Anyone use Alli? (Melanie the pharmacist... need your thoughts too!)

But Mel, how did you re-introduce carbs back into your diet without gaining, or did you stay on the carb-free? I've tried cutting carbs out, and it makes me a total b**ch. I mean moody, tired, loopy. I may try it again though. I did that once and lost 18 pounds pretty fast. Come to think of it, that was after Oliver was born... Hmmmm... Forgot about that. I remember losing 18 pounds quickly. AND that would force me to up my protein intake. You may be on to something. If I become hard to live with, I'm blaming you! :p
 
Hi Stephanie -- I'm like you. Last August was my 25th class reunion. In preparation I used Alli. It did help me to lose my last 10 pounds (but I also increased my cardio with Cathe and ate super clean, which I know contributed!). I worked out super hard!! Although I know I lost most of those pounds on my own (through my Cathe workouts, etc.), I did feel that Alli helped (maybe it was my imagination!). As far as the side effects, as long as you do not eat super "fatty" foods, such as Mexican food, etc, you should have no bad side effects. If you do eat super "fatty" foods and take this drug, it does cause some unpleasant side effects when "pooping" [couldn't think of any other way to say it!]. But stay eating clean or even semi-clean and you will be okay. I don't take it now, but I did when I was trying to lose the extra weight really quick. I've gained back a few pounds since my reunion, but luckily it was only a few pounds and everyone though I was anorexic at the reunion anyhow-- so - I'm happy today!

Hope this helps!
 
Stephanie, have you read the book? Southbeach Diet? It's not about cutting out carbs,...it's about picking the right carbs. The heavy nutrient-dense breads, the brown rice, etcetra. It's about trading simple carbohydrates (sugars) for complex carbohydrates. It really wasn't that bad. Whenever I noticed that I was gaining back some weight, I'd evaluate my carbohydrate eating & adjust it back to where it needed to be to maintain my desired weight. And I felt GREAT, physiologically my body never ran so smooth,...I had the most awesome bowels too. :D :D
 
Here is the best review I could find:

Alli Side Effects In Layman's Terms
by Jeff Kay
Alli is a new over-the-counter weight-loss pill which, predictably enough, has proven to be a massive best-seller from the moment it became available. The drug, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, reportedly works by blocking the absorption of excess fats by the body. And folks are waddling, not walking, to their local drug stores for a chance to start on the Alli "program."

As is the case with most drugs, Alli comes with a risk of certain side effects. Or, as they're known on the company website, treatment effects.

A person is reportedly limited to 15 grams of fat per meal, and if they go over (or even if they don't), there's a significant chance they'll find themselves out behind a shopping center somewhere, crying and clutching a wad of horrifyingly soiled undergarments, searching for a place to ditch it.

As best as I can tell, anyway...

Since a lot of this stuff is couched in language that is technically truthful, but very carefully worded, I've taken it upon myself to go through the list of side (treatment) effects and warnings, and translate it all into layman's terms.

I'm no scientist or doctor, and don't pretend to have any special knowledge. I'm just a person who's fairly good with words and reading between the lines... The highlighted phrases below are direct quotes from the Alli website, with my translations in between.


Undigested fat cannot be absorbed and passes through the body naturally. The excess fat is not harmful. In fact, you may recognize it in the toilet as something that looks like the oil on top of a pizza.

Here the drug makers are trying to soothe the nerves of the skeptical fatty, by speaking their language. Pizza is something fatties understand, and a big part of the reason they’re interested in Alli to begin with. Pizza is good, pizza is reassuring… even when it’s flowing from your ass like molten lava.

The website mentions seeing the undigested fat in a toilet, but that’s clearly a best case scenario. You might also see it on the tops of your shoes, across the hood of a car, or way up the shower curtain, near the loops.

The fat passes out of your body, so you may have bowel changes, known as treatment effects.

Bowel changes. Notice how they phrase that? It means stuff will be happening the likes of which you could never have imagined. It’ll be like a daily Dean Koontz novel inside your underwear.

You may get:

gas with oily spotting

You’ll be farting Wesson oil straight through your Dockers…

loose stools

and having violent chipped beef explosions...

more frequent stools that may be hard to control

all the time, with a sphincter that can no longer be counted as a friend.

Eating a low-fat diet lowers the chance of these bowel changes. Limit fat intake in your meals to an average of 15 grams.

The McDonald’s Big Mac has 34 grams of fat, and the Burger King Whopper has 40. Eat either of these while taking Alli, and you’ll very likely be transformed into a diarrhea cannon.

Learning how to manage treatment effects is an important part of being successful with alli. Here's how to take control:

Start trimming fat from your diet now, even before you begin taking alli. Then pick a day to begin taking alli, such as a weekend day so you can stay close to home if you experience a treatment effect. Make the timing work for you. If you're getting ready to travel or attend a social event, hold off on starting with alli until the event is over

Blowing liquid feces down a row of bridesmaids, for instance, could be viewed negatively in certain circles. Further, an unexpected bout of the power-squirts while riding “The Bullet” at the county fair might not ingratiate you with your friends. Or anyone on the fairway. Or the folks in the parking lot walking to their cars.

While no one likes experiencing treatment effects, they might help you think twice about eating questionable fat content. If you think of it like that, alli can act like a security guard for your late-night cravings

You see, when you think about it, shitting yourself is actually a positive.

You can't "save fat grams" from lunch and "spend them" at dinner. Spread your daily fat gram allowance of 15 grams on average per meal over the whole day

Cheating can lead to embarrassment, tears, and the introduction of a frantically constructed toilet paper crack-wedge in the bathroom of an Applebee's. It’s simply not worth it.

