I started yesterday and I plan to take my first pill with dinner tomorrow night.  I am off on Thursday, but have to work Friday.  I have a long weekend, with Columbus Day, but I will be on a lot of soccer fields with my kids.  Am I crazy to take Alli when I am not sure where the nearest bathroom will be? 

Also, I have plantar fasciitis.  I cannot do exercise of any kind. I can barely walk at times.  Can this diet be done without exercising?  I have had this foot problem for about 6 months and I have gained a lot of weight due to stress, inactivity, and most recently .... depression.  It is tough to get through the day when your foot hurts so much.  I have surgery scheduled for December, but I want to loose some weight beforehand.  and keep it going after surgery.

Lastly, is anyone doing this in conjunction with weight watchers?  I was hoping to get the summary of fat grams for my daily menu on WW but I didnt see a way to do it?  anybody have any luck with that??

I'd appreciate any helpful advise.  I really want to have success, and I am willing to do what I need to do with Alli's help.

Hi scrmomx4,

The good news is that you have a lot going for you and it all can be done.  By starting the pill on Thursday you will know allis effect by Monday.  Realize most people do not experience treatment effects, and they are managed by the amount of fat you are consuming.  There are many other people who are doing this program in conjunction with others, especially WW with success.

Exercise is key to the success of a weight loss program, since it does help to burn the calories. Yet its real value comes on keeping the weight off.  Understanding that walking may be too difficult at this time, any exercise is better than none. Some suggestions are yoga and pilates.

Hope this heps.

Sophia De Monte RPh

 Hello Sophia,

I have a question about a response you made to "Newbie here".  You said that many people opt to skip a dose if the meal is less than 5 grams of fat.  I'm currently on 1400 calores & 15 grams of fat and usually stay under the 15 grams in a meal.  Should I be taking Alli if I am under my allotted calories and fat grams in a meal?  I have only taken Alli if I eat over my 1400/15 target.

Hi smithdiou,

Alli works by inhibiting the fat digesting enzyme lipase.  One 60mg dose of alli will block about 25% of the fat consumed within 2 hours of that dose, where the excess fat will then be eliminated once it has passed through the GI tract.  The caloric/fat guidelines are established by your starting weight and level of activity.  Treatment effects are seen as you go over the fat gram targets. You will be blocking 25% of the fat even when you are below your target (these are calories blocked), and you can take alli even if your meal does not contain any fat, opting to skip the dose is for econimical reasons.

Hope this helps.

Sophia De Monte RPh

 hello,

I just started using allli myself and am increasing my workouts. I noticed that you stated that you really could not workout. My mother who has struggled with her weight forever has multiple issues with her hips, knees, back etc due to years of being overweight and arthritic joints. There was a program I noticed for her on tv years ago and it was a workout geared towards those who had restrictions preventing them from standard workouts. It was geared towards the elderly but may prove useful for you. Did you know that although you are unable to walk you could still work your muscles and more muscle means more efficient burning of calories and fat! What you may try is to get some light weights or cans of soup and begin by sitting on the edge of a firm chair and working your biceps as well as doing your leg extensions etc like it has suggested online with alli. Never underestimate the power of toning - floor routines might also be a good choice. There are alot of them out on the market now.  You would be surprised how many muscles you could work just using the chair and your floor.  You may not be running any marathons but it would make you feel alot better and improve your muscle tone. Once you have recovered from surgery you could then work on eliminating the excess through light / low impact cardio.

 Hi, I am new to the whole Alli thing too.

  I am curious. What happens if you start taking the pills before you start on the low cal low fat diet? Is it possible to take the pills the same day that you start doing the diet? What are the reprocussions of doing it this way? I haven't done it yet so I am wondering. I knew that I wanted to start this so I splurged yesterday on a chicken strip salad from Chick fil A so because of that what would happen if I started taking the pill now?

 Hi everyone,

Today I started my reduced fat / reduced calorie steps, and will begin Alli next Friday evening (working 12 hours a day, I'm not chancing treatment effects).

I've tried Weight Watchers and watching what I eat, but haven't been able to lose additional weight that has been put on by medication, perimenopausal and only having 1/2 a thryoid - needless to say, I'm discouraged but decided to take a chance on Alli.  Looking forward to seeing results.

start weight: 184

1st goal: 175

end goal: 155 ... maybe lower

~Anne

 I understand not wanting to risk things while at work! Not to mention you will give yourself enough time to get your routine down. I am trying to keep strict to the diet and create enough of a deficit in my caloric intake. I am also making sure to work out each day at least thirty minutes. I have lost alot of the weight I gained from my pregnancy  but now I am at the point where the weight just will not budge. I am also chaning my habits and that is seeming to make me feel alot better! I try not to eat past 8pm and I now workout on an empty stomach. That way at night my body will burn stored calories and not what I just ate (same with the working out). I had a really tough day of it today with the temptations, but I had my meals and ate a sparse salad heavy on the lettuce and light on the fat free italian dressing. I have found writing about it seems to help build my resolve to stick with it! Good luck to you!

