My problem has always been that I can go forever and not be hungery. I have been to bariatric doctors and they tell me that my body panics and goes into starvation mode holding on to the pounds. Before Alli I never ate breakfast and usually don't eat lunch. I did not gorge myself at dinner, just ate normal amounts. Am I supposed to eat all of those calories for breakfast, lunch and dinner that is listed on my meal plan even if I am not hungery? Does it kick start the weight loss or something?    Thanks Billie 

Alli is built around a pattern of three meals and one or two snacks.  Thirty percent of calories are from fat, 20% from protein and about 50% carbohydrate -- similar to the diet of the American Heart Association.

If you're unable to follow this pattern alli may not be the program for you.  In addition to this being a healthy pattern it's also important for alli to be most effective because one capsule is taken with each meal to block some of the fat in that meal.

I hope this helps.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian 

I just bought this starter pack for my husband and my sister-in-law. Our family is really used to 1-meal-a-day pattern. They've been on different diets for so long. And what I've observe is that changing this 1-meal-a-day pattern to 3-meals-a-day worsens their weight problem especially when they start to get discouraged by their progress and quit the program. My husband was 260lbs before he joined Jenny Craig. When he did join the program, he went up to 268. When he stopped he went up to 280.

Anyway, my point is if you don't think this is the right program for us, then what is?

Oh and by the way, is there a danger to taking the pill with an empty stomach?

By the way, I'm not saying that Jenny Craig doesn't work or worsens weight problems. I'm just saying that changing patterns doesn't really help solving weight problems, in my observation.

I hope I'm not undermining your expertise. I'm just a little desperate because I want my husband to be happy. Also, I already got the pills. I'm feeling like I just wasted my money after reading your message.

Thanks really for the help.

BILLIERN,

I used to be a one meal a day person. I started Alli on 3/29 and FORCED myself to eat breakfast and lunch, plus my usual dinner. After 6 1/2 weeks, I have lost 15lbs.

I don't follow the meal plan, but I do log everything into the nutrition log.

layyash:

I just bought this starter pack for my husband and my sister-in-law. Our family is really used to 1-meal-a-day pattern. They've been on different diets for so long. And what I've observe is that changing this 1-meal-a-day pattern to 3-meals-a-day worsens their weight problem especially when they start to get discouraged by their progress and quit the program. My husband was 260lbs before he joined Jenny Craig. When he did join the program, he went up to 268. When he stopped he went up to 280.

Anyway, my point is if you don't think this is the right program for us, then what is?

Oh and by the way, is there a danger to taking the pill with an empty stomach?

By the way, I'm not saying that Jenny Craig doesn't work or worsens weight problems. I'm just saying that changing patterns doesn't really help solving weight problems, in my observation.

I hope I'm not undermining your expertise. I'm just a little desperate because I want my husband to be happy. Also, I already got the pills. I'm feeling like I just wasted my money after reading your message.

Thanks really for the help.

There's no one who can say what program is "right" for anyone else.  People have to identify what their particular problem is, or be very motivated to lose weight and do it in a healthy way -- not a fad diet if they expect to keep it off.

For many people, Jenny Craig is very successful; so is Weight Watchers.  In my opinion, both of these are sensible ways to lose weight.  Alli is also a sensible, healthy way to lose weight, and it has the added advantage of blocking some of the fat so people lose 50% more weight than diet alone -- IF someone is committed to following the program.

So, to be very blunt, you can not choose a Program for your husband and/or your sister-in-law.  Though you love them dearly, they are the only ones who can solve their weight issue...in their own time and in their own way.

I hope this helps.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian