According to the American Heart Association, beta blockers are beneficial medications because they help to prevent heart attacks and stroke. Many doctors put their patients on beta blockers if they have a history of heart attacks or if they suffer with high blood pressure or an irregular heart beat. However, some people have reported that beta blockers inhibit weight loss. These medications do not stop weight loss, but they can make it harder to lose weight because they cause some people to feel fatigued. Thankfully there are steps you can take to combat the side effects and still lose weight while on beta blockers.
Instructions
1. Eat five small meals per day. To lose weight while taking beta blockers you need to speed up your metabolism. You can do this by eating the right types of food several times per day, rather than eating three large meals. Be sure not to eat past seven p.m at night. Include two to three raw vegetables in each meal. Good choices are carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers. You can eat fruit, but do so in moderation. Snack on apples or strawberries as your top choices. Eat some type of lean meat such as salmon or turkey for dinner.
2. Drink eight to ten glasses of pure water each day. Be sure you only drink purified water, rather than tap water. Chlorine in tap water is not good for urinary health. You may need even more water if you work out or spend time the sun. Water is essential for people who suffer with high blood pressure. Continue taking your medication as prescribed by your doctor.
3. Take supplements in the morning. To combat the fatigue caused by your medications you will need to fight back with extra vitamins. Take an iron supplements and B-complex supplement with breakfast. You need 25 mg or iron per day and 50 mg of each of the b-vitamins each day. Go to your local health food store and buy these vitamins. You can also take a whole food multi-vitamin and mineral supplement to get even more nourishment. If the beta blockers have affected you more than most people you can also take spirulina for extra energy. Spirulina is a blue green sea algae that has protein and other essential vitamins inside. You can also buy this at the health food store.
4. Exercise five days per week. People on heart medications of any kind need to work harder to lose weight because beta blockers and other medications slow down the heart rate. You can safely raise your heart rate with mild to moderate exercise each day. Be sure to alternate work outs each week. For instance, one week you can work out on the treadmill and then next week take Pilate's classes all week.
5. Put a daily reminder on the fridge. You may feel run down due to your heart condition so be sure to set daily reminders for yourself. These reminders will help you achieve your goals. Leave your vitamins on the counter so you are reminded to take them. Put a picture of a bikini on the fridge so you have the motivation to work out. You need to have a mind-set to lose weight. Don't give up. If you feel tired one day, take a nap and then get back into the swing of things.
