DO NOT TAKE THEM! They are dangerous!!

Last year I was visiting my parents and took diet pills (Leptopril -does not contain ephedra) on top on my exercise routine and normal diet. I was 26 at the time, 5′11, 180 lbs. By week three I was sick. I had diarrhea, dry heaves, dizziness, headaches, and a general feeling of being sick. I thought I had caught the flu or something. I had lost 13 lbs in 4 days. One morning I told my mom I didn’t feel good. My vision kept blacking out and I felt (for lack of a better way to say it) stoned. Later that afternoon I was walking from the bathroom to my bedroom (a 5 foot walk) and I passed out. I was rushed to the hospital emergency where they did a bunch of tests on me.

My pulse was up to 120, My blood pressure was 150/40, they had to start me on an IV, the did an EKG on me, took blood and urine samples, and a whole barrage of other tests.

They finally got me stabilized and said that I was dehydrated and malnutritioned. I told him that I took diet pills. When I mentioned diet pill, the doctors face lit up and said that’s why. He said they can cause a whole bunch of health problems, including death. He told me to toss the diet pills or next time I might not be so lucky.

I was kept in the hospital for almost 10 hours, given 3 or 4 IVs, potassium, juices, and monitored (by the EKG, blood pressure, and heart rate machines) every 15 minutes.

Please take my story as a warning. If you seriously want to loose weight there are better ways (I know because I’ve lost weight after this)

The quickest way is to cut out red meats, starches, breads, sugars, alcohol, and sodas.

Eat veggies (salads are good), soups, and drink TONS of water. If you get hungry between a meal, drink water to fill up.

In moderation eat white meats, and fruits (fruits contain natural sugars, and that can put on weight)

Practice portion control. Yes, you’ll feel hungry at first, but think of your goal, and soon your stomach will start shrinking and you won’t have that feeling anymore.

Eat 5 times a day. A small breakfast. A mid-morning snack, such as an apple. A small lunch. A mid-afternoon snack, such as carrots. A lite dinner. Do not eat any later than 7pm (6pm is better.)

Go exercise for at least an hour a day, incorporating weight training. Weight training builds muscle. Muscle burns fat. You get the idea. It also gives tone and definition. Also do a few yoga and pilates exercises to help tone those hard to reach and stubborn areas.