Ok I am going into my 2nd week on Alli, and have been following things and according to the scale, I gained another pound :-( This is really upsetting to me and I started Alli because I THOUGHT  it would help me!  Could really use some advice here!

 Hello

I am finishing my 3rd week and have not lost an ounce.  The first week I gained and then 2nd and 3rd week I have returned to what I was before i started.

I am sticking to the diet and excerise 7 days a week.

I think this is not what it is cracked up to be, Just a waste of $60.

Denise

 I hate to state the ovbious, but are you both weighing and measuring your foods and keeping within the fat and calorie recommendations?

I would recommend weighing and measuring all your food and keeping track in the nutrition log. Sometimes, portions can be off and we are actually eating more calories and fat than we think.

After 5 months on the plan, I still weight and measure everything just to make sure I'm not eating more than I should.

 You bring a really good point - one must be careful not to exceed the recommended calories.  Most people tend to consume ~ 3,000 per day.  It is so easy to go over the calories and fat recommendations.  One point that surprises my patients is the fact that 100 extra calories/day over the period of one year = 10 extra pounds!  and decreasing 100 calories/day = 10 less pounds at the end of the year.  Every bite counts! 

Also, give yourself sometime for your body to kick into weight loss gear.  Most people start to lose weight after 2 weeks, if they are consistent.

Here are a few tips for staying on track:

·         If you need a snack, make it 100 calories or less and very little fat or fat free. For example, Popsicles/sugar free Popsicles (my favorite!), fat free yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, etc.

·         Don't eat while you are engage in other activities (specially sedentary activities).  For example watching TV, reading, driving, talking on the phone, etc.

·         Eat slow, I mean really slow...

·         Plan meals in advance. 

·         Think before you eat.  Remember, every calorie counts toward your target, even a tiny bite!

·         Plan a strategy to avoid "uncontrolled eating" and drinking at special events, or when emotions urge you to binge.  Stay away from the food table.

·         Serve all the food from the kitchen; avoid bringing the casserole dish to the table. 

·         Promise yourself that when you feel the urge to snack (or eat more), you will engage in some activity that will distract you away from food.  For example, put a CD, call a friend, visit your local library, organize a drawer (my favorite!), etc. 

·         If you are bored, find a hobby or interest that gets you off the house. 

Let me know if I can be of any further help to you,

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

 Well end of 2nd week and yep I gained another pound, still very discouraged and don't know if I will continue or not.

 I hear ya tsalagi, I've been doing this on and off since January, I've lost a whole 3lbs. I had back surgery May 22 and am unable to do any physical activity except my physical therapy. I thought that would give me an edge up. I go 2-3x a week and I do aquatic therapy as well. I have been watching very carefully what I eat and what I snack on and I haven't lost anything other than the 3. I think deep down I just want to be fat cuz this whole diet thing just isnt' working for me this year. I did fall off the wagon once or twice but then got right back on. I do 2 days of aquatic therapy and 1 day of strength exercising. This whole recovery thing is killing me. As hard as I try I think I have to bring down my calories from 1800 to 1600. Maybe I don't weigh or measure enough I don't know but I'm a little frustrated of having to diet all the time.

I'm 44 mother of 3 boys and I stay home with the kids. They are 11, 9 and 8 so I am seriously thinking of joining this gym that has aquatics, it's the best thing for my back right now. I'm at a loss to tell you the truth. I thought for sure I was going to lose this week and I didn't. But I will give it more time cuz not doing any activity is slowing it down a bit for me. I'm adult enough to admit when I don't do it right but when I do do it right I want to see results but I have learned that I have to be patient with myself with all that is going on with my back and all.

Good luck and try not to give up.

Lynne

I hear the frustrations and I must say you are not alone.  It is difficult to juggle family, work, health and all the different responsibilities we face every single day.  As a mother of two small children and I must say it is very difficult  even for me to play all the cards just right.  I have to work extremely hard just to put a meal on the table and even harder to make it healthy!

I will encourage you both to take it one meal at a time and to keep looking forward.  The key is to be patient.  Even when the weight loss is small it is one step closer to your goal.   

Even when the scale does not show progress, you should not feel discouraged.  Chances are that you are making progress in many other ways. 

• You are eating healthy and that is positive
• Maybe you are feeling more energetic
• Maybe your clothes are fitting better
• Maybe your cholesterol level is lowering

If you stay the course you will continue to drop pounds.  You can also help your weight loss if you increase your physical activity.  You can add resistance exercises such as weight training to your routine or cut a snack or about 100 to 200 calories from your meal plan (as long as you are not going to be very hungry in between meals).  Most importantly, stay on track.

 Losing weight is hard but not impossible - Keep going..

Let us know if you have any further questions,

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