The number of obese people in the U.S. keeps rising, despite the strong sales of weight loss supplements. There are probably a number of factors in this equation. One of them may be the idea that there is a pill or drink that will reverse obesity without anything else being necessary. The Truth about Supplements: First, no one should start a supplement program without talking to the doctor first. Medications and medical conditions can change which products are safe for each of us. As an example, some diet pills can be a bad idea for those with depression or bipolar disorder. It can interact with the medications for these conditions and/or make them worse. Second, choose the supplements with care. All supplements will have side effects, so make sure you can handle the side effects they present. An example here would be hoodia. It may help suppress the appetite, but it also could suppress thirst. Thirst is the first sign of dehydration, and if it's missed, it could create some severe problems. Portion Control: This is one of the hardest parts of any weight loss program. A study shows that we tend to eat more than we think we do. One of the reasons is we don't know what a portion size is. A portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. A portion of vegetables, rice or pasta is about half a cup. There is a trick that will help with portion control. Buy and use smaller plates. The study above included this topic. Two groups of people were given the exact same amount of food. One had this on small plates and the other had them on larger plates. Those who ate from the smaller plates reported a feeling of satisfaction after eating. Chewing Instinct: This occurred to me after discussing proper horse care with our daughter. She told me that horses have a chewing instinct, and if they did not have something to munch on, they would start eating fence rails and so forth. When I get hungry before it's time to eat, a piece of sugar free gum generally allows me to wait until the proper time to eat. Don't Forget Liquids: There are two reasons for this. First of all, many liquids have calories. Some have a lot of calories. When you are calculating how much you've eaten, the liquids need to be accounted for. The other reason is that your body needs a certain amount of liquids per day. If you are exercising, the needed amount could go up. It doesn't do any good to diet if it's going to make you ill. The best tip for proper weight loss and control is to talk to the professionals. Start with your doctor to help decide what exercises you can do safely. Getting sidelined by injuries doesn't help the weight loss much. Ask for a referral to a nutritionist while you're there. The nutritionist can help you set up a diet that will meet your needs, tastes and cultural background. You may need physical therapy if there are old injuries. If that isn't necessary, a personal trainer may be in order. Most gyms offer the service, though it is usually for an extra fee. Knowing how to properly use the equipment is another good way to avoid being sidelined by injuries. These tips can put you back on the road to a healthy weight, and help you to maintain it. It's not easy, but it is worthwhile. Source
