Avoid Weight-Loss Drugs and Do These Things Instead -- From the Health Doc

When we heard about a new weight-loss drug that claims to help you lose 10 percent of your extra weight, and lower your blood pressure, we reached out to world-class physician, nutrition and exercise expert, Dr. Pamela Peeke, for her views on weight-loss drugs-and what she thinks about this new drug called Qnexa.

The bottom line? Dr. Peeke says steer clear of this - and any others weight-loss drugs, for that matter.

When you think drugs, the answer is, absolutely none, zero, zip - there are no drugs, that work safely, stresses Dr. Peeke, author of Body for Life for Women, Fight Fat After Forty, and Fit to Live. "The best drug I use is a pair of sneakers. It's cheaper anyway. Utilize your own chemistry - increase your endorphins, increase your serotonin, increase your dopamine."

Because the side effects of any weight-loss drug are often negative, Dr. Peeke said it will always be safer and healthier to lose weight the old-fashioned - exercise and appropriate eating.

But when even popular over-the-counter weight-loss drugs that have been approved by the FDA, such as Alli, are known to cause health problems - in that case, severe liver damage was found to be a side effect in some rare cases - it's always better to be safe than sorry, according to Dr. Peeke.

Here are three healthy steps Dr. Peeke recommends to help you lose weight:

• Boost your physical activity: No surprise here - get off the couch and tie on your sneakers! "Physical activity is the first thing I would recommend," she says. Even if you're still eating the same unhealthy foods, the exercise will at least begin to kick-start your body into action.

• Change your diet slowly. "Whole foods, whole foods, whole foods," Dr. Peeke said. This will help you stick with a healthier eating plan better than going cold turkey on foods that are adding to your bulge. "You want to take short-term steps to wean yourself off this stuff."

• Click here for step three

For more from Dr. Peeke and other weight-loss and nutrition experts:

• Diet Mistakes to Avoid as We Head Into Swimsuit Season

• The Cardio Myth, by Fred DeVito

• Is Cardio the Answer to Losing Weight?

• Wellness Versus Fitness

• Easy Ways to Eat Healthy

About the Author:

Dr. Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, is the Chief Medical Correspondent for Nutrition and Fitness, Discovery Health TV and Chief Lifestyle Expert, WebM.

Want more genConnect?

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook

• To stay on top of Dr. Peeke's latest posts, as well as the latest contributions from other experts on the site: Sign Up for genConnect.