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Certain weight loss treatments stop some of the fat that you consume from being digested, and this fat is instead released from the body in your stool. The active ingredient in these medications latches on to the enzymes that break down fat in the digestive system, and stops them from functioning as they normally would. Because this fat isn’t absorbed by the body, it allows you to lose weight. Weight loss medications like Orlistat, Xenical and Alli all work in this way. 

Other weight loss products work a bit differently. Medications like Wegovy, Contrave and Saxenda act on receptors in the brain that regulate your appetite, causing you to feel fuller and less hungry. This can help you to eat less food, and reduce your weight. 

It depends on your medical profile really. Weight loss treatments can have side effects, so if you’re susceptible to particular symptoms, this may play a big part in which treatments are suitable for you and which aren’t. For example, Xenical is a capsule that can cause diarrhea because of the way it works, so you may be better off with a different product (although it should be noted that other weight loss medications list diarrhea as a possible side effect).

If you have certain health conditions, or if you’re currently taking certain medication, these can also have a bearing on what the right treatment option for you is. Contrave for instance isn’t suitable if you have high blood pressure or if you’re taking antidepressants, whereas Saxenda may be suitable here. 

The type of treatment that you can use (or would prefer to use) is another factor. Xenical is a capsule, so if you’re able to take capsules and would rather take capsules, this may be the better option for you. Mysimba is a tablet, so if you find these easier to swallow than capsules, for example, they may be the best options for you. Saxenda and Wegovy are injections, and work better for some people than tablets or capsules. 

Xenical and the generic version of it, Orlistat, contain the same active ingredient, orlistat, and work in the same way in the body. 

There are a few differences though. Xenical is the branded treatment, and the more ‘famous’ weight loss product of the three. Orlistat is the generic version, and so it’s less expensive. Alli is similar, but it contains half the dosage of Xenical or Orlistat (60mg rather than 120mg). 

Because Alli contains only half the dosage of Xenical and Orlistat, it stops the body from digesting less fat in comparison. Xenical and Orlistat normally prevent one third of dietary fat from being digested, while Alli usually stops about one quarter of dietary fat from being absorbed. 

If tablets and capsules aren’t appropriate for you, Saxenda or Wegovy may be the right weight loss treatments. These are injections that you can take yourself, and you gradually increase the dose until you reach the recommended dose.

So to sum up: the right weight loss treatment for you may be dependent on a number of things. Your clinician can talk you through the various options though, taking your medical background and any health conditions or side effects that you’re prone to into account. 

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 under the guidance of your clinician, 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 CDC recommends aiming for losing between 1-2 Ibs a week [3], and you can do this by managing your daily calorie intake. 

The advice for women looking to lose 1lb per week is to limit calorie intake to 1,500 per day; and for men 2,000 per day [4].

So what specific things can you do to help you achieve this? There’s no one set of rules that works for everyone, but doing the following may be helpful:

• Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Skipping it can make you more likely to overeat at other meal times.
• Consume three regular, balanced meals each day. Aim to eat at set times of the day and only snack if you’re physically hungry.
• Eat more fruit and vegetables (at least five portions every day are recommended). A handful is about equivalent to one portion.
• Fill half your plate with vegetables or salad and the other half with fish, meat, beans or eggs, and starchy foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes and bread.
• Select foods and drinks which contain reduced fat and sugar and restrict any salty, sweet and fatty snacks. 
• Reduce your alcohol intake if you drink. Alcohol contains a lot of calories. 
• Try to drink two liters of fluid every day, and go for low calorie, non-caffeinated drinks.
• Once you’ve eaten, wait for at least 15-20 minutes before deciding if you need to eat more. It takes the brain this amount of time to know if you’re full. 

You may be asking yourself what the best diet for weight loss is, but it’s important to know that some ‘diets’ can be severe and don’t usually carry the right nutritional balance. And by setting strict rules for what you should and shouldn’t eat, it’s unlikely that you’ll stick with them. So you’re much better off using the bullet points above as a guideline. 

Exercise helps you to burn off excess calories that you can’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 small things can make a difference. 

Increasing the amount of activity you do a little at a time is usually an effective way to approach exercise if you’re looking to lose weight, because it’s easier to make it part of your daily routine. 

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. 

If you’re looking to lose weight quickly, around 60 minutes of moderate intensity, daily exercise may be effective [5]. 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 rather than taking public transport, using stairs instead of lifts or elevators, and parking further away from your destination so that you have to walk further to get there are other easily achievable ways to lose weight. 

It’s important to speak to your clinician 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 on your motivation. Your clinician can help you to create an exercise programme that’s tailored for you. 

It may be. And it can be very effective. But it’s a significant 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 these haven’t worked, 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 clinician. Surgery usually involves long-term follow-up with your clinician too, to monitor your progress over an extended period of time. 

It depends on the shake. Shakes that contain added sugars and syrups won’t help you to lose weight, but high protein shakes that contain fibre and no more than a couple of grams of sugar can be effective in the short term. In one study of weight loss shakes, patients lost an average of 13.8 pounds over 12 weeks [6]. 

While many brands are rich in nutrients though, they’re not really a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet that contains whole foods. You may find that weight loss shakes help you to lose weight, but they’re not forcing you to alter your eating habits. So once you’ve stopped replacing your meals with shakes, it’s likely that you’ll put the weight that you’ve lost back on. 

In summary, they can be an effective measure for weight loss for a period of time, and they’re convenient because you can drink them ‘on the go’, but you may find that they’re not a long-term solution.

It can depend on the type of weight loss treatment you’re using, but the most common side effects are flatulence, increased and sudden bowel movements, fatty or oily stools, diarrhea, constipation, headache and feeling sick. 

Not everyone experiences these symptoms, but if you do, they normally occur shortly after eating a meal that’s high in fat. They’re a lot less likely to occur if you reduce the number of fatty meals you consume, and side effects tend to ease once your body has become used to the medication. 

Severe side effects are rare with licensed weight loss medications, but if you experience any signs of an allergic reaction (such as serious breathing difficulties, rash, itching, sweating, swelling in the face and throat, increased heart rate, nausea and vomiting) you should stop taking it and get emergency medical attention. 

There have been reports of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and depression in a small number of patients whilst using Contrave. If you experience any thoughts of self-harm or other thoughts which cause you distress, or if you are feeling depressed, contact your clinician or go to hospital straight away. 

Although uncommon, patients using Saxenda have reported getting pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening condition, and you should go to hospital or get medical attention immediately if you develop severe and persistent abdominal pain which may spread to your back, and nausea and vomiting symptoms. 

In any case, if you do get any side effects, you should always tell your clinician. They may advise you to try an alternative weight loss product, or to make further adjustments to your diet.

The only licensed treatment that isn’t prescription only is Alli, which is available in pharmacies. You’ll still need to have a chat with a pharmacist before you can get it though. 

Other weight loss treatments can have particular side effects that require an assessment from a clinician to know whether they’re safe for you to use, so are prescription only. 

EveAdam can help you find the weight loss medication you need. We’ll ask you some questions about your health, our clinician will review your answers, and recommend some options for you. They’ll then write you a prescription, send this to a licensed US pharmacy to be dispensed, and you’ll get your medication delivered to your home. 

Whether you want to receive your weight loss treatment every 1, 2 or 3 months, it’s totally up to you. And if you’d like a specific quantity of capsules, tablets or injections each time, you can choose from our options too.