Are appetite suppressants always a bad thing?
wellthenwhat
Posts: 526 Member
Obviously it wouldn't be sustainable to take them forever. But is it really bad to use them moderately to help get over a hump?
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Replies
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To quote Igor- what hump?
I think relying on something isn't necessarily bad but how many humps are you going to have in life?
I think I'd try pushing through, playing with my macros or eating at maintenance to get thru a hump personally. Often times after stoping an appetite suppressant the appetite comes back stronger.13 -
This is an unnecessary crutch and ultimately ends up as replacing bad behavior with another bad (or not as bad) behavior. The best course would be to identify the root cause. This probably is not true hunger, but just routine, so build a new routine - something that promotes your fitness goals.5
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Good point, it's not hunger, but when I feel physically stuffed, it's easier not to binge. I have eating disorder tendecies.1
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That all depends on what it is, and how it works.
It should be something healthy that you can rely upon for the rest of your years.0 -
wellthenwhat wrote: »Good point, it's not hunger, but when I feel physically stuffed, it's easier not to binge. I have eating disorder tendecies.
I built up a routine where I drink 16 oz of water 30 mins before meal time. This works for me and gets me out of the false hunger signs. This also helps my workouts a lot as I'm looking to increase endurance and sweat a ton in a session.4 -
I've wondered the same thing, especially for that good ol' time of the month. It's amazing how you can do so well on eating and seriously just want to stuff your face for a few days out of the month. And it never seems to end when it should. Has anyone else used them just during these times? Or maybe even during stressful times, vacations, etc.?2
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I've wondered the same thing, especially for that good ol' time of the month. It's amazing how you can do so well on eating and seriously just want to stuff your face for a few days out of the month. And it never seems to end when it should. Has anyone else used them just during these times? Or maybe even during stressful times, vacations, etc.?
Exactly. Not as a daily thing, just as a back up kind of like laxatives, lol0 -
wellthenwhat wrote: »I've wondered the same thing, especially for that good ol' time of the month. It's amazing how you can do so well on eating and seriously just want to stuff your face for a few days out of the month. And it never seems to end when it should. Has anyone else used them just during these times? Or maybe even during stressful times, vacations, etc.?
Exactly. Not as a daily thing, just as a back up kind of like laxatives, lol
Or even like an aspirin! I'm not a big fan of taking medications to help lose weight but an appetite suppressant on a rough day seems about equal to taking an aspirin when you have a headache. Yeah, you can tough it through both of them but, if you could take a pill once every so often to avoid derailing an entire day (or more), wouldn't that be better than not taking it at all? Most of us who have binge behaviors know that one binge tends to lead to more so stopping yourself from screwing up one day could possibly save a whole week, which could equal out to a whole pound or more of loss instead of potential gain.1 -
What if your manner of eating made you full and you didn't have any humps?
I just looked at your diary for this morning and IMO sugar / carbs are the devil! Have you thought about eschewing all sugar and going low carb / high protein and fat?
Paleo / Ketogenic diets tend to be more satisfying because of the higher fat and emphasis of lots of low carb high fiber vegetables. I am a recovering anorexic myself and this diet requires quite a lot of attention to detail to get ratios right - which makes my OCD-self happy.
Check out these websites for more information: http://paleoiq.com/best-paleo-diet-blogs/2 -
For someone with an eating disorder tendency, occasionaly using appetite suppresants or laxatives for that matter, sounds dangerous and time to call the dr.11
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wellthenwhat wrote: »I've wondered the same thing, especially for that good ol' time of the month. It's amazing how you can do so well on eating and seriously just want to stuff your face for a few days out of the month. And it never seems to end when it should. Has anyone else used them just during these times? Or maybe even during stressful times, vacations, etc.?
Exactly. Not as a daily thing, just as a back up kind of like laxatives, lol
There's nothing funny about that... it sounds like pretty disordered thinking to me.8 -
Sounds like a slippery slope to me, OP, particularly since you mentioned disordered eating tendencies and laxative usage.
