Fat blocking pills, such as Alli, are amongst the newest weight loss pills on the market. For example, Alli blocks about 25% of the fat ingested, that's a sizeable chunk of calories that is therefore eliminated from the diet, and that sounds real good and easy. Before you go reaching for that fat blocking pill though, remember that that fat has to go somewhere.
The pill has some unsettling side effects, mainly gas, oily discharge and unexpected fast trips to the restroom. Alli literature cautions one to wear black pants, bring a change of clothing, and wear a mini pad in case of accidents. Some women are reporting embarrassing incidents even when they stay within the strict fat consumption guidelines.
More fiber in the diet may help with the oily discharge. A fiber like Metamucil added to a glass of water taken by bedtime is recommended. The fiber forms a gel that expands to trap fat and that oily discharge.
Some women, and the company, say Alli’s side effects is a feedback tool. If you have bathroom problems it means you’re ingesting too much fat at any one meal. Other women have said even though they stick closely to the guidelines there are still accidents.
There are alternatives to Alli and the other fat blocking pills that don’t come with the problems of unexpected diarrhea and gas. These are the traditional weight loss pills - the appetite supressant pills, and other herbal mineral supplements.
Hoodia is an appetite suppressant that decreases the desire to want to eat. Since you eat less you lose weight. Hoodia can be found in over the counter supplements.
Conjugated linoleic acid seems to work the same way that Alli does by suppressing the enzyme lipase 2, but it doesn’t have the negative side effects and you don’t have to increase your exercise for it to work. People who took 3.4 to 4 grams of CLA lost four pounds of belly fat in three months. It is available at health food stores as a supplement.
About 5 glasses of green tea increases metabolism t oburn about an extra 60 calories a day - which is not a great amount - in about 100 days you would lose about 2 lb of weight. It has an abundance of EGCG, an anti-oxidant that increases thermogenesis, or your body using energy. It comes in a supplement form, as well as bottled, or tea bags for brewing. You can find green tea at your grocery and drug store.
Chromium is a mineral which enhances the body’s use of insulin by getting the glucose into the cells for energy rather than into storage as fat. It levels out the highs and lows of blood sugar. Chromium is available wherever vitamin supplements are sold.
BUT, not by much. If you were to drink about 2 litres of ice cold water a day, your body would use about 60 calories of energy or fat to heat it to body temperature. However, if you were already cold, or drunk too much to quickly, your body might lower the temerpature of your arms and legs to compensate for the body core being lowered, this may mean you might end up storing more calories - ie putting on weight.