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dieting quick facts and stats
Losing weight is hard, but the alli programme can help support your weight loss efforts. alli is a weight loss aid for overweight adults with a BMI of 28 or over, designed to be used with a comprehensive support programme. It’s clinically proven that adding alli to a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet can help people lose 50 per cent more weight than by dieting alone. So for every two pounds lost through healthy eating alli could help you lose one more
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Dieting – the vicious cycle
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In a recent study over three-quarters (77 per cent) of people say they would like to lose weight. What’s more, 86 per cent of them have been on a diet, yet of these one third had dieted over 10 times before (see chart 1) . The majority (87 per cent) of people who would like to lose weight say that if they don’t succeed in dieting they will continue to try again and again
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Why aren’t people succeeding in weight loss?
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Many (23 per cent) people feel diets are impossible to maintain and 48 per cent of people who would like to lose weight would be interested in adding a weight loss aid to a healthy diet
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Motivation, motivation, motivation
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Almost half (47 per cent) of dieters want to lose weight to improve their general appearance but only one-fifth (20 per cent) want to lose weight for medical reasons
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Move your body
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Less than one-fifth (19 per cent) of people admit to never exercising and less than a third (28 per cent) only exercise once a week
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Eat well, live well
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Made losing weight one of your New Year’s resolutions?
Then now’s the time you’re likely to be looking back over years of serial dieting and wondering what will be different this time around. Having been on every diet going, you may have rightly concluded that quick-fixes and fads aren’t the answer to long-term success. So what’s the way forward?
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For healthy sustainable weight loss, you need a plan that’s based on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) recommendations. This UK Government agency uses what it calls the Eatwell Plate, a stunningly simple way to make sure you get the correct proportions of different food groups for a healthy diet. While no foods are off limits, you do need to eat smaller amounts of foods that are high in fat and sugar.
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The alli weight loss programme for overweight adults with a BMI of 28 or over is based on the proportions of the Eatwell Plate, to ensure you get the nutrients you need. It encourages you to eat a healthy, balanced diet and shows you how to make positive, long-term changes so you can lose weight and keep it off.
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Adding alli capsules to a reduced-calorie, lower-fat diet can boost your weight loss by 50 per cent. So for every two pounds lost through your own efforts, alli can help you lose one pound more. The first pharmacy-only weight loss aid to be licensed for use in Europe, alli prevents some of the fat you eat from being absorbed, and this undigested fat then passes out of your body. With the alli programme, you take one alli capsule three times a day at mealtimes, which usually means one at breakfast, lunch and dinner. To find out how the other diets you may have tried in the past compare with the Government’s healthy-eating guidelines, Fiona Wilcock has taken a look at some of the most popular options – we then evaluated how our alli programme shapes up.
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The key and charts below outline the different portions of the five food groups for diets including: The Eatwell Plate, low-carb diet, cabbage soup diet, meal substitutes and the alli programme.
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Key to food portions:
Fruit and vegetables: Rich in vitamins and minerals and with a high water and fibre content, these foods should comprise around a third of your diet Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods: Starchy carbohydrates should be the most important source of energy-giving calories in a diet. Eat wholegrain versions when you can
Milk and diary foods: These foods supply calcium, which is vital for bones and teeth. Opt for lower-fat versions
Meat, fish, eggs and beans and other non-dairy sources of protein: Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair
Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar: Fat contains more than twice the calories per gram compared with carbohydrates and protein, so aim to have just small amounts
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Fiona Wilcock gives you the facts…
The Eatwell Plate
The Eatwell Plate shows the relative proportions of different food groups that a healthy, balanced diet should contain, so you can use it as a model for sustainable weight loss.
Fiona’s verdict:
You still need to learn about portion sizes and calories to lose weight, but using the Eatwell Plate as a model can be very helpful. Increasing your intake of fruit and veg to at least five portions a day will help to displace calorie-dense foods that are high in fat and sugar, and so will boost your weight loss. Eating starchy carbohydrate foods will help to fill you up too.
Low-carb diet
This diet restricts your intake of all carbohydrate (sugars and starches), so is high in protein and fat, especially saturated fat. This diet means lots of meat, fish, eggs and cheese and
usually limited fruit and veg.
Fiona’s verdict:
A healthy diet should allow you to eat from all the food groups, so there is concern about the long term health consequences of low-carb diets, since they’re not balanced. By reducing your fruit and veg intake, you risk vitamin deficiency – and not having carbohydrate-rich foods in your diet can lead to constipation.
Cabbage soup diet
This diet is very low in calories and is based on a seven-day plan where you can eat as much homemade cabbage soup as you like. In addition, each day you can have either beef,
bananas, skimmed milk, fruit or veg, rice or baked potato.
Fiona’s verdict:
This diet is not nutritionally balanced, and can foster an unhealthy approach to weight loss. It gives rapid results but the protein intake is so restricted that you’ll mainly lose muscle and water. The limited choice of foods encourages you to think of weight loss as a quick-fix.
Meal substitutes
These diets involve having a meal replacement bar, shake or soup for two of your meals and then eating a ‘healthy’ evening meal.
Fiona’s verdict:
The amount of protein, vitamins and minerals the supplements contain is governed by law. However, as you’re not eating ‘normal’ food most of the time, these diets don’t teach you how to make healthy, balanced food choices and so weight loss can be hard to maintain long term. Unless you change the unhealthy areas of your diet, you’re likely to regain any weight lost.
alli programme
The alli programme encourages you to lose weight gradually by eating three balanced meals a day and by following a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet. By adding alli capsules you can boost your weight loss by 50 per cent, so for every two pounds you lose through your own efforts, alli can help you lose one pound more.
