Diet Pills: Are They Magic or A Waste of Money

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.

3. The pills fill your digestive system with bulk fibers so you think you're full, so you eat less.
4.  The pills suppress your appetite and therefore you don't want to eat as much.
5. 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. 

Tips to Lose Weight Fast

Lose Weight With Prepackaged Food Program

You've probably heard of most of them like Jenny Craig, promoted by Valerie Bertinelli or Nutrisystem with Marie Osmond. The major difference between the two programs is that Jenny Craig requires a contract for a membership as well as payment for the food. Counseling is provided by Jenny Craig. There is no contract with Nutrisystem and no counseling.  Here's how to lose weight with prepackaged food programs.

You will receive prepackaged foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some programs also include snacks. You add fresh diary and produce. The meals are balanced to provide all the nutrients you need and are low fat and low calorie so you lose weight as long as you stay on the program and don't cheat.

A variation of the prepackaged food program are the meal replacement programs. You consume a prepared drink or snack bar to replace breakfast and lunch and consume a normal low fat dinner.

The advantages of the prepackaged food programs is that you don't have to think. You know what you can have. There are no decisions to be made. No carb counting. No calorie counting. The products have simplified diet programs. If you live a busy life and don't particularly like to cook these programs may be for you.

The disadvantages include the expense of the program. The prepackaged meals are not cheap.  Another disadvantage, at least in the beginning, is the shock of the small portions. Some participants recommend adding additional steamed veggies and salads to bulk up the menu. That's somewhat counter productive as one of the program's benefits is to train yourself to recognize what a portion is.   

 If you prepare the meals for your family you might find it tempting to make dinner for them and then you have only your prepackaged dinner. The reality is that you will most likely eat your packaged dinner and a portion of your family's dinner.  Of course if your significant other needs to lose weight as well and is willing to join you on your weight loss program, you could both have the prepackaged foods.

A final disadvantage is that once you go off the program you may quickly return to your old eating habits because you aren't used to making healthy eating choices. All the choices were made for you.  

You can learn how to lose weight when you jump start your weight loss program with prepackaged foods.

4 Tips to Lose Belly Fat

You've dieted and so far you've been pleased with the result. You've slimmed down, have more energy, and look better in your clothes. With one exception, for some, these areas are the thighs or upper arms but for most of us, the most stubborn fat area is usually the belly. Here are a few tips that will help you lose belly fat:

Eat foods that will help you shed belly fat. Try eating olive oil, almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, macadamia nuts and avocado. The essential oils these foods contain will offer your body the dose of fat it needs every day, without going straight to your tummy like other types of fats and oils would. Most importantly stay away from transfats. These are artificially produced fats found in margarines, commercially baked goods and in fast food. Transfat sticks to the belly like peanut butter to jelly. 

Aside from the essential oils you will be getting from the previously mentioned foods, your diet should be rich in fruit and vegetables, with some fat-free dairy on the side. Fruits and veggies provide needed vitamins and minerals, are rich in antioxidants and fiber and fill you up. Just don't douse the veggies with fat filled dips, salad dressing or drown them in butter. A squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil with a sprinkling of herbs should add all the flavor you need. 

Combine a healthy, fat loss oriented diet with plenty of exercise. While exercise specifically oriented towards working your abdominal muscles can help you get a more toned waistline, it won’t help you shed the type of fat you are looking to get rid of. Instead, general workouts will help your body burn fat, including that on your belly. It’s recommended that you work out for at least 30 minutes every day, whether that consists of running, swimming or aerobics-type workouts. Exercise raises the body's metabolism while exercising of course but also for 4 to 6 hours afterwards. If possible exercise in the morning or afternoon rather than the evening, and you'll burn even more fat. 

Stress has been shown to increase the tendency to gain belly fat and make it harder to lose fat in that area. While stress may be unavoidable in today's hectic lifestyle, set some time aside each day to wind down and relax.

These were a few tips that will help you get rid of the unwanted belly fat.

Lose weight quick with acai berries

Tired of being overweight? After you get home from a long day at work, do you just crash in front of the television while waiting for the frozen pizza in the microwave to heat up? Losing weight can be a challenge whether it's 15 pounds or 50 pounds.


