Getting into the swing of things to lose weight and see YOUR desired results can take time, energy and determination. There is no magic pill that can make it happen overnight or truly remove the need to work at reaching goals. While some people use diet pills as a temporary or even semi-permanent crutch, the potential pitfalls of this action make avoidance the best option.

So, why are diet pills not worth taking?
Diet pills may, in fact, help ease cravings and reduce appetite. Even doctor-recommended pills, however, tend to contain substances that can be potentially harmful for the body. Some have the potential to produce embarrassing, uncomfortable and even dangerous side effects. Others are known to have a semi-addictive nature.

Because of their potential hazards, diet pills are not generally recommended for long-term use. This means when their use is ceased, the weight tends to come back. To create a safer, more sustainable weight loss and health program, it’s best to address lifestyle issues that require change.

If losing weight, building muscle and getting rid of fat are the goals, stay out of the drug store and rely on your health club instead. A trainer can help you address weight loss in a healthier, more gradual manner that is sustainable over the long haul.

When you work directly with a trainer (GFM) or other fitness professional, a plan to tackle your weight loss issues will be put into place. Rather than promise overnight success, this plan will seek to give you realistic goals that can be attained by helping the body – not hurting it. The facets involved may include:

• Cardiovascular exercise or interval training – Aerobic training is excellent for weight loss because it gets the body moving and burning calories. Interval training is aerobic in nature, but includes short bursts of intense activity to speed up the fat-burning process.
• Weight or strength training – When losing weight and keeping it off are the goals, building up lean muscle mass is important. Muscle simply burns more calories that other soft tissues. This means the more lean muscle mass a person has, the more the body will help itself in shedding unwanted fat pounds.
• Diet (Or Meal Plan) – PROPER dieting (meal planning) to lose weight effectively doesn’t mean starving the body or going without proper nutrition. A trainer can help you select a dietary option that truly fuels your body and provides you with the calories you need to maintain health and energy while losing weight.

Diet pills are simply not a weight loss panacea. While they might sound good on the surface, any help they provide can be clouded by potential side effects. Over the long haul, a smart plan that includes activity and proper nutrition makes more sense for dropping pounds and keeping them off while boosting health levels. A trainer can help put you on the right path to reach your goals and maintain the results.