HEATHER, athlete and personal trainer: Society is continually looking for the easy way out. We go to our physicians looking for a “magic pill” to help us lose weight or march to the store to buy a product that claims to melt away the pounds. In fact, the only safe and effective method of long term weight loss is through diet and exercise. Study after study proves this to be true. There is no quick fix - only hard work and a commitment to making your health a priority.

Some of the brand name prescription drugs on the market include Adipex, Phentermine, Ionamin, Bontril, Didrex and Tenuate. They are all medicines that are appetite suppressants which are used along with diet, exercise, and behavior therapy for the short-term management of obesity. However, studies indicate that those who initially lost weight, do not maintain the loss for any significant time especially when they stop taking the drugs.

Meridia is a different type of drug in that it is recommended for those who, in addition to being overweight, have other health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. It is used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet. Meridia works by boosting levels of certain chemical messengers in the nervous system, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. However, since Meridia’s introduction to the U.S. market in March 1998 through September 2001, Meridia has been associated with 29 deaths in the U.S. A total of 397 serious adverse reactions were reported to the FDA, resulting in 152 patients being hospitalized. Of the 29 U.S. patients who died, 19 of the deaths were from cardiovascular causes such as heart attacks.

Finally, the prescription drug Xenical blocks absorption of dietary fat into the bloodstream, thereby reducing the number of calories you get from a meal. At the usual dosage level, it cuts fat absorption by almost one-third. Combined with a low-calorie diet, it is used to promote weight loss and discourage the return of unwanted pounds. While Xenical is not a stimulant it does have side effects which include, oily discharge, increased number of bowel movements, and the inability to control bowel movements. Since Xenical reduces the absorption of supplements of some fat-soluble nutrients, particularly beta-carotene and vitamin E, you need to be careful and eat a balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables.

Over-the-counter products such as Metabolife, Xenedrine and Hydroxicut utilize the stimulant known as ephedrine to act as an appetite suppressor. Metabolife is a combination of guarana (caffeine), Ma Huang (ephedra) and bee pollen. Xenedrine combines ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin for its weight loss properties. Hydroxicut is a mix of all of the aforementioned with the addition of chromium picolinate and l-carnitine. All products claim to be safe, fat-burning mixtures with limited negative side effects. However, there have been several recent deaths that appear to be directly linked to the ephedra stimulant. Currently, there is a movement to have this product removed from the stores. You can choose to take these products and have success losing weight. However, there are significant risks involved in using any of the mentioned prescription and non prescription drugs. These risks include permanent bodily damage and even death. There are no quick fixes. Modifying your diet and participating in regular exercise are the only known safe methods of reducing your body weight. Don’t take a risk that could prove to be fatal. Be patient and continue with your hard work and behavior modification.

BARBARA, arts, educational & cultural consultant: There is no quick fix or magic pill that will give you the body you desire. The pill pushers know this and, still they prey on the emotions of good people like you who want an immediate solution to the “desperately seeking the perfect body” scenario. The pill pushers are usually selling a product that will make lots of money in a short time and if it sounds too good to be true, please trust your instinct.

When you do use pills and radical diets to lose weight, the subsequent weight gain is usually much greater than your pre diet weight.

I’m a control freak and taking diet pills makes me feel out of control. The pill has the power instead of me, and I don’t like that. So, I use the tried and true methods of physical exercise and healthy eating.

For me, lifestyle change is a continual experience. I learn what works and what doesn’t. When things don’t work, change is in order. This is true of eating and working out. I stopped weight training for a few months and started doing water aerobics three times a week. I love the water workout, but I realized I needed to add the weights again. So, now I’m alternating my weekdays with water aerobics and weight training. On the two days I use weights, I warm-up with the treadmill and end with the recumbent bike. My trainer says that this will be an awesome prescription for me.

In addition, I am gardening a couple days a week and enjoying the wonderful summer fruits and vegetables that are available. I’m having a ball on my wellness quest and you can too once you realize the significance of these words, “if it is to be it’s up to me.” Forget the pills. Make meal planning and regular exercise part of the routine. Self-love, self-determination, self-discipline and self-worth are much more potent than a ton of diet pills. So let’s get started. Remember, “Inch by inch it’s a cinch.”

ELLEN, journalist and anti-athlete: This winter’s death of Baltimore Oriole’s pitcher Steve Bechler after downing a diet supplement should give us all pause about taking pills to lose weight.

Medical examiners said that his death was associated with an ephedra based diet supplement. These supplements are readily available in stores and on the Internet.

Fans of the herb say that it is safe when used as directed. As anyone desperate to lose weight knows, abusing herbal remedies is as easy as abusing fatty foods.

A box came to our house in the mail about two years ago. It was for my then 16-year-old daughter. She had ordered by phone a diet supplement that contained the herb. It quickly was dispatched to the garbage. Let it be stated that it’s that easy for the ill-informed - in this case a teenager -- to get some of the substances even if they are not aware of the downsides.

