I Fell Off the Wagon

My suggestion is -- don't do it! Diet pills are NOT the way to go, I don't know a single person either on here or in my life that has had long term success from diet pills. They are quick fixes at best, and detrimental to your health at their worst.

The unpopular truth about weight loss is that the faster it comes off, the faster it goes back on (and the harder it ever is to keep it off). Losing it slowly, 1 or 2 pounds a week at most, is your best bet. I know that's not what you were looking for, but it's the truth. Slow weight loss gives our body time to adjust to each new step, and encourages it to continue in that direction -- Fast weight loss shocks the body, and so when the "diet" stops, the body just wants to put the weight right back on to "heal" itself.

Don't do the pills, they don't really work. I have been feeling discouraged myself today. :sad: The pills may help you in the beginning but they are not good for you and won't change your eating habits. Keep your chin up, be faithful in entering your food diary (don't let it past your lips unless you log it) and keep plugging away at it. It will eventually come off. I for one am tired of being overweight and giving up this time is not an option, don't let it be for you either.

I posted this on a thread earlier today but you NEED to read this. Diet pills, shakes, ANYTHING that is a quick fix will not last long term. Please rethink this.

I got this via e-mail today on quick weight loss. Please read.

How Safe Is Quick Weight Loss?
You might want to drop extra weight as fast as possible, but the most long-lasting loss often comes at a slow, and safe, pace.
By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH Print Email
Tempted by the fad diet that promises 15 or even 30 pounds of weight loss in the first month? While it would be lovely if excess weight could safely melt away (ideally before bikini season), quick weight loss is unlikely, and prolonged extreme weight loss is not safe.

Weight Loss: Understanding That First Drop

"We usually recommend about a half a pound to two pounds a week, which is a lot less than what these fad diets promise," says Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at the Houston Northwest Medical Center.

Banes acknowledges that some people may experience quick weight loss in the early stages of a new diet, but says it is important to be realistic about what to expect over the long haul. "If you have a lot to lose and you start on a diet and lose more than two pounds a week, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but know it's going to slow down," warns Banes, adding that some of the initial weight loss probably is water weight.

Even Banes' patients who have had lap-band or gastric bypass surgery and lose weight dramatically at first will eventually slow down to what feels like a crawl, but is actually a healthy rate of weight loss. Banes says she would worry about a person's rate of weight loss if they continued to lose five to 10 pounds (or more) a week.

Weight Loss: Safe Strategies, Best Strategies

While not everyone, including Banes, focuses on counting calories, doing the math can help guide you to a safer weight loss. Generally, experts recommend trimming 500 to 1,000 calories from your daily intake by eating less and exercising more.

A pound is the equivalent of 3,500 calories, so if you can cut 500 calories each day for a week, you should lose one pound. Researchers who analyzed data from 1,801 Minnesota dieters over a two-year period found that the more strategies dieters used, the more likely they were to be successful in losing weight at this pace. Strategies that lead to success include:

Counting calories
Increasing daily exercise (aim for 150 minutes a week or more)
Cutting out sweets and snacks
Reducing fat intake to less than 30 percent
Increasing fruit and vegetables
Decreasing portion sizes
The researchers noted that one crucial piece of information lacking from many diet strategies: persistence. Their conclusions support the fact that even though it will take a long time at the pound-per-week pace — longer than many people would like — with a slower approach you are more likely to develop the long-term healthy habits that will help keep the lost weight off.

Weight Loss: When the Rate Becomes Dangerous

If extreme weight loss means you are not getting enough nutrients — the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins needed for your body to function properly — you have entered the territory of unsafe weight loss. You may also be developing an eating disorder focused on your obsession with weight. Some of the warning signs that you may be losing too much weight are:

Thinning hair
Frequently becoming sick
Feeling cold more often than usual
Having fewer or no menstrual cycles
Disappointing though it may be, the reality is that slow and steady wins the weight-loss race. Take it easy and be patient — you will achieve your goal and, more importantly, maintain it.

Last Updated: 04/07/2009
This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2009 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.

Look at it this way: you lost 6 pounds in 2 months. That's a good thing.

Take it easy. Slow your weight loss. You probably gained it back because you were losing too fast.

I totally agree....
I've lost 6lbs in a year.... and that's a big deal for me...(I keep getting ran over by my wagon).
You can do this... quick fixes aren't the answer.
Just breathe.... and hop back on. :flowerforyou:

Well, I lost 10 pounds in 1.5 months, and I've gained 4 of it back in 2 weeks. I'm discouraged, disappointed, disgusted with myself and completely not motivated. I don't know what else to do. I can't do the 'lose 1 pound a week' thing anymore, so I think I'm going to try some kind of diet pill along with diet and exercise.

Any suggestions??

My suggestion is determine why you are wanting to lose weight..is it for a healthy lifestyle or just to have a slim figure no matter what it takes...if your not in it for the long term of being healthy then you have to realize the side effects and consequence of taking pills and quick fixes.to reach your goal..sure you can take a pill that may help you but when you quit taking it you may gain triple back and next year your back at square one plus 3....I wont judge you because I have been in your shoes an perhaps I still am...just remember its not a race to be skinny ...its a race to live a long healthy life and try to reverse all of the bad we have already done to our bodies so we can enjoy the time we have left....Good luck ..Im sure you will make the right choice..besides think of all the people who will say "WOW" when they find out you lost weight the good ole fashioned way...its a lot better than the "Oh" response you will get when you tell them about a pill.