And now, a new anti-fat diet pill

People are always looking for the next weight-loss quick fix. Common sense tells us that diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes are the answers to the perennial question “How do I lose weight and keep it off?” but a part of us still hopes for a miracle pill that will let us eat all we want of the foods we like and slack off a bit on that boring treadmill.

Well, hope is at hand. A new tablet on the market called Lipout is being touted as a helpful tool in weight management, and it definitely sounds more appealing than other fat pills that either take a toll on your health, or have embarrassing side effects that will have you running to the bathroom after a particularly rich meal.

“Lipout is a breakthrough product,” says brand manager Dulce Concepcion, “and your partner for healthy weight management.”

How does it work? Lipout’s secret weapon is Litramine, a patented fiber complex derived from organically grown cactus plants.

Get the fat out … Naturally

Yes, certain cacti are edible, and scientists from research facility InQpharm have found that the variety opuntia ficus indica possesses a high ability to bind with dietary fat. So they captured these fat-binding properties in capsules that you take after a heavy meal.

Two to three Lipout tablets taken right after eating bind fat as soon as they come into contact with the food in your digestive tract. In your stomach, a fat-fiber complex is formed, which entraps the bound fat in a gel-like covering. This unabsorbed fat becomes too large to be absorbed by the body, so it will be eliminated naturally in your stool the next day.

The fat-fiber complex also slows down the rate at which food leaves your stomach, making you feel full longer, reducing food cravings and helping you eat less in the process.

Though it is not medicine to cure obesity and makes no claims as such, studies have shown that Lipout eliminates 26.6 percent of dietary fat and over a million have used it with no side effects.

Eat more fiber

At the launch, a panel of doctors backed up Lipout’s claims. Dr. Trinidad Trinidad, a scientist from the Department of Science and Technology, says that at present, Filipinos aren’t eating enough fiber. A 2003FNRI-DOST National Nutrition Survey found that Filipinos were taking in about 11 grams of fiber a day, when the recommended amount is 20 to 25 grams.

“Not enough fiber results in increased chronic diseases like diabetes and some cancers,” she said, “and increased intake does wonders.”

Eating more fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oats, and psyllium seed husks protects against the development of coronary heart disease and it won’t ruin your diet, as it’s super low-cal  one gram of fiber only has two calories  and Lipout may actually help meet those daily fiber requirements.

Make healthier diet choices

Clinical nutritionist-dietician Dr. Rosario Ramos-Acosta spoke on a healthy vs. a balanced diet, and the current ideal is a diet composed of 50-percent carbohydrates, 20-percent proteins, and 30-percent fat.

“It’s about choices: white vs. brown rice, bacon vs. avocado for breakfast, or eating a whole apple instead of apple juice or apple pie. Which are the better options?” she asked. “Shift to lean meat with brown rice, veggies and fruits. The new paradigm is fiber in the diet. It prolongs satiety, slows down the gastric emptying rate, and it’s anti-cancer.”

Don’t give in to stress

Dr. Rumalie Corvera, a doctor on Family Medicine and stress-management expert, said that chronic stress is closely associated with weight gain. For men, stress is usually caused by high job demands while women buckle under relationship strain.

When we’re stressed, we prefer more caloric foods that are denser, richer, and more satisfying, so we tend to OD on the potato chips and soft drinks. But interventions to stress may limit weight gain. “The three basic ways of approaching stress are: accept, analyze and act,” Corvera said. “Peace and healthy weight management is a choice.”

Exercise is a necessity

Dislike regimented exercise? Good news. Dr. Toni Yamamoto, chair of the Department of Occupational and Family Medicine at Asian Hospital, says that every move we make burns calories and is exercise. To lose weight, however, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 90 minutes of activity; 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity resulted in weight maintenance and a reduced risk for chronic disease. The inevitable conclusion? Regular exercise is an important part of effective weight loss.

A standardized fat-binding test showed that two tablets of Lipout bound 12 grams of fat, or 108 calories. Nine tablets, or three taken after every meal (the maximum dose of Lipout per day), bound 54 grams of fat, or 486 calories’ worth.

To lose one kilo of body fat we need to cut back on at least 3,500 calories, so nine tabs of Lipout per day helps cut back on 3,400 calories, helping us lose up to one kilo (2.2 lbs) per week. Of course, you get the best results with a healthy diet and exercise, but didn’t we already know that?

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Lipout is available at leading Mercury Drug stores nationwide. For more information on Lipout and healthy weight management, visit www.lipout.com.ph.