As we grow older, it is only natural to put on a few extra unwanted pounds. When our metabolisms begin to slow, and we lose the time and energy to remain as active as in our youths, it seems as if anything we put in our bodies goes straight to our hips, waist, or thighs. This is especially true if our diets are not what they used to be. It is understandable; sometimes after a long day at work, we lack the hours or the drive to prepare a nutritious meal. But if you find yourself stopping through the drive through a bit too often, you may have seen some changes in your health.
Unfortunately, shedding weight is neither as easy nor as fun as gaining it. It requires dedication and some self-control. But if you are looking to get down to a slimmer size, know that there are more than just a few options. Yes, a healthy diet and regular exercise are a vital part of any weight loss regimen but, by adding other medically backed therapies, you can increase how quickly the pounds fall off.
In this overview, we will give a brief overview of five therapies you should consider adding to your weight loss routine. These include the HCG diet, peptide therapies, drug therapies, hormone therapies, and the ECA stack. We will examine how these methods work, some of their benefits, and how you have to get started with the therapies. We aim to not only inform but also to help you reach your target weight healthily and positively.
HCG Diet
The HCG diet stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin diet, although the term “diet” here may be a bit misleading. Unlike a standard diet, rather than reducing or changing what you eat, the HCG diet introduces a metabolic hormone into the body—HCG. This hormone is naturally produced by the body to regulate women’s metabolisms in the early stages of pregnancy. However, research has suggested that ingesting the hormone can also have a lipolytic, or fat-burning, effect for both men and women.
Doctors have researched the positive effects of HCG for several decades and found a link to not only faster weight loss but also a more-shapely figure, even without additional exercise. This is because HCG targets a specific type of fat. The general population tends to view fat as one conglomerate thing, however, as with muscles and organs, there is more than one type of fat tissue; there are three.
Within our bodies, structural fat helps to line and protect our organs from bumping and shifting around. This type of fat is healthy and essential for our organs to function properly. Subcutaneous fat is fat stored and burned for energy when we haven’t eaten for a few hours. This type of fat gathers all over the body and, in normal amounts, is healthy and essential. Only at high saturations can it be harmful. The culprit you want to watch out for is visceral fat. Visceral fat gathers around your midsection and is more commonly known as belly fat. It can lead to higher risks of diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and other health problems.
HCG helps reshape the body by specifically burning visceral fat. When paired with a standard low-calorie diet, receiving HCG through injections, sublingual tablets, or sublingual liquids can drastically improve your weight loss program. After a brief consultation, the doctors will instruct you how to properly administer the hormone and you can take it according to their orders.
Peptide Therapy
If you are committed to losing weight with a sustained and dedicated exercise program, you may have already heard a little about peptides. These compounds are particularly popular with athletes for their ability to support healthy muscle development. That doesn’t mean that they are only beneficial to athletes, though. Adding peptides to your diet can actually help with weight loss as well.
We will try our best to avoid a lengthy biology lecture but imagine peptides as small proteins made up of chains of amino acids. Proteins are usually associated with muscles but you can find peptides pretty much everywhere in the body—from your internal organs, to your skin, and even in your hair and fingernails. This is why, if your peptide levels are out of balance, your entire body may not be functioning at 100%. As we age, our peptide levels tend to drop, leading to increased body fat, fatigue, and less elastic skin.
Adding peptides to your diet regimen boosts your body’s natural levels of human growth hormone, creating a three-fold positive effect. The first thing you will notice after starting peptides is that your body can generate stronger muscle faster than before. However, having stronger muscles means nothing if you cannot use them for extended periods. Thankfully, peptides help facilitate the transfer of oxygen to our muscles letting you exercise longer and harder.
The next noticeable effect is that you’ll experience faster recovery times. After a workout, the worst thing is to be laid out for a few days, unable to move because of muscle fatigue. Peptides are anti-inflammatory, helping to speed your recovery and get you back up sooner than before. Possibly the most desirable effect, though, is that peptides help maintain a balanced metabolism. If your metabolism has dropped in recent years, adding peptides to your list of supplements can help boost your cells’ ability to burn energy.
Hormone Therapies
If the benefits of increased human growth hormone sound like something you would be interested in, you may be more interested to learn about other hormone therapies. Some common hormone therapies include human growth hormone (HGH), testosterone replacement, estrogen and progesterone replacement, and thyroid optimization therapies.
Think of hormones as chemical messengers. They carry signals throughout the body to regulate different functions. Some hormones, such as HGH facilitate cellular growth and repair. Others regulate a broader range of effects such as our moods, energy levels, and metabolism. As some hormone levels begin to fluctuate downwards, particularly testosterone or estrogen, we begin to see effects associated with aging—loss of sleep, weaker bones and muscles, crabbiness, a decline in sex drive, and a slower metabolism.
