I get dozens of questions every week about which “diet” or “fat burning” pill people should use. The answer is NOT a diet pill or prescription drug … the answer is action.

And the problem with action is that he usually dresses in tennis shoes, sportswear, and requires a four-letter word that most people want to avoid … WOR K.

Weight loss pills can be divided into 3 basic categories:

1. Appetite Suppressants: They work exactly how they sound. The region of the brain that regulates appetite (the hypothalamus) is fooled by blocking the reuptake of serotonin and epinephrine. As a result, you feel like you’ve just had a great meal, so you’re less likely to overeat.

2. Stimulants: these types of weight loss pills used to contain a combination of ephedra and caffeine to increase energy expenditure (thermogenesis) and at the same time reduce appetite. You probably know that in some cases these pills were shown to be deadly so ephedra was taken off the market. Stimulant pills now contain other ephedra-like substances, vitamins, and caffeine. The idea is to increase energy and stimulate metabolism.

3. Fat Blockers: These pills inhibit the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat during the digestion process. The goal is to prevent a percentage of the fat you have eaten from being absorbed into your system.

So we get back to our burning question. Do the pills work? Here’s what the diet pill companies say:

– “You will lose 30 pounds in 30 days”

– “Achieve fast weight loss results”

– “Burns calories and fat 24 hours a day”

– “Fights fat and offers rapid weight loss”

Those claims are amazing … too bad they’re just claims. It is very tempting to imagine that those benefits can be obtained just by swallowing a pill. Tempting enough to make diet pills a multi-billion dollar industry a year. Hmmm, it makes you wonder if they’ve taken so many diet pills, why don’t we all look like swimwear models yet?

While diet pills feature some star subjects, none of whom live on your block, the world is full of real people who have lost weight and improved their lives with exercise and healthy eating. Take a look at these proven benefits of exercise:

Increased weight loss, Strengthens the heart and lungs, Improves sleep pattern, Increased strength, Increased self-esteem, Renewal of confidence, Feel good Endorphins, Feel younger than ever, Improve mood , Improve coordination … The list goes on and on.

A pill may slightly increase your metabolic rate for a time, or it may suppress your appetite and you may lose a few pounds. However, a single pill cannot produce serious or permanent weight loss. A pill cannot deliver the same results as healthy nutrition and regular exercise.

And weight loss pills are known to produce the following side effects:

– High blood pressure

– Increased risk of heart attack.

– Cramps, gas and diarrhea

– constipation

– Headaches

– Dry mouth

– insomnia

The bottom line is that true fat loss cannot be achieved with a pill.

There are a few (very few) of the so-called fat burners or diet pills that have some potential and in the right situation can be effective IF high intensity exercises and good nutrition habits have been built … but in general … this it’s a quick fix that will never work in the long run.

If you really want to burn fat, if you are looking for long-term health benefits, look no further than your sneakers. That’s right, tie them up and get to work.

Remember, exercise is the “jump start” for the results you get from rest and nutrition … Bottom line: Burning fat takes work and sit-ups are done in the kitchen!