Just lost on phen now how to maintain
jengragg
Posts: 8
I've got one week left on phen and have lost 21 pounds. While I'd love to loose a few more, all in all I am happy with my current weight. I have not been excercising at all, but I am willing to start slowly. I have made major changes in my diet and portion size. I don't crave the foods I once did.
I know there are lots of phen-haters online and believe me I have read enough boards on it. I need realistic advice on what I can do to maintain the weight loss I have accomplished. Is there an OTC diet pill that I can take once I stop the phen for a month or so before quitting diet pills all together?
I know there are lots of phen-haters online and believe me I have read enough boards on it. I need realistic advice on what I can do to maintain the weight loss I have accomplished. Is there an OTC diet pill that I can take once I stop the phen for a month or so before quitting diet pills all together?
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Replies
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This sounds like a question best answered by your doc.
add: I don't condemn you for using phen but I do question your *doc's* competence if he gave you a prescription drug intended for the morbidly obese when you only had 21 lbs to lose.0 -
Diet and exercise would work best..and have better long term results for you vs diet pills.0
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You might need to look into reverse dieting to avoid the classic weight gain rebound. Diet pills make you eat very little, so it might be really helpful to eat low for the first week you get off the pill, then slowly add more calories (probably no more than an extra 100-150 a day) for several weeks until you hit your maintenance calorie number.0
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Diet pills generally don't equate to sustainable loses... You need to eat healthy, exercise, and get off the pills. If you find you are gaining - decrease your calories or up your exercise.0
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I've got one week left on phen and have lost 21 pounds. While I'd love to loose a few more, all in all I am happy with my current weight. I have not been excercising at all, but I am willing to start slowly. I have made major changes in my diet and portion size. I don't crave the foods I once did.
I know there are lots of phen-haters online and believe me I have read enough boards on it. I need realistic advice on what I can do to maintain the weight loss I have accomplished. Is there an OTC diet pill that I can take once I stop the phen for a month or so before quitting diet pills all together?
sorry...you want a pill to help you get off a pill?
a couple questions, if i may...
why did you get on phen to begin with? looks like you only had 25 or so to lose.
knowing that the phen was not a permanent solution, did you do anything in the way of preparation for getting off of it?
you are willing to slowly start exercising now, to help maintain what "you accomplished"...why wasnt exercise implemented earlier?0 -
Phen is an appetite suppressant. Weigh and log everything you eat this last week while you're still on it. If, in that week, you eat, say, 1,500 calories on average every day and you lose 1 lb, then that is how many calories per day you need to net to lose 1 lb per week. After you get off of phen, set your MyFitnessPal goals with those numbers in mind. If you only have a few more lbs to lose, then you should have your settings on ".5 lb loss/week" in the Goals setting on MyFitnessPal.0
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Since you also lost probably almost 4 lbs easily of muscle mass since no exercise - you also aren't going to be able to eat as much as you would have otherwise, so that will make it more difficult to maintain because you have less room for error.
So MFP estimating what your daily burn is outside exercise is going to be inflated, because it's based on average ratio of fat to muscle, which you are probably not at anymore.
Reverse diet reference means eat 100 extra daily for 1-2 weeks. Take the increased water weight gain, same big water weight drop you got starting a diet, everyone gains that back.
Then increase another 100 daily, ect.0 -
Jen,
I am about where you are. I've lost 27 pounds on phen, with 7 left to go to my goal. I am working out 5 days / week, and plan to keep this up.
I am very excited about reaching my goal weight, and want to make sure that I maintain. I really like britishbrocco's suggestion.
Lynette0 -
Is this a trick question ?
You maintain your weight the same way you lose or gain weight.
By managing your calories.
You lost weight because you ate at a calorie deficit
You will gain weight if you eat at a calorie surplus
You will maintain your weight by eating at your TDEE.
phentermine doesn't magically make you lose weight, it suppresses your appetite so you eat less which puts you in a calorie deficit.0 -
Is this a trick question ?
You maintain your weight the same way you lose or gain weight.
By managing your calories.
You lost weight because you ate at a calorie deficit
You will gain weight if you eat at a calorie surplus
You will maintain your weight by eating at your TDEE.
phentermine doesn't magically make you lose weight, it suppresses your appetite so you eat less which puts you in a calorie deficit.
what phen DOESNT do is magically instill willpower. therein lies the challenge.
methinks phen did the OP a disservice.0 -
what phen DOESNT do is magically instill willpower. therein lies the challenge.
methinks phen did the OP a disservice.
Amen. I have never, EVER heard of a successful story of a person maintaining a weight loss after losing from diet pills. I've only heard rebound stories of people gaining even more, or even having their body shape change.
This happened to me. I lost a ton of weight on that Metabolife stuff back in the 90's. I had no appetite when I was on those pills and thought I had "conquered" my eating problems....because I only wanted Slim Fast shakes and oranges all day long (not much else appealed to me). The SECOND I stopped taking them, the sugar cravings surged back stronger than I had ever experienced, I gained everything back - plus some - within months, and my hips became two inches bigger than my breasts when I had been a perfect hourglass my entire life. The stuff is NASTY.
