Diet Aides: Love 'em or Leave 'em?

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meigan82
meigan82 Posts: 2
in Introduce Yourself
I know the best way to lose weight is watching what you eat and excercising, but sometime it seems like that just doesn't do the trick. I myself, lost a good 5 lbs in 4 weeks, then just stopped even though I was eating my calories everyday (and no more then the suggested amount), and excercing what I could each day. So, my question is: what is everyone's thoughts on taking dieting aides? Not necessarily the ones that starve you, but the ones that are supposed to help burn more calories or thermogenics. Is anyone taking those now and have you had any success with them?

Replies

  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
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    The only "diet aid" I consume is a slim-fast shake in the morning, and it's not even because it's slim-fast, it's because they are pretty yummy and very quick and it's a controlled amount of calories that keeps me full until lunch. Otherwise, I leave them.
  • rherrin5
    rherrin5 Posts: 136 Member
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    Im not up on them personally. I think the healthy way is thru diet and working out. However, you woud be amazed at what a multi vit would do for you. Try getting some good ones. I take GNC's Womens Mega Ultra Active. Its awesome. I love them. They give me energy and I get all I need in taking one in the am and one right after lunch. Time released so your not crashing by lunch. They are just a multi vit. Not a diet pill but you would be surprised at how your body reacts when its getting everything it needs. Its got all your B's so no need to take seperate. All your calcium. My other suggestion would be after every 5 pounds you lose, go back into your goals and reset your current weight to your starting weight. That way it recalculates your cal in take for the day. If you weighed 160 and now down to 155 for example, your intake is going to be slightly different. Eat back all your cals from your work out days. Or at least NET 1200. I do not eat all of mine but I make sure I do at least NET of 1200. Also, maybe your body needs a shock. It sounds silly but it works. Just for lunch one day go splurge on McDonalds with a cheeseburger and small frie and soda. Then next day get back on track. Sometimes you just need that shock to jump start ya again. Good Luck and all my info is from my friends on here that have helped me out, so im just passing it along and it worked for me!
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
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    leave em. I'm in the same boat as you, 5lbs lost and now nothing for a month! However, in the past I tried all the diet aides there were - waste of money.

    Let's just stick with good food and exercise - good luck on your journey :smile:
  • shugamuffin
    shugamuffin Posts: 12 Member
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    I don't think they work. Most of them are loaded with caffeine or ephedrine. I'd leave them too unless you want to give money to the manufacturers. I'm sure they'd appreciate your support. ;) If you want caffeine have a cup of coffee or a diet coke. Sometimes that will take the edge off the afternoon munchies for me.
  • amyoliver85
    amyoliver85 Posts: 353 Member
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    Depends on what it is. If you feel that diet and exercise really aren't helping you get the job done, there may be a larger issue that you need to talk to your doctor about.

    If you don't have a larger issue and you just have a stubborn metabolism that is in league with your body fat, visit a homeopathic physician. There are stores all over the country (not Whole Foods...they're just a healthy store) where there is a trained and certified naturalist and homeopath on site. They can give you natural products that will work WITH your body how it already is in order to bost your metabolism naturally. Diet aides typically work against your natural body condition to change the way it thinks. But homeopathics will talk to your body on its own level.

    I see a homepath regularly and he has helped me kick start my metabolism as well as cleanse my body of toxins through simple plant products. I was losing no weight and no inches. So I stopped the protein shakes and started taking his metabolism pastilles (which seriously are made from three plants everyone has heard of) and suddenly my body said, "Oh! That's what you want? Why didn't you say so in the first place?" I only took the pastilles for THREE DAYS. I have not needed them since.
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
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    Leave 'em.

    If you want to invest in something that might help your weight loss I suggest an Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) since it will give you a better idea of how many calories you are burning during exercise (the machines at the gym and the MFP estimates tend to be high). Also, an HRM will help you to know when you are working in your target heart rate zone and may encourage you to push yourself further during exercise.
  • h2onut
    h2onut Posts: 164
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    YOU need to do what is right for you. For me, I say leave them - there is no such thing as a magic pill and believe that in order for this to work for life, I need to find a way to do it myself. Otherwise, I believe it will come back on (and more) - been there, done that. Are you drinking enough water? I'm finding that I'm really bad at drinking enough and notice that is when I hit the wall. Also, eat your exercise calories:)
  • bebababy
    bebababy Posts: 50 Member
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    I always struggle with the same issue. I have decided to try no to use diet aides because I am nervous that once I stop using them I will gain the weight back and that's more scary to me. Over the long run I know that I am not going to use a diet aide indefinitely so I want to really take on the challenge of managing what I eat and how much of it I eat.

    Diet aides might boost your confidence and drive if it can help you to lose more weight. if that's what you need just be careful. Food for thought:
    *increase your water intake
    *look at your meal report to see if maybe you have had foods that are a little higher in fat or salt
    Good luck to you. We are all on this journey and finding out what works for you is all that really matters in the end!! :happy:


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  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
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    Im not up on them personally. I think the healthy way is thru diet and working out. However, you woud be amazed at what a multi vit would do for you. Try getting some good ones. I take GNC's Womens Mega Ultra Active. Its awesome. I love them. They give me energy and I get all I need in taking one in the am and one right after lunch. Time released so your not crashing by lunch. They are just a multi vit. Not a diet pill but you would be surprised at how your body reacts when its getting everything it needs. Its got all your B's so no need to take seperate. All your calcium. My other suggestion would be after every 5 pounds you lose, go back into your goals and reset your current weight to your starting weight. That way it recalculates your cal in take for the day. If you weighed 160 and now down to 155 for example, your intake is going to be slightly different. Eat back all your cals from your work out days. Or at least NET 1200. I do not eat all of mine but I make sure I do at least NET of 1200. Also, maybe your body needs a shock. It sounds silly but it works. Just for lunch one day go splurge on McDonalds with a cheeseburger and small frie and soda. Then next day get back on track. Sometimes you just need that shock to jump start ya again. Good Luck and all my info is from my friends on here that have helped me out, so im just passing it along and it worked for me!

    I love the GNC women's vita! great stuff!

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