In 2007, eight years after receiving FDA approval as a prescription diet pill, orlistat received approval for over-the-counter distribution. This version of orlistat, marketed under the trade name Alli, came with the recommendation that only overweight adults over the age of 18 should use the diet pill in addition to a low-calorie, low-fat diet plan. According to manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, the Alli diet is a "complete approach to weight loss" that focuses on lifestyle, food, nutrition and fitness.
Alli Diet Pill
The Alli diet pill consists of 60 mg of the drug orlistat, or tetrahydrolipstatin, which you should take with fat-containing food three times a day. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, or NCBI, orlistat is a lipase inhibitor that blocks a large portion of the fat you consume from being absorbed in your intestines. Unabsorbed fat then travels through your intestines and leaves your body when you have a bowel movement. The 2010 cost: approximately $55 a month.
Food
The foods you eat are an important part of the Alli diet. This diet encourages three meals a day and between-meal snacks so that you consume food at least every four hours. As long as your diet is low-calorie, you may choose your foods, but the NCBI recommends consuming low-fat or nonfat foods for most of your meals to avoid the unpleasant side effects of unabsorbed fat on your digestive system. Additional recommendations include dividing your daily calorie intake equally between your three main meals, limiting the amount of lean meat at any one meal to no more than 3 oz., and avoiding foods with a fat content of more than 30 percent.
In addition to blocking fat absorption from foods you eat, orlistat prevents the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and beta-carotene. To avoid becoming deficient in any of these important nutrients, take a daily multivitamin supplement, two hours before or after taking an Alli diet pill, or right before going to bed at night.
Exercise
The Alli diet plan recommends exercising for a minimum of 20 minutes three times a week. In addition to burning calories, activities such as walking can improve your metabolism, help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control, and relieve stress, according to Alli's manufacturer.
Support Plan
When you purchase Alli diet pills, literature in the package provides a number of free support options. Central to this is an online support plan called MyAlliPlan that lays out a 26-week action plan for teaching you a new healthful-eating skill each week, helping you monitor your diet and target goals, plan meals and talk with others about weight loss.
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