| ign="center"> | | | | On some levels, that sometimes happens, but, if |
| | | | the weight loss comes about through artificial |
| Every day, millions of people spend millions of | | | | intervention, such as with a pill or through surgical |
| dollars on weight loss supplements. Most of these | | | | intervention, they often find that their lives have |
| claim to grab fat, speed up metabolism, or | | | | not changed as much as they thought. In some |
| prevent the body from gaining weight in some | | | | cases, life can be even harder as a direct or |
| other manner. It seems like every day, we see | | | | indirect result of the method they used to lose |
| new products coming on the market that promise | | | | weight. |
| to do these things for people. | | | | EFFECTIVENESS: |
| With well over 60% of the adult population of the | | | | When someone decides to lose weight for health |
| U. S. overweight, there is a vast market for | | | | reasons, they are, or should be, making a |
| these products as well. | | | | commitment to change the lifestyle choices they |
| Most people are concentrating on three points: | | | | have been making that have gotten them to |
| ease, speed, and personal attractiveness. They | | | | where they are. If instead, they take a pill to |
| want to be able to take a pill or tonic that will lose | | | | disrupt the normal processes of the body in |
| the weight for them. They also feel that, as one | | | | hopes that the pill will change their lives, they will |
| lady put it to me, "If I could just lose the weight, | | | | most certainly be disappointed. Even if the pill |
| I would look better and feel so much better | | | | does do what it says, they cannot continue |
| about myself." | | | | depending on it to do this for them for the rest |
| So how do these products stack up? What can | | | | of their lives. Only a permanent change in lifestyle |
| they really do for the dieter? That adds a fourth | | | | choices will result in permanent, healthy weight |
| dimension - effectiveness. | | | | loss, and this involves nutrition, exercise, hydration, |
| EASE: | | | | and rest and does not require weight loss |
| Okay, I can't find much fault there. Most are pills | | | | supplements. |
| or liquids that need to be taken once or twice a | | | | Even those with drastic genetic predispositions |
| day. That should satisfy most people's desire for | | | | towards obesity can take control of a portion of |
| ease. | | | | their weight and their health. I have a close |
| SPEED: | | | | personal friend who weighs over 400 lbs. She is |
| Now, it starts to get a little sticky. First of all, | | | | young (mid 20's), beautiful, and vivacious, but her |
| there are so many products making so many | | | | weight is gradually wearing her down. Her health is |
| claims about what they will do for so many | | | | slowly becoming impacted by her weight, and she |
| different people, it is difficult to say if any weight | | | | continually expresses a desire to lose weight. |
| loss supplement really is as fast as it claims it | | | | However, she continues to drink several sodas |
| CAN be. Take the most effective weight loss | | | | sweetened with sugar daily. She sweetens her |
| program in the universe, and have several | | | | tea and coffee with sugar. She cooks and |
| thousand people follow it, and you will get several | | | | consumes huge meals with a high fat content |
| thousand results. Additionally, what works for one | | | | when she is not ordering the most fat-laden |
| person might not work, or work as well, for her | | | | offerings of the fast food palaces. She makes no |
| sister or brother. | | | | adjustment in her lifestyle, and the closest she |
| To make matters worse, how well any weight | | | | comes to exercise is when she becomes excited |
| loss product works will depend to some extent | | | | during a video game. Except for work, her life is |
| on how it is combined with exercise, nutrition, | | | | lived almost entirely in front of a TV or a |
| rest, genetics, and so on. | | | | computer. She is genetically predisposed towards |
| Second, speed in weight loss just MIGHT NOT be | | | | being overweight, but she could lose 100 or even |
| a good thing! As a matter of fact, weight lost | | | | 200 lbs simply by making different lifestyle |
| TOO QUICKLY can actually endanger health. Just | | | | choices. Instead, she opts to try each new diet |
| as a point, most weight loss supplements claim to | | | | fad or pill that hits the market only to be |
| do their work by altering or interfering with the | | | | disappointed in the end. |
| normal processes of the body. | | | | A FINAL NOTE ON WEIGHT LOSS |
| PERSONAL ATTRACTIVENESS: | | | | SUPPLEMENTS: |
| I may be a bit biased, but when I find someone | | | | Are there truly chemicals and compounds, natural |
| attractive, it often has as much to do with their | | | | and synthetic that can enhance a weight loss |
| outlook on life, and their personal enjoyment of | | | | program? Certainly there are, but not those that |
| life, as it does with how much their body weighs | | | | achieve the goal simply because someone |
| or how it is shaped. I am personally aware of | | | | swallows them. Almost every weight loss |
| people who lost large amounts of weight and yet | | | | supplement on the market includes a phrase to |
| did not improve their "attractiveness" at all. I also | | | | the effect that the product will work "...best when |
| know people who are not what society would | | | | used in conjunction with good nutrition and a |
| consider to be physically attractive, and yet they | | | | regular exercise program..." or words similar. |
| are attractive to those around them. | | | | Nutrition and exercise are the keys. Even the best |
| I know from personal experience that many | | | | weight loss supplement can only enhance the |
| overweight people feel that if they could just lose | | | | effects of a healthy lifestyle based on these. |
| the weight their lives would change for the better. | | | | |