Over-the-Counter drugs are available without a doctor's prescription, right in your local drugstore or supermarket, and are also regulated by the FDA. According to AnneCollins.com, "Products considered by FDA to be over-the-counter weight control drugs [as opposed to dietary supplements] are primarily those containing the active ingredient phenylpropanolamine (PPA)." Since late 2003, when the FDA banned the sale of ephedra-containing drugs due to evidence of increased risk of heart attack, these formulations have replaced ephedra with a mixture of vitamins (such as thiami an ephedra-like substance called synephrine that is found in certain citrus fruits, and caffeine. The combination reportedly increases energy while boosting metabolism. Watson, Stephanie. "Diet Pills: What You Need to Know" (13 January 2005.)
Herbal diet supplements are also available without a prescription. You'll typically find a huge variety of these in health food and nutrition stores as well as in regular supermarkets. Herbal supplements are often labeled "all natural" and are considered by the FDA to be food products as opposed to drugs. There are many herbal weight-loss supplements on the market today, and they utilize different mechanisms to reportedly aid in dieting. Watson, Stephanie. "Diet Pills: What You Need to Know" (13 January 2005.)
Exercise can be expensive if you fall into the trap of gym memberships, popular exercise videos, and in-home gym equipment for sale on the QVC channel. What people do not realize is that most exercise can be done using items you already have around your home. Jogging around the home picking up things off the floor, or doing sit-ups using the sofa to hold your feet, and using book-bags as dumbbells. While Nutri-System uses their spokesperson Marie Osmond, "Get the body you've always wanted for less than $12 a day." Jenny Craig has spokesperson Kirstie Alley, "Jenny Craig