Do weight loss pills and drinks actually work?

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Replies

  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    I forget the name of the drug, but my professor mentioned it in my molecular biology class. It's a drug that inhibits the certain pathway that converts excess glucose into fat if you will, and will continually burn only fat in the body as energy. Thing is, since the drug itself is extremely dangerous, and if the dosage is overestimated, well...miscalculated dosage can lead to death because it doesn't particularly know when to stop. Once it burns off all the fat your body has to offer, it'll start breaking down your muscle, then you die x.X.
    WHERE CAN I GET IT??!?!?!

    That would be creatine.

    not. it would not be creatine. this place and the wrong information that is often found here can be down right scary.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    coffee is all you need if you want a diet pill supplement
  • FightingGenetics
    FightingGenetics Posts: 108 Member
    I've had success with them but... I eat clean every day and always hit my deficit. (Look at my DIARY) I never eat junk and I never skip a workout. So are pills the reason I've lost 30lbs NO. They are not a quick fix. They just give you that extra 5%. Maybe without them I would have only lost 27lbs. But for me the give me a little extra energy and help my appetite. Would they have worked if they were the only thing I was doing NO!!!!!!!!

    But for me the weight loss equation is 75% Nutrition, 20% Exercise and 5% Supplementation.
  • I use a milk shake made of carnation breakfast drink and a piece of fruit and lots of ice blend until it creamy and smooth like a milk shake;
    Then I also use the complete ww diet breakfast 1c milk 1raw egg 1fruit 2pks sweetner ice blender until smooth can add a slice of toast and this is a complete weight watchers breakfast.
    Also use milk I ounce of protien power and fruit sweetner to taste ice blend.

    I guess by now you can see I like things that are cold and sweet when I get up in the morning but I also have had gastric by pass and while I was on liquids these are also the shakes that were recommended to me. They really do work but taste to good to be low in calories. a couple of them can be changed into a hot cocoa drink if you use cocoa or chocolate flavored bases. Good Luck.
  • dbkrantz
    dbkrantz Posts: 138
    I've tried diet pills/drinks and they don't work.

    You know how they say if it's too good to be true, then it probably is? It is too good to be true. If they worked, non of us would be counting calories.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Your asking the wrong question. The question shouldn't be "do they work?" the question should be "are they safe?" and possibly "do I need them?"

    The answer to both is usually no or a very qualified "sometimes"
  • If you are in a caloric deficit, yes.
  • Strive2BLean
    Strive2BLean Posts: 300 Member
    Hi. I don't believe in pills or anything artificial that is why I tried the Almased shake. It's all natural made with soy, honey and yogurt. No artificial sweeteners for me! I'm on my third day and have lost 5.5 lbs. This is after being on a plateau for over 6 months even though I was eating properly and exercising. I only plan to use it for 2 weeks which cost over $100. I think it's too expensive and would rather eat real food instead of two shakes to replace my meals for breakfast and dinner.

    It tastes okay if you blend it with almond milk and add a little flavoring like vanilla or cinnamon.

    P.S. So far it hasn't made me vomit
  • SusanRN2b
    SusanRN2b Posts: 106 Member
    I think you already know the answer.

    I think the thread could have stopped after this well said answer...

    Yes please

    Seriously, if there were a pill, or drink that made people lose weight, then pretty much everyone would be thin. With the exception of a very few people, losing weight takes hard work and discipline. There's no way around it.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I have had a bad experience with weight loss supplements.
    I had a weight loss drink and within minutes after I had finished it I was throwing up.
    Now was this due to me drinking it quickly?? because it really tasted like crap!!
    has this happened to anyone else?
    And does anyone have any recommendations for pills or drinks that do work for weight loss, I am from Canada so I cant get anything that doesnt exist here :)

    If you got it by simply walking into a store and buying it, then no, it won't do anything beneficial for you. In fact some of them are just caffeine which can cause nausea and cramping at high doses. If a doctor prescribed it for you, then yes, it probably will suppress your appetite and give you energy; however, once you quit taking it, you become ravenous.

