Diet/Surgeries or Supplements – What to Choose?

Your weight does influence how you feel and how others perceive you. Well, that’s not and shouldn’t be the only reason why you would want to lose weight. When you lose weight, you significantly reduce your chances of developing conditions like joint pain, diabetes and heart diseases. Further, you will improve your sleep. It will not only control your metabolism, but will make you feel and live better.

It may not come across as a surprise to you that people, who are obese have changed sensations of taste. This redirects them into eating more and more of the wrong type of foods. If you lose weight, you won’t crave for foods with high sugar or fat content. Also, when you lose weight, you will have a more responsive immune system.

Thus, you have enough reasons to embark on a weight loss journey. But, the question that comes to the mind is how? What are the various ways through which you could lose weight and which is the best option? Let’s discuss them in detail.

A sustainable weight loss plan requires a lot of determination, time and effort. There are many makeshift options available like supplements, pills and surgeries. But, these are generally unsafe and unregulated. They do give results, but usually accompanied by some minor or serious side effects. So, it is important to have a word with the doctor before opting for surgery or taking pills and supplements.

Generally, and in most cases, reducing the intake of calories and exercising are the best methods to lose weight. Only in some cases does a doctor recommend prescription drugs, surgery or other type of treatments.

All surgical methods or procedures are associated with some extent of risk that even include the risk of death. The same is true for weight loss surgeries. You must take out time to learn which weight loss options are good for you. There are certain medicines that can help you lose weight. But these must be combined with having healthy diet and sustained physical activity. OTC, diet pills and supplements are not regulated. Sometimes the ingredients are risky. This is because supplements are not required to stick to standards as other prescription drugs.

Ephedra was once a popular weight loss supplement, which works by reducing hunger. It was once widely in use, but now it has been rendered unsafe. It has been found to cause side effects like headaches, shaking, arrhythmia, stroke, seizures and death. Green tea extract is also available as a weight loss supplement. It is believed by some people that green tea boosts fat metabolism. The concentration and quality of green tea varies in supplements from pill to pill. The effects of supplements will be the same as drinking green tea. Hoodia is also sold as a weight loss tool. It is basically a plant and is used as an appetite suppressant. Hoodia is available in the forms of tablet, powder and capsule. It can be formulated into a tea. However, its side effects and risks have not been studied extensively.

In some cases, doctors may recommend bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery. This surgery will be recommended only if you are overweight or have health problems related to weight like heart disease or diabetes. This surgery is done in men, who weigh more than 100 pounds and in women weighing more than 80 pounds. A weight loss surgery brings changes to digestive tract that result in weight loss.

After you have undergone this surgery, you will be put on a special diet while reducing the intake of food. This will bring about a healing effect on the body and at the same time, weight loss will also occur. After one or two days of the surgery, you will have a liquid diet. Then, the next three to four weeks, you will be on puréed diet. Finally, after two months of the surgery, patients can resume to eating heavier foods.

Your stomach becomes smaller after surgery. For this reason, you may have to face nausea and vomiting in case you eat or drink more than the recommended amount in one go. Dumping syndrome may be caused by eating too much and at a fast rate. Food and liquid entering the small intestine may cause diarrhea and dizziness in addition to nausea and vomiting.

You must take adequate care of diet and pay attention to exercise as this will help you lose excess weight after a weight loss surgery. In most cases, the patient will be prompted by the doctor to consider other options before trying drugs, supplements and surgery.

Well, to be honest, the safest and easiest way to lose weight is to go for a diet which is less in calories and increase in the intensity of physical exercise. If exercise and diet do not work or you are having other medical conditions, then other medical strategies may help you. You must assess the risks and benefits of weight loss drugs, surgery and supplements with the help of a doctor or physician. Chart out your weight loss goals and practice the best suited method accordingly.