You're not alone. Almost everyone has packed on extra pounds. People today have a higher rate of obesity than any previous generations. Even our children are heavier and more prone to weight gain than ever before. Our lives have slowed down and become more sedentary. We work in an office instead of manual labor. We take the elevator instead of the stairs, even if it's just a flight or two. We talk about getting in shape but don't do much about it.

Evolutionarily speaking, the human body was engineered for a diet low in fat, high in fiber, with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits with occasional protein from meat. But these days, our diets are the opposite. Our meat and fat consumption has increased while vegetables and fruits in our diet have decreased significantly and people as a whole receive a lot less exercise. It should come as no surprise that energy levels have decreased as our weight has increased.

However, there may be a solution to these two problems. It's Acai Berries.

These berries are small and grow on acai palm trees in South America. The taste is similar to chocolate blueberries. Some nutritionists consider it a super food. The pulp of these berries contains natural energy boosters that have the added bonus of enabling weight loss quickly and naturally. Acai berries have been accepted by many as an essential for improving your energy levels and health.

Lose weight fast

Unfortunately, there are some downsides. The berries don't last long after harvesting, as they're very perishable. Fresh berries won't be found at the supermarket. Fortunately, processed berries keep their beneficial qualities even if they're preserved, made into a juice, or even a powder supplement.

Acai berries don't affect your eating habits, they increase your metabolism. These berries can boost the rate that calories are burned from your body when you're engaged in daily activities. The increased burn rate means an increase in metabolism. Even when you're asleep your body will use up more calories, and that translates into weight loss.

Acai berries also have an extremely high amount of antioxidants, more than 10 and 12 times the content of grapes and blueberries, respectively. Not to mention the fact that these berries are also a fantastic source of Amino Acids, Anthocyanins, Fiber, Healthy Fats, Minerals, Plant Sterols, and Vitamins. These are all essential to any weight loss plan, making acai berries an even better weapon for fighting fat.

While acai berry supplements can do you lots of good, they can't make you lose weight if you continue to overeat and keep a sedentary lifestyle. Combine acai berries with a regular exercise program and healthy eating and the pounds will just melt away.

Which Acai Berry Pills Are Safe to Use? Know This Information Before You Buy Your Acai Supplement

Before addressing the question about which Acai Berry Pills are safe to use, people can be confused regarding whether acai berries are even safe to consume. The fruit has been becoming increasing popular these days because of its healing qualities and energy boosting power. The fruit has come to the forefront for those who are on a weight loss program. The fruit is a great detoxifier as well as an antioxidant as it cleanses the body and helps get rid of the toxins that pollute the body.

These days many physicians favor natural supplements rather than those manufactured synthetically. Since Acai berry grows naturally, it is basically a naturally occurring fruit. It does not contain any toxins and doesn't have any known side effects. The fruit can be taken in the form of fruit preserves or in the form of tablets as food supplements. Unfortunately fresh Acai berries are only found in South America. They can't be exported because they have a very short shelf life and start rotting soon after being harvested.

The next question is which acai berry pills are safe to use?

a.) Start by looking at the label. Most of the companies selling the Acai pills don't easily reveal how much Acai berriy was used in their products on their websites. Maintain caution before buying acai pills from such places. In some cases, these kinds of pills contain added products which might not suit everyone or which are not advisable to be consumed every day.

b.) Most of the acai berry pill companies add some additives in the capsules they make. You must be well aware about what these additives are. There are different additives for different situations thus these additives may not be good for your particular condition. For instance, in some of the pills caffeine is given a high percentage which is certainly not recommended for pregnant women or lactating mothers. Green tea is often a component. Some supplements have a laxative added to clean out the colon. Any of these additives are safe but you should know what's I the pills you're taking.

c.) It is a good option to look for products which show the percentage of acai berries in the total product. The higher the percentage the better.

Acai berry pills are quite safe to use if you take care and carefully consider the facts well before buying your supplements. Since acai products have different standards in the market, it is important for you to buy the products from a reputed company produces high quality products.