Much better to learn to dismiss cravings. If you know you get them at certain times of the month, then you can learn to say "no" to them. A craving is just a passing want. If you deny it you learn that YOU have control over food and not the other way around. Much more empowering than relying on pills.5 -
I would avoid them at all cost, and wouldn't start using them like that...2
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not a pill, but I will use tea and coffee, both of which have a mild appetite suppressant from the caffeine. It does help curb the edge if I'm hungry, and hold off the munchies when I'm bored. I lean more towards tea because I can drink that without any additions, but coffee I need to use cream and sugar.2
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What if your manner of eating made you full and you didn't have any humps?
I just looked at your diary for this morning and IMO sugar / carbs are the devil! Have you thought about eschewing all sugar and going low carb / high protein and fat?
Paleo / Ketogenic diets tend to be more satisfying because of the higher fat and emphasis of lots of low carb high fiber vegetables. I am a recovering anorexic myself and this diet requires quite a lot of attention to detail to get ratios right - which makes my OCD-self happy.
Check out these websites for more information: http://paleoiq.com/best-paleo-diet-blogs/
No, they are not. Although some folks find a high fat, low carb diet sustainable and satisfying, carbs are not some sort of boogeyman. I, and many of the folks on here who have had long term success (6 years and counting maintaining my 65 lb weight loss) while eating plenty of carbs. I would not expect a balanced perspective on diets from a "Paleo diet" blog.
Taking a deeper dive into your diary, you get very little protein and a high amount of your calories seem to come from treats (chocolate, brownies, which are high fat and high sugar). Switching up your diet to increase your protein and fiber, eating a more balanced diet, and getting more of your calories from more satiating foods would likely help with feeling hungry. And given your past/current issues with disordered eating and possibly abusing laxatives, this sounds like an especially dangerous path for you.9 -
There are pills out there that have a thermogenic effect that increases the heart rate and thus helps in weight loss. The bad part is the sides. Shaky hands, sweats out of nowhere, jitters, high BP, etc. Not worth it IMO. Clen and Albuterol both gave me these sides. Good old fashion water, carrots, no fat yogurt, etc. and HIIT is the key.1
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I would avoid them at all cost, and wouldn't start using them like that...
Same here.
I think learning that hunger isn't that big a deal, assuming one is not actually suffering from absence of food, of course, and controlling the tendency to read other things as hunger is important. I wouldn't use a pill to avoid that.
If the problem (not for OP, but in general) is eating in a way that doesn't promote satiating, understanding that and fixing it is also important.3 -
Are we including natural appetite suppressants like coffee, green tea, and dark chocolate? Because I love those things and they make me noticeably not hungry after consuming them. In which case, no, I don't think things that suppress your appetite are always bad. I wouldn't take a pill, though.4
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If you already know how to diet properly, and don't have a history of blood pressure / heart issues, I don't see what's wrong with taking certain appetite suppressants, such as EC (which is only unsafe if overdosed stupidly... like any drug).
Obviously there are other, actually illegal, drugs as well, which have higher risks of usage. I wouldn't touch those.
If someone is using them as a crutch for weight loss and has no idea how to actually lose weight properly or in a sustainable way, it's a terrible idea and they should not be used. Also, people with the 'more is always better' mindset need to stay away from them in general.
OP, if you are already abusing laxatives for losing weight, then I'd say yes, you should probably not think about using suppressants and probably fix your existing issue first. No offense.1 -
What if your manner of eating made you full and you didn't have any humps?
I just looked at your diary for this morning and IMO sugar / carbs are the devil! Have you thought about eschewing all sugar and going low carb / high protein and fat?
Paleo / Ketogenic diets tend to be more satisfying because of the higher fat and emphasis of lots of low carb high fiber vegetables. I am a recovering anorexic myself and this diet requires quite a lot of attention to detail to get ratios right - which makes my OCD-self happy.
Check out these websites for more information: http://paleoiq.com/best-paleo-diet-blogs/
Carbs are not the devil.
In fact fibre is the most filling thing to me.0 -
yellingkimber wrote: »Are we including natural appetite suppressants like coffee, green tea, and dark chocolate? Because I love those things and they make me noticeably not hungry after consuming them. In which case, no, I don't think things that suppress your appetite are always bad. I wouldn't take a pill, though.
