Just an FYI, this question has been asked SO many times on the message board. It seems that there are a lot of people frustrated, especially if their question isn't answered either right away or at all by a moderator. I just found, on a previous page, this exact questions answered by a moderator. She repeated the information that Alli blocks 25% of fat consumed, which we all know.  She also reminds us that if you do not consume enough calories for the basic running of your organs, your body goes into starvation mode and preserves energy for this function. One of the comments above says that they heard metabolism ONLY is effected by muscle mass. This is ONE of the moderators of metabolism, but it is also effected by caloric intake. For example, if you do not eat breakfast in the morning, your metabolism burns more slowly than if you eat breakfast. That is one reason breakfast is so important for someone trying to lose weight.

 I suggest before posting a question, really take the time to look through previous pages for your question. It has probably already been answered. I made the same mistake with this particular question on my first day, I feel a little silly making the moderator answer the same stinking question over and over again.

 

Good luck, and keep focusing on  your success with weight loss, not failure. You will succeed. 

  
 

I am in the same boat as many of you - but I haven't heard anyone say THIS yet: I ALREADY was eating less than the caloric amount and fat amount that alli programmed for me. According to alli, I should be eating 1800 calories a day and 19 grams of fat per meal. I was scared to eat more food and more fat but wanted desperatelly to see results so I followed their meal plan to a T. I have been doing this for 2 weeks and have lost ZERO weight. I believe it is because I am eating more than I normally do. As an example - Before alli I would eat non-fat yogurt ( 8 oz.) with low fat granola ( 1/4 cup) on it for breakfast or sometimes lunch. I was satisfied on that but it is no where near 19 grams of fat nor will it get me to the calorie goal for the day. Now I eat the breakfasts alli programs which is a lot more but alas - no weight loss! I even run or walk 2 - 3 miles per day! I will finish my bottle of alli but personally, I am not sure about this product. Before alli I rarely felt I was depriving myself or "on a diet" but I was eating a lot less then this program requires. For the record, I am 5'7" and weigh 169. Not obese but according to alli I could be on their program. I am getting frustrated. Following alli IS expensive and very time consuming ( with the long list of groceries to buy etc.) Scientifically, are there people out there who just can't lose weight no matter what they try? this is what drove me to try alli - nothing else had worked for me and now this doesn't appear to be working either.... I have also done Weight Watchers and lost maximum of 6 pounds then 4 weeks of nothing. Believe me when I say I am following these programs to the letter. Any comments??????

Thanks bedeaner...I really have learned alot just from reading your posts.  Just a big help to me. 

I guess the thing to remember folks is....The moderator works for Alli, so he/she isn't going to tell us we don't need to take alli even if it's not going to be effective with low fat diets.  It wouldn't help their profit margine much to advise those of us who are on a low fat diet we don't need alli at all.

You are correct!  I don't think I could have explained it better...

This is the question we have answered the most in the past 2 months!  alli is a lifestyle plan not a crash diet.  Most people look at their target calories and fat grams in disbelief, but when you put it into perspective, the fat ranges (15 to 18 grams of fat per meal) are actually pretty close to the USDA Dietary guidelines for fat (20 to 35% calories from fat).  What I like to point out is that is quite easy to eat 15 to 18 grams of fat when most foods have their own natural fat.  For example, 4 oz Chinook salmon fillet grilled (nothing added) = 15 .2 grams fat, 1 hard boiled egg (nothing added) = 6.2 grams fat, and even 5 pretzel rods = 7 grams fat, 1/4 cup blanched whole almonds = 18.4 grams fat.  Those were just a handful of great foods with their natural fat.  Now, if we start looking at some foods with a higher and denser calorie and fat content, you all will be very surprised!  1 glazed donuts = 10 to 15 grams fat, 1 average piece carrot cake with cream cheese frosting = 43 grams fat!!  

Getting back at the main question (will alli still block the fat even if I am eating below my target fat) and the answer is yes, alli will block 25% of any fat consumed with your meal even if is below your target fat requirements.  When it comes to calories - the alli plan recommends a reduced calorie plan to complement the rest of the plan, but alli only blocks fat (25%) not calories. 

Just a little side note on price - alli comes up to be ~.60 cents per pill, which is much less than a cup of coffee (and I am not talking gourmet coffee).  I went to the early movie yesterday (at noon so I can make sure I get the early bird discount) and was extremely surprised to find out that a small beverage (10 oz with ice) cost me $3.50!!  so much for the early movie discount...

Anyway, thanks for providing the rest of the group with an answer!

Cheers,

Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, MS, RD, LD, CPT - registered dietitian

If I'm bipolar -- how do I proceed, with all my regular meds + allli My weight is +60 lbs, I usually eat aroung 1200 calories?

For those of you who are having difficulty losing weight on Alli based on the recommendations -- I would suggest you have some patience. But also make sure you are really counting calories and also exercising.

 If you do those two things, and the weight is still not coming off, I'd see a doctor. Could be something like hypothyroidism. It would be worth going to the doc just to rule it out.

 Also, like anything else, there is a lot of variation among individuals. Some people were graced with a very high metabolism, by virtue of their genetics and past behavior. Others of us have to work with a sluggish metabolism. So, if you are in the latter category, you might try dropping the caloric intake by about 200 calories and see if that makes a difference.

Oh, also -- make sure you are getting regular 8-9 hours of sleep per night. I know, it sounds impossible, but make it happen. There is no better predictor of obesity than chronic sleep deprivation.