Hormone therapies seek to replace what your body has lost over time. Because hormones control multiple functions within the body, an imbalance can have detrimental effects beyond just weight gain. Therefore, getting your levels back up to where they were when you were younger can help restore bone density, lift your mood, return that spring to your step, and increase your metabolism. You will quickly see an overall improvement in your quality of life.
Hormone therapies are a more holistic approach to weight loss but they should not be entered into without a doctor’s guidance. You will first need to take a blood test to gauge your existing levels and then, from there, a doctor can help assess your needed dosage. Hormones can be administered as an injection, sublingually, or even as a cream, depending on the hormone. If you are interested in speaking to a consultant, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Drug Therapies
When it comes to weight loss therapies, one of the oldest tried-and-true methods is the standard appetite suppressant. These days, appetite suppressants are plenty and easy to find so knowing which is the best for your body type and situation is not always easy. Before you get started on one, it’s best to know any possible side effects, so do your research and consult with your doctor before committing.
Five of the most popular options on the market today are Adipex, Bontril, Didrex, Tenuate, and Qysmia. All five options effectively regulate appetite but do so for varying lengths of time. If you want an all-day option, we recommend Adipex, or if you are looking for something to help suppress late-night snack cravings, Didrex will suppress hunger for 6 to 10 hours. Bontril and Tenuate come in both long and short duration options. If you want the latest option, though, talk to your doctor about Qsymia. Qsymia is a combination of the active drug in Adipex and topiramate. Not only does Qsymia suppress hunger, but it also increases weight loss.
Before you get started on drug therapies, we must point out that this is only a short-term treatment and should not be used as a replacement for exercise and a healthy diet. When used in tandem with regular exercise and nutritious eating, drug therapies can help to modify your current lifestyle, eliminate excess eating, and get you through the emotional difficulties of a new diet.
ECA Stack
Our final therapy is another time-tested fat burning product known as the ECA stack. ECA stands for the three active ingredients used in this product—ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. Modern versions of this supplement often include added vitamins, such as B12, that are shown to boost energy levels. The effects of an ECA stack are similar to those of standard appetite suppressants but with a few added twists. Not only will this supplement reduce hunger but it also increases how quickly the body metabolizes fat.
Unlike with the drug therapies discussed above, when taking ECA stacks, you do not have to alter your current diet. Just take the supplement and watch as your newly boosted metabolism takes care of any recent weight gain. While you can often find these sorts of products over the counter, it’s best to purchase a quality option so you know for sure what is in it. A sup-par supplement could leave you feeling shaky or with bouts of anxiety.
ECA stacks can even be used as an energy boost before workouts. If you are committed to a regular exercise routine, rather than ingesting pre-workout supplements or sugar-laden energy drinks, an ECA stack can provide all the energy you need to make it through rigorous training. Don’t put your heart or kidneys at risk with unhealthy carbonated beverages when you could use a healthier option.
While it may seem as if you could just purchase the three component ingredients separately, we do not recommend doing so. Caffeine and aspirin are common but you would be hard-pressed to find reliable and pure ephedrine outside a shifty source. Mixing these three chemicals without proper knowledge of their quantities could also be dangerous. For these reasons, we highly stress just how important it is to consult with your doctor and purchase through a reputable source, not just over the counter.
Restore Your Body’s Lost Vigor
Gaining weight is a natural part of getting older. As our bodies begin to age, our metabolisms begin to slow down, and our performance changes, losing those few extra pounds seems nearly impossible. This can be especially true if you do not have time to follow a strict diet or regular workout routine. But losing weight does not have to be so one-sided. Our bodies are far more complex than simple input-output machines. By regulating the internal processes, you can restore your body’s lost vigor.
Not all therapies will be suited to your needs, though, so it is best to consult with your doctor first. Just know that your doctor may recommend a blood test to measure your hormone levels. If your levels are found to be low, adding a hormone cream can quickly resolve the problem. However, sometimes the problem is more than just a simple hormonal imbalance. Adding a peptide or HCG supplement to your daily routine can help target belly fat specifically or if you need help regulating your food intake, an appetite suppressant can fight off bouts of hunger.
Keeping weight off doesn’t have to be a fight. If you’re looking to drop down a few pounds but don’t know where to start, consider putting a boost back in your metabolism with one of these therapies. Getting back down to your target weight can be as easy as it was back twenty years ago. Let science do the job for you.
