first week on orlistat

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi every 1 this is my first week on orlistat i am also doing weight watchers which isnt going great how quick does the weight start to come off im worried it wont work for me

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    It has taken 6 weeks to start coming off for me.
    • Posted

      Hi, it's my first week as well, my doctor told me to expect to lose 2lb a week and that if I don't eat a low fat diet it will not work, my next weigh In is next tuesday, not going near the scales until then
  • Posted

    Hi, Welcome to the club. The first thing I would say is not to have too high an expectation as there are very hit and miss stories with regards to these tablets, and accept that it is you who has to do all the hard work to lose the weight - same as if you were on any other diet. It's great that you are doing weight watchers too as that is the best thing to re-train your eating habits. I think 99% of people who are losing weight on these tablets are doing so simply be eating a very low fat diet and exercising. In my opinion these tablets don't actually do anything other than make you stick to a low fat diet as the side affects if you don't are not very nice at all. You should read through some of the forums to get a view on what people are doing/achieving etc as there is lots of information.

    From my own personal point of view, I expected great things on these tablets. I had 5 stone to lose and have only ever dieted once before in my life a few years ago (with weight watchers) and I lost more weight in the same time frame with ww than on these tablets. Saying that, it may be because I am mid 40's now and starting the menopause so that may well have something to do with it. As I say, I expected great things but alas it has been very difficult and solely down to my own hard work that I have lost 20lbs so far (middle of my 3rd month). I started on 1400 calories per day and stuck to the 5g of fat rule and nothing really happened for the first few weeks other than getting seriously constipated. I had to seriously up my cycling habit and reduce my calories to 1200 and now I am losing approx 1 to 1.5 lbs per week (but for 2 of those weeks I lost nothing) - which is not great. My doc reassures me it is fantastic and healthy blah blah but I was seriously hoping for at least 2.5 lbs per week. (Clearly by losing 20lbs in total there was the one week where I lost a huge chunk of half a stone and I think that was my 4th week).

    So it has been slow and tedious and there has been tears, but to be honest I am now settled into it and actually enjoying seeing the weight come off, and getting fitter. My whole outlook has changed and I now accept weight loss for life has to be a slow process of re-training how you view food/emotions/exercise etc. I enjoy finding and creating new interesting food options under 5g of fat etc and I really enjoy my food now as I eat lots of very fresh fruit and veg and fish. My clothes fit better, my skin looks better, my hair looks better but most importantly my head feels better. I am so much happier and feel as if I am succeeding and I believe that is mostly down to the exercise - which I love (and for me that is really saying something as I couldn't even stand walking up the stairs before).

    So all in all, yes the positive effects from taking these tablets are well worth it, BUT it requires a hell of a lot of motivation and commitments from the individual and I think, like many of us, you could find the first 6 weeks a chore.

    But stay motivated, stay with weight watchers too, incorporate some exercise into the regime and stick to the low fat rule and you will see results - but hopefully, like me, your mind set will change along the way and it becomes a happy, positive experience in the end, not hell on earth as it is to start.

    Good luck and keep in touch as there are lots of us all going through this together. All the best.

    • Posted

      Hi my doc never told me anything about the tablets i have read alot of ppl reviews and they say theyve to stick to a 1200 calorie diet but im folowing the weight watchers pro points so i just got told to stick to my points and have meals of 15g and under then take my tablet after each meal
    • Posted

      Hi, that is fine and I think weight watchers is a brilliant combination with these tablets. Your calorie intake with weight watchers will be the right amount for your weight and it will be roughly the 1200 to 1400 calories per day so that will be no problem (I had 5 stone to lose and started on 1400 calories but am now on 1200). Just watch your fat intake because on weight watchers you learn to eat anything and everything in moderation and you can have chocolate, crisps or other fatty foods as long as it's within your points, but on orlistat you have to watch the fat intake and make sure snacks are zero fat and each meal is no more than 15g of fat in total with each item in that meal no more than 5g per 100g. Can be a bit complicated to start with but you will get the hang of it in no time and before long it does become automatic. Now when I walk round the supermarket, every single thing I pick up I auctomatically look at the fat content on the back of the packet before I put it in the basket.

      Good luck and if you have any questions feel free to ask. Bye for now.

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