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Weight Loss
Which is the best way to lose weight!
You can
lose weight! There are many ways to try.
Begin by thinking about:
This
section has ideas for many ways to lose
weight.
These include diet (what you eat),
exercise (how active you are), weight
loss drugs, and surgery. There is also a
list of ways to learn more at the end of
this section. Remember you can always
talk to your doctor about what is best
for you.
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Change
Your Diet
-
Exercise
More!
-
Change
Your Diet AND Exercise More!
-
Weight Loss
Drugs
-
Weight
Loss Surgery
1. Change
Your Diet
“Diet” refers to all the foods and drinks you
have each day. Almost everything you eat has calories. One way to
lose weight is by eating and drinking fewer calories. But your body
needs a certain number to survive, and that number is different for
everyone.
People lose weight by eating and drinking fewer calories. Most
people can lose weight by eating about 500 to 1,000 fewer calories a
day than they do now. Losing weight this way does not make pounds
“melt away” fast. Instead, you lose weight over time. For most
people, the goal is to lose about 1 to 2 pounds a week.
You are more likely to keep weight off if you lose it slowly. Do
not try to lose too much too fast (such as 10 pounds in a week). If
you lose weight this fast, you are more likely to put
it back on and
maybe even gain a few extra pounds!
You can make healthy food choices by learning about the foods you
eat. You should learn to read and understand the nutrition facts
label found on most food packaging. This label includes facts about
the amount of calories, fat, sugar, and other items in each food.
You can use this label to decide which foods to buy or avoid
There are many types of diets. Before you choose a diet, learn as
much as you can about it. And it is a good idea to talk with your
doctor about which diet is best for you.
 Go
to the 10 most commonly used weight loss diet plans
2.
Exercise
More!
Most of us are not very active. We may sit at our desks during the
day and on the sofa at night. And we may drive cars more than walk
or ride bikes. Many people are overweight or obese because they are
not active enough.
You can do something about this! Try to exercise or be active for at
least 30 minutes most every day. This can help you lose weight by
burning extra calories.
You do not need to join a gym or spend a lot of money on work-out
gear. Instead, you can be active around your house or neighborhood.
Just make sure you move enough to get your heart rate going fast.
This could be dancing, walking fast, jogging, riding a bike,
swimming, or other ways of being active. Start slowly. Then as you
feel ready, exercise for longer amounts of time or move faster.
Go
to 5 effective weight loss exercise programs
3.
Change
Your Diet AND Exercise More!
Studies show that people are more likely to lose weight when they
change what they eat AND increase how much they exercise. This often
means changing some habits. Here are some ways you can get started:
Make a list (keep a diary) each day of what you eat and how active
you are.
-
Think of things
that make you go off your diet. For instance, some people are
tempted when there are a lot of snacks around the house. Once
you know what makes you go off your diet, plan ways to avoid
them. One way may be by keeping snacks where you are less likely
to see them.
-
Prepare healthy
meals at home rather than going to restaurants.
-
Treat yourself
when you are extra active or say no to high-calorie foods (such
as rich desserts). Your treat might be going to a movie, buying
a CD, or calling a good friend.
-
Set goals that
you can reach. For instance, your goal may be to lose 1 pound a
week rather than 25 pounds in a month.
-
Find ways to
keep active. This may be using the stairs rather than taking the
elevator, or doing stretches or other exercises while you watch
TV.
-
Ask your
friends, family, and co-workers for help as you lose weight. Let
them know how they can help such as by putting away tempting
snacks or going on walks with you.
-
Think about
joining a weight loss support group in your town.
Go
to 5 effective weight loss exercise programs
4. Weight Loss
Drugs
Adults who find diet and exercise is not enough to lose weight may
take weight-loss drugs. Doctors sometimes prescribe these drugs for
people who have a:
-
BMI (body mass
index) greater than 30 with no health problems (such as
diabetes, heart disease) or
-
BMI greater
than 27 with two or more health problems
Weight-loss drugs
can help people lose weight and keep it off. Weight-loss drugs are
not for everyone, but you can talk with your doctor to see if one
might be right for you. If you take a weight-loss drug, your doctor
is likely to suggest that you eat less and increase the amount of
activity you do each day.
You will need a prescription from the doctor for most weight-loss
drugs. There are some over-the-counter weight-loss drugs that do not
need a prescription. Always talk to a doctor before taking any new
drug, dietary supplement or over-the-counter medicine (OTC) to make
sure it is right for you. Some dietary supplements or OTC drugs may
not work right with other medicines you take. They might even be
harmful if you take them together. You should ask your doctor or
pharmacist if there is anything you need to know about how your
drugs work together.
Here are some
prescription weight loss drugs:
-
Orlistat (Xenical)
This drug works by blocking some of the fat in food from being
stored in your body. Instead, the fat passes through your body.
This type of weight loss drug can be used for up to 2 years.
(Some other weight loss drugs can only be used for a few weeks).
You can get Orlistat in small doses without needing a
prescription. It is always a good idea to talk with your doctor
before taking this or any drug.
-
Phentermine
This drug works by making you feel less hungry so you eat fewer
calories. This drug is normally used for only a few weeks.
-
Sibutramine (Meridia)
This drug tells your brain you are full so you eat less. This
weight loss drug can be used for up to 2 years.
Go
to compares for weight loss
pills,
Which is the best diet
pills?
5. Weight
Loss Surgery
Surgery is a choice for obese people with a:
Surgery to help
obese and overweight people is another safe way to lose weight. Your
doctor can tell you more about how surgery can help and any possible
problems. Surgery alone is not enough. After weight loss surgery,
people need to watch their diet and stay active. Most people work
with a team of doctors and diet experts (such as dieticians) to help
stay “on track” after surgery.
Here are some facts about three types of weight-loss surgery:
-
Malabsorptive surgery
This type of surgery shortens and
re-shapes the digestive tract (intestines). This is done to
limit the amount of calories and other nutrients that are taken
into the body. This surgery is most often done along with
restrictive surgery described below.
-
Restrictive surgery
This makes the stomach smaller so it cannot hold
as much food as before. This type of surgery does not change how
your body digests food. Restrictive surgery is done in one of
two ways:
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Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: In this
surgery, a band is put around the top of the stomach. This
makes a small pouch that can only hold a small amount of
food.
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Vertical
Banded Gastroplasty (VBG): This is sometimes called
“stomach stapling.” Doctors make a small pouch on the top of
the stomach. The outlet from the pouch to the rest of the
stomach has a band around it. This band keeps the stomach
from emptying food so the stomach feels full.
-
Combination
surgery
This includes aspects of both malabsorptive and
restrictive surgery. It makes the stomach hold less food and
re-shapes the digestive tract to get fewer calories. There are
two types of combination surgery:
-
Gastric
Bypass (also called Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass or RYGB): This is when part of the stomach is stapled and bypassed.
This causes the person to eat less and so take in fewer
calories and nutrients
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Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD). In this surgery, most
(about 70%) of the stomach is removed. The smaller stomach
is then connected to the small intestine. This means the
protein, carbohydrate and fat in foods are not mixed with
the bile and pancreatic enzymes that would break them down.
Therefore, less food is taken into the body.
Go
to the costs and prices
for weight loss surgery
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