Even prescription drugs monitored by your family physician can be abused. But at least if you are working with a trained health care professional, you can get some feedback on the risks.

I do know that I will get very fat if I do not take my thyroid supplement. It is called Synthroid and it is a prescriptive medicine that balances a condition known as hypothyroidism. I don’t get fat because the medicine is a magic bullet. I get fat because I get lethargic when my thyroid doesn’t have this helper drug, and I tend to move in slo-mo. I have a goiter, a swelling in my neck, to remind me.

I have known people who abuse thyroid medication and get very hyper. They do lose weight, but they also take a big risk about harming their bodies.

So, I hate to be a one-note Johnnie because I have written about thyroid problems many times. But if you have problems with weight loss, please go have your thyroid checked. Properly prescribed thyroid medication - in conjunction with a healthy food plan (I use Weight Watchers) and an exercise program - will keep the weight in check.

That said, I just got a note from a friend who tried everything, and finally, at age 59, had surgery to reduce the size of her stomach. She’s lost 143 pounds in one year and she’s feeling great at age 60.

The point is that there are radical solutions, but they often work best with the help of a medical professional.

HEATHER, athlete and personal trainer: Congratulations on your recent weight loss and commitment to fitness! What you are experiencing now is quite common among individuals who are losing weight sensibly. The human body is a miraculous machine and as such will adapt to just about any situation. Thus, even though you are restricting calories and are exercising as prescribed, your body has adjusted to these changes in your regular routine. Your body now considers these states of nutrition and fitness levels to be your norm. Therefore, you have reached what is known as a weight-loss plateau.

Now, you must take this time to reevaluate your current routine. Changes must be made to again stimulate weight loss. You may need to add a third mile to your two-mile walking routine. You may need to choose another form of exercise that you are not currently utilizing. If you haven’t engaged in strength training, this may be the time to incorporate it into your program. Depending on the number of calories you have been eating or the types of foods you have been consuming, it may be necessary to tweak your nutritional plan.

Whatever the case may be, a change is definitely necessary to facilitate additional weight loss. If you are unsure of which direction to take, consult a professional such as a physician, fitness trainer and/or a nutritionist. These individuals will be able to evaluate what you have done in the past and offer advice about how to proceed.

Most important, do not get frustrated. The pursuit of health does not end at a specific number on the scale. It is a lifelong process that is ever evolving. Best wishes and don’t hesitate to write to me with specific concerns in your quest for wellness.

BARBARA, arts, educational & cultural consultant: Some folks have always had a healthy lifestyle, the optimal body weight or the right level of exercise. For them, there has never been a need for change and where they are is exactly where they want to be. Yet, for others, and I'm one of them, it's not that easy. It takes embarrassment, self-evaluation, a health scare or some other catalyst to get us to design a healthy eating plan, develop and maintain a fitness routine and achieve a healthy body weight. Then, keeping it going is another challenge. Yeah, we know it’s extremely hard work but, lots of you persevere and start to see some results. Things continue going great, and you’ve been very pleased with your progress, so you decide to reduce your food intake. You thought the change in your eating was a good idea until a few weeks ago. That’s when the weight loss stopped and things came to a stalemate ... a plateau.

A plateau is defined as a period or state of little or no growth or decline, especially one in which progress ceases. An ancient survival mode kicks in because your body thinks you are starving or having a hard time finding food. Once you’ve been following the same fitness pattern or eating pattern, your body typically learns to work more efficiently. Then, your metabolism slows down and uses less energy.

Convert back to eating more. Add more protein, veggies and fruit to your diet, and remember to include some fiber.

If your exercise program is on freeze too, then the same advice is in order. Make a few adjustments and change your routine. Add more repetitions, more days or more distance to your routine.

Remember to check with your doctor or a trainer and read the advice of Ellen, Heather and our featured Keeping It Real expert.

ELLEN, journalist and anti-athlete: Scientists can explain the ancient physiological reasons behind our bodies slowing down and weight loss coming to a halt after a successful food plan change.

I can only tell you that I have experienced this several times and Heather has great advice. Your body has adjusted to your new plan and you need to change it. It’s frustrating that the change may include doing something more, such as taking up strength training or walking farther.

I remember Oprah commenting that she knew exactly what she had to do to stay teeny but it just wasn’t worth it. She wanted to live her life and enjoy certain foods, so she was going to be satisfied with her current shape. You might evaluate whether you are truly at a plateau but at the place that you and your body feel comfortable.

You might also want to check with a nutritionist about your food plan. Sometimes the balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates needs to be adjusted and then weight will start to fall off again.

My own personal experience tells me that when I hit a plateau, I need to ramp up the physical activity. Strength training has helped on this. I’ve recently had to stop this because of some surgery and while I’ve lost even more weight, I’m noticing that my body isn’t changing. I need to get back to toning those muscles!!

And this is my final point. A doctor recently suggested, at a talk in Philadelphia, that you use the clothes-ometer rather than the scale to judge how you are doing with weight loss. If your clothes are looser even though the scale shows you haven’t lost a pound, you will know that your efforts are yielding results. So, be careful how central that scale is to your feelings of weight loss success. Sometimes your clothing or a glance in the mirror is a better measure of how you are doing.

