Anyone trying this Alli system ????

[Willie T]

I know, I know. Still sticking to it. Sometimes these things take a week or so for our bodies to get used to. We'll see how things are in a week. I like my food choices that I have, just have found, in the past, that my round little body keeps every carb put into it.:p

[alwayshappytocruise]

I just started Alli today....was inspired by reading Dolphinfan's first few posts and the amazing support you're giving each other. I had lost fifty pounds a few years ago in my determination to not be fat when I turned 50. Well that was two years ago!! The weight slowly came back on since I stopped counting points, portion control etc. Saw a picture of myself at our Meet and Mingle on the Sov a few weeks ago...it was a reality kick in the a@#$!! Anyway, the good thing is I love veggies and fruits and don't eat out that often so I have kept some good food habits. Any advice for an Alli newbie?

[needalatte74]

So when is it that I am suposed to start seeing the effects... not the weight loss, but you know.. umm looser bathroom episodes??

 

So far I'm not noticing anything different.

 

Also, I went to TGI Friday's today for lunch and had the Southwestern Mahi Mahi.. 500 calories and 10gms of fat. Very yummy and filling!

 

Eating out is my biggest weakness btw, but I'll have to stick to healthy choices. Most places have them now anyway.

[Pamywyner]

Hi Needalatte! You may not ever experience any TE's (treatment effects) if you don't go over your fat grams. I've been on alli for a month now and for some reason (I must have miscalculated some fat grams somewhere) I just had my first 'problem'. Otherwise, I was a bit constipated actually. Many people seem to have the opposite problem, probably because they've cut out lots of greasy, fatty food.

 

Good luck and let us know how you are doing!

[needalatte74]

Is this because I'm cutting down on the fat in my meals. I ate a very filling lunch 4 hours ago and now I'm starving again.

 

What gives?

[yoa]

Hi everybody, I got really excited about Alli after reading all your stories. I'm 29 years old, 5'3 and 138 pounds. I gained 15 pounds in the last six months (my normal weight is 122-123). I've been trying to loose some weight before my next cruise but it has been really hard even though I'm excercising. I read the height-weight chart provided by Alli and for my height the weight recommended in order to take the treatment is 158 pounds, do you think is too risky to take it?

[Bablefish]

Welcome to the new Alli users. Always Happy to Cruise, your story sounds familiar. I'm tall and in denial. I always think I'm carrying my weight well, or I'm muscular because I work out so much. The proof is in the pictures!! It can be a wake up call! It's so hard to make the comittment and then stick with it until the body "gives" and lets go of some weight.

 

The best advise I can give is to make sure you cut the calories and devise a meal plan before taking the pills. Track your food at the Alli website or similar site to know EXACTLY what you are putting in your mouth and the nutrition breakdown. Get some exercise and drink plenty of water. The water helps with any constipation or gas - I have never had either. I have had the loose and plentiful movements, starting within two days of taking the pills. That has been under control for the past few weeks, although strange things can happen. I'm having several small movements now.

 

Daily tracking is the best tool. I'm a firm believer in only eating when hungry, but it is good to feed the body small portions every 3-4 hours to not go into a binge mode. Be prepared if you tend to binge. I have several containers of suger free jello made ahead. Add a little Cool Whip, and you can eat to fill up. I keep the Cool Whip frozen and a spoonful here and there is like an ice-cream treat. Though it may be awful to some, I like oatmeal with cinnamon and Splenda and also keep this in portion controlled containers on hand. Even cold it fills me up and is only 130 low fat calories - (when I'm not on Atkins) Having Hard boiled eggs on hand also works. I only eat the egg white - 1 or 2 will fill you up real fast. Anyone with weight Watcher booklets gets to know the 0 point food real fast, and they are good for any low fat diet and a quick nibble to keep full. Sipping hot tea or having some sugar free gum is another trick. The tastebuds need satisfying. I'll make up a big batch of sliced cucumbers, black olives, tomatoes and mix with balsamic and white vinegar. The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the better. Then a few bites will curb hunger.

