CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) -
For the first time in more than a decade, there is a new prescription drug for long-term weight loss that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
It's called Belviq, and it works by targeting a key area of the brain that regulates appetite. The new pill is only approved for adults who are obese or overweight, and have at least one weight-related condition, like high blood pressure or diabetes.
In clinical trials, Belviq produced only modest results, but experts said, in a country where adult obesity rates are approaching 35-percent, doctors have been calling for any new tools to combat the obesity epidemic; and this could be it.
Experts also said the drug is intended for use with a reduced-calorie diet, and exercise.
Most quick weight loss claims that sound too good to be true probably are, and the pounds usually don't stay off for long. So how can you make sure the weight you lose stays lost?
A registered dietitian had these suggestions:
"Cut back on processed grains, and scale back on starchy carbohydrates like your bread, rice and pasta," Dietician Marisa Moore said. "You want to cut back on sodas, juices, lattes, alcohol; sometimes we forget about that one."
Moore said you should shoot for no more than two pounds of weight loss a week. Exercise and proper sleep can also promote weight loss, while fasting or doing juice cleanses can actually lead to unwanted muscle loss and fatigue.
