What types of weight loss treatment are there?
From tablets to capsules to injections, there are a variety of weight loss medicines available. There are capsules you can take at meal times that help to limit fat absorption, tablets you take at regular times of the day, and injections that work on appetite receptors in the brain that you can take every day or every week.
Which type of treatment is the right option for you usually depends on factors like how prone you are to certain side effects, if you’re currently taking other medicines which may interact with a particular type of weight loss treatment, or if you have certain health conditions.
Which is the best weight loss treatment for me?
It depends on your health background really. Weight loss treatments can have side effects, so if you’re likely to get particular symptoms, this may play a big part in which treatments are suitable for you and which aren’t. For example, Lipocut is a capsule that can trigger severe diarrhoea, so you may be better off with a different product (although it should be noted that all weight loss products can cause diarrhoea).
If you have certain health conditions, or if you’re currently taking certain medication, these can also have a big bearing on what the right treatment option for you is.
The type of treatment that you can use (or would prefer to use) is another factor. O-stat, Orlean, Lipocut and Orlica are capsules, so if you’re able to take capsules and would rather take capsules, they may be the preferred options for you.
Weight loss and diet
If you’re overweight, it may be that changes to your diet, along with exercising on a regular basis, are the two measures that help you to reduce your weight to a healthy level (without the need for any medication).
Having created a food diary and assessed what sort of dietary habits you can adjust on a day-to-day basis, you can start setting yourself realistic (and safe) targets. The British Dietetic Association recommends aiming for losing between 0.5kg to 1kg (1-2 Ibs) a week, and this is achievable by managing your daily calorie intake.
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s really important to do it at a gradual, sustainable rate. Trying to lose too much, too quickly by skipping meals altogether can lead to what’s sometimes called ‘yo-yo-ing’ (your weight fluctuating up and down), because the natural reaction to drastic ‘under-eating’ is ‘over-eating’. If you dramatically ‘under-eat’ as well, you might put yourself at risk of other health problems because your body won’t be getting the nutrients it needs.
So in short, eating healthier things and controlling portion sizes will help you to lose weight and stay at a healthy weight (rather than skipping meals).
Weight loss and exercise
Exercise can help you to burn off excess calories that you don’t lose through making dietary changes alone, so combining the two is more effective than choosing one or the other.
But exercise is also great for keeping your motivation levels up if you’re aiming to lose weight, and boosting your general wellbeing.
Even just moving your body around burns more calories than sitting down, so even small things can make a difference.
Increasing the amount of activity you do bit by bit is usually an effective way to approach exercise if you’re looking to lose weight, as it’s easier to make it part and parcel of your daily routine.
In terms of how much exercise you should take in order to lose weight, more than 20 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three times a week is recommended. Aerobic activities are exercises that increase your heart rate, and really get your blood pumping. Walking, running, cycling, dancing and swimming are all examples, and using a treadmill or stair stepper too. But if you prefer weight training to aerobic exercise, this can also be effective for losing weight and burning calories. A combination of 150 minutes’ moderate intensity aerobic exercise and two to three days’ strength training (squats, lunges and push-ups for example) can give you excellent results.
If you’re looking to lose weight quickly, around 60 minutes of moderate intensity, daily exercise may be effective. Brisk walking, riding a bike, water aerobics and even pushing a lawnmower are all moderate intensity exercises. Making simple changes to your lifestyle, like walking or riding your bike to work, using stairs instead of lifts, and parking further away from your destination are other easily achievable ways to lose weight.
It’s important though to speak to a doctor if you’re overweight before you start a new exercise regime. You should aim to push yourself to begin with, but not too hard. Not only can this lead to injury, it may impact your motivation.
Weight loss surgery: is it an option for me?
It may be. And it can be very effective. But it’s not a small operation, and it’s normally only an option for people who haven’t managed to lose weight in spite of changing their diet and exercising on a regular basis.
If you’ve not had success with these strategies, and you also have a BMI of 40 or above (or a BMI between 35 and 40 and an obesity-related condition that could benefit from surgery) you can discuss it with your doctor. Bariatric surgery usually involves long-term follow-up with your doctor too, to monitor your progress over an extended period of time.
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