 

The next trick is to get up, get out and get busy! I got up from the sofa early in the evening and took a 3 mile walk. The spring weather was perfect and I wanted to enjoy it. Exercise does curb the appetite. Or go busy yourself cleaning a closet or something. Distraction is the key.

 

Yoa, at your age, I think a regular diet and exercise program should do the trick. With each new diet, your body will respond immediately - but the more you gain and lose, and diet and start the process over - your body rebels. I think if you start with the pills now, you're setting yourself up for a harder road down the line. That is simply my opinion - but It would be like the people who actually gain weight in order to qualify for the gastric bypass procedure. You don't really lose weight quickly with Alli. It's more of a training tool that forces you to learn to eat correctly - or suffer the consequences. Dieting is hard - cutting calories is the key - with or without the pills you HAVE to cut the calories. It does get easier. Your stomach shrinks, you feel better and more confident and clothes start to fit better.

 

I thought my pants were going to fall down today - I loved It!!

 

My body simply was not responding to regular methods. I was completely baffled. The weight should have been falling off with the strict diet and strenuous exercise - but it wasn't. Alli gave me the extra incentive, motivation and an initial boost in weight loss - then I slowed down again.

[newbiecruiser09]

Good Morning all! Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I had family over on Fri from out of town and fear I over did the fat grams (ok-I know it!) At least I resisted the cannoli (a big resist for me!) Waiting for Te's to kick in. Did not take any pills yesterday and not planning on this morning (til after we get home from church and 2 baseball games--can't deal with the port-a-potties on a GOOD day! LOL) Went back on track yesterday but still living in fear. I think fear is a good motivator for me. (must be the Catholic school education!)

 

Welcome to the new posters. I have only been here a little while but find this thread really helpful and the others really great support.

 

Yoa: I agree with Bablefish. At your age it may be a really bad pattern to fall into. I would try to see what has changed in the last 6 months that has contributed to the weight gain and go about correcting that. I find that writing down what I eat and when I eat helps me to see patterns so I can plan better (afternoon time is the worst for me with snacking so I have to have stuff on hand that is good to eat). I would try "the old fashioned way" (less calories, better foods and more exercise) before I tried the pills. Good Luck!

 

Needalatte: You have to have some fat in your meals/snacks but no too many. 4 hours is about when you should be eating again anyway so look for some low fat snacks you like (I'm partial to raisins, grapes and the fat free pringles sour cream & onion chips. I can count them out easily and after my portion am filled enough to keep away from the rest of the box/bag/can.)

 

Hope everyone has a great Sunday and keep up the good work! Maggie

[DolphinFan]

Willie, hang in there for awhile. It is definitely slow going as we get older, but I'm slowly, very slowly making progress. I'm down four pounds this week by going back to Atkins and still taking the pills, but I have had to be very careful in my food choices. This is drastic dieting, but I was desperate. Now I'm down 14 pounds in six weeks and a total of 21 pounds in 3 months.

 

I know it's discouraging to read someone else can lose 40 pounds in that time, but that's great for them. I could do that once too. My problem is I let the weight creep back up and then it's a nightmare to get it off again.

 

Pam, I'm sorry about your TEs. That sounds what happened to me after my one binge with icecream and potato chips. Mine was so drastic, I didn't stray off course again. It's worse though that you can't narrow down the food that triggered it. It all comes down to the fat grams.

 

Welcome to Needalatte. This is a small but good group.

 

Good morning head cheerleader Dolphinfan! :D and a good morning and good luck this weekend to all!

Its true about losing 30 pounds in 3 months..it is sooooooooo easy to put back on (it happened to me so I know)! My goal this time is 2 pounds a week. I even have my daughter eating healthier (she needs to lose a few pounds too) and she lost 3 pounds this week. She was so excited and is trying to make better choices on her own (like leaving the bun off her hamburger without me saying anything)!!

