Orlistat Diet Plan: What To Eat When Taking Orlistat
Reviewed on 24 May 2023
Taking Orlistat is proven to be an effective way of losing weight, as long as those taking it follow a healthy, low-fat diet. If a correct diet plan is not followed the side effects of Orlistat can be exacerbated, causing increased bloating and fatty or oily stools.
While Orlistat can be very effective at helping you lose weight, you still need to eat the correct foods to make the most of your weight loss. Your diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables, and three main meals a day will help you maintain a healthy daily intake of the necessary fats, proteins and carbohydrates your body needs.
The ideal Orlistat diet is mildly hypocaloric, meaning you will need to eat slightly fewer calories than you burn. Here are a few quick tips to achieve this:
- Eat some starchy carbohydrates such as bread, potato, rice and pasta.
- Fill at least half your plate with vegetables and salad and eat smaller portions of meat and starchy food.
- Use a smaller plate to ensure a smaller portion.
How to get the best results from Orlistat
Orlistat is most effective when used with a nutrient-rich and calorie-controlled diet. Each meal must contain 1-15 grams of fat, and fat should account for no more than 30% of the daily calorie intake. If Orlistat doesn’t get the desired results, you can contact our helpful team for advice.
Orlistat diet plan
It can be tricky to know what’s best to eat when you start Orlistat for weight loss for the first time. To help you get the best results we’ve listed some of the best foods to eat while you’re taking this weight-loss medicine.
Breakfast ideas
Studies have shown that getting at least 20 grams of protein at breakfast may help you lose weight. Smoothies, nuts and seeds, and whole grains are great sources of protein, and there’s no excuse for skipping breakfast when you have these super fast and simple recipes:
- Nut Butter, Banana, and Chia Seed Toast – Try this superfood twist on classic peanut butter and toast with 1/2 a banana (sliced) and a sprinkle of chia, which is packed with vitamins and minerals (like six times more calcium than milk!).
- Pineapple, Ginger, and Walnut Oatmeal – Who said a bowl of oatmeal can't whisk your taste buds away to the tropics?
- Tofu Scramble – Happy news, vegetarians: Soy foods are as good as other proteins for helping you drop pounds on a low-calorie diet, a study found.
- Porridge with Blueberry Compote - This creamy combination is fruity, dense with fibre, and perfect for a morning meal. The yoghurt offsets the sweetness of the blueberries.
- Soft-boiled Egg and Asparagus on Toast - You can whip up this tasty breakfast in 20 minutes for a delightful mix of flavours and textures.
- Fig, Pear, Banana and Berry Bircher Muesli - This sweet and savoury option can be tweaked to your liking. Swap out your favourite fruits and create your perfect breakfast.
Lunch ideas
If your goal is 1,500 calories a day, aim for roughly 400 calories at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with two snacks of about 150 calories each. You'll get more nutritional bang out of your calories if you choose whole foods like vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts and seeds. Here are some delicious and nutritious lunch recipes to attempt:
- Stuffed Ranchero Sweet Potato – This recipe is perfect to pack up when you're on the go! One sweet potato provides over 300% of your daily vitamin A needs and comes packed with other sassy nutrients.
- Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl – This vegan grain bowl is easy to make ahead of time to enjoy hot or cold for lunch the next day. With a punchy citrus dressing offsetting the sweetness of the roasted vegetables, you’ll get a deep, satisfying flavour that keeps you going for hours.
- Spiralized Asian Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing – Noodles, anyone? Get in your veggies with this Asian Quinoa Salad. It soaks up the flavour of the peanut dressing as it sits, so it’s perfect for making at the beginning of the week and having for lunch for days!
- Baked Cod With a Tangy Topping – Perfect for pepping up your afternoon, this fish dish packs a powerful punch – and it’s super easy to make.
- Carrot & Coriander Soup – Soup is the ideal diet comfort food: filling, low-calorie, and delicious. This vegetarian recipe is exceptionally healthy and can be prepared in no time.
- Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry – Dietary restrictions don’t mean giving up strong flavours. This mouth-watering chicken dish is sure to satisfy your lunchtime cravings.
Dinner ideas
You've probably heard it said that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but when you're trying to lose weight, what you eat for dinner is important, too. It’s a good idea to eat vegetables throughout the day when you're trying to lose weight, and dinner is no exception.
