"Weight Loss Warning" - Describes a physician's investigative shopping experience at health food stores and the purchase of herbal diet supplements. There are several effective ways for weight loss, but most diet experts recommend a combination of healthy eating patterns and regular physical exercises. But a lot of people like to turn to pills, potions, herbs, camps, surgery and other ways to lose weight. Remember to always consult a doctor before beginning a weight loss diet or exercise plan.

Exercise and a balanced diet are the most important factors in weight loss. Follow a calorie-reduced, but balanced diet that provides for as little as one or two pounds of weight loss a week. You should avoid any diet that suggests you eat a certain nutrient, food, or combination of foods to promote easy weight loss.

When selecting a weight loss product or program, gather as much information as possible. Here are a couple of sites that will help you make an informed decision:

www.TopWeightLoss.com features tips, tricks, articles and topics for making an informed decision about a weight loss program.

www.WebMD.com also is another great resource for getting started losing weight. Sites featuring tools such as calorie calculators, meal plans, recipes, chat groups and information from weight loss experts.

There are also as many weight loss information books on the book store shelves, as there are cookbooks. You will find essential health and weight loss information that helps you take charge of managing your weight, and restoring your self esteem. But use caution before implementing anything that you find. Make sure that it is a healthy, long term way to lose weight, and not an over night diet fad or gimick.

Healthy Weight Loss

For healthy weight loss, most experts recommend a combination of healthy eating patterns and regular physical exercise. A physician should be consulted to develop a weight loss plan that is tailored to the individual. No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on sensible goals and expectations. For safe and healthy weight loss, try not to exceed a rate of two pounds per week. It's your complete roadmap to guaranteed permanent weight loss and a healthy lifestyle forever.

Programs

With so many weight loss programs on the market, the challenge is to find one that fits your lifestyle. When investigating weight loss products or programs, beware of high costs, pressure to buy special foods or pills, and fraudulent claims. You want programs that are designed to produce weight loss at a rate of approximately two pounds per week.

There are three types of weight loss programs:
1. Non-clinical programs
2. Clinical programs
3. Do-it-yourself programs

1. Non-clinical Weight Loss Programs

These weight loss programs may or may not be commercially operated, such as through a privately-owned, weight loss chain. These weight loss programs use counselors (who usually are not health-care providers and may or may not have training) to provide services to you.

2. Clinical Weight Loss Programs

This type of weight loss program may or may not be commercially owned. This can be anything from prescription drugs to hypnosis seminars to gastric by surgery to weight loss camps.

A. Prescription Diet Drugs

Many prescription diet medicines have side effects and may not work for long-term weight loss. Phentermine weight loss pills are an example of a weight loss drug. Meridia is a weight loss drug that when used along with a reduced calorie diet will help you reduce weight. They even say that on their website, www.merdia.net But it's not the pills that will keep your weight off. It's your choice of using it in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet plan, and if you add exercise, your amount of weight loss will increase dramatically!!

B. Hypnosis Programs

Weight Release is the number one selling and most effective hypnosis based weight loss program in the world. When you use a personalized weight loss program your chances of losing weight and keeping it off are increased. New weight loss program shows how anyone can lose weight with this proven plan. Again, it's not going to do it by itself, but coupled with determination and desire, it can help people lose weight safely and keep it off.

C. Surgery

This is why gastric bypass surgery tends to produce greater weight loss than other bariatric operations. Only your personal medical adviser can give you accurate advice about whether weight loss surgery is a good option for you. By doing this you get all the benefits of weight loss surgery including reduced risk of diabetes, cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. This option, known as bariatric surgery, can result in dramatic weight loss. Bariatric surgery is another type of weight loss surgery that has become the popular choice for treating morbid obesity. But should only be used in extreme conditions and under the suggestion of atleast one or more medical professionals. ( I would personally always seek a second opion to the risks and benefits before considering such an extreme measure. )

D. Weight Loss Camps

Camp Shane is the oldest of the weight loss camps. It's a summer weight loss camp were overweight children are happy to be. Camp Shane being one of the best known weight loss camps, is owned and directed by the Ettenberg family. Run exactly as a traditional camp, without unduly focusing on weight loss as a problem. Camp Shane is a weight loss camp where you feel comfortable, welcome and good about yourself!

3. Do-it-yourself & Free Programs

There are TONS of free weight loss programs, recipes, over the counter herbal supplements, and huge resources of experts and articles about weight loss available on the internet!! Finding the right plan for you and then following it is the challenge. Also, experimenting with chinese herbs and over the counter supplements can be VERY DANGEROUS!! Extreme caution needs to be used when trying to design your own diet plan.


Tips to Consider Before Starting a Weight Loss Plan

See your doctor for advice about your overall health risk and the weight loss options that are best for you. Achieving sustained weight loss and its accompanying health improvements requires changes that can be maintained for the long haul. Prescribed weight loss drugs should be used only if you are likely to have health problems caused by your weight.

Doctors will tell you that the majority of weight loss products on the market are scams. Many products show quick results in water and muscle weight loss. But doing it the healthy way is usually a challenge.

Quick weight loss or fast weight loss is not the answer to obesity. Because of the complexity of weight loss, gain, and maintenance, promises of quick and effortless weight loss are worthless. Slow weight loss is the safest and most effective approach. Many trying to lose weight continually struggle to find an effective weight loss method. You should also note that while a supplement may or may not be effective for weight loss, it may well have other uses.

The solution that I found is Weight Watchers. You can eat anything that you want to eat, stay within some basic good heath guidelines and the reason it works the best is: Because you don't feel deprived. Simply stay with it for 8 to 12 weeks and see the first 10% of your body weight come off. Then decide where do you really want to be. Set that goal, and start moving forward towards it step by step. You may be surprised to learn it's not what you eat but what you don't eat that is behind your weight loss problems. For the best results, go and find a live meeting, instead of doing it online. Most people need the value of the support group. You can find one by visiting www.WeightWatchers.com

Wade Thomas is a certified teacher of weight loss for Weight Watchers in South Florida. Each week, over 250 people learn how to lose weight, get motivated and keep it off by the strategies imparted by Wade. He has lost over 33 pounds and has kept it off for 2 years. He talks about his struggles, challenges, successes and more importantly his members' stories, challenges and successes. By modeling successful people in any field, you can achieve the same results. Wade will be starting a weight loss motivational website and a Weight Watchers Support website at http://www.FunWeightLoss.com - Be sure to visit and sign up for his weekly weight loss tips!!