Ok, I have been almost a year of the low-fat diet, alli pills, and exercise routine.  I am not complaining at all.  Alli has been a gift, almost a miracle, for me.  Since November 3rd -- to current, I have lost 92 pounds.  I want to get that last 8 pounds off now by November 3rd and as of October 6th --to current I have gained 4 pounds.  I have not changed any eating habits, have cut back a little on the Alli Pills, and remained with the same activity as always.  I am very frustrated at this point.  I would even be happy if I was at a plateau but not gaining.  I have checked my activity log and am higher than my daily routine states.  I would like some guidance of what else I am not seeing to change this rut I have found myself in.  My diet is the same -- should I go lower than 1400 calories as suggested on myalli site.  HELP........

Wow!  Your success is very impressive.  What a wonderful job you've done.  I hate to see you get frustrated now after all your great work.  Here's a few suggestions.

First, stay on all the capsules until you reach your goal weight.  That will help get rid of the 4 you gained and get you back on track.  In addition, try to exercise with more intensity -- not longer, harder.  That will help burn a few extra calories.

The body gets accustomed to a certain level of exercise and so it's actually becomes less efficient.  In addition, as you lose weight fewer calories are burned (it takes less effort to move a 300-pound object than a 200-pound object, yes?).

Keep your calories at the same level until the check-ins tell you otherwise.  Dropping too low only slows weight loss more (strange as that sounds, it's true; see the top post on this list for more).  A final suggestion is to weigh and measure what you eat and drink for a week to be sure some extra calories haven't slipped in along the way.  It's easy to have a little more here, and a little more there without realizing it.  Then it adds up, and the scale goes up as well.

I do hope this helps, and please let me know if you need anything else.

Pat Baird, MA, RD, registered dietitian