can we have wine w/ dinner? or what can i  expect if anything?

 Hi- I'm a newbie, I'm curious for an answer to this too. We have a vaction planned. I can watch the food, but I've earned the cocktails!!

1. Well I can let you know that when I made a decision to start taking Alli I stopped drinking wine all together b/c of the amount of calories & carbs, however my new drink of choice is now Vodka & diet soda or Vodka and water. When I go out, I may do red bull but I try to stick with the low/no calorie/fat alcoholic drinks. However, I have not noticed any difficulties from drinking and taking Alli, and I’ve taken Alli probably 3 hrs prior to drinking and I had no adverse effect, so I hope that answers your question. I guess I should also say that Im not a Doctor and everyone's body is affected differently by drinking and taking pills :) Thanks

Wine has no fat, so the only issue is the calories. I did not give up my glass of wine and I am down 14 pounds. You don't need to give up everything or you will not stick with it and change your life for good.

 I didnt say Fat but Carbs...it has sugar  (GO TO CALORIEKING.com) and yes everybody is different and I know for me that's why i made a decision to change which is good if you know your own body! I still drink, just not something I know that is going to keep me from losing the weight. Good for you on your 14lbs!!

Serving Size:    x    glass (5 fl.oz) fl. oz mL

Nutrition Facts Calories 120 (Kilojoules 501)     % DV** Total Fat 0 g 0%    Sat. Fat 0 g 0%    Trans Fat 0 g   Cholesterol 0 mg 0% Sodium 31 mg 1% Total Carbs. 5.5 g 2%    Dietary Fiber 0 g 0%    Sugars 5.5 g   Protein 0.1 g   Note: A dash indicates no data is available.

Lose 10lbs by September. Join the CalorieKing Club! Fat 0 cals (0%) Carbs. 22 cals (18%) Protein 0 cals (0%) Alcohol 98 cals (81%)

 Also, no one is saying to completely stop what you love, but you have to be smart about it! I work out 2 times a day  everyday and I still indulge in something once a week, but I am smart about it. I'm not going to eat or drink something that I know will halt me from losing the weight b/c if the weight wasn't going down while I was drinking 2-3 glasses a wine 4-5 nights a week , then somethings wrong! Im not going to stop drinking, just alternate something else that I like. I was merely giving my opinion on the fact that I had no adverse reaction from drinking and taking Alli and why I stopped drinking wine...Thanks

 Hi Rene,

You're so right about being smart about it.  I read a post about this somewhere else in the forums.  The dietician referred to the brown Calorie & Fat Counter booklet which comes in the starter kit.  Alcohol is on page 27.  Look in the exchange column.  4 oz of Burgundy exchanges for 1 1/2 fat.  1 1/2 oz of brandy, gin, rum, tequilla, vodka or whiskey, 80 proof, exchange for 2 1/3 fat.  12 oz light beer exchanges for 2 fat.  A Pina Colada exchanges for 2 starch, 1/4 fruit and 2 fat. 

The Alli menus post the exchange information for each meal.  So if you want to have cocktails, it's just fine as long as you plan for it and take the calories into account as well.  Obviously it makes sense to go for the wine or a scotch and soda instead of the Pina Colada or a White Russian.

All in moderation.  If anyone has pitched the little brown book into a drawer, it would be a good idea to find it.  It's even got fast food exchanges so you know where you're at if you're in a group and have to go that way for a meal.

Cheers :-)

Mary

 Vodka & diet soda

Several studies have shown that you should not mix alcohol with diet soda.  Alcohol uses sugar to breakdown, and diet soda uses artificial sweeteners, which slow that process instead.  When using diet soda the alcohol does not breakdown in your stomach as fast, and as a result you get drunk faster.  That sounds good, but really it can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can kill you.  Really, if you want to use soda as a mixer regular isn't that bad.  12 ounces of regular Coke only has 140 calories and 0 grams of fat.  The bad side is that it has 39 grams of sugar.  12 ounces of diet Coke has 3 calories and 0 grams of fat.  It also has 0 grams of sugar, but it doesn't tell you how much artifical sweetener it has.

I figure drinking while on alli isn't too bad, because in their calorie and fat counter book they have a section on alcohol, and even mark which types are low fat.  I've been drinking light beer with no negative effects, and staying within my ranges for calories and fat. 

 Yeah, Im sure you can find numerous studies about why you shouldnt do a lot of things! Like I said, you do what's best for your own body!!!!!!!!!!! I know how much to allow myself to drink, and I am pretty sure that it will not lead to alcohol poisoning.Also, with whatever I drink I oace myself and drinks lots of water so once again, if you know your body then you will have everything under control. For someone who doesnt drink soda AT ALL I dont like the concept of drinking it with alcohol with the Lg amount of carbs and CAL it has in it, it just doesnt sit well with me.

 "oace myself"

 "PACE MYSELF"..... I guess that was difficult to figure out, being that the "o" is next to the "p"

I am not a soda drinker either unless it's mixed with Rum or something of that sort,  but upon starting this diet, I wasn't about to give up alcohol all together.  I decided to give Sprite Zero a chance.  It has 0 calories, fat, and carbs, and it doesn't taste like diet to me.  Also, It did make me feel a little tipsyer faster than usual, but it caused me to drink fewer than I have in the past, and that means less calorie intake for the day!

 Thank you Mrs. T.

I detest diet soda.  My poison of choice is red wine.  So I thought I'd make Sangria and thought I had no options but club soda which doesn't do much for taste.  I'll try Sprite Zero if you say it doesn't have that awful aftertaste!

Mary

Yum Yum!! I love sangria. But i am really trying to avoid anything that I should be having. Its my first week on Alli and well i'm really trying my best.  Good look with that Sprite Zero. Let me know how it tastes

 Yum indeed, Ana.  Thank you for the Sprite Zero tip.  I got some this morning and you're so right.  It doesn't have that yucky artificial sweetner taste.  Here's what I did:

1 bottle of red wine of your choice; 1 whole orange sliced; 1/2 a lemon sliced, 1/8 cup brandy.  Let that sit all day long on the counter.  Tonight when I was having my want a glass of wine moment, I put ice cubes in a glass, added a half can of Sprite Zero, and 2 oz of the wine.  It was 5 PM when I did that.  It's 7:20 now and I've still got some left in the glass.  Hey ... normally I'd pour a 4 oz glass of red wine while cooking dinner, and top it off when we sit down to eat.  This one bottle of wine is going to last me a long time.  Will put it in a carafe and stick it in the fridge tonight.

I haven't calculated the calories in this concoction, but I didn't mash up the fruit or add any sweetner.  The Sprite was sweet enough.

Cheers!

Mary