Combine the vegetables with healthy sources of protein (they’re linked to better weight management over time) and healthy carbohydrates (they provide long-lasting energy and help regulate your blood sugar). The key to carbs is portion control since many starchy foods are high in calories. Try these incredible healthy dinner recipes:
- Spicy Roasted Ratatouille with Spaghetti – If you’ve never eaten fine French cuisine, you’ll feel like you have once you’ve tucked into this healthy vegetable-heavy pasta dish. The only work is dicing the vegetables to roast them, after which everything combines easily for a spicy, satisfying, and very healthy meal.
- Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos – Tacos taste so indulgent, but they can be really healthy. These Buffalo Cauliflower tacos prove it. First, you set the stage with tangy Buffalo sauce, smooth ranch dressing, crispy lettuce and rich avocado. After that, you add garlic and chilli cauliflower - you dip it in more Buffalo sauce, roast it, then dip it one more time.
- Bean & Barley Chilli – Whether it’s the middle of winter or it’s just a little breezy outside, sometimes you need something wholesome to warm you up. This vegetarian chilli is the answer you’re looking for. For temperature and texture contrast, throw in some plain yoghurt and some corn chips or rice.
- Spelt, Courgette & Rocket Risotto - Throw this vegetarian risotto together in 30 minutes and you’ll be amazed at the results. It’s tasty, healthy, and packed with nutrients.
- Spiced Chicken, Spinach & Sweet Potato Stew - This low-fat stew can be prepared in under an hour and offers a great warmth that will keep your hunger in check for the evening.
- Pea & Mint Pasta - This vegetarian pasta dish is low in saturated fat, full of flavour and vitamin C, and can be assembled in just 15 minutes.
Snacks
Fasting sounds like a practical way to get rid of some calories from your diet, but many argue that snacks or “mini-meals” can curb appetite, stabilize blood sugar, and help you eat less during subsequent meals.
Smart snacking can help you deal with your cravings before they get worse, helping you lose weight. There are plenty of simple yet healthy quick fixes that can actually balance your diet and help you avoid excessive intake at meals.
- Frozen Grapes – It’s perfectly accurate to describe these as refreshing summertime snacks. They taste like candy! You can even add them to glasses of wine to freshen things up.
- Salt & Vinegar Chickpeas – Just like salt and vinegar chips, but better. Enjoy these protein-packed, crispy chickpeas without any processed ingredients and a fraction of the fat.
- Pan-Fried Cinnamon Bananas – A banana alone makes for a great energy spike, but why not jazz it up a bit? It only takes five minutes! Sprinkle your slices with cinnamon sugar (use coconut sugar if that's what's in your pantry) and skillet-cook them until gooey and warm to make snack time instantly special.
Tips for reducing fat intake while taking Orlistat
Lowering fat intake is never easy, so take advantage of every tip you can find. Here are some you can start using today as part of your Orlistat diet plan:
- Eat more fruits and vegetables
- Bake, broil, or grill; avoid frying
- Use fat-free or plant-based milk instead of whole milk
- When eating in a restaurant, ask that the sauces and dressings be served on the side
- Instead of cooking with butter or margarine, try cooking with herbs, spices or lemon juice instead
- Limit hydrogenated fats (shortening, lard) and animal fats (butter, cream) if you can. Use liquid oils, particularly canola, olive, safflower, or sunflower
- Snack on fruits and vegetables
- Avoid eating any processed foods
Conclusion
We’ve looked at plenty of things you can do to make Orlistat work well for your weight loss journey. But remember that there are always more recipes and ideas to find if you get into a routine! Here are some great websites you should check out when you’re looking for something new for your Orlistat diet plan:
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/
- https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1231/healthy-recipes/low-fat/
- http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/18016/lifestyle-diets/low-fat-fat-free/
- https://www.myrecipes.com/low-fat-recipes
- https://www.bhg.com/recipes/healthy/low-fat/
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/low-fat
If you keep mixing up your diet, and enjoying good, healthy low-fat food, you’ll be sure to get the most out of your Orlistat prescription. For more advice on weight loss using Orlistat, visit our Weight Loss Advice area.
It’s also worth looking into Xenical a cheaper, generic version of Orlistat. Read about the differences here on our Orlistat vs Xenical page. You can also read Orlistat reviews here.
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Authored by
Dr Don Grant is The Independent Pharmacy's original online prescriber and has advanced in his role to become the Clinical Advisor, using his wealth of experience to advise on our clinical polices and prescribing guidelines.
Reviewed by
Dan is an experienced pharmacist having spent time working in both primary and secondary care. He currently supports our clinical team by providing robust clinical governance review of our internal processes and information.
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