3 Foods to Cut Fat and Cholesterol

Lowering your cholesterol can be a challenge, especially if you day's schedule doesn't have a moment to spare. Here are 3 foods to cut fat and cholesterol while you lose weight fast.

Eat an apple a day. It's not just an old wife's tale that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Consuming a 5 ounce apple means you're adding 3 grams of pectin to your diet. Pectin is a soluble fiber that binds to bad-for-you fats cleaning them out of your system. Apples have flavonoids which are compounds that prevent holesterol's ability to cling to the inner walls of your arteries by as much as
38%. That's good news because it decreases your risk of a heart attack.

D-glucaric acid is a substance that decreases the body's ability to form LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, in the liver by 35%. As an added bonus pectin also adds a feeling of fullness which means you can less than you usually do, lose weight, but still feel full. It's best to eat the apples raw to get all their benefits. Apple slices spread with peanut butter is a good way to start your day at breakfast.

Another fat fighter and food that lowers cholesterol are nuts. Only 2 ounces a day reduces the liver's production of LDL cholesterol by 33% and increases the good HDL cholesterol by 11%.

Nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats. Not only do monounsaturated fats cut cholesterol they also act as an appetite suppressant. Any kind of nut will do but almonds and walnuts are especially beneficial.

Nuts make a terrific snack by themselves. 2 ounces is what would fit in your cupped palm or about 2 tablespoons. Nuts can be added to salads, fruit smoothies, breakfast cereals and cooked vegetables. One red grapefruit daily decreases LDL cholesterol up to 20% and is twice as effective as white or pink grapefruit. The reason is red
grapefruit is richer in antioxidants which curb the liver's tendency to produce cholesterol.

As an added bonus one study showed that women who ate any color grapefruit daily lost 20 pounds in three months without any other change in their habits. Eat the whole fruit rather than just drinking the juice to take advantage of all the fiber.

Adding these three foods to your daily diet can help lower your bad cholesterol levels, increase your good cholesterol and as an added bonus help you lose weight.

Lose Weight Fast With Fruits

Green crisp apples, juicy mouthwatering pineapple, luscious red strawberries, fruit can not only be a delicious treat and a source of vitamins and overall health, but they can also help you lose weight fast. You just have to know how to go about it. Fruit has fiber which helps you feel fuller longer. Fruit also is packed with water, up to 80%. A valuable piece of advice in every diet is to drink plenty of water; it "cheats hunger" as well as hydrating your body. But you can also use fruit for a similar purpose, while giving your body plenty of fiber and prolonging the satiety sensation.

In order to lose fat fast by using a fruit-based diet, be careful about the type of fruit you choose. Choose the ones that have high water content and lower sugar content. You can go for citrus fruit, cantaloupes, and berries. Stay away from the super sweet ones unless they have a very high water content like watermelon. Sweet translates into a high sugar content and that can cause blood sugar spikes. A blood sugar spike causes your body to release too much insulin which then leads to a feeling of hunger. Also stay away from fruit that has been canned or processed in any way, the whole point of eating fruit is to obtain the maximum amount of vitamin and antioxidants with a minimal intake of fat and sugar.

Eating the whole unprocessed fruit is better than drinking the juice. The fiber in the whole fruit will keep you fuller longer. The fiber also slows down the digestive process so you won't get a sugar spike. It's better for you and your weight loss program to eat the whole unprocessed fruit rather than just drinking the juice.

Even though a fruit-rich diet might seem easy to pull off at first, a few days into it, you may be craving something else. The trick is to squeeze fruit into your daily eating habits, by replacing some of the major calorie providers in your daily diet with fruit. Make sure you always keep fruit handy, so that when you are itching for a snack, they will be the first thing you will set eyes on.

One study showed that women who ate a small apple before every meal lost more weight than woman who didn't eat the apple. It seems the pectin in the apple and fiber worked to help the women feel fuller longer. Apples contain a substance that binds to fat and helps it move through the body without being absorbed.

Fruit can help you lose weight in a delicious and healthy way, all you need to do is incorporate them into your daily eating habits.