out of joints. Interestingly - both times I hurt myself bad with exercise was at the 1.5 hour per day timeframe - and I was working myself hard.

I wish you the best with your weighloss. I wish there was a simple answer.

Perry

 

[YMA]

Thanks everyone for the good sound advice.

I have begun to "watch" what I eat and try to make healthy choice.....and it''s hard.

I have a treadmill at home I use along with free weights.

I know there is no "quick fix", I was just looking for a little help. I stay hungry all the damn time.
I am gonna google the drug and see what comes up.

Thanks

 

[luckystar112]

Did anyone else notice that Bridezillas is endorsing NVY on all the recent shows?
All the brides think they''re fat, and they all "mysteriously" start using this product.

 

[Mara]

"I stay hungry all the damn time. "
_________________

what are you eating? because you can have portion control, eat a little less but that should NOT translate to being hungry all the time. i consume about 1600-1700 cals per day on average (with 5-6 workouts a week) and i am not hungry at all. if you eat enough of the right foods, aka fruits, veggies, brown/wheat rices/breads/flours, lots of water, lean proteins etc...you will not be hungry but will most likely see the right types of changes too. also you don't have to deprive yourself of anything. i have ice cream every night. just make continuous small changes. you will notice a difference!

but yes of course, if you are hungry all the time, no one can sustain that kind of eating plan and it's no fun at all. i would try to focus on eating the right things and moving a little bit more and seeing what that gets you. it can only be positive. stick with it, good luck!!

 

[monarch64]

YMA, it''s very tempting to go for the "I just need a little push in the right direction" mentality (not even a "quick-fix" crash diet)...but imo giving in to that mentality just isn''t productive in the long run. Think about long-term goals, not short-term ones, when you''re considering a weight-loss/fitness program for yourself. Do you really, really, really, HAVE to have that semi-instant gratification of losing 5-10 lbs in a week or two, or will you be happier a year from now when you''ve slowly but steadily lost whatever you goal is? Would you rather your new physique and healthier diet "stuck" or would you be ok with losing what you want RIGHT NOW and probably gaining back most of that weight and feeling crappy about it, then gaining a bit more because you overeat to console yourself?

Sure, phentermine might work for you, it will probably give you some great results, and you''ll probably be really happy with it in a couple months when you''re down a couple sizes. You''ll probably feel better about yourself and you may not even suffer any side effects. It''s totally up to you and it''s your system you''re putting this substance into, so I''m not going to sit here and tell you it''s probably best not to use it, that is up to you and your doctor. I just think that you should give very serious thought to your long-term physical goals before you start putting anything foreign into your body for that "jump-start." It may make things easier for you as far as getting started on your weight-loss, but think about whether it''s going to be just another gimmick that works for a short time and 6 months from now you might be at a lower weight but will you be healthier? Will you feel good about using a crutch to extend your mental "will power" or will you feel like the only way you can cut down your portions is to take a pill?

 

[ljmorgan]

YMA, I guess unlike the others, I WOULD recommend seeing your doctor and discussing your options. People are overweight for so many different reasons, which is why "eat less and exercise more" isn''t working for our country -- it''s not a snap for some people. Some people have emotional problems with food, some people have biological reasons. See a doctor, have your health checked out, and discuss how you feel about your hunger. That way you can go into your diet/exercise regimen confident that you can succeed.

 

[Skippy123]

Has anyone heard of Z trim? Have you tried it? It is suppose to be a fat substitute.

I just saw a news article saying that it is made of fiber and water.