HEATHER, athlete and personal trainer: Traveling to your vacation spot is not a race. You will not win an award for arriving in the fastest time via the most efficient route. Immobility shuts down the body. Circulation slows, joints stiffen, muscles tighten and less oxygen reaches the brain. Additionally, travelers confined in cramped conditions are at risk for serious blood clots in the veins of the lower legs.

With this said, you must take the time to plan your trip so that you are not sedentary for the duration of your travels. By permitting yourself to stop every one to two hours, you not only allow yourself to relax in terms of the stress from driving, but you can also use this as an opportunity to take a short walk and stretch your muscles.

A more efficient traveler will plan small excursions along the prescribed travel route. Some suggestions for adventures may include finding a bike trail or hiking path, stopping to see a national monument or area attraction, or even hitting an amusement park along the way. Instead of staying at the local hotel, try staying at a campsite where you will have to fend for yourself rather than continuing your pattern of being sedentary in front of the TV.

Finally, if you are not one to try something new, at the very least, remember to drink plenty of water, keep your travel diet low in sugars which may cause you to get drowsy, and take regular breaks to keep yourself alert and fresh.

BARBARA, arts, educational & cultural consultant: Planning a long car trip, a flight or a few nights away from home and your regular workout routine? Relax! You can still work out without short changing all the fitness work you’ve been doing. Just plan ahead, and put together a few items for your travel survival kit. At the road stops, don your sneakers and begin stretching and flexing for five to 10 minutes. Then, walk around the rest stop at a swift pace. Be sure to find a safe section at the road stop where you can complete a walk safely. If you have no physical limitations, plan to jump rope for a bit and repeat it daily while you are away.

Take along your swim suit and a colorful beach towel. Stay at a motel that has a pool and swim or do water aerobics for 40 to 60 minutes. Use that colorful beach towel as an exercise or yoga mat. Do a series of floor exercises or some yoga each day.

Take along your headsets, a mini tape or CD player to hear some of your motivational, workout or music tapes. Then, walk in place, dance or do Pilates for 30 to 60 minutes each day.

The last thing to remember is your diet and all the wonderful, new strategies you've learned from us. Watch your salt and sugar intake, and remember to replenish regularly with water. Eating a heavy country breakfast or ordering the works from the Burger bins that seem to have set anchor at every highway rest stop will make you sluggish and sleepy and add 800 to 1200 calories per meal to your frame. Instead, pack some apples, oranges or grapefruits and help yourself when you get a desire to snack. When you do stop to order food you'll be less likely to order the "Hearty Hefty” with the gigantic fries and the super-dooper drink.

If travel is in your future, count on continuing your workout and your healthy lifestyle. The power to choose wisely is all yours. If you have some travel success stories, please send them to us. We want to know what works for you.

ELLEN, journalist and anti-athlete: When your life is complicated with ill family members or little children or low finances, vacation can mean staying home or spending time with people who need you.

How do you maintain a fitness regime or even just take good care of yourself in this situation? Please hit Add Your Own and weigh in.

Heather’s and Barbara’s great tips become ever more relevant when you are caring long-distance for an ill relative or if the economy has scuttled your holiday plans.

I tell you with some embarrassment that I have not had a true vacation in two years. This runs counter to good sense and flies in the face of all the advice from all the magazine articles and books and career advice you can find anywhere.

For two years, my father has been in the process of dying. He called me at work in 2001 and announced that he was not afraid to die and that he had about six months to live. This began a frenzied long-distance relationship between me and my dad, who lived in Milwaukee.

Most of my vacation travel from that phone call until he passed on in April had to do with helping him die. He wanted to go to Florida one last time, and my daughters and I went for 10 days to care for him and entertain him. He had various hospitalizations, and my five siblings and I took turns with Dad’s Last Christmas Duty and Dad’s Last Thanksgiving Duty.

He had a very serious surgery that required a stay in a skilled nursing facility, which is a euphemism for a wing of a nursing home. He hated that, and he called a cab to go home with several draining tubes sticking out of his belly, creating another reason to take some “vacation time” in my hometown.

At his house, I would cook, clean and make sure he was comfortable and that his socks were washed and his bathroom clean. My siblings were doing the same on a rotation because Dad kept firing the nurses and the helpers that we hired. He wanted to be independent at home.

My sister, Peg, who lives in Cleveland, did a much better job than me about taking care of her fitness needs while on her rotations. She lined up a club in Milwaukee and worked out. We also would find her walking aimlessly in the neighborhood when things were really tough. We laughed about this later. But she had the good instinct to keep moving. I wish I had followed her lead more. I don’t feel deprived that I haven’t had what most people call a vacation during this time. I am privileged to have been able to help my dad die comfortably in his house, the way he wanted it.

One smart thing I did do in the past year was take a no-hassle vacation: I just stayed home.