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Knowing where to start can be tricky with weight loss. But with our tailored treatment recommendations and consultations with our clinicians, it’s a whole lot easier.
Talk to us to get expert advice. We’ll suggest options we think are right for you, and you can choose the treatment you prefer. Order weight loss treatment online and get your medication shipped from our licensed pharmacy.
It’s quite a clever thing really. Some weight loss products stop the fat in the food you eat from being absorbed. The fat comes out in your stool instead, and this allows you to lose weight.
Other weight loss products act on the brain rather than your digestive system. They send signals to the brain indicating that you’ve had enough to eat. This stops you from overeating, and promotes weight loss.
Weight loss treatments are only suitable for people whose BMI (body mass index) is more than 30, or 28 if you have other risk factors like Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
You can check your BMI using our healthy weight calculator. The weight loss calculator will show you if you’re a healthy weight, and how much weight you need to lose to achieve a healthy weight if you’re overweight.
The BMI range that’s considered healthy can vary depending on your ethnicity. Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups with a BMI of 23 or more for example are more likely to get Type 2 diabetes and other long term illnesses. The NHS healthy weight calculator asks you what your ethnicity is, so this feature is included here.
The calculator provides you with a personal calorie allowance, to allow you to get to a healthy weight in a safe way.
If your BMI is below these numbers, and you’re overweight, a doctor will usually recommend making adjustments to your diet in the first instance, and increasing the amount of exercise you do. They may advise you to record what you eat in a food diary for one week. This can help them to monitor any particular habits that you have (such as putting sugar in your coffee) which you can change under their guidance.
Similarly, in terms of exercise, it can be helpful to keep an activity diary, and to wear a pedometer for a week. A pedometer keeps track of the number of steps that you take and allows you to see how active you are on a daily basis.
Once you have this information, it can help you to make changes to your lifestyle, and create a plan of action.
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 products attaches to 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 products such as Orlistat, Xenical and Alli all work in this way.
Other weight loss products work a bit differently. Treatments such as Mysimba and Saxenda act on receptors in the brain that control your appetite, causing you to feel fuller and less hungry. This can help you to eat less food, and reduce your weight.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
From tablets to capsules to injections, there are a variety of weight loss medicines available. 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.
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, Xenical 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. Mysimba for instance isn’t suitable if you have high blood pressure or if you’re taking antidepressants.
The type of treatment that you can use (or would prefer to use) is another factor. For example, Saxenda is effective but not everyone wants to use an injection. Xenical, Orlistat, and Alli are capsules, so if you’re able to take capsules and would rather take capsules, they may be the preferred options for you. Mysimba is a tablet, so if you can take tablets and you find them easier to swallow than capsules, for example, these products may be the best ones for you.
Xenical, Orlistat and Alli all contain the same active ingredient, orlistat, and they all 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 a ‘pharmacy’ medicine, so you don’t need a prescription for it. But you’ll still need to answer a few questions from a pharmacist before you can get it. It’s the cheapest product of the three, 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, whereas Alli usually stops about one quarter of dietary fat from being absorbed.
If tablets and capsules aren’t suitable for you, Saxenda may be the right weight loss treatment. It’s an injection that you can take yourself, and you gradually increase the dose week by week 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. Our clinician can talk you through the various options though, factoring in your medical background and any health conditions or side effects that you’re prone to.
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).
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.
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.
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 GP. Surgery usually involves long-term follow-up with your GP too, to monitor your progress over an extended period of time.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy.
Have something specific you want to know about Weight loss? Search our info below, or ask our experts a question if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
What is Body Mass Index (BMI)? Available at:
Meal Replacement Beverage Twice a Day in Overweight and Obese Adults (MDRC2012-001). Current Nutrition and Food Science. NCBI. 2012 Nov; 8(4): 320–329.
Just like Xenical but without the branding. Can reduce fat absorption by up to 33%.
Registered with GMC (No. 4624794)
Meet DanielVictorian Pharmacy Authority (AHPRA: 3000093-104124)
Meet StephenAlways read the leaflet that comes with your medication and tell us about any side effects you get.
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