Fat blocking drugs have become a favourite with a lot of people seeking effortless weight loss. Apparently the Food and Drug Administration has started investigating Alli and Xenical, which are two popular weight loss drugs. Alli is an over the counter weight loss drug which is approved by the FDA. Xenical on the other hand is a prescription strength version of the fat blocking drug with twice the potency of Alli. Both drugs  apparently facilitate weight loss by inhibiting the intestine’s ability to absorb fat.

The FDA has since received 32 reports of serious liver damage that may be linked to Orlistat, the active ingredient in both Xenical and Alli.

I did a search to find out the side effects of orlistat based drugs and this is what was on the medicine.net website;

The most common side effects of orlistat are oily spotting on underwear, flatulence, urgent bowel movements, fatty or oily stools, increased number of bowel movements, abdominal pain or discomfort, and inability to control stool (incontinence).

Is it really worth it to suffer all these side effects and put one’s health at risk? It never ceases to amaze me at what great lengths people will go to achieve quick weight loss. Is the discomfort and embarrassment of staining one’s underwear and even clothes worth it?

Unfortunately, in this age of the remote control, people will always be looking for quick fixes for weight loss. This is one of the reasons that drug companies invest so much in finding the magic pill that can provide weight loss effortlessly. Unfortunately such a magic pill does not exist and I really doubt that modern science will ever be able to find such a magic pill.

Weight gain is a lifestyle problem that cannot be cured with a pill. Its a lifestyle problem because it is affected by such a wide array of factors such as nutrition, exercise, hormones, mental health, stress, sleep and a host of other factors. A drug or a quick fix can only address the problem temporarily. As soon as the effect of the quick fix wears off, weight usually creeps back because the underlying problem was never addressed.

In order for your body to change, you have to change in your mind first. Your body is like a car. It needs some level of maintenance. We cannot be so irresponsible as to deny our bodies the maintenance required for it to operate optimally. Do not ever resort to drugs as a solution for your weight loss challenge. If you are going to try and lose weight, once and for all lose it correctly.

Lose weight correctly and look forward to better health and not worry about the side effects of a drug. Easily sustain the weight that you have lost and not put it back as soon as the effect of the drug wears off. The secret of healthy and sustainable weight loss is accepting the fact that achieving and maintaining a beautiful body requires both effort and time. The day one accepts this, the battle against the bulge would already be half won. This is the single biggest obstacle in the way of many people. And besides that, if there was a magic pill for weight loss, Oprah would have found it by now.