My friend and her "doctor".....?????

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jcompton3821
jcompton3821 Posts: 109
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a friend who is losing weight so fast and I am SO jealous :grumble: so I asked her what she was doing different and this is what she said....she was seeing a doctor :huh: and "Taking tenuate-an appetite suppressant. Drinking a gallon of water a day-exercising 45mins a day and only eating 700 cals. Tried ww but couldn't ever get below a certain weight. I am finally over that hurdle!!!! ""


Does this sound OK??? :noway: Everything on MFP stresses at least 1200 cals a day...some need more...I'm usually still hungry after 1200 cals :sad: and exercise to get more cals!!!!


Just curious.......:ohwell:
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Replies

  • simona1972
    simona1972 Posts: 355 Member
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    For me...this wouldnt be the way to go. My question and concern would be...what happens when you stop taking Tenuate? 700 cals per day wouldnt be sustainable for me in the long term so I know once Im off the med I'll go back to eating and gaining weight.
  • MTGirl
    MTGirl Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Doesn't sound good to me. At least she's under a doctor's supervision, but I wouldn't recommend this method. What will happen when she stops taking that pill? Probably pile back on the weight just as fast. Or go back to taking the pill. Do you want to be dependent on a pill the rest of your life to maintain your weight loss?? I don't! Slow and steady wins the race - especially healthwise!
  • mommyhof3
    mommyhof3 Posts: 551 Member
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    Does not seem right to me. I have been doing this with Weight Watchers (5 years ago) and continuing now with MFP and I have never eaten that little calories. I had a friend lose weight fast by "starving" her body and she has now gained most back bec once she lost it she started eating the way she was before. Don't be jealous of her and continue what you are doing because in the long run you will be the better one for it :)
  • kgrutch
    kgrutch Posts: 223
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    there is a doctor in town (he is a real doctor, a cardiologist actually) who also runs a weight loss clinic, he gives various injections weekly, appetite suppressants and pills to increase your metabolism and 500 calories/day. yes people lose weight, anyone with common sense can tell this is not the ideal way to lose weight. each person has to make his/her own decision about what is right for them but they obviously are taking risks with certain programs.
  • Changes4Life
    Changes4Life Posts: 30
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    I have a friend who is losing weight so fast and I am SO jealous :grumble: so I asked her what she was doing different and this is what she said....she was seeing a doctor :huh: and "Taking tenuate-an appetite suppressant. Drinking a gallon of water a day-exercising 45mins a day and only eating 700 cals. Tried ww but couldn't ever get below a certain weight. I am finally over that hurdle!!!! ""


    Does this sound OK??? :noway: Everything on MFP stresses at least 1200 cals a day...some need more...I'm usually still hungry after 1200 cals :sad: and exercise to get more cals!!!!


    Just curious.......:ohwell:


    A - Anything that sounds that easy is too good to be true and can't be good for you.
    B - Most people that lose weight this way will gain it all back plus some.
    C - That calorie amount is ridiculous and asking for trouble/health problems. That is not a healthy amount. Of course she would be losing.

    Stick to what you are doing, stick to your goals! Let her lose it all really quick and you can come in like the tortoise. I am telling you that her loss will sadly be short lived. This is a long term, lifetime commitment and there is noway in H_L_ that eating 700 calories a day for the rest of your life would be a smart or easy way to live. Trust me! I have done just about every weightloss thing out there. This is the real deal! Goodluck to you and keep going...your weight will come off like it should....slow and steady!

    Jennifer
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Wow, NOT the healthy way to go at all. I eat close to 1600 calories per day or more, depending on how much I exercise and am usually still a tiny bit hungry and I haven't gained weight. I've been maintaining for a couple weeks but stil have not gained. Eating more definitely makes you weigh less. I wouldn't trust this "program".
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    At one point, my personal trainer had me eating 900 calories a day for 3 days and 2100 calories on the 4th day to "confuse" my metabolism. I came on here and several people told me I was crazy (more or less) and to eat more and I did and I started losing more weight! I talked to my mom (who is a nutritionist) and she said that instead of "confusing" the metabolism starving my body was actually destroying it.

    So don't be jealous of that kind of weight loss. Slow and steady wins the race - and in this case, makes you live a LOT longer.
  • MelleyJ
    MelleyJ Posts: 198
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    1200 still isn't enough for most people, even the ones on here who are seeing results. Your best bet, especially if you are still hungry after 1200 calories is to check your estimated RMR (resting metabolic rate) or, if you have access to a facility that can check it for you, have your RMR tested. I recently had mine tested and I was eating 1200 calories for a while. By doing that, my estimated RMR was 1500-1600, but the actual result was 1380 because my body had adapted and was concerving everything I was eating, making my weight loss progress slow and lowered my RMR. Just an afterthought, but listen to your body. If you are still hungry, eat a healthy snack to curb your hunger and drink plenty of water. Who cares if you are over your calories. If you are putting healthy food into your body when it tells you that you are hungry, there's nothing wrong with that!
  • FabiolaEnvy♥
    FabiolaEnvy♥ Posts: 730
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    she taking a short cut.
    meaning once she is done taking the shortcut.
    she will be happy with her weight and get off of her shortcut meds.
    maybe within a month she will gain moooooore than what she lost. and that would be soooo sad. cause. it happens to people who doing it for more progress for a short amount of time.
    i say stick with this one and you will have a better result than her.
    cause your body will get use to eating a certain amount.
    so just stay commented to this. dont try doing what she is doing.


    oh and if you are still hungry after 1200 just eat a health choice of food such as snack
    fruits or vegi is the best and if you dont want that. get a bar you think is more filling for you. of course look at the calories.
    just keep what you doing. ok :)
  • lynnie30
    lynnie30 Posts: 105 Member
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    you need more than 700 calories to keep your body alive if you just lay in a bed all day. No, that is not good
  • StarryEyedGirl
    StarryEyedGirl Posts: 585
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    she may be able to survive 700 calories while on this med. but lets face it she will not be on the med forever (hopefully) You can't live on 700 calories a day without starvation mode... she is setting herself up for failure! at least with MFP you can live like this for ever!!!

    Good luck to her. when she is done dieting she can come over here to MFP and make a life style change!

    Don't be tempted to try her route you are doing fine right here

    good luck
  • Mellie13
    Mellie13 Posts: 424
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    Since I used to be a Pharmacy Tech I looked up this drug and it does not look like a good thing to be taking! Check this out!

    Tenuate is a sympathomimetic amine, which is similar to an amphetamine. It is also known as an "anorectic" or an "anorexigenic" drug. Tenuate stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain), which increases your heart rate and blood pressure and decreases your appetite.
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
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    How much weight has your friend got to lose?

    If you are 45% bodyfat and you have enough fat calories on you that it would take you 6 months to starve to death, then ya', maybe, for a little while. Under the care of a Doctor, with careful monitoring, and good vitamin/mineral supplementation.

    However, If you're not carrying so much it's a good way to get really really sick.

    Bad news for your friend is that she will not learn good healthy eating & lifestyle habits, and will be in danger of yoyoing right back to where she was once the "diet" is over.
  • FitbitConnor
    FitbitConnor Posts: 143 Member
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    For what its worth heres my two bobs worth...

    Ok firstly, I would take the advice of a qualified medical practitioner over any advice i found on the internet without hesitation. Secondly her doctor is most likely privy to information we are not so its not really helpful to criticize from a point of ignorance.
    There is not one single healthy weightloss method that will work for everyone im sure that if the doctor is a good one hes also talking through nutrition with her and the steps she needs to take once she has shed the initial fat.

    Being overweight carries many side effects and dangers that rapid weightloss may have been the lesser of two evils and more beneficial to her overall health picture.

    I wish your friend continued success! :0)
  • whyflysouth
    whyflysouth Posts: 308 Member
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    Since I used to be a Pharmacy Tech I looked up this drug and it does not look like a good thing to be taking! Check this out!

    Tenuate is a sympathomimetic amine, which is similar to an amphetamine. It is also known as an "anorectic" or an "anorexigenic" drug. Tenuate stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain), which increases your heart rate and blood pressure and decreases your appetite.

    I hear crystal meth does wonders for weight loss but that's not route you want to take. If the doctor is a real doctor he's probably got some kind of plan to wean her off and dramatically change her eating habits in the future, or maybe he's in the pocket of the pharmaceutical industry. Don't focus on losing the weight quickly, if that happens then take it like a gift, but the truth is, truly fit people are fit for years, not for 3-6 months to transform themselves into skinny people. Good luck!
  • jcompton3821
    jcompton3821 Posts: 109
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    :smile:
    For what its worth heres my two bobs worth...

    Ok firstly, I would take the advice of a qualified medical practitioner over any advice i found on the internet without hesitation. Secondly her doctor is most likely privy to information we are not so its not really helpful to criticize from a point of ignorance.
    There is not one single healthy weightloss method that will work for everyone im sure that if the doctor is a good one hes also talking through nutrition with her and the steps she needs to take once she has shed the initial fat.

    Being overweight carries many side effects and dangers that rapid weightloss may have been the lesser of two evils and more beneficial to her overall health picture.
    \
    I wish your friend continued success! :0)



    Oh, please don't think I am trying to "sabotage" her weight loss...I am VERY happy for her...she did have a "significant" amount to lose and I wish her all the best....I am afraid of any kind of drug...scared of all the "side effects" of just about anything so I wouldn't take anything anyway...I was just curious about the 700 cals because like I said I'm still hungry most days after eating 1200....
  • karlowe
    karlowe Posts: 92 Member
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    shes playing russian roulette with her health and that is kinda why we are here. to learn better. heck I can puck and take laxatives and get skinny minny but I want to do good for my heart not put it under stress which is what diet aids and not getting 1200 cal does. Your doing awesome! just focus on what you have done and not on what you still have to do!
  • haileyco
    haileyco Posts: 68
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    I concur with all the above responses. In addition, many of these weight loss meds that "speed up your metabolism" do so my increasing your heartrate, putting an increased strain on your heart and potentially causing heart problems and high blood pressure. bad news. it is like spped or amphetamines. no bueno. keep it up the natural way.
  • kgrutch
    kgrutch Posts: 223
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    i am whole heartedly against the use of "pills" for weight loss but i agree with one statement above regarding weight loss. i work in the open heart intensive care unit (after heart bypass surgery). most of these people are over weight and have been trying to lose weight for many years. maybe if some of them had done a program like above they could have lost 100 lbs 20 years ago and not be in the situation they are in. yes amphetamines raise your heart rate and cause a lot of side effects BUT so does being obese. obesity is an epidemic and heart disease is one of the scariest parts of the obesity. so i guess if people cannot lose weight naturally, other options should be explored.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    I have a friend here at work who is under a doctor's care, getting weekly shots @ $60 ea. She never eats (that I see, not sure her actual calorie count), but she's lost 30 pounds very rapidly. She said she did this before and as soon as she stopped the shots, she gained all the weight back plus an extra 20 pounds. Now she's to her goal weight but again, but is petrified to stop the $60 a week shots (or to quit smoking!).

    No thanks...

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