I went to the doctor and he prescribed me a pill called Tenuate. It basically boosts my metablism, gives me energy and curves my appetite. I am 19 years old and 260 (was 275). My doctor told me that a healthy weight for my frame and height is 175ish. If any one on here has tried the pill Tenuate, please feel free to tell me of your experience. I want to know how others have done on this pill. While I know that this pill isn't going to solve my weight problems, I have been eating between 700 and 1,000 calories a day and working out for an hour and a half 3 times a week. So far, in a little less than a month, I've lost 15 lbs. I am new to dieting and working out- just the whole thing. I have the mindset to loose the weight, it is just the time, effort and patience that I have to have. I would really like to hear what anyone has to say...about Tenuate, being new to dieting/ working out...anything you want to say- I want to hear. I have been reading the forums and looking at pictures and you all are very motivating.

thank you all!!!

Welcome!

Wow, Tenuate is like legalized ephedra! I'm not a doctor, but that probably isn't a good thing.

I'm not sure that it really does boost your metabolism. It's a CNS stimulant like caffeine and ephedra -- closer to ephedra since it appears to be similar to amphetamine, and is in fact habit forming. You'll feel more energetic and thus work out harder, move around more, and generally bounce off the walls. I've used ephedra and can't say I would recommend it, especially if you have a risk of heart problems or high blood pressure.

700 to 1000 calories sounds awfully low, and you may even be slowing your metabolism that way. A lot of people on this forum will recommend measuring your basal metabolic requirements (usually around 1800 to 2000 calories) and eating just that, or a few hundred under it at most.

Frequency and regularity of exercise is pretty important when you're starting out. If you can do 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, then you're off to a good start. It's easier to catch up if you miss a 30 minute workout and still get in six of them for a week, versus missing a 1.5 hour workout out of three.

Get a gym or workout buddy, or a motivator at the very least.

Are you having any particular diet or workout problems starting out?

ETA: Here are some criticisms of Tenuate:



Frankly, I'd say save your money and look into changing your lifestyle the right way. It will be harder at first, and weight loss may be slower for the first few months, but you stand a better chance of keeping the weight off and losing more weight over the long term.

Also, remember that weight or body fat is only one measure of health. There are a lot of invisible factors, like strength, cardio-endurance, lipid count, blood pressure, etc. that will improve with a reasonable diet and exercise program.

I'd second that thought. 1000 calories is harsh. The last thing you want to do in your situation is fool your body into thinking it's starving by cutting your calories in half for a sustained period of time. It will prioritize burning basically everything in your body but your fat.

Holy "below maintenance calories" Batman!!

That's ridiculous. Your doctor is a quack.

"here take some speed, and don't eat anything, you'll lose all the MUSCLE you have."

How tall are you that the doc said 175 is good? 6 foot?

We're not doctors, but dammit have some of us lost some weight. You need to eat less than normal and start exercising.

Sorry to say but I think most western medical practitioners know jack shit about fitness and "health." They know diseases and medications. My doctor told me that 270 was cool. 270 and 10% bf would be cool, I would look like a bodybuilder, but 270 30% bf = Bad. I switched doctors because of that.

Thankyou so much Itadaki for your research and input about Tenuate. I read over everything a couple times. I had did a little bit of research on my own, but was having a hard time finding "positive" things about Tenuate. Evidentially, that is why. I am scheduled for another appt. with my doctor next week. I think I am going to stop taking the medicine-- for two reasons. The research you showed me, plus it keeps me up and I can't sleep- then days like today I just crash and I am moody and can't stay awake. I am going to try to just read stuff on here and the internet, keep the work out routine going and perhaps take in more calories. I really appreciate your input.

Also, Layla- thankyou for your input. I def. need to eat more, healthy, but more.

And Nathan, I think you hit the nail on the head when you said western medical practitioners know little about fitness and health. I basically walked into the doctor, they weighed me, I asked for some help, and he wrote me a three month prescription for Tenuate. He told me that at 6'9 I should weigh 175. So, I don't know. Perhaps I should talk to a different doctor.


Anyone else that wants to say anything- I'de love to hear anything that anyone has to say.

Thanks everyone.

Find another doctor! Nathan is right -- this idiot should have his license revoked. He's nothing but a pill pusher.

And if he knew you were only eating 1,000 calories a day, and approved that, he is doubly a quack.

I don't know how tall you are, but assuming you're around 6 ft., and 270 lbs., your basal metabolic rate (the number of calories you consume just existing) is around 2,500 calories a day. If you work out hard for 90 minutes, 3 times a week, that might burn another 4,000 calories, or an average of about 550 calories a day.

If you start running a calorie deficit that's too high (I think anything much over 600-700 calories a day is the limit), then you'll start eating away at your lean body mass. Instead of losing mostly fat, you'll also be losing a lot of muscle mass, and you don't really want to do that.

If you develop a good nutrional and exercise program, you can do this. You don't need these dangerous pills and the quack doctors who prescribe them.

6'9" ?!?!

You're 6 foot 9? or does that mean 69 inches? typo...I'm confused.

If you are 6'9" I be 175 is a little light if you are 5'9" honestly I would think close to 150 would be better (my fiancee is 5'9" and about 160 (she would kill me if she saw this, hehe))

We aren't doctors by any means, and I wouldn't want to make a claim about anything without some sort of knowledge of it, but that tenuate + 1000 calories sounds a little crazy

Exercise, eat right, you'll get there.

Well, I could see 5'9" and about 160... maybe even 170... large frame, lots of muscle... hell my mom was something like 5'4" and 150 and jacked for a bit. So.... eh.



Some are good, some know what they're doing in the nutrition/fitness arena... we have a sports med doc, and he's pretty damned good, esp for a doctor.

But yeah, most docs at best are spouting 20 year old information about aerobics, running, walking, and low fat diets.
And in the days of shows like the Biggest Loser, where 1200 calories is the norm, I don't think I'm surprised.

People forget that 1200 calories is A) absolute quality, B) lots of veggies, c) these people are monitored by docs constantly, D) they're at this ranch and do nothing but eat, sleep, and work out. They don't have their actual lives... no work, no kids, no workouts not prescribed, etc.

I've noticed that the people who look the best on that show are the people who went home, getting sent away. They eat reasonably, don't just do tonnes of cardio for their exercise, and otherwise have lives. The people that stay till the end always seem emaciated, skinny-fat, or otherwise not as ripped up as the people from home. I think that says something very important most people don't realize.

haha, I mean 5'9....typo!!!!! Wow, 6'9...I could play basketball!
Anyway- thanks so much everyone for the great advice, I'm throwing those pills away.

Also, thankyou Tom for your input about the BMR.

Great advice guys. Thankyou so much.