A few months ago, I was at a phase in my life where I was ready and willing to try anything to lose some weight, including some of the most anticipated and hyped up 'magic' weight loss pills out there on the market. But I am certain that I am not alone in my quest and determination to lose some weight - a lot of us women have at one point or another at least considered taking the diet pill if we haven't at least tried them ourselves.

And in our quest to lose this weight, we are most easily swayed over by the many television advertisements with satisfied men and women who claim to swear by the efficacy of the product - and then we too become easily fooled into trying these miracle products. But how do you really determine which is real and which is just advertising gimmick? How do you choose the best weight loss pill for you?

Weight loss pills can fall into one of two categories - the prescription pill and the non-prescription pill. The prescription pill is one that has been tested and approved by the food and drug authorities, and has been thoroughly researched to account for varying side reactions and other unwanted reactions that the user may have with the substances or chemicals that make up the drug.

Prescription pills for weight loss are however not recommended for the casual weight loss program; neither you nor I, the casual weight watcher, could or should try these. Why? Well first of all, you need your doctor to recommend it to your pharmacy before you can get it, and second of all, your doctor would not recommend it unless you are extremely overweight so as to be a health risk to your own self.

While most prescription weight loss pills are so strong or effective that they can cause severe side reactions in many users, if used under the careful admission of a professional health care provider or a doctor (hence the reason it is called prescription) you can greatly decrease the likelihood of something really bad going wrong. In addition, the doctor would be able to take your dosage up or down depending on your reactions and the results being obtained from the pills.

On the other hand, the non-prescription weight loss pill is the complete reverse. It is seldom researched with the enthusiasm of the prescription pills, and its use is not as closely monitored by the doctor. It is not food and drug approved, and its efficacy cannot be guaranteed. It is however the weight loss pill that either you or I would use to aid in our weight loss, and they can work in a number of ways that include influencing your eating habits, increasing metabolism, or relieving constipation.