I wouldn't consider them the same thing, in part because you usually aren't consuming them to kill the appetite, but for other pleasures. I don't even notice coffee diminishing my appetite, if it does, I just love it. I am pretty sure dark chocolate does nothing for my appetite, but if it reduced it beyond the calories I suppose that would be a nice side effect. (I don't care for green tea, so am not going to drink it, including as a supposed appetite suppressant.)0 -
I kind of agree with the headache analogy. I would not suggest anyone take them every day. I know there are some prescription ones out there, and I would hope that anyone taking them are under close supervision of a doctor, and that the health benefits far outweigh the risks. However in regards to some of the OTC ones available, and the mention of TOM for the ladies, I can see how it might be helpful in not allowing yourself to completely derail. I know when I get a headache I take Advil and drink a red bull, so me it seems like the same thing. I will however, say that I only agree for those who already have solid approach to nutrition and no disordered eating habits or thoughts. I think it could be a very slippery slope for someone who already had disordered eating habits.0
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What kind of appetite suppressants are we talking here? I don't think any of those over the counter tablets work, been there, done that.1
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Christine_72 wrote: »What kind of appetite suppressants are we talking here? I don't think any of those over the counter tablets work, been there, done that.
EC works famously for a couple of months, but as the body adapts, most of the "side effects" (reduced hunger, increased heart rate, increased energy) tend to fall off. It's a big part of the reason it gets cycled, even though the thermogenic effect remains.
Anything else? Ehh, all of the good stuff is pretty much impossible to get without a prescription anymore.0 -
Aah ok. I was thinking garcinia cambogia, green tea extract and it's ilk.
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wellthenwhat wrote: »Obviously it wouldn't be sustainable to take them forever. But is it really bad to use them moderately to help get over a hump?
I totally think they are good but to be utilized as a "Dietary Supplement" as stated on the bottle not as your primary weapon in your arsenal, that is and will always be reserved for your nutrition (diet).0 -
wellthenwhat wrote: »Obviously it wouldn't be sustainable to take them forever. But is it really bad to use them moderately to help get over a hump?
To me, yes it's a bad idea. "Moderate" use is a lot of pills that can mess you up for no reason.1 -
When I took the Appetite Stimulants out of my macro then my body's own Appetite Suppressants got back in control of my brain and the weight loss came naturally when cravings left going on three years ago. This has enabled me to lose weight and maintain it for the first time in 40 years yet never going hungry as long as I eat the macro that works for my body to self manage my calories since I stop eating when I get full now.1
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Just looked over your food diary.... to be honest, HUGE red flags everywhere. Please do NOT take an appetite suppressant, in all likelihood your body IS starving..... not for food necessarily but actual nutrients. I only went back about 5 days, but you literally live on "treats" and no real food. April 19 for example, you basically had no protein, and only like 900 calories in total, yet still managed to go over your sugar by like 22g. You're feeling hungry because your body literally IS starving for real nutrition. Protein and fiber are what will actually keep you feeling full for longer. Sugary *kitten* is literally going to spike your blood glucose, burn off pretty much immediately, and then signal your brain to want "more more more". Sugar addiction is very real, and when that's all you feel yourself, your body cannot thrive on that. Again, using April 19 as an example, 900 calories isn't enough to begin with, but you basically ate no food that day.... just junk after junk after junk.5
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Appetite supressants must be good for you, or why would it take me no time at all to find doctors willing to prescribe them whereas it took two decades to find a doctor willing to test thyroid function by testing thyroid function. (By which I mean I've had doctors offer appetite suppressants to me without asking for them whereas the "standard" thyroid function test actually measures a pituitary gland hormone; why that is the standard rather than directly testing thyoid hormones, I cannot begin to guess.)
That's just my bitterness talking.
I won't tell you they are harmless. But I also won't tell you that they are horrible. I did not like how I felt when I took them, and then about 11 o'clock at night when they wore off, I would be very hungry and end up bingeing. Clearly some people have gotten some good out of them, or they'd be done away with. No one else can weigh the potential for harm against the possible benefits for you except you. If you want validation that it is ok to use them, you will ignore people warning against.1
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