By Caterina Passarelli

Guest blogger

I’m sorry to say but there is no magic pill, quick fixor crash diet out there in the health and fitness world that is going to solve all your problems. Just look at the words magic, quick and crash– do they sound like something you really want to put in your body?

In today’s society, we want everything fast and simple; there is no time to wait around for results to happen. Losing weight and becoming fit won’t happen in a quick week or with the pop of one pill, it’s going to take time and hard work.

Diet pills, weight-loss pills and appetite control pills are all designed to help someone lose weight. The problem with these pills, other than their numerous amounts of dangerous side effects, is that you can not take them forever. Diet pills are meant to be taken only for a short time span. At some point you are going to have to stop taking the pills and the weight that you just took off is all going to come back. I know people who have gained back all their weight plus more. Rather than promoting quick fixes to consumers, there needs to be a push to promote healthy living.

Have you ever heard that saying, “Hard work never killed anybody?” That’s exactly it. To lose weight and get healthy it’s going to take hard work on your part. But that hard work is going to pay off in the long run and you are going to feel proud with what you have accomplished and the body you have. Instead of taking the easy yet unhealthy road, you will create healthy habits that will stick with you for life.

And we all know the necessary steps to achieve this healthy lifestyle — exercise and nutrition. These two go hand-in-hand. Working out and eating healthy foods have many great benefits, not only for your body but for your mind as well.

Askmen.com put an article together of the “Top 10 Benefits of Working Out.” Working out: helps you sleep better; slows the aging process and reduces the risk of premature death; builds and maintains healthy bones, muscles and joints; strengthens and boosts your immune system; improves mental acuity; improves confidence; increases energy and endurance; improves sexual performance and restores libido; reduces stress, depression and anxiety; and reduces the risk of many diseases.

So let’s promise ourselves not to opt for those “easy” options. Those quick fixes do not come with such an impressive list of benefits; actually they come with no benefits at all. Just remember to work out and eat healthy and then you will reap the rewards.