[DolphinFan]

Thanks Bablefish!! You're doing great too! So far so good since yesterday around 10:00 am! We'll see how today goes. I was all set to give up when I first noticed the TE's. I said to myself that I was never gonna chance that again but, I really like the weight loss I've been seeing so, I'm gonna keep trying. Like I said, it wasn't uncontrollable so, I can handle it. I will be even more careful counting those fats!

 

I'm down 12.5 in about 4 weeks so, I am happy.

 

I hope everyone has a nice Saturday!!! :)

Thats great Pam..the weight loss..not the way it happended..lol

 

Keep up the great job!

[DolphinFan]

I just started Alli today....was inspired by reading Dolphinfan's first few posts and the amazing support you're giving each other. I had lost fifty pounds a few years ago in my determination to not be fat when I turned 50. Well that was two years ago!! The weight slowly came back on since I stopped counting points, portion control etc. Saw a picture of myself at our Meet and Mingle on the Sov a few weeks ago...it was a reality kick in the a@#$!! Anyway, the good thing is I love veggies and fruits and don't eat out that often so I have kept some good food habits. Any advice for an Alli newbie?

Welcome and glad you decided to join us!!!

 

#1 advice - Don't give up!!! It does seem to take a little while for the weight to come off but I think it has to do with your body trying to hold onto the fat!

 

#2 - Drink LOTS of water - you can even drink iced tea, diet sodas, anything liguid will count as water.

 

#3 - Maybe this should have been #1 but watch your FAT intake. Don't go too low or you will run into other problems (dry skin, not being able to "go").

 

Good luck and if you have any questions, were here for you!!

[DolphinFan]

I just started Alli today....was inspired by reading Dolphinfan's first few posts and the amazing support you're giving each other. I had lost fifty pounds a few years ago in my determination to not be fat when I turned 50. Well that was two years ago!! The weight slowly came back on since I stopped counting points, portion control etc. Saw a picture of myself at our Meet and Mingle on the Sov a few weeks ago...it was a reality kick in the a@#$!! Anyway, the good thing is I love veggies and fruits and don't eat out that often so I have kept some good food habits. Any advice for an Alli newbie?

Forgot one more thing. If you can, go to sparkspeople dot com. Its a great sight to keep track of your calories, offers great advice and menus.

[DolphinFan]

Is this because I'm cutting down on the fat in my meals. I ate a very filling lunch 4 hours ago and now I'm starving again.

 

What gives?

Try to eat a light healthy snack in between meals so you don't overeat your main meals. I try to eat something every 2 hours..

 

8:30am - Breakfast

10:30 - fruit or yougurt

12:30 - lunch

3:00- snack - pretzels is craving salt, fat free pudding if craving chocolate!

5:30 - Dinner

7:30 - VERY light snack

[DolphinFan]

Welcome to the new Alli users. Always Happy to Cruise, your story sounds familiar. I'm tall and in denial. I always think I'm carrying my weight well, or I'm muscular because I work out so much. The proof is in the pictures!! It can be a wake up call! It's so hard to make the comittment and then stick with it until the body "gives" and lets go of some weight.

 

The best advise I can give is to make sure you cut the calories and devise a meal plan before taking the pills. Track your food at the Alli website or similar site to know EXACTLY what you are putting in your mouth and the nutrition breakdown. Get some exercise and drink plenty of water. The water helps with any constipation or gas - I have never had either. I have had the loose and plentiful movements, starting within two days of taking the pills. That has been under control for the past few weeks, although strange things can happen. I'm having several small movements now.

 

Daily tracking is the best tool. I'm a firm believer in only eating when hungry, but it is good to feed the body small portions every 3-4 hours to not go into a binge mode. Be prepared if you tend to binge. I have several containers of suger free jello made ahead. Add a little Cool Whip, and you can eat to fill up. I keep the Cool Whip frozen and a spoonful here and there is like an ice-cream treat. Though it may be awful to some, I like oatmeal with cinnamon and Splenda and also keep this in portion controlled containers on hand. Even cold it fills me up and is only 130 low fat calories - (when I'm not on Atkins) Having Hard boiled eggs on hand also works. I only eat the egg white - 1 or 2 will fill you up real fast. Anyone with weight Watcher booklets gets to know the 0 point food real fast, and they are good for any low fat diet and a quick nibble to keep full. Sipping hot tea or having some sugar free gum is another trick. The tastebuds need satisfying. I'll make up a big batch of sliced cucumbers, black olives, tomatoes and mix with balsamic and white vinegar. The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the better. Then a few bites will curb hunger.