How it stacks up:
The alli diet is based on the principles of healthy eating, in which all the food groups in the Eatwell Plate are consumed in the recommended proportions. Nothing is forbidden, and you eat ‘normal’, tasty, nutritious food at all times. The alli programme teaches you about food, so you can make long-lasting changes to your eating habits. You’re also encouraged to become more active, which will help you to achieve gradual, steady weight loss. The alli programme could be just the boost you need to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
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New beginnings
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If you’re going to reach your goal weight, you need to accept that eating healthily and doing more exercise are important habits to maintain for life. What’s needed isn’t a quick-fix, but a realistic approach. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is all about making dozens of small choices day-in, day-out, that all add up in helping you lose weight.
The alli programme encourages regular exercise and a well-balanced eating plan where no foods are off limits but it is important to reduce the amount of foods that are high in fat and calories.
Adding clinically proven alli to a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet can help you lose 50 per cent more weight than by dieting alone. So for every two pounds lost through healthy eating alone, alli could help you lose one more.
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Exercise equations
So you can’t resist temptation, or perhaps you want a glass of wine (or two!) on a night out. The quickest way to balance out extra calories is by doing more exercise, so find out what’ll get you back on track…
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Cycling vs alcohol
o 15 minutes of cycling equals a 175ml glass of icy cold dry white wine (116 calories)
o One ‘slimline’ gin and tonic (77 calories) equals 10 minutes of cycling
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Walking vs dairy
o 26 minutes of walking uphill at three and a half miles per hour equals 45g of cheddar cheese (185 calories and 15.5g fat)
o 34 minutes of walking in the park equals one chocolate mini roll (136 calories and 6.3g fat)
o 1tsp of single cream (28 calories and 2.8g fat) equals a 7 minute walk
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Badminton vs bread
o 15 minutes of badminton equals a single 5cm-wide slice of baguette (108 calories and 1g fat)
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Running vs biscuits
o 4 minutes of running at a moderate pace of 10 minutes per mile equals one ginger biscuit (50 calories and 1.7g fat)
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Swimming vs a latte
o 1 tall skinny latte (102 calories and 0.2g fat) equals 10 minutes of breaststroke
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Crisps vs aerobics
o A 25g bag of baked crisps (97 calories and 2g of fat) equals 14 minutes of aerobics
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8 Stick-with-it tips
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In need of some extra motivation for those ‘why bother dieting’ days? Our suggestions will keep you feeling inspired to stay on track and help you reach your weight loss goals.
1 Post a photo of yourself, at your slimmest and most glamorous, on your fridge door
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2 Get yourself some cheerleaders: Tell your family and friends what your goals are and celebrate each significant milestone – losing your first stone, dropping a dress size – with them when you reach it. Not wanting to let them down will help you to keep on track. And with the alli Diet Plan book, you and your family can enjoy the same meals together
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3 Slow weight loss is longer lasting: We’d all like to be slimmer overnight but that’s simply not realistic. If you get frustrated at not losing weight fast enough, remind yourself that slower, gradual weight loss means you’re burning fat and not just losing water, so the results are likely to be more permanent. And on the alli programme, there’s no rush because it provides a gradual approach to weight loss and the capsules can be used for up to six months
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4 What do I need? A drink or a break is more likely than a doughnut!
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5 Reward yourself when you’ve done well: A huge bouquet of scented flowers, a newoutfit, an indulgent massage or a trip to the theatre will keep your motivation levels skyhigh
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6 Buy an outfit one size too small, then celebrate when it fits
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7 Try a new recipe each week: Lower fat doesn’t have to mean lower taste – the alli Diet Plan book is packed with exciting recipes to prove it. Why not try a healthy new dish once a week?
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8 Step away from the fridge and call a friend: Cravings have been the downfall of many a dieter. The best way to beat them? Distract yourself! Step away from the fridge (or cookie jar) and call a friend, do some knitting or read an inspiring magazine
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The science of alli®
alli (pronounced AL-eye) is the first and only non–prescription weight loss aid to receive an EU licence from the European Commission.
How does alli work?
alli prevents about 25 per cent of the fat you eat from being absorbed and turned into extra pounds, thus helping to boost weight loss compared to dieting alone.
The active ingredient in alli, orlistat (60 mg), works in the digestive system by attaching itself to enzymes that break down dietary fat, preventing the enzymes from converting this fat into a form which can be absorbed into the body. As undigested fat cannot be absorbed, it simply passes out of the body in stools. It is therefore important that a lower-fat diet is followed.
The alli mode of action:
1. Fat molecules enter your digestive system from the food you eat.
2. Enzymes in your digestive system break down the fat so it can be absorbed into your body.
3. alli blocks some of the enzymes and stops about a quarter of the fat from being broken down and absorbed. The unabsorbed fat passes naturally out of your body.
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How effective is alli?
Clinical trials show that adding alli to a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet, can help people lose 50 per cent more weight than dieting alone. So if someone were to lose two pounds by dieting alone alli could help them lose one more.
Clinical studies support alli’s ability to help people achieve meaningful (5 per cent or more) weight loss when used in conjunction with a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet.
Research has shown that weight loss of between 5-10 per cent can produce significant benefits to health including improvements to cardiovascular risk factors.
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Safety
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Orlistat has been available for the treatment of overweight and obesity since 1998. The safety and efficacy profile of orlistat is well-documented and has been established through data from more than 100 clinical studies.
Orlistat has been used in over 30 million patients worldwide. Over 100 clinical studies have established the safety and efficacy profile of orlