Changing Behavior to Lose Weight

You can't escape it - every month there seems to be some new technique, pill, potion, bizarre-berry extract, shake-weight apparatus, or hypnosis method which alleges to cure our unhealthy woes. Of course, the fact that none of the thousands of purported ideas have worked to date has not in the least curbed our curiosity, or modified our mentality. We as Americans seem to have a really difficult time believing that changing our behaviors is the way to go. So, if shedding unwanted pounds has been an area you want to work on, there's a pill for that also.

Actually, there are two. Belviq (pronounced BEL-veek) was approved as a weight loss drug by the FDA in June. Just a few weeks later the FDA approved Qsymia (pronounced kyoo-sim-EE-uh). Will these drugs be worth your time? You decide, and of course do your homework before seriously considering either one of them.

My concern is not so much that there are a multitude of products (the vast majority being ineffective) on the market which promise a slimmer happier you. Rather, I'm concerned about the mindset that is created by a bombardment of weight-loss product after product hitting infomercials, women's magazines and your local store's shelves. After all, you personally may not have found that super weight loss drink yet, but surely with so many options out there, it exists! And if it exists, how likely are you to shift your focus away from the next new fad diet to some new healthy behaviors? Even if those behaviors have been proven again and again and again to show weight loss and change lives for the better, they still require consistent change, whereas pills require none. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not implying behavior change is easy, but surely the first step for a healthier you is to recognize what works and what is yet another expensive gamble. The fact is, nothing is as effective for your health as eating properly and engaging in physical activity.

The question is, do you want results, or do you just want the "promise" of results? Consider one related statement published in a former Wall Street Journal article: "No pill or nutritional supplement has the power of near-daily moderate activity in lowering the number of sick days people take," says David Nieman, director of Appalachian State University's Human Performance Lab in Kannapolis, NC.

Where I work we have several personal examples of those who have decided to get healthier by changing their lifestyle, here's a recent one:

I have lost 170lbs. since starting HMR on Dec.1, 2011 [200 lbs. down as of Aug 1] . It is so incredible how much better I feel! I start every day at 4:30 a.m. with a 40 to 50 min. workout, then I pack my food for the day. I work road construction so my days can be unpredictable at times so I always keep extra entrees, bars and shake mix with me as a safety net. I have found great success following the program and plan to continue indefinitely! I would encourage anyone who truly wants to make a healthy LIFE CHANGE to join the program. It does work. Best success to all, Ty F.