For the first time in my life, I'm taking something that could appear under the broad definition of a slimming pill.
I'm not one for quick-fix weight loss solutions. I don't believe in fat burners that aren't essentially eating less and exercising more. I AM a yo-yo dieter, with a tendency to try and go cold turkey and then binge. I don't crash diet, but my body is just not used to a normal reduction in calories, so I overeat in response to perceived deprivation. Appesat will apparently help me break this cycle.
I would never be a candidate for an actual gastric band, but my BMI is just over 26 and I need to lose 10lbs to reach a BMI of 25, at the top of the healthy range. I'd prefer to lose 20lb to be nicely within the 18-25 range. I'm 5ft 9", a size 14 (UK) and although I go through gym phases, swimming phases and walking phases, I'm basically the laziest person on God's Earth.
So why try Appesat?
Well, a friend of mine was looking for a case studies for it and I was intrigued. Appesat is NOT a fat-binding drug - horror stories of oily diarrhea have put me off going anywhere near those - and it doesn't claim that you can avoid a calorie controlled diet and still lose weight. It's a seaweed extract in largish capsules that you swallow with 250ml of cold drink about half an hour before eating.
The idea is that it mimics a gastric band and makes you feel full, so you regulate your portions better. You take it, starting with three before each meal and gradually reducing this, for up to three months, after which you should have fully retrained your stomach into eating normal portions. Combine this with calorie-watching and increasing exercise and it should help you stick to your healthy regime.
In trials of two groups attempting to stick to a diet and exercise routine, Appesat-takers lost 67% more weight than those taking nothing. So, really, it's not going to help you burn fat or let you get away with scoffing chocolate and lying about - it will just help you build a habit of eating a normal amount. Most of us, in this era of super-sizing, have forgotten what that really looks like.
Does it work?
Although I'm almost a week in, I'm going to withhold judgment about that until I've finished the course. I'm currently taking the full amount recommended (three tablets) before lunch and dinner. I'm not taking the breakfast dose as I rarely overeat at that time in the morning. I've followed the advice on the Appesat website about focusing on the times of day you're most likely to binge.
The key things I'm looking for (and will report back on soon) are:
- Am I able to maintain a normal pattern of eating better than before?
- Have I lost weight?
- Are other factors contributing to my eating less / losing weight?
- Are there any unpleasant side effects?
One question I would like to answer that will take longer is how long the 'retraining' of the stomach lasts, but I'll keep in mind anyway.
I'm off on holiday to the land of yummy, yummy excess (the US) and that will make it a real challenge. I'll let you know how it goes! In the meantime, do tell of your experiences with this or any other appetite suppressant drugs. I'd love to know what you think.