Unfortunately for everyone who hates exercise, this is going to hurt. You CANNOT expect to lose weight if you do not exercise! If you have not lost any more weight is because you need to step it up. If you're walking 2 miles a day everyday, eating the same types of foods, and having the same regimen day by day, your body gets bored! You need to surprise it. Instead of 2 miles, move it up to four. Maybe you eat a tuna sandwich for lunch every day. Change it! Eat a grilled chicken sandwich. Just make sure you change your regimen and I'm sure you'll lose the weight. Alli cannot be done alone. You must exercise in order to burn calories, and gain muscle as well. Muscle gain burns more fat! So, instead of sitting around waiting for Alli to work, exercise, eat right, and with the help of Alli, I'm sure you will succeed. Don't give up and follow the plan to the dot! Good luck!

Here is my take on it for what it's worth.  I am still eating a very low-calorie not-fat breakfast.  I don't take and alli capsule with that.  Lunch is low-calorie, low-fat.  I will take an alli capsule with that.  I have a snack after lunch and sometimes it has fat, I should probably take a capsule, but don't.  And then a sensible, substantial dinner with a capsule.  I walk on the treadmill for at least 40 minutes a day sometimes an hour 5 days a week, and exercise in various other ways on the weekend.  I am not eating the required calories or fat -- just sensibly.  I am losing weight, but certainly not in leaps and bounds.  Slowly it is coming off.  I think the key is to use your common sense.  If you are going to have a meal with fat, take the capsule.  Log in your food intake and exercise and keep track of what you are doing.  It is helpful to see it in black and white.  Don't forget about the water.  I believe it is extremely important.  I drink 64 ounces a day.  I do not believe that we need to eat 1800 calories a day if our bodies are satisfied with the sensible amounts of food we choose.  Common Sense.

Hi L train, i'm feeling the same as you. I started Alli on July 8th and have been following the program to a T. when i began the program, at 5'6 and 199 lbs, i was supposed to be on the 1800 cal a day meal plan. Before starting Alli I was already following 1300 to 1400 calorie a day and low fat diet. I didn't really change it becaue it didn't make sense to me to up my calories so the pill could work?

I also now have a personal trainer three times a week since July 7th. I have lost a total of about 5 lbs which keep fluctuating and it's so frustrating. Is that low in 4 weeks with the help of Alli? I thought it would assist in weight loss or maybe i'm not fully understanding the function. Because judging from this, exercise alone and change in diet, healthy people lose 1 to 2lbs per week. I'm just not sure that Alli is doing what it should for me.

Sunday marked the start of week 4 on Alli, and I guess although it's not a miracle drug, i feel that the weight i'm losing is most likeley due to the exercise and diet; I may not need Alli and actually i've always been pretty regular. I used to eat and like clock work, bathroom a few minutes later. Since Alli, i have been constipated to the point where i had to finally take a laxative.

I'm just not sure if i will continue on Alli after this starter pack i purchased. I guess it will work on most people, i just don't feel the pounds i've lost have anything to do with Alli.

 

Hi to all who may still be stuggling with this issue. I have been on the plan for about a week and I do not follow anyone's plan but my own. I do however follow the weight watchers guidelines to some extent. I have found, because I eat such basic foods, breads and cereals, meat and eggs, 1% milk and lo-fat cheese and plain veggies and fruits, that it is also hard for me to get the 30% total fat grams with the amount of calories I eat. Therefore, I have started to incorporate the "good fats" ie. 1 tsp canola oil in my fat-free salad dressing, 1 tsp of flax seed oil in my bowl of cheerios, etc. I also started adding walnuts and almonds to my yogurt. Let me give you an example:

for breakfast this morning I had 1 cup of light orange juice, 1 c of cheerios, 1 c of 1% milk and 3 c of coffee. This adds up to 280 cal and 4.5 gram of fat, which is only about 15% of my total calories coming from fat, however, as soon as I added in my 1 tps of flax seed oil into my cereal, the total calories went to 310 calories and 9 grams of fat which comes up to the 30% total fat from calories.

I hope this helps, we all need fat for our bodies to function properly, but it's the good fat that is important. Most processed foods are full of junk fat which clog our arteries and do nothing for our nails, hair and skin. I am down 4 pounds already and I have more energy and my mind is clearer that it has been in a long time.

Good luck to all.

Bigred...,

 Those are some excellent suggestions.

I use Olivio too, and spread it on Ezekial bread or eat it with pasta to get some of that good fat. Flax seed sprinkled in my oatmeal is a good source of monounsatured fat.

 

 

Hey!

I totally agree with the "make sure you are counting your calories..." I've learned that it is so very common for people to underestimate how much and what they're eating when it comes to trying to change eating habits (notice I didn't say 'dieting'). If you're holding a bag of chips and eating one after the other, you may not realize how many you've consumed. This is why it's so important to journal and log every thing you eat, for accountability. Being able to see what you've eaten actually puts things into perspective and may make you see why you're not losing weight. Also, for some who think that 19 grams of fat per mean is too much, it is extremely easy to consume 19 grams of fat (or more) in one meal, even if you feel you're eating sensibly. Just as the dietitician said, some 'healthy' foods have natural fat in them, more than we might expect. Let's take a salad, for example. Everything in it adds up, from salad dressing (even the non-creamy ones and I try to avoid creamy dressings), to croutons, cheese, meat. It may not equal 19 grams by itself, but it could come close depending on what you put in it. 

I say all this to say that I know that I have definitely underestimated my fat and calorie intake because I came into the alli program thinking that I had this in the bag because I had been on WW and I was already eating low fat. Well, I'm not on WW anymore and I realized that my diet wasn't as low fat as I thought, especially when I began logging my food intake. I'm just sharing what I've learned. Hope this is helpful to someone.

 Mali