 

The next trick is to get up, get out and get busy! I got up from the sofa early in the evening and took a 3 mile walk. The spring weather was perfect and I wanted to enjoy it. Exercise does curb the appetite. Or go busy yourself cleaning a closet or something. Distraction is the key.

 

Yoa, at your age, I think a regular diet and exercise program should do the trick. With each new diet, your body will respond immediately - but the more you gain and lose, and diet and start the process over - your body rebels. I think if you start with the pills now, you're setting yourself up for a harder road down the line. That is simply my opinion - but It would be like the people who actually gain weight in order to qualify for the gastric bypass procedure. You don't really lose weight quickly with Alli. It's more of a training tool that forces you to learn to eat correctly - or suffer the consequences. Dieting is hard - cutting calories is the key - with or without the pills you HAVE to cut the calories. It does get easier. Your stomach shrinks, you feel better and more confident and clothes start to fit better.

 

I thought my pants were going to fall down today - I loved It!!

 

My body simply was not responding to regular methods. I was completely baffled. The weight should have been falling off with the strict diet and strenuous exercise - but it wasn't. Alli gave me the extra incentive, motivation and an initial boost in weight loss - then I slowed down again.

WOW..you said it perfectly!! Yoa I kind of agree with Bablefish..if anything, if you really want to try it, start with the "Starter Pack". this way you are not going to waste money if it doesn't work for you.

 

Let us know if you decide to and we will help any way we can.

[INeedAMaiTai]

I'm doing great...I think.

 

I'm down to 144 with my goal being around 130. I have officially stopped breastfeeding (I was kinda cheating and taking the pills while breastfeeding a little bit; I know, not supposed to, but all was fine). So I'm down in weight, but I now have to really cut back on my calories too...this sucks. I'm kind of doing weight watchers with the alli stuff so I now only get 20 points a day....that is barely anything. But I need to get my act together. I know I keep saying that; but I need to start really being good, and resisting all of the crap I normally eat.

 

How's everyone else?

[DolphinFan]

[quote name='INeedAMaiTai']I'm doing great...I think.

I'm down to 144 with my goal being around 130. I have officially stopped breastfeeding (I was kinda cheating and taking the pills while breastfeeding a little bit; I know, not supposed to, but all was fine). So I'm down in weight, but I now have to really cut back on my calories too...this sucks. I'm kind of doing weight watchers with the alli stuff so I now only get 20 points a day....that is barely anything. But I need to get my act together. I know I keep saying that; but I need to start really being good, and resisting all of the crap I normally eat.

How's everyone else?[/QUOTE]
I did really well this week..lost 4 pounds and my DD lost 3..I'm still about 13 pounds heavier then last Sept. but this time I set "little" goals for myself..2 pounds a week and thats it. If I lose more..great..if I just lose 2 pounds..whoohooo..if I lose less..well..then I cry! lol Just kidding..we all seem to reach that platau and just have to work through it!!

[newbiecruiser09]

Liz: Congrats on getting so close to your goal!! I know the low number of points can be tough but you can do it. I'm also doing WW and Alli and find that the low fat high fiber stuff really fills me up as does the soy protein things. I really like black bean soup, with some soy crisps. Loaded with fiber, not too much fat and not many points (hey there are only so many veggies a gal can choke down!) The WW 1 point bars are also good and give me that "candy" fix I need sometimes. Keep on track and hope everyone is having a good week! Maggie

[Bablefish]

Congratulations everyone, and a special congratulations to DolphinFan's daughter. I think it is extra hard for teens and pre-teens to get on a program, plus overweight kids have extra peer pressure.

