I am finishing my second day on the Alli plan.  I have taken 6 capsules and have eaten my regular diet but smaller portions.  My diet is very low in fat and I eat alot of fruits (mostly melons and berries) and green vegetables. I  I am 50 pounds overweight according to your chart, so I obviously consume too many calories but they are for the most part healthy calories.   I have had absolutely no treatment effects - is this normal the first few days?  If I don't have treatment effects at all, will the plan work for me?  I'm wondering if fat is not a problem in my diet, will Alli still help me lose weight?  I walk 1.5 miles every morning and am very active. 

Hi 93182,

For optimal results with alli, you must follow a reduced calorie, well balanced diet where 30% of the calories come from fat (healthy fat as in fish, nuts, extra virgin olive oil), this roughly comes to 15 grams of fat per meal.  If your diet is too low in fat you will not be inhibiting enough calories to see desired results.  

Treatment effects occur when you are eating more fat recommended.  Excess fat will be eliminated, the more in the gut the greater the urgency.  Most people do not experience treatment effects while on alli.

BMI charts are established guidelines but not perfect. Other parameters include your waist size and muscle mass (muscle weighs more than fat).  

Calories are calories. When we take in more than we burn they will be stored in the body as fat.  It does not make a difference if we are eating healthy calories or not it is the quantity.  A diet high in fruit and vegetables is great, but you do need fat for efficient body functions as well as lean sources of protein and other carbohydrates (whole grains). 

Going over the literature in the starter pack and here on the site will provide you with more information

Hope this helps.

Sophia De Monte RPh