For weight loss, it's best to go in for natural, healthy means. Instead of trying crash diets, weight loss pills or quick fixes, make a structured plan with regular exercise, a nutritious, low-calorie diet and stress control.

Downside of weight loss pills

Weight-loss pills can make you obese and often turn out to be ineffective. They work in different ways; sibutramine is a weight-loss agent they have which acts on the brain to enhance satiety, helping patients feel satisfied with a smaller portion of food. The problem with the pill is that the weight loss is rather modest-in the range of two to four kilos at the most-and much of the benefit is lost when it is discontinued. The drug also increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Its side-effects include increased defecation, menstrual irregularity, fatigue, sometimes jaundice or even liver failure and rectal bleeding. It can cause severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) in diabetic patients. It must not be used by breastfeeding mothers.

Downside of crash diet

On a crash diet, you only eat certain foods every day and refuse to be flexible. You might think it is healthy, actually it isn’t. Most of such weight loss diets restrict calories to the point of starvation, which can cause serious mental and physical harm. It can become a culprit for uncontrollable binges that can lead some people to exercise to the point of injury.

A healthy weight loss plan

A healthy weight loss plan is the one that is easy to follow. Exercise alone cannot help you lose weight and is not the cure-all for weight loss. Savour your foods and eat slowly. Understand the process of changing habits into a game to lose weight. Make healthy habits a part of your lifestyle and follow them consistently. Just make sure you don’t slip into those old habits again.