 

[MsP]

I was on it for a while but basically... I learned that hunger wasn''t my problem. If it was my choice, I wouldn''t eat. When I say that people are like, "Yeah, then why in the world are you overweight?" but the fact is that the American lifestyle is completely centered around food. This is even more so a problem with my current living situation because if I want to go out and be social, it''s always, "Hey! Want to go out for a drink?" or "Want to join me for dinner?" and not like "Hey want to go hiking?" or "Hey want to go to the gym together?" It''s really a big problem. Since August I''ve been counting calories... and seriously. Results: -20lbs/month. Weight is a very simple thing. If you consume less than you burn you shed pounds. We know that it takes roughly a 3500 calorie deficit to drop one pound. So if you want to drop 1.5/2 lbs a week you need to eat about 5-700 calories less than your body needs to function and then exercise to get that deficit up to where it needs to be. I''ve learned VERY quickly what foods are low in calories that fill me up. I used to eat TONS of fruit.... fact is a piece of fruit is like 100 calories. A piece of cauliflower is like 10. You can buy crackers that have 250 calories per serving or you can buy crackers that are 35 calories per serving. You can eat yogurt that is 300 calories or you can get yogurt that is 60. Going out to dinner and being good by getting a salad? It''s fairly likely that the ''healthy'' salad will be upwards of 600 calories and if it''s something like a cobb salad it can be way up there like 1800 calories. Almost any restaurant will make a garden salad with a piece of grilled chicken on top. Control what you eat because you''re going to be the one having to work extra hard to burn off those extra calories from added cheese, butter, cream, sauces, etc, etc.

For a week, keep a detailed journal of what you eat. Do not estimate calories but make a real effort to track down each and every calorie you eat. Then go to one of many websites that will show you how many calories a person with your weight, height, age, etc burns just by being alive and see how many extra calories you''re eating. I bet you''ll find that even though you think you''re eating well... you''re still probably eating more than you need.

 

[Haven]

I agree with everyone''s advice to stay away from a weight loss drug and try to change your eating and exercise habits, instead. I know--easier said than done. However, if you are serious about considering spending quite a bit of money on a weight-loss drug, why not be serious about changing your lifestyle?

You don''t have to start out with a hard-core plan, rather start out slowly and begin by focusing on one or two things a week. This way, it will seem manageable and much easier than trying to overhaul your current way of life.

Example: My mother used to eat a bagel and cream cheese every morning for breakfast. She wanted to lose weight, so she started by JUST switching out her morning bagel for something healthier--a bowl of Cheerios, fresh fruit and cottage cheese, or a Luna Bar. Over the course of ten months she lost 40 POUNDS by simply making this one little change. I''m not kidding--she had a lot to lose, but this was incredible. The bagels were obviously a huge factor contributing to her weight gain, and I think that once she started eating better foods she tended to eat less throughout the rest of the day, as well, which certainly helped her weight loss.

Try to figure out if there are any foods you eat that you know are bad for you, and that you really don''t care about enough to keep eating. For example, if you eat potato chips at lunch every day, which do you want more: to lose some weight or to eat the potato chips?

Also, a little bit of movement helps a lot. If you never work out now, go for a walk two times a week.

Baby steps, that''s all you need. I would say that the last thing you need is to fill your body with artificial ingredients that you find in a pill.

Oh, and as for the American lifestyle = overeating issue, I agree. However, it''s possible to go out and make healthy choices. Every time you order something off a menu you make a choice--are you going to choose healthy, or are you going to choose fatty?

 

[dianne]

I used Phentermine a few years ago. I think everyone has covered the pros and cons and how the healthy way to go is burn more calories than you eat, exercise...etc... So, I''ll just tell you what I experienced.

After I took it in the morning, within the first hour, my heart would race and I would feel a bit dizzy/hot/sweaty. After that I never, and I stress NEVER, wanted a bite to eat....never tempted by any of my fav foods....had absolutely NO appetite whatsoever...in fact, always felt a little nauseous. I had to take it really early in the morning because I had constant energy and couldn''t sleep at night if I took it later in the morning. Lost 65 pounds in 3 months...no problem, without thinking, easy. I know, sounds great but there was a concern was for my heart. Doctor did run tests on my heart after using the drug for 3 months (there was a 3 month limit allowed at the time) and, after I found out my heart was fine, I kinda felt like I had "dodged a bullet" and I didn''t want to "risk" it again. Oh, and gained all the weight back probably because I didn''t learn new eating habits.

I have had a constant battle with weight since 2nd grade. I know what to physically do...I just need to mentally decide to take the necessary steps.

Good luck to you!