The instructions say to start the diet a few days before starting the Alli pills.  I have been doing the diet 3 days now and wondering if I should start the pills tomorrow... or wait until the weekend when I'm home.  I've really been good about keeping my meals lower in fat (5-10 g/meal) so I am not too worried about TE.  What was your experience?

 I dieted three days before I started Alli and it worked out well.  I didn't start on the weekend but I had no problems.  I was so brain washed to cut fat that I had to really try hard just to meet my fat grams with out resorting to junk food.  I had to wipe out everything in my house and start over with healthy stuff.  It's easy now that I've done it a while.

I dieted for about a month or so, not really strict or anything, just cut back on all the sweets and dairy. With that, I only lost about 2 pounds. Not bad...

I have been back on alli for exactly one week. I am down 5 pounds!!! But I am also averaging about 1200 calories a day rather than the recommended 1800. I can eat that much, but I really want to get healthy. I replaced everything in my house with healthy alternatives and cut way back on the drinking. I usually do a glass of red wine a night, but that has been limited to maybe twice a week. Writing down what you eat everyday really makes you think about what you are putting into your body. 

I have not really been exercising much, just some work around the house (its an old house that needs a lot of work), so Im sure that is burning some calories...

Good luck everyone!

 Well, I had been on what I considered a healthy food plan for about a month before I found out about Alli. I bought Alli the same day a friend told me about it and started taking it that day!! Thru this plan I found out that my eating was not really that healthy and that is how come I was not losing anything!! I was actually yo yoing between 167 and 164, with Alli I made it to my first final goal, which of course I have now lowered!! I am at a healthy BMI and very happy with my new lifestyle!! Good luck to everyone!!

Elia

 i started following a low fat low cal diet about a week and a half ago...i started the alli pills 2 days ago.....the scale has gone down and i feel better

 Zero.  I just decided one day to start alli, went out and bought it and started that day.  I don't really undestand the reason for starting the diet before you start the alli.  I just read all the literature that came with it and jumped right in.  I agree with everyone about getting all the junk food out of the house and just don't buy it anymore, that helps a lot.  Good luck, it's a great plan.

Judy

 I had been dieting about 4 weeks when I started taking Alli.  I must have been doing something right because I haven't had any TE and I'm on my 3rd day of Alli.

I actually had about 15 grams of fat for dinner last night and no ill effects.  Thank goodness.

 Started my 7th annual diet in Feb. 2008 and lost 12 lbs WITHOUT Alli. Did I mention it took me over 6 months to lose that 12 lbs ?

Started Alli Aug. 11th 2008 and dropped 9 lbs in 3 weeks.

So I guess that would be 180 PLUS days on a diet before starting Alli.  I have little to no side effects.