HI all - my apologies if this has come up before. 

I've bought the alli but after reading the materials included I'm just not certain this is going to work for me.  I've been dieting and working out for a few months now and am down almost 14lbs (without taking any type of pill.) My daily calorie intake target is 1500 and my fat grams usually end up around 20g.  Since the booklets say that if you are already on a LF diet alli may not be as effective, should I even bother?  I did read that you have hit your target fat intake (which in my case ends up at 39g/day) but I don't know how willing I am to up the fat.  Am I considered to already be on a LF diet, even?? 

Could someone please give me some much needed advice?  I don't want to start this program if it won't work for me or with what I've been doing for the past few months. 

Thanks bunches!

Congratulations on your weight loss so far.  That's a terrific accomplishment!  You've included physical activity and changed your diet in just a few months.

The diet that you currently follow is very low fat; it's about 10% total calories from fat.  With all the bad stuff we hear about fat (it has to do more with the type and amount -- most of us eat too much), it is a very important nutrient for a number of reasons.  I don't ever recommend that someone go lower than 15% total calories from fat though I know other health professionals may sometime drop to 10%.

The alli diet is based on 30% total calories from fat, and 20% protein and about 50% carbohydrate.  That's the same as the diet of the American Heart Association, the US Dietary Guidelines and many other healthcare organizations.  alli is considered "low-fat" because most people eat much more than that.

For best results with the capsules, it's important to eat the diet described above.  There are also two good posts at the top of the message board about why calories and fat are so important that you might want to read; it's great information.  The bottom line is that alli works on its ability to block fat, so little or no fat consumed = little or nothing to block.

Only you can make the final decision here.  Once you register for the myalliplan you may need to up your calories and fat -- depending on all the personal information you provide to the Personal Calculator -- and how much more weight you have to lose.

I hope this helps.  Please let me know if you need anything else.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian

Hi, Newbie. I'm similar to you in that I don't eat a lot of fried foods, I've worked on eating more veggies and fruits. But my problem is snacking and sweets. They are my downfall. I don't eat a lot  of fats during meals, it's in between meals and in the evening when I snack, and they're usually high calorie fats. How can I overcome the craving for sweets and chocolates ?  Is alli a viable product for me since I don't usually eat high fats during meals? Thanks.

karen8244:

Hi, Newbie. I'm similar to you in that I don't eat a lot of fried foods, I've worked on eating more veggies and fruits. But my problem is snacking and sweets. They are my downfall. I don't eat a lot  of fats during meals, it's in between meals and in the evening when I snack, and they're usually high calorie fats. How can I overcome the craving for sweets and chocolates ?  Is alli a viable product for me since I don't usually eat high fats during meals? Thanks.

Actually it IS important for you to eat the recommended amount of fat at each meal for best results with alli.  There are two great posts at the top of this message board about why fat and calories are so important.  It's great information so try to take a look when you have a minute. 

You'll see that some people weren't losing weight because they weren't eating enough fat; then had better results when they brought it up to the recommended amount.

The problem with having a lot of fat with snacks is that it's likely to cause treatment effects.  You might try to have smaller amounts of sweets or chocolates so you gradually wean yourself down, or off completely.  Small pieces of candy and fruits like grapes and bananas are a way to start off and then go from there.

It's very important to be able to make the commitment and follow the alli Program.  Some people find they have to choose another way to do it because the alli changes are just not what they're able or willing to do.

Pat