Minyodancer,

Thanks for the encouragement.  I printed the shopping list, and will be doing my food shopping today for the week.  My son doesn't realize he will basically be eating low cal / reduced fat foods from now on. 

The work outs are one area of difficulty in as much as I find it harder to get up earlier than 5 and definitely exhausted after work.  I don't usually eat anything after 8 pm, and if I do, it's usually an apple with a little peanut butter.  With the way the weather is here this weekend, I'll be out doing a lot of walking, and tomorrow - mowing the lawn (that's definite exercise!)

How do you write about it?  In the journal?   I've opted to use the journal to document what I eat throughout the day, this way it reminds me to check in as well.  Though I do have to ask, what happens when you get another bottle and have to put the new numbers into the site - is all your information lost?  Maybe I'm just confused today ... I have yet to figure it out.

One step at a time, and with the support of each other, is the only way we can take care of ourselves.

Responses to multiple posters on multiple topics:

I think the reason it is recommended to start the reduced-fat, low-calorie diet 3 days before the pills is so that you get used to the diet and don't goof and get TEs. If you record the food you eat for 3 days you may realize you ate more fat than you thought you did. If you ate high fat today and are committed to low fat for the next day the pills would not hurt you. They only work on what you eat in a 2-hour window.

Someone mentioned working out on an empty stomach. This is fine if you are working out for 30 minutes or maybe 45 max. If you are going over that I would eat a small meal (peanut butter on toast OR a banana OR a yogurt) about an hour before working out. This will give you energy to complete your workout in top form so you burn the maximum calories. Plus you will not be depleting your body. This is especially true if you work out first thing in the morning when you've been fasting for probably 10 hours.

E

 Thank you for the response. I had been wondering why and what you said makes perfect sense. I am a little confused about the fat grams though. When they say 15 grams is that from the callories from fat or total fat grams? If anyone can clarify that would be great.

Hi Leann,

It is total fat grams.   15 fat grams= (9 X 15) 135 calories                   1 fat gram = 9 calories

Hope this helps.

Sophia De Monte RPh

Another newbie here.  I've been lurking in the corners and reading....waayyyy too much.  I'm so confused about what I've read I have no idea what I'm doing.  It's really putting my anxiety level up there where I hate it too be. 

I started walking 2 miles a day about 2-1/2 weeks ago along with that a "healthier" diet.  Lower fat and more veggies and fruits.  I've really cut soda out of my diet, not that I was a big soda drinker but I'm just really trying to get more water into my day.  My first two weeks I lost ZERO lbs.  I started Ali this past Sat. and NO treatment problems that everyone seems to be so scared of.  If anything I think I'm more constipated.  Today is the first BM I've had since last Fri.  Aren't you all glad I shared that with you.  LOL  Anyway.....while I like the idea of the meals being planned for me I've never found that I could just commit (for whatever reason) to using them.  It kind of seems daunting to me.  I guess I'm thinking that I have to buy, I don't know, let's say a package of string cheese and then the menu only calls for one string cheese for the entire week.  So I'm worried that I'm going to have an entire refrigerator and pantry filled with food I only eat once a week.  Does this make sense?  Am I being silly?  Does anyone else feel at all like I am right now?  I find that I'm just kind of winging it and in the end not eating anywhere close to the amount of fat or calories I should have per meal.

I have had back surgery and live with pain on a daily basis and a syatic nerve problem that is about to send me to the moon.  Having said that I really feel determined to make this work for me.  But what I really want to do is cry.  WAAAHHHH!  Ok, I feel better.  :o) 

Seriously, I do want this to work for me so I'm going to keep reading along.

Welcome, Karen.

I think most people use the meal plans to get ideas and don't use them for every single meal. Truthfully, I've never used it at all. I just eat low fat healthier food and record it on the nutrition log.

I wish you the best.

E

 stay encouraged! I have supplemented alot of the recording in a notebook. I know that you are able to print off copies of journal pages from the site. My Notebook is great for jotting things. How I feel and my goals. Just remember for every negative thought or "whine" you list you have to write two positives or "affirmations"! I am still having a hard time with the cravings and at times i just get disgusted with it. I would rather jot it down get it out and move on to writing about my goals. I have a goal pair of jeans and a gown i have fit into by late november. So i like to think about that alot. I want to fit into those jeans. So when I want to binge on everything that I have neglected with my dieting,  I think about the jeans and when that is not enough I actually try to put them on! Those jeans seem to have a special power over me. They definitely make me lose my appettite. Maybe you have something you would really love to wear! The workouts are difficult to squeeze in but well worth it. I have to schedule mine in and when i can not get it done then I force it in sometime before I go to bed. Hang in there!