Here's to everyone staying on track this week. Water, exercise and healthy low cal snacks twice a day. :D I'm doing some weight work everynight while watching tv. Now that the weight is coming off, I need to work even more on toning to tighten the skin. My stomach looks like a hound dog, but that's better than a hard watermelon. This is another big reason for slow eight loss. The slower, the better the body and skin will adjust.

[Pamywyner]

Congratulations Cheryl! You've had a great week! Congratulations to your daughter too! That's awesome! :)

Keep up the good work everyone!!

[Haubera]

:mad: All right, time for me to get motivated again. We finished our "Biggest Loser" contest at work last Monday and I came in second with 8 lbs. lost. Then I kind of slacked off for a week. I need to get motivated and start taking my pills regularly again. I was really hit or miss, and eating some pretty bad things. I haven't gained anything back, yet, but if I don't get back on track I will.

Time to go take a vitamin and go to bed so I can start fresh and get busy again!!:rolleyes:

Good luck everyone, and don't give up!:)

[Bablefish]

I can't get used to taking the vitamin at bedtime. It's been drilled into me to take vitamins with food. :confused: I was so drained yesterday, I wanted to nap, but instead got on the treadmill, found a good movie and before I knew it I had walked another three miles!

Good morning everyone!

[Willie T]

I will not cave! I will not cave! A winner never quits, and quitter never wins.
I'am jealous, I'am envious, but I'am determined. Good grief, I only want to lose 20-25 pounds for crying out loud. I once needed to lose 60, and I did, but I've always found that divorces are the best diet in the world.
Anyway, it's a new day. THe sun is going to shine this week end, so I can get out for yard work and that will burn a calorie or two.
Have a nice low fat day everyone.:D

[newbiecruiser09]

[quote name='Bablefish']I can't get used to taking the vitamin at bedtime. It's been drilled into me to take vitamins with food. :confused: I was so drained yesterday, I wanted to nap, but instead got on the treadmill, found a good movie and before I knew it I had walked another three miles!

Good morning everyone![/QUOTE]

So agree with you on the vitamin thing. I have mine by my bedside and forget more days than I remember. By the time I hit the bed, I am not thinking about eating, dieting or anything else except the sweet bliss of slumber! Must get better about this. Am feeling sluggish. Really not happy that I can't exercise too much (broken toe healing but still sore and can't walk more than "avergae" life.). Been working somewhat on the upper body (which really needs it by the way!) but seem to do better with more cardio. Will not be discouraged! Will do my best!

Hope all have a great Tuesday!

[DolphinFan]

[quote name='Bablefish']Congratulations everyone, and a special congratulations to DolphinFan's daughter. I think it is extra hard for teens and pre-teens to get on a program, plus overweight kids have extra peer pressure.

Here's to everyone staying on track this week. Water, exercise and healthy low cal snacks twice a day. :D I'm doing some weight work everynight while watching tv. Now that the weight is coming off, I need to work even more on toning to tighten the skin. My stomach looks like a hound dog, but that's better than a hard watermelon. This is another big reason for slow eight loss. The slower, the better the body and skin will adjust.[/QUOTE]
I need to get out an exercise. I bought Jennifer another bike (her's got stolen) and want to walk with her, but every night when we get home its raining!! I'm determined to do it though!! Jennifer has started walking to the park from her school. Its about 1/2 mile and she plays with the dogs in the Dog Park until I come to get her. Great exercise for her!

[DolphinFan]

[quote name='Haubera']:mad: All right, time for me to get motivated again. We finished our "Biggest Loser" contest at work last Monday and I came in second with 8 lbs. lost. Then I kind of slacked off for a week. I need to get motivated and start taking my pills regularly again. I was really hit or miss, and eating some pretty bad things. I haven't gained anything back, yet, but if I don't get back on track I will.

Time to go take a vitamin and go to bed so I can start fresh and get busy again!!:rolleyes:

Good luck everyone, and don't give up!:)[/QUOTE]
Maybe you should start another contest to keep you motivated!!! Congrats on winning 2nd place..thats terrific!!!! Don't give up now!