I just bought Alli today b/c I passed it on a shelf at target. I joined the gym over 2 weeks ago and have already lost 4 pounds so I figured I'd add this to my routine. I'm 189 lbs and have a lot of work to do. I've already changed my eating habits and feel motivated so I'm hoping this helps. I'm realistic and understand that I myself have a lot of work to do but I'm doing it.  I try to go to the gym everyday even if its only for 30 minutes. If I don't go to the gym I do something else like hike 1.7 miles around this pond that I go to for summer sun. I'm so excited that I've finally decided that I don't want to be lazy and unmotivated anymore.  Go me.

 Yes!  Go You!

I'm fairly new at this too.  Started June 18th and have lost 8 pounds and a surprising amount of girth.

Post your questions, stick with the plan, and meet all of the wonderful new friends you've just found.

Best of success to you,

Mary

 Welcome aboard!  I'm new to the board also and have found so many supportive friends.  You are off to a great start!!

Pam

 Hi Mary,

Congrats on the 8lb loss.  You said that you have lost quite a bit of girth...are you exercising alot?  I don't weigh in until Wednesday but I weighed myself today and have lost another 4 lbs, for a total of 6lbs lost...yeah!!!  I really haven't noticed any changes so I am wondering if exercise is key.  Would appreciate some pointers!

Thanks...Pam

SW286  CW280  GW150

 Hi Pam,

I'm not doing anything outrageous.  I started walking every day with my dog, or if it's too hot, use the recumbant bike indoors for 15 minutes.  Just bought a set of weights and started doing the strength training exercises a few days ago. The scales were starting to disappoint me a little by slowing down, yet my clothes started to fit better rather quickly.  My waist went from 41" to 38" over the course of two weeks.  Color me happy :-)

Mary 

After loosing my daughter to murder more than ten years ago, I took comfort in eating, too much comfort. Pretty much eating what I wanted when I wanted. Not in volume but in fat content. In gaining so much weight I lost some self esteem and a lot of energy; it became hard to work in the public light. (doing crime victim advocacy). I made a decision to get healthy! Yes, for me, but also to continue helping others.

I HAVE LOST 43 lbs in 1 month. I have 65 to 100 lbs to go. TALK ABOUT EXCITED! I love my weight loss program because the results are immediate. My favorite saying now is, " How many grams of fat are in that" 

I'm shy to exercize at the gym so I do it in my living room. Just one hour a day, 1/2 morning, 1/2 evening, plus walking my grand-doggy Roxy in the evening. It has made me feel so energized!  

Taking Alli has made me realize what I am putting in my body... (you all know what I mean, the disposal). It's like, do I really want to eat this fatty food, I may not feel so well tomorrow morning disposing it. I compair it to should I have a few too many drinks and feel the hang over tomorrow? NO, It's not worth it.

I look forward to receiving support and want to thank the Alli crew for this wonderful web site!

Good Luck to All of You! Here's to being healthy; body, mind and spirit.

ChristyCan

 Hi Mary,

Yes, we all seem to be obsessed with the scale!  I've haven't been real faithful with the exercising so I will need to get motivated.  Dropping 2 inches is great.  I can't wait until my clothes start getting looser.  I think that when you really start noticing that all your hard work is paying off.  Take care...

Pam

 Just started on Alli plan.  I'm not having trouble watching what I eat.  I'm having trouble eating all that I'm supposed to, like 1800 calories a day.  The most I have got up to is 1500.  I wonder if that will be a problem.  I have'nt got into exercising as I have trouble walking ( bad leg and COPD) these really restrict how far I walk.  Trying to do a bit of exercise  a day and hopefully will increase.  So far haven't got on the scales, a bit fearful.  I report in tomorrow so I gues the scales are on for tomorrow.  LOL

