Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Diets don't work, and neither do their drugs.

The FDA just approved a new diet drug. You can find an article about it on the NPR Health Blog.

This pill works through (1) a stimulant to get your body to burn more calories and (2) use of an appetite suppressant. Pretty much anytime you put a stimulant into the equation, you get elevated heart rates which can be a problem for at risk patients regardless. So for that reason alone, I'd stay away from it. Secondly, this pill bends to the (wrong) rule of pure calories in vs. calories out for weight control.

If you've followed me at all, you know I belong to the school of "don't eat less, eat right" for weight control and taking off body fat. I'm not interested in you simply weighing less, I want to see people taking off fat and maintaining or putting on muscle. You can't expect to keep muscle on your frame if you cut your calories and consume the empty calories that grains provide in lieu of useful calories found in meat, fruits, and vegetables.

I hope I'm singing to the choir by now.

Rather than taking a pill, or cutting your calories down to mere snacks for meals, instead focus your food intake on real, unprocessed food that humans evolved on, meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and nuts. These food groups will help control the hormones that cause fat retention. Plus, but keeping your calories up and from quality sources, you won't be putting your hard earned muscle at risk.

Think of those little fibers off the end of wheat stalks as little devil horns.

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