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Meds Vs. Willpower

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By GAYLE GUYARDO

Published: November 30, 2007

Office parties, neighborhood strolls, and family gatherings — over the next several weeks you'll be facing a lot of seasonal temptations. So how can you fight the urge to overeat?

Trying to curb cravings is a problem most of us face year-round; the holidays just make it worse. And there are so many weight-loss methods that promise results, it's hard to know which ones really work.

Some swear you can get a dose of will power in the form of a pill. Medically supervised weight-loss centers are popping up all over the Tampa Bay area, and there's no debating the before-and-after showing drastic results.

John Gianoli, a local physician who has prescribed weight-loss drugs to a number of patients, told me he's seen first-hand how quickly they can help melt off the pounds. He believes when a patient is morbidly obese, the drugs can be used to guide him or her into a healthier lifestyle and eating program. "In these cases, the dirty words amphetamines are what kick-start the program," Gianoli said.

Medically supervised programs give patients a complete physical before prescribing weight-loss drugs and monitor those patients weekly. Patients also are given suggested nutritional and fitness programs to follow.

Over time, the patient is carefully weaned from the drugs in hopes he or she is conditioned to eat smaller, more frequent meals and continue a realistic workout regimen.

I've talked to several people in the medical community about the potential dangers of weight loss-drugs. Most feel obesity-related illnesses are much more dangerous. Studies link obesity to high blood pressure, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart failure just to name a few. But you still need to talk to your physician about the risks involved in taking certain weight-loss drugs. Studies show some medications have been linked to an increased chance of primary pulmonary hypertension attacking the lungs, which can be fatal.

What a lot of people don't realize is you can opt out of taking prescribed weight-loss drugs and still see results as part of these programs.

I learned more about this after exchanging e-mails with a News Channel 8 viewer.

I chat with viewers online every morning. From friendly good mornings to vacation updates, e-mails are the way I stay connected.

Maria Rosen and I started off laughing together about how hard it is to raise little girls amid the barrage of Britney Spears stories, but we shifted our chat to how she had lost 50 pounds thanks to a medically supervised weight-loss program.

Here's an excerpt from one of her e-mails:

Hi Gayle! Happy Friday!

Update on my weight loss … I have been going to Dr. Walton out in Westchase. I started in February and have lost a total of fifty pounds!!! I am very happy. I have about 10 more to go, but am taking a little break. Maintaining well, on 1 appetite pill a day (during the weight loss phase I had to take 4 a day).I might wait til after the holidays to start up again. I feel great and it's a lot of fun to buy new clothes.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend w/ your babies.

Maria in West Tampa

Maria Rosen's family doctor, Peter Walton at Westchase Primary Care, put her on the program and says patients should know they have choices when it comes to losing weight.

"The options are endless. And if you can understand that it's 80 percent diet and then whatever else comes after that might accent that, then you can go for Hoodia, alli … anything like that," he said. "The all-time favorite for most people is calcium pyruvate, which is an herbal fat-burner. It's like vitamin C when you have a cold. It's already in your body, but when you take more of it, it helps you burn fat — when you're on the right diet."

Even when patients need prescribed medications, Walton said, he uses them in a very controlled manner with light distribution. He says a pill alone is not a magic bullet for weight loss.

"In fact, I don't know how other people do it, but I try to keep the pills to a minimum," Walton said. "Because the idea that a pill [alone] is going to burn fat and make you lose weight is wrong. The pill is only there to help suppress your appetite, so that when you eat, you eat the right things."

Walton says when you're trying to lose weight you should consume only 800 to 1,000 calories a day at first. He feels 10 percent of a successful weight-loss program is coaching and the other 10 percent is medication and fat burners that in his words "grease the path so that you lose weight in a regular way."

Another viewer, Martina Manning, who opted out of taking prescribed medicines at Giovane Clinic in North Tampa, says it was the accountability that kept her motivated. She would follow a detailed eating plan, exercise regularly and drink lots of water.

"Initially I was exhausted, but after the first couple of days, I had more energy. In fact, it made a huge impact on my energy level. I got to the point I didn't need daily naps anymore.' Manning said.

It took Manning three months to lose 17 pounds; her weight-loss goal is 20 pounds. Rosen is down 50 pounds and plans to rev up her weight-loss efforts through the holidays. Both women agree losing weight takes time and commitment and feel the methods they chose help keep the weight off.

For the rest of us heading into the holiday season, the best advice is to plan ahead.

Don't show up at parties or dinners hungry. Doctors recommend eating a light, healthy snack before you leave the house.

Watch your portions. Experts say if the serving fits in the palm of your hand, that's a good gauge of how much you can eat.

I hope to bring you many stories of people who are succeeding in their efforts to get fit, and I'll introduce you to the latest weight-loss and fitness trends in the Bay area.

I personally don't believe there is a magic bullet when it comes to making strides in health and fitness. And each individual needs to find something that fits his or her lifestyle. If you have an idea for me to explore, e-mail me at gguyardo@wfla.com. I also list many of my stories on TBO.com, Keyword: connect.

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