How to Lose Weight by Blocking Fat

German chocolate cake, crme brulee, deep-fried shrimp, garlic mashed potatoes ... the list of fattening temptations goes on and on. If only there was a pill that could cancel all the calories in our favorite foods! Such a pill doesn't exist --- yet. But there is a prescription drug called orlistat that at least blocks some of the fat in these foods, leaving you with less guilt, and in time, a few less pounds.

Instructions

1

Make an appointment with your doctor and inquire about orlistat, known in 2011 by the brand name Xenical. Over-the-counter orlistat, with the brand name Alli, is also available in drug and discount stores, but at a lower potency. Orlistat works by inhibiting gastric and pancreatic lipases, the enzymes that break down fat in the intestine. When lipase activity is blocked, fat from the diet is not absorbed but is passed out as waste in the elimination cycle.

2

Follow the recommended dosing guidelines from your doctor. At the standard prescription dose of 120 mg three times daily before meals that contain fat, orlistat prevents approximately 30 percent of dietary fat from being absorbed. The standard OTC dose is 60 mg three times daily, and it blocks up to 25 percent of daily fat intake. Doses higher than 120 mg do not produce greater effects.

3

Figure out how many fat calories you eat each day by reading product labels and consulting nutrient guides like the online USDA Nutrient Database. All fat provides 9 calories per gram. Therefore, if a label says a serving of corn chips contains 7 grams of fat, multiply 7 times 9 to determine the amount of fat calories per serving, in this case, 63. If you take orlistat at the same time you eat the chips, assume the drug will block 30 percent of those calories, or 18.9 calories.

4

Plan your daily diet to consist of approximately 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. If you require 2,500 calories per day to maintain your weight, and 750 of those calories come from fat, orlistat will block about 225 of them. Since one pound equals 3,500 calories, you will lose about two pounds per month without calorie reduction or exercising.