You may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work

Until you get the hang of it, you should probably take along a rolling suitcase full of brown clothes everywhere you go, while taking Alli. Luckily, however, turd-colored clothing is in this season; turd is the new vomit.

If co-workers ask about it, there is no shame in telling the truth. You might be surprised how understanding folks can be if you simply say, “I dress like this to conceal the poop that's constantly soaking through the seat of my pants.”

You may not usually get gassy, but it's a possibility when you take alli. The bathroom is really the best place to go when that happens

Showboating is not recommended.

You can use a food journal to recognize what foods can lead to treatment effects. For example, writing down what you eat may help you learn that marinara sauce is a better option than Alfredo sauce

In addition to a handcart full of extra pants designed to camouflage your anal leakage, it might also be a good idea to carry a schematic and information wheel, so you don't repeat past mistakes and have a treatment effect halfway up your back.

I hope this information has proven to be valuable.
 
Wow, Steph, I bet you never imagined that an explanation like THAT ^^^ would appear! ROFL

On a serious note, I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in your frustration. I think all of us hate to admit that we have contemplated these type "supplements" from time to time. We have all struggled with our weight and went on the search for the cure too. :) Keep smiling!
 
Yeah, that article was... um... interesting. Since I don't consider myself a "fatty" as mentioned in the article, I guess Alli's not for me after all. I simply am a mom who put on some baby fat that I can't get rid of and was looking for a supplement, like Melissa said, to help move the scales.

Besides, I understand the side effects without all of the graphic descriptions. It took a lot of courage for me to post this asking for advice... Didn't quite expect it to be a joke. I appreciate all of the advice many have offered me. I've really learned a lot --- especially about RMR and BMR. And, I've also discovered thedailyplate.com, which I hope will keep me better on track.

Thanks, guys!! :)
 
Glad the RMR/BMR info was helpful. I know it was very useful for me.

My personal learning moments
- It was hard to INCREASE my calories as it went against my gut instinct. But it worked. Understanding my minimum was key.
- Do track your food until you understand exactly what you are eating. As you found out, it can be surprising.
- A calorie is not a calorie. I have to stay very clean and I get off track very easily.
- Understanding just what and when I was burning calories was enlightening
- Little bumps in activitiy can pay off. So now I march when I use my Sonicare. I take the longer route to somewhere. I park further away. I walk at lunchtime. THEN I go home and do Cathe :cool:
- Age may bring wisdom, but unfortunately NOT the metabolism of a 20 yr old. BUT I will not go gently into that good night :D

All the best of luck. Believe me I know how frustrating it is. {{hugs}}
 
Gross side effect!

Regarding Alli, I did try it very briefly. Basically, when you take it, you shouldn't be eating much fat at meals and if you do, beware!! This makes it tough to eat out since you don't really know how much fat is in the meal. Plus, sometimes you just want an ice cream cone or something. You'd have to be disciplined to avoid side effects (and I'm not).

I tried skipping a pill on a day when I knew I'd be eating something fatty. Didn't work- I still had a little (but gross!) accident the next day! Thank gosh I was at home and I thought, what if I was in public and it wasn't just a little accident?? That was enough for me to stop! I think it's for people who are overweight and are really serious about losing weight- this pill doesn't seem to be a quick fix, which is a good thing.
 
Dela--I'd love to buy STS, but we're a one-income family with three kids, and I find a hard time justifying extra expenses on myself. Plus, I did Nutrasystem earlier this year --right after baby--and I didn't stick with it, which was WASTED money on me. Still feeling guilty about that one, but I couldn't stick with the processed boxed foods. I like fresh stuff too much! :p

You shouldn't feel guilty spending $$ on yourself. Think of it as an investment. Spending a little on STS or GWF or whatever can keep you healthier in the long run, which will keep you around for your family.

I googled this up on the net:

"If you're a stay-at-home wife and mother, you're worth a whopping $125,900 a year! That's because your mate would have to pay $2,325 a week to hire people to perform all the jobs you do, according to U.S. government statistics.
A busy mom provides her family with the services of a child care worker, cook, dishwasher, chauffeur, laundry worker, maid and more.
Here's what it would cost to hire someone to do these jobs for a week, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 1995 Employment and Earnings report:
1. CHILD CARE WORKER - $182
That's the amount working parents fork out for a fulltime child care worker to look after and feed their children.
2. COOK - $238
Professional cooks earn an average of $238 a week. But you could be worth even more if you whip up dishes that could be served at fine restaurants.
3. DISHWASHER AND KITCHEN CLEANER - $225
That's what an expert makes working full-time in the catering and food preparation business.
4. LAUNDRY WORKER - $199
You're worth $199 a week to wash, dry and fold your family's clothes and linens.
5. CHAUFFEUR - $362
Professional drivers pocket $362 a week. But you may be worth more since you're at your family's beck and call 24 hours a day.
6. MAID - $182
Although this is what the average maid earns, it's not a lot to do all the dirty work around the house.
7. RECREATION COORDINATOR - $303
You should be paid $303 a week to plan and execute your children's playtime schedule.
8. TUTOR - $228
You tear your hair out helping your children master the "new math" for free; while a professional tutor rakes in $228 a week.
9. BOOKKEEPER/SECRETARY - $389
A clerical worker who balances the books, answers the phone and organizes schedules earns $389 a week.
Tally all those figures and you'll find you could be earning a cool $120,900 a year ($155,280 if you factor in a 3% inflation rate)."
This does not even factor in the spiritual training and mentoring that a mother will do that a hired hand would not. So how much is the love of a stay-at-home mother/wife worth to a family? PRICELESS...PROVERB 31.​
 

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