Healthy Weight Loss Tips for Using Xenical

XENICAL is a weight loss drug meant for obese individuals, or those with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above. Those who have high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes, combined with a BMI of 27 or higher may be candidates for XENICAL. The drug works by blocking out 30 percent of fat that is consumed from food. XENICAL is available by prescription only, and is meant to complement a detailed plan for weight loss. The success of a XENICAL goes hand in hand with other weight loss strategies.

Maximizing Weight Loss

• Lipases, which are enzymes in the digestive system, naturally break down fat consumed from food. When there is an over-consumption of fatty foods, the lipases do not function properly. XENICAL helps to maximize fat loss by attaching to lipases to help break fat down. It should be taken with every meal.

  Before taking XENICAL, a potential user must first come up with a weight loss plan in order to maximize its effectiveness. First, determine an overall weight loss goal, basing it on an optimal healthy BMI range. Since BMI is determined by height and weight, an individual needs to play around with weight numbers to configure the correct BMI for their height.

  Figure out how many calories should be consumed every day, based on a weight loss goal and current activity level. This should be periodically be reevaluated as weight is lost, activity level is increased, or the overall weight loss goal is changed.

  Next, figure out how many fat grams are allowed to be consumed each day, and how many calories are derived from servings of fat. This will help by giving a visual of how calorie-packed fat is, and act as a motivator to make more nutritional choices.

  Proper nutrition should be used, as well as proper serving sizes. Ideally, vegetables should make up half of a plate, meat should be the size of a deck of cards, and carbohydrates should be the size of a fist.

  Many of these factors vary by individual, so consult with a doctor when coming up with a weight loss plan; do not implement one alone.

Cautions

• XENICAL works properly only when taken with a balanced diet, which consists of less than 30 percent of calories from fat. XENICAL reduces the body's ability to absorb vitamins, so a multivitamin should be taken every day. It may also interfere with thyroid medications, so individuals taking such treatments should let their physician know ahead of time. Also, XENICAL may disrupt or change bowel movements and should not be taken by expecting mothers.