Alli - What is it, and does it work?

[joltyness]

Originally Posted by dragonlady1978

Personally I cannot believe that the FDA would approve a medicine for weight loss if 6 pounds a year is the benefit.
The expense to your wallet and your health just doesn't seem worth it. Let's spend $600 to be 6 pounds lighter in a year...oh, and by the way-don't forget to factor in the cost of a couple new pairs of underwear lol.

Yet another to add to my list of many reasons that I don't have trust in what they say.

I have taken some risks experimenting with diet pills over the last 15 years or more that in hindsight were pretty stupid. Something about getting older and still being fat in spite of it all that makes me be alot more wary and skeptical.

Thank you for saying this. I was going to post something similar. My sister took Alli for a little while, but the messy stools got tiring fast, so she stopped. She gained back what little weight she lost very quickly. Sixty dollars flushed down the toilet... literally.

Not to mention that Alli perpetuates the false notion that all fats are bad. What about unsaturated fats, which help regulate your cholesterol? Alli blocks those as well. Say good-bye to your Omega 3 supplement!

I don't see the harm in this if used by those seeking to lose 5-10 pounds and already exercise and have a low-fat diet. Unfortunately, most see it as a quick way to lose lots of weight fast, which is unhealthy in and of itself without the help of an expensive pill that makes you crap your pants.

Really, do you guys want to spend $50+ a month for the rest of your adult lives on this stuff?

[Slow Weave]

When I was on it I found it worked but not enough to make me stay on it. I have a hard time staying motivated. I have gone to the Ideal Protein diet which has worked for me much better. Each person is different so I hope Alli works better for you than it did for me. Good luck.

[RockemSockem]

I've had a hard time committing to it, same with any exercise or diet plan, however when I consistently take it with every meal (that I feel like I need to), it absolutely helps me lose weight. Either way I have to watch what I eat and exercise but without Alli, I was just maintaining my weight, once I started taking it (about 3 months consistently) the scale has finally started moving.

I know people who have had no success with it, and people who had way too many side effects. So I guess it all depends.

Originally Posted by Mishflynn

For breakfast , i have Bran flakes with Semi skimmed milk . Obvisley there is "some" fat in the milk. Would any one bother using Alli with this?

I definitely would not, if there's not enough fat it can give you some serious cramps. They also tell you how much fat a meal should have before you take it and I've found a lot of diet meals don't have enough.

Side effects wise for me, if I eat the recommended amount of fat I don't get the...mess I'll say. Take it with a cheeseburger and fries and you'll regret it.

The key for me is, I drink a big glass of fiber with every single pill, binds up any oil that may come out.

I still take supplements (Fish Oil included) but I take it at a time when it's not effected by the pill and I do not take Alli 3 times a day, my breakfast never has much fat, and sometimes my dinner doesn't either.

[michelereith]

I have been reading the replies from the past years and I'm thinking about starting this and picking up the starter kit from Costco today. I quit smoking recently and I feel like if I even look at food I gain weight. I'm at my highest ever. I started back exercising the past couple of weeks but I am hoping with Alli that I will be more motivated to eat healthier considering the side effects. I am seeing some good consistent pointers:

1. Eat low fat (15gm per meal of fat)
2. Continue to exercise
3. Take a fiber supplement
4. Take a multivitamin (is it best to take the multivitamin at night after I eat? Also, is it okay to take fish oil at night too?)
5. Drink lots of water

Are there any other pointers for success while using Alli? I appreciate the encouragement!!!

[RockemSockem]

Originally Posted by michelereith

4. Take a multivitamin (is it best to take the multivitamin at night after I eat? Also, is it okay to take fish oil at night too?)
5. Drink lots of water

Are there any other pointers for success while using Alli? I appreciate the encouragement!!!

For me, it's better to take my multi and fish oil in the morning before I take Alli so it can absorb without any residual Alli interference.

Alli takes a while to work its way through my system so when I took fish oil at night, after having taken Alli earlier in the day, it blocked my fish oil absorption which makes for a troublesome morning .

[Wimpster]

Alli is a fat absorption pill and has some appetite suppressant properties. At $50 or so a month, it's a legitimate question, "Does it work?"

It certainly does work for some people, as seen in these posts. But that is almost besides the point. IMHO, this type of product, while possibly helpful, is preventing you from transforming your mind and body to a healthy place.

Is it possible that you sometimes, or maybe oftentimes eat when you are not really hungry?

For most of us, the answer is absolutely YES! That being the case, what benefit is there to a pill that suppresses your appetite but then you eat when you're not hungry anyway?

The Mayo Clinic estimates the weight loss benefit of Alli to be about 3 lbs per year, compared to a sensible diet and exercise program. You can read about it on the Mayo Clinic website.

Having periods of real hunger during the day is normal during the weight loss mode and beyond. It is not something to be feared but something to expect and be grateful for...it means you didn't overeat at the last meal and that you are dropping pounds...yeah!

[ubskinnyagain75]

Alli - I tried it a couple of times but it made me have stomach issues and bathroom issues even when I was following a low fat diet. What a waste of cash. I'm on Medifast now and your body NEEDS some fat believe it or not. Alli blocks it all and that's not healthy for you, your heart actually needs to have some fat around it for protective reasons (dr. told me this). Alli is just another quick fix.
LOW CALORIE DIET AND EXERCISE - THAT'S WHAT WORKS!!!!!
HIGH CALORIE DIET AND NO EXERCISE - THAT'S WHAT WORKED TO GET YOU FAT!
Reverse it!

[Ellie143]

I took Alli for 2 years. I lost weight. 30 pounds. However it messed up my gallbladder pretty bad. And the stools really nasty. Also the flatus smell, yuk!

Within a short time I put the weight back on.