Hello....just got started this week.  I've been so encouraged by reading your posts.  I've been putting off getting started because I was afraid of the T E's, but it's been 3 days and nothing so far.  I've become really conscious though of everything that goes in my mouth.  Any tips for a beginner?  Wish me luck okay?

 TSGobblers

glad to have you here.as for advise,just take it one meal at atime and if you falter and over due,dont beat your self up.just do the best you can as far as reaching your fat and calories.good luck

Linda

Just keep being conscious of everything you put in your mouth.  I have taken hundreds of the pills and never once had TEs, but I paid a lot of attention to what I ate.  Keeping a log of calories and fat grams is really essential.  Good luck!

What has been really important to me is to:

1. Write down everything I eat and calories and fat grams.

2.  Calculate my weekly averages for calories and fat grams (my daily totals always fluctuated, so the weekly averages help keep them from drifting upwards too much).  I wasn’t really that successful with alli until I started doing this. 

3. Exercise.  Everyday.  No excuses.  Mostly I have walked. 

4.  Keep coming back here, even if you are not making progress.  That's really why you need friends, to pull you through the tough times.  Commit to doing this for the long haul. 

5. Set a goal and post it here.  Also set ridiculously easy mini-goals and focus on achieving them.   

6. Be patient.  There were lots of weeks I did everything right and still didn’t lose.  Lots of those weeks happened in succession.  It’s normal and it happens to everyone.  It’s when I really feel like quitting.  So just be aware that it will happen to you and you have to persevere.  Also be aware that during those times when you aren’t losing weight, you still may be losing inches, so measure or try on clothes to see your progress. 

Caroline