LLano1

Hey llano1, I'm new as well, and I find it difficult most days to consume 1800 calories. I'm 21 and I am 258 now.  As an avid fast food lover in the past, I keep thinking, if I ate only one meal at McDonalds--a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and fries--it would be nearly 1000 calories, yet it's soo hard to eat 1000 calories in even TWO meals on Alli.  However, I have lost 8 pounds so far and I am beginning to look thinner.  I work out every day in the gym--35 mins on the elliptical machine and weights every other day.  I have hd a bad knee for about 5 years, but so far it hasn't given me trouble.  With your bad leg, you could just do whatever feels OK for you--if you start to feel pain, just stop.  Anything is better than nothing.  You can also do upper body weights and other things like that that don't involve your legs at all.  As for the food, 1800 is tough, but its definitely do-able.  Just think of the results you will see, even if you DO feel a little stuffed sometimes.  If you don't eat enough calories depending on your weight, your body will think it is starving and hold on to the fat!  Don't give up!  :)

 Hi Llano1

My husband suffers from COPD.  He's having a much easier time of breathing after having lost 20 pounds. 

The meal plans are carefully put together to give you the right combination of fat, calories, fiber, and other nutrients as well.  So if you can't eat everything on the 1800 calorie meal plan, maybe you ought to be on the 1500 calorie meal plan for starters.  If you're finding you're still hungry after consuming 1500 calories, you could always add one or more of the 100 calorie snack foods.

This would be a good question to ask one of the dietitians.

Much success!

Mary

Dear ChristyCan,

I am so sorry for the tragic loss of your daughter.  No one should every have to experience this.  I do hope that time has healed the pain and that you do have the support of friends and family.

Many of us do use food to medicate during stressful times.  We associate food with comfort.

Alli and the plan can help you get back on the right track of eating.  Eating healthier, exercise and the support of community does lead to a healthy body, mind and spirit.

Wishing you the best,

Sophia De Monte RPh

 Dear Sophia,

Thank you so much for the kind words. Yes, I have family and friend support. They will probably get tired of hearing about me and my Alli after awhile. :-)

Because I do not live alone, no-no foods are constantly calling me because they are in plain sight. I could never resist before and now...Wow what a change. My will power is here! Thankx to Alli. I feel I can have that small portion of no-no food once in a while without going whole hog. I notice myself making healthier choices.

I love the Alli menu, and find it is a lot of food, as others have said. I can't always afford these foods on the menu, (we eat on budget) but am able to keep to 1500/1800 calories with lots of raw vegees, fruit and love that "I can't Believe it's not butter".

I read that one should not eat meat with potatoes or starch because our bodies cannot break it down, or it takes longer. Is this true?

Thank you for the support Sophia,

Christy

Hi Christy,

Thank you!

Finding balance with other family members is a challenge, we can't cut out all no-no foods.  It can be done.

Many diet programs limit potatoes as well as other starches, since they can raise blood sugar.  Proteins and carbohydrates do require different enzymes and Ph levels in order for them to be broken down. Generally it is best to eat these foods in separate meals.  Potatoes though is the vegetable of choice in most restaurants and would be difficult to avoid, but you can make some adjustments. Sweet potatoes or yams are a better choice or the white, and baked over fried.  Whole wheat pasta is a better choice over white, and brown rice is best.

Wishing you the best.

Sophia De Monte RPh

 Congratulations! That is great! I am new to the program; just bought Alli 3 days ago. I started watching what I eat, try to write it all down (that doesn't work a lot of times), and started the strength exercises. I cannot afford to buy the food that is recommended; things are so expensive. I'm excited to start the program this week. Any recommendations I can do about the expensive food issue and still eat low fat?

 Hi Mimer,

We all have to watch our budgets and even allow for the gas money to get to the store!  Ouch! 

There are many inexpensive foods on the alli menu and it's very flexible.  Chicken is on sale a lot and there are so many things you can do with chicken.  Add it to tomato sauce and serve over pasta, wraps, chicken salad, broil or grill with any kind of seasoning you like.  Trick is to remove the skin.  Read labels, read labels, read labels when you shop.  It's amazing how much difference there is in fat and sodium between brands at literally no cost difference.  Whole wheat bread doesn't cost any more than white bread.  If FF dressing is too pricey, make your own with lemon, herbs, vinegar, garlic.  In stead of pork tenderloin, you can buy any kind of lean pork on sale and trim off the visible fat.

Best of success to you!

Mary