Is it worth it?

When trying to lose weight, there are different options available. A couple of choices that are being looked at today are: "Cereal K" diet, the weight loss pill that begins with an "A", and the "Medif..." diet.

The "Cereal K" Challenge:

The Premise: Replace two of your Meals daily (breakfast and lunch) with one serving of the cereal - which is 1 cup along with ½ cup skim milk. Have healthy snacks throughout the day, and then have a healthy Dinner.

The Promise: Claims that Residents can lose up to 6lbs in 2 weeks on this food substitution method alone.

The Problem: A one cup serving of cereal isn't that filling - and only offers 7g of protein per serving, along with a whopping 22g of carbs. I would choose to eat a balanced meal, feel fuller, and get more protein.

The "Medif..." diet:

The Premise: A high protein, low carbohydrate portion and calorie controlled Diet, offering between 800 - 1,000 calories per day. It's a tiered plan, which cuts out all carbs first thing, and then slowly reintroduces them over a matter of months and encourages following a Healthy Diet.

The Promise: The rep that I have been consulting with has advised that I will probably "lose 15-30 lbs your 1st month and 2-5 lbs a week after that." It is specifically "designed to yield a loss of 2 to 5 pounds per week while preserving muscle mass."

The Problem: The most basic plan is $299.00 a month - which is 5 meals a day, and then you create your own "lean and green" meal for dinner, making it not so cost effective, despite their facts and figures. Also, the final kicker, as noted in the literature itself: "Most Experts draw the line at 1,200 calories as the minimum needed for adequate nutrition, and say that Dieters should not dip below this number unless they're under a Physician's care." Sounds a little risky.

Weight loss pill that begins with an "A":

The Premise: "A" is the "only FDA-approved, over-the-counter weight loss product.It deters the absorption of fat in the intestines which then cuts down the calories that the body absorbs.

The Promise: "A" is a safe way to supplement weight loss - only affecting your digestive system, not "your heart or your brain." It also claims that it can help you lose your Weight at a rate of 1.5 times faster than with exercise alone. The Problem:

According to the Mayo Clinic website "The average weight loss for prescription-strength Xenical is...[only] about 6lbs greater [per year] than diet and exercise alone." The non-prescription strength "A" is estimated to provide approximately half of that - so only 3lbs more per year than with reasonable diet and exercises changes alone - and with the risk of "gas with an oily anal discharge." That last sentence is enough to scare me away!

These three options certainly promise results, but all indicate that they really only supplement a healthy Diet and regular Exercise. It seems like it would be easier, more cost effective, and digestively pleasant to start making health-conscious decisions regarding portion control and diet, as well as starting a regular exercise regime. Revamping a diet is easy, but with exercise, it's best to go with a trainer to make sure that you are maximizing your workouts as well as doing them correctly! Contact your Fitness Coach for a jump start today!