Wherever we look, we are bombarded with images of impossible-to-maintain bodies. Impossible, that is, unless you have a personal trainer, a private chef, and a practically unlimited budget. Instead of setting impossible standards for yourself, make this year about setting your own standards for yourself. These will be the standards that make you feel good about yourself and help you achieve your health goals. If you are obese or overweight, the journey to achieving a healthy weight can be long and daunting. This is where weight loss drugs can help.
- Weight loss drugs
- Who can take weight loss drugs?
- Saxenda
- Mysimba
- Wegovy
- Orlistat
- Getting the right weight loss solution for you
- Optimize your weight loss journey
Table of Contents
1. Weight loss drugs
Weight loss drugs can be useful for people who are obese or overweight and who haven’t been able to lose weight by diet and exercise alone. Different weight loss drugs do different things. Some suppress your appetite, while others affect the way that your body absorbs fat or increase your metabolic rate so that you burn more calories. Some weight loss drugs do a combination of all three.
2. Who can take weight loss drugs?
Your healthcare provider will let you know if a weight loss drug might be right for you. Although everyone is different, help with losing weight is more likely to be advised if you have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 30, or you have a BMI of 27-30, and you have other health conditions that are linked to being overweight, for example, diabetes or high blood pressure. Weight loss drugs are not recommended if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive.
3. Saxenda
Containing the active ingredient liraglutide, Saxenda is used alongside a calorie-controlled diet and exercise to boost weight loss. Saxenda works by making you feel less hungry. It also makes you digest food more slowly so that you feel fuller for longer. The weight loss aid comes in the form of an injection pen that needs to be administered once a day.
Common side effects of Saxenda include constipation, diarrhea, a change in taste, bloating or stomach pain, feeling dizzy, weakness, or tiredness.
4. Mysimba/ Contrave
Known in the US as Contrave and in the UK as Mysimba tablets, this drug contains two active ingredients: naltrexone and bupropion. Together, the two drugs reduce the appetite, make you feel full more quickly, and help you burn more calories. Contrave/Mysimba is easy to take and comes in tablet form; one tablet a day is usually recommended at first.
Because Mysimba/Contrave contains an antidepressant that reduces food cravings, one side effect is anxiety. Other side effects include constipation, nausea, headache, fatigue, and insomnia.
5. Wegovy
Wegovy contains the active ingredient semaglutide. It helps to boost weight loss by making you feel full more quickly and reducing your appetite. Wegovy also reduces cravings for high fat food.
As with most weight loss tablets, some people who take Wegovy experience nausea, constipation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, heartburn, or dizziness.
6. Orlistat
Orlistat is a little different to most weight loss pills as it works by reducing the amount of fat that is absorbed into the body, meaning that rather than absorbing and storing fat, it is passed naturally by the body. Orlistat is also available in a weaker, over-the-counter form known as Alli.
The side effects of Orlistat include stomach pain, headaches, anxiety, and diarrhea.
7. Getting the right weight loss solution for you
When you speak to a healthcare professional about selecting the right weight loss drug, you can ask them about how to start exercising safely. It is important that you are aware of the possible side effects of your weight loss aid and when you need to stop taking the drug or seek medical advice because of side effects.
8. Optimize your weight loss journey
All weight loss drugs work better when they are taken in conjunction with a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise. For people who are not used to exercising, this could mean regular walking to begin with. Try to walk for at least thirty minutes a day; get off the bus a stop early, or take the stairs instead of the lift.
You can also boost your weight loss by making some changes to your diet. If you drink full-sugar sodas, switch them for sugar-free alternatives or (even better) water. If you can’t resist a latte and a pastry each day, switch out for a skinny latte and swap the pastry for granola. Small swaps each day will help you to see large gains, and the more gains you see, the more motivated you will feel on your journey to a healthier you. Remember, with every Kg you lose, you will be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and at a lower risk of life-limiting diseases. Remember, you are not trying to lose weight for photo opportunities or to look like those unrealistic magazine standards. You are losing weight for the most important reason: you.