    Also, taking a pill or drinking a drink won't help you build healthy habits, which is what will *keep* the weight off once you lose it.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I took Hydroxycut and felt like I was on crack. I had difficult time sleeping because I was so wound up. I did not have any appetite on them though. I did cut it down to 1 1/2 pills total daily unstead of 6. My appetite came back enough but I still felt wound up. To me it was like drinking a ton of energy drinks. I stopped taking them and just went back to counting calories. I feel way better just losing weight with calorie counting.

    That must have been in the "good ol' days." :wink:

    I used to *love* hydroxycut and metabolife. I still miss them. In addition to appetite suppression, the other major effect they had was a super-libido. I am still puzzled that they banned ma huang instead of of marketing it as "Viaga for women!" :laugh:

    (I think that just proves that the idiots at the FDA honestly don't want women to get horny unless it produces mega-profits for Big Pharma. You can't patent an herb.)
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    I started taking one when I was 21 or so. Just after having my son. It started with an A and that's all I remember. I was jittery, hyped to hell, got a lot of cleaning up done because I couldn't sit still.. and I lost 6lbs in 3 days. BUT I only took them for 3 days. On day 2 I ended up with the worst migraine of my life. It didn't stop until 2 days after I stopped the pills. Gained the 6 pounds back, and then some. Why? I learned squat about what and how much I should eat!

    Here, I'm learning more and more. I had some extra cals last night, so at supper time, I upped my serving of spaghetti from 1/2 a cup to 3/4 a cup. I couldn't finish it and my belly hurt. I used to eat a WHOOLLLE plate of pasta. My food choices are far from "clean", but I'm living the way I normally live, eating the way I (almost) always did, just cutting my portion sizes and counting everything. I'm down 24lbs in 9 weeks. That's better than any diet pill/drink can do!

    Stick with eating, and following MFP. If you're serious about weight loss, it WILL happen!
  • Look. Everything that works is illegal and everything that's legal doesn't work.

    The only exceptions can think of are creatine and caffeine. That's it. Maybe try hard work and determination.
  • hollyNhollywood
    hollyNhollywood Posts: 426 Member
    I learned my lesson a long time ago to stay away from diet pills-- after the top of my head went numb and tingly. Never again. (Plus if I recall correctly, at least some of them mess with your blood pressure & I have since found out that I high blood pressure. Not a good recipe.)
    I'm thankful for not buying into any of these 'quick weight loss' schemes any more. Proper diet & exercise are the way to go. Lose it naturally and at a moderate pace.
  • wmagoo27
    wmagoo27 Posts: 201 Member
    Hell ya they work! I used to work at GNC and you wouldn't believe the amount of people that would come back week after week after week faithfully buying them! Then when that brand stopped working they would switch to another one and another and another......oh, you mean to lose weight? :noway:
    They're a waste of money

    Best post of the day!
  • zombilishious
    zombilishious Posts: 1,250 Member
    I have a bridge for sale ..... complete with a bungee jump on it ....
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Look. Everything that works is illegal and everything that's legal doesn't work.

    The only exceptions can think of are creatine and caffeine. That's it. Maybe try hard work and determination.

    But amphetamines are legal if you have a prescription. It's just difficult to obtain a prescription if you are an an obese adult rather than a hyper-active 6 year old. :laugh:
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    I have had a bad experience with weight loss supplements.
    I had a weight loss drink and within minutes after I had finished it I was throwing up.
    Now was this due to me drinking it quickly?? because it really tasted like crap!!
    has this happened to anyone else?
    And does anyone have any recommendations for pills or drinks that do work for weight loss, I am from Canada so I cant get anything that doesnt exist here :)

    They are all a waste of money .... just eat right and work out!
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    WHERE CAN I GET IT??!?!?!

    Think it's been banned by the FDA and probably other countries as well ;3. I think my professor said that it was used by doctors in the late 1960's or so, but patient mortality due to miscalculated dosage led to it being recalled from the market I think o.O.
    Did it used to be used in Coca Cola (hence the name) lol
  • n2thenight24
    n2thenight24 Posts: 1,651 Member
    I like the GNC leanshake 25's, they have lots of fiber and protein, I don't drink them twice a day with only one food meal as suggested though, just for breakfast before I workout. It keeps me full till lunch and gives me the protein I need for a max work out. But it's not a miracle drink, I still have to work hard and turn down a lot of my favorite guilty pleasures!