MANILA, Philippines - Obesity has been linked to obstructive sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, gallbladder diseases, gynecologic abnormalities, hypertension, pancreatitis, and cancer,” says Dr. Cristina Chua, fellow at the Endocrinology and Diabetes Center of St. Luke’s Hospital. “The prevalence of obesity has risen 24.9 percent since 1998. It is a problem that comes with a lot of complications.” She goes on with a litany of medical conditions and we are overweight and scared.
Did you ever wish for a diet pill that could easily melt fat so that you would shed the extra pounds like you were washing away ordinary dirt? I tell you now: Magic pills do not exist. Although there are preparations that promote rapid weight loss, the results are most likely temporary and you would regain your original heft in no time at all. Or worse, the pills may have serious safety issues and can reduce you to a gaunt, addicted, and starving psychotic with injured body organs. Face it — it takes more than pills to find your ideal body under the folds of fat. Losing extra weight entails sincere effort and a realistic commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Of course, some encouragement means a lot.
That is the attraction of Alli, GlaxoSmithKline’s over-the-counter anti-obesity agent. More than just a capsule, it comes with a support program to help you achieve gradual and steady weight loss. “It is important to remember that you’re not in a race — Alli is not a short-term, quick fix,” emphasizes the product literature. With a reduced-calorie and lower- fat diet and exercise, you can lose about 50-percent more weight than by dieting alone. That translates to one additional pound lost for every two pounds lost through diet and exercise. And recognizing that people need to understand their medications to encourage proper compliance, GlaxoSmithKline has taken extra effort to educate the product’s users.
“Read me first,” says one of the three Alli leaflets that come with the medication. It gives users an overview of Orlistat, the active ingredient of the capsules. Orlistat is used for long-term treatment of obese and overweight patients, aged 18 and above, and it acts to block the absorption of about 25 percent of the fat from the diet.
Since the fat passes out of the body, it has some effects on the bowels. Among these side effects are flatulence with oily spotting, sudden bowel motions (find a toilet quick!), and fatty or oily stools. The side effects are messy and quite gross, not to mention uncomfortable and embarrassing, so that there is an added impetus for users to abide by the recommended diet and avoid accidental fatty discharges. What distinguishes Alli from the other Orlistat preparation is its lower milligram content.
“If you eat very little fat, the capsules have little effect,” says the second leaflet which is devoted to an “eating plan.” Fat contains more calories than other nutrients. Expectedly, reducing fat intake is an effective way to reduce caloric intake. “At its most basic, making good food choices with the Orlistat (Alli) eating plan comes down to the words lean, green, and grain.” By opting for lean meats and lower-fat dairy products, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and consuming rice, grains, and cereals in the right proportions, one can optimize the effects of the pills and see results faster.
Nutritionist Virgith Buena says, “Nutrition is very important, and losing weight does not mean that you have to deprive yourself. Eat low-fat, low-cholesterol meals, cut down on salt, and add fiber to your diet.” She suggests eating fruits and vegetables before meals and admonishes, “Hold the line on sugar.” Why? Apart from the weight gain, you may notice skin discoloration lines on your or your bulky child’s skin (especially on the neck). This may indicate high sugar and with proper control and diet, the unsightly dark patches will eventually disappear.
Other useful tips on eating right: Eat a variety of foods from each food group. (Fad diets with too much of one thing can be potentially dangerous.) Choose healthy fats or fats from fish and vegetable sources. Limit alcohol. Drink six to eight glasses of water. Choose fresh foods whenever possible. Plan your meals and try to keep a tally of the calories and fat in each meal. Definitely, don’t go hungry so you wouldn’t be tempted to binge. To make food selection easier, the anti-obesity pack comes with a sample menu for one week.
Of course, one cannot overemphasize the importance of exercise as a means of burning the calories and firming up the flab. At a recent activity to introduce Alli, coach Jim Saret demonstrated uncomplicated exercise routines. “You don’t need to enroll in a gym or buy complicated exercise equipment,” says coach Jim as he demonstrates easy bending, stretching, and lifting exercises. “A lot of people fall off the exercise wagon because the routines are too difficult or too long. The beauty of a metabolic fat-burning workout is that it stimulates metabolism so you continue burning fat even after exercising.” The low-impact routine is ideal for oversized individuals. Added weight, after all, can be torture on the joints.
We’re introduced to a group of ladies who share the common goal of losing weight the healthy, sustainable way. Some members of the the “Alli First Team” — so called because they are among the first to try out the drug in the Philippines — have lost as much as 17 pounds within a span of six weeks. By encouraging each other and praising individual weight loss successes, members of the group have strengthened each other’s determination to reach their target weights.
But even if you decide to lose weight on your own, there is a support program for you. By accessing the product website, you will be able to find Alli-friendly recipes, exercise suggestions, hints and tips on staying motivated, and experienced guidance. In addition, you have the chance to chat with other Alli users through an online discussion forum.
The best part of the Alli support program is that there is a sense that you are not alone.
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Visit www.alli.ph for more information, advice, and success stories.