I realize the OP said she's read enough boards about this wants realistic ideas to maintain, but I'm sorry, "realistic" and taking pills" do not belong in the same sentence. There is zero reality involved. You want a quick fix using a short cut to bypass the character it requires to be healthy...and I'm sorry but you'll pay for it in the end. I've never heard of someone *not* paying for it and being very sorry they ever did it in the first place. :ohwell:0 -
what phen DOESNT do is magically instill willpower. therein lies the challenge.
methinks phen did the OP a disservice.
Amen. I have never, EVER heard of a successful story of a person maintaining a weight loss after losing from diet pills. I've only heard rebound stories of people gaining even more, or even having their body shape change.
This happened to me. I lost a ton of weight on that Metabolife stuff back in the 90's. I had no appetite when I was on those pills and thought I had "conquered" my eating problems....because I only wanted Slim Fast shakes and oranges all day long (not much else appealed to me). The SECOND I stopped taking them, the sugar cravings surged back stronger than I had ever experienced, I gained everything back - plus some - within months, and my hips became two inches bigger than my breasts when I had been a perfect hourglass my entire life. The stuff is NASTY.
I realize the OP said she's read enough boards about this wants realistic ideas to maintain, but I'm sorry, "realistic" and taking pills" do not belong in the same sentence. There is zero reality involved. You want a quick fix using a short cut to bypass the character it requires to be healthy...and I'm sorry but you'll pay for it in the end. I've never heard of someone *not* paying for it and being very sorry they ever did it in the first place. :ohwell:
i would like to thank you sincerely for posting your actual experience. so many people think that gimmick-hate is wrong and "bullying". HOPEFULLY supporters of these products will see your experience and realization here and think twice. sadly, it's too late for OP and she may very well find herself back at square one faster than she ever thought possible...and without having learned the valuable tools to go about this in a healthier fashion.
all the best to you, and thanks for sharing your story! :drinker: <---those are NOT slimfast/herbalife shakes
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Didn't the phen plan come with nutrition education? It certainly should have.
If it didn't... and you feel like you don't know how to eat right, consider starting with something educational, like phase 3 of South Beach.
Best of luck, hope you can figure out what works!0 -
i would like to thank you sincerely for posting your actual experience. so many people think that gimmick-hate is wrong and "bullying". HOPEFULLY supporters of these products will see your experience and realization here and think twice. sadly, it's too late for OP and she may very well find herself back at square one faster than she ever thought possible...and without having learned the valuable tools to go about this in a healthier fashion.
all the best to you, and thanks for sharing your story! :drinker: <---those are NOT slimfast/herbalife shakes
You're welcome! I'm a very supportive person (ask my 200+ friends on here), but I don't mince words when it comes to this stuff.
The only thing that *really* works for losing weight and keeping it off permanently is emotional growth and maturity. Period. Everything else stems from that: eating healthy, eating in moderation, exercising regularly, getting good sleep, keeping oneself accountable, supporting others, and so on and so forth... These things require us to grow up, practice good character, and care for ourselves. If you try to go the other way 'round, you will fail.0 -
Im not going to get into a discussion here as to what i think about diet pills/drugs. I will say that the best solution for you is to not proceed to go looking for another diet pill to maintain your weight, but spend the next week doing what you should have already been doing--getting into a regular exercise program and figuring out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight as well as logging your intake. If you hadnt been on the drugs, you would likely have already been doing this to lose weight and there wouldnt be a learning curve for you. Boring and tedious as it seems, there are no shortcuts in life. Best of luck.0
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Phen is basically legal speed. The risks and side effects outweigh the results you may see on the scale. I speak from personal experience. That **** will wreck your metabolism and your sleep cycle.0
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Just eat the amount of calories you've been eating while taking the pills. It won't be easy. I know this because you needed pills to eat this way in the first place. After all this, if you manage to maintain a deficit or maintain your weight, you may ask yourself why you didn't just do that in the first place. I suspect you'll gain all that weight back, though.0
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Whoever prescribed it should be able to give you an idea of how many calories you need to maintain. I love this app for helping calculate, it makes it easy.0
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How are you even getting phen? It was deemed "unsafe" and "outlawed" multiple years ago! Stop, please you don't know what you are doing to your cardiac status!0
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I don't even know she obtained the Phen!!!!!!!! It was outlawed. If she lost weight, that's great. Congrats. However, I hate see the overall impact on her cardiac status. Best to do it the old fashioned way - exercise and portion control. It takes longer, yes, but in the end, it will teach us to take control of food and not the other way around. Bless her heart.0
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I lost my first 21 lbs (in two weeks, but I was over 400 lbs) on phentermine from my doc. I only took it 2 weeks cuz it raised my blood pressure dramatically. When I came off it I just continued to eat in a deficit and exercise. I haven't gained back any of the weight I lost.
If you plan on maintaining or losing more the best thing you can do is let your dr evaluate you (for fitness purposes if you haven't exercised yet), and just watch the calorie intake.0 -
How are you even getting phen? It was deemed "unsafe" and "outlawed" multiple years ago! Stop, please you don't know what you are doing to your cardiac status!
Fen-Phen was outlawed. Phen is still around and legal.0 -
:ohwell:Didn't the phen plan come with nutrition education? It certainly should have.
If it didn't... and you feel like you don't know how to eat right, consider starting with something educational, like phase 3 of South Beach.
Best of luck, hope you can figure out what works!
I was on Phen a few years ago, and no, my Dr. didnt give me any nutrition guide or exercise plan. She just told me how to take it and for 3 months, then stop (to avoid getting the body use to it) and WHEN I started to gain the weight back, she put me back on it.
Lets just say, I gained ALL plus some back, no motivation (couldnt eat, didnt want to nor had the energy), no energy and felt sluggish and blah! After gaining it all back, I was back to square one, to lose the weight (Yet again). Unfortunately I failed, but some may have better luck than I.0 -
Phen is an appetite suppressant. Weigh and log everything you eat this last week while you're still on it. If, in that week, you eat, say, 1,500 calories on average every day and you lose 1 lb, then that is how many calories per day you need to net to lose 1 lb per week. After you get off of phen, set your MyFitnessPal goals with those numbers in mind. If you only have a few more lbs to lose, then you should have your settings on ".5 lb loss/week" in the Goals setting on MyFitnessPal.
YOU are one smart cookie!
OP; this sounds like a very sensible approach.0 -
I don't even know she obtained the Phen!!!!!!!! It was outlawed. If she lost weight, that's great. Congrats. However, I hate see the overall impact on her cardiac status. Best to do it the old fashioned way - exercise and portion control. It takes longer, yes, but in the end, it will teach us to take control of food and not the other way around. Bless her heart.
There is a cousin to this drug, phentermine. This is what I bet the OP is taking. This is what my Dr. prescribed me and many others.0 -
Phen is basically legal speed. The risks and side effects outweigh the results you may see on the scale. I speak from personal experience. That **** will wreck your metabolism and your sleep cycle.
So true. I tried it, it is like speed! I sweat all the time, had anxiety, terrible headaches but I sure wasn't hungry! It also gave me the WORST breath on the planet. If you can't learn to eat less all by yourself you will gain the weight back.0 -
Phen is also associated with pulmonary fibrosis, which can crop up during *or after* use.
It's rare, but so serious I would never consider taking phen. Being mildly overweight (in your case--obese in my case) is not so serious a problem that I would want to increase my risk of death to fix it.0 -
Thanks for all the advice! I will certainly use it. I joined MFP for help, not critisim. I gained weight after I turned 30 and previously tried to lose the weight through weight watchers. I am on 15 mg and being monitored by my physician. I KNOW all the affects of phen. I plan to continue to eat clean and get active. I am not the type that will hit the gym everyday as much as I wish I was. I work full time with 2 teens I am constantly hauling around. Yes, phen helped me get here, but the decisions I made while on the phen is ultimately how I lost the weight. 20 pounds is a lot for me and I feel it IS a huge accomplishment.0
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And your accomplishment should be celebrated, not denigrated. Several people suggested working with the prescribing doc on a maintenance plan, and I think that is best.
For your own fitness and feeling better, work with your doc on a plan that includes exercise. I am saddened that the doc did not suggest exercise while you were on it, but perhaps that would have cause more problems.
MFP and the people that have had success strongly encourages the simple method of LIFELONG fitness, starting by eating less and exercising more. Many have yo-yo'd up and down from fast-fix pills and other miracle solutions. Some people are more blunt than others. If it sounds like criticism, it is because everyone wants you to enjoy LONG-term health. My criticism: the doc is at fault for not working with you on a maintenance plan before you began the regimen so you would segue into it. It takes time to establish good habits, no way around the time.0 -
And your accomplishment should be celebrated, not denigrated. Several people suggested working with the prescribing doc on a maintenance plan, and I think that is best.
For your own fitness and feeling better, work with your doc on a plan that includes exercise. I am saddened that the doc did not suggest exercise while you were on it, but perhaps that would have cause more problems.
MFP and the people that have had success strongly encourages the simple method of LIFELONG fitness, starting by eating less and exercising more. Many have yo-yo'd up and down from fast-fix pills and other miracle solutions. Some people are more blunt than others. If it sounds like criticism, it is because everyone wants you to enjoy LONG-term health. My criticism: the doc is at fault for not working with you on a maintenance plan before you began the regimen so you would segue into it. It takes time to establish good habits, no way around the time.
Thank u! My doc did suggest exercise... I just always put it off. Isn't there a magic pill that will make me workout?. Just kidding!!! I KNOW I have to workout to truely be where I want to be. I am trying to be practical about it though because I know how am I when it comes to working out. Clean eating is definitely easier for me than committing to go to the gym. I am going to try to ease myself into the workout routine. Maybe start by walking around the neighborhood a few days a week.
I will most definitely log my calorie intake for the next week and love the suggestion on adding 100 calories at a time.0
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