Just like every other weight loss medicine, the efficiency of orlistat has been questioned. While people taking orlistat have recorded a remarkable loss of weight, the same cannot be said for everybody who has taken the medicine.
How effective is Orlistat?
Normally, doctors would only recommend orlistat tablets if you are overweight and if previous weight-reducing efforts have not worked. Clinical reports have shown that people can lose 10 percent or more of their body weight within six months of taking orlistat, it can be less effective in other people.
In a clinical trial performed and reported by GlaxoSmithKline, the data revealed that the average weight loss was 50 percent extra with Orlistat in comparison to placebo with diet.
What this means is that if you lose 10 kg by eating a weight-loss diet alone, you could lose up to 15 kg if you take Orlistat. Furthermore, it was shown that those taking Orlistat maintained weight loss better than in the placebo group.
Statistics confirm that the medicine work, however, orlistat is by no means a miracle weight loss pill, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly will improve your chances of losing weight.
Orlistat doesn’t work for everybody because some people often relax their weight-reducing diet believing that taking orlistat alone will perform the trick. Here are some things you can do to get the most from your Orlistat treatment:
- Eat healthy – but consciously your dietary calories by about 500 calories per day. This should result in the loss of 1lb per week, a healthy weight loss
- Eat slowly and enjoy your food – studies show that slow eaters tend are more unlikely to be overweight, and it keeps the hunger at bay too.
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid temptation – keep the cupboards free from junk foods
Know that weight loss takes time. Have realistic goals in mind, monitor your progress and don’t give up! - Lastly, you have to reduce your fat intake.
Reduce Fat Intake for Better Results
Orlistat only prevents some of the fat that you eat from being absorbed (about 30 – 40 percent). Most doctors would recommend that while you take orlistat, you reduce your fat intake to about 30 or less of your total calorie intake.
To get the best result out orlistat, you to consciously reduce the amount of fat you take. To reduce your fat intake, we recommend that you:
- Eat more unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid frying your meat as much as possible, opt for baking, broiling or grilling.
- Opt for fat-free or reduced-fat milk.
- Switch from butter or regular spreads to a low-fat spread.
- Avoid using extra fat or oil when cooking – grill, poach, bake or microwave instead.
- Eat lean cuts of meat or pork and trim off any visible fat. Avoid eating the skin on chicken and crackling on pork.
- Choose lower-fat cook-in sauces with less than 5 g fat per 100 g sauce.
In a Nutshell
If you are working on reducing your weight with orlistat, and you have not been getting the desired result. This medicine works, and it does better when you decide to eat healthier and exercise regularly.
PS: Please do not try to fast track your weight loss by taking more than three capsules of orlistat per day. Doing so can lead to poisoning, so we advise that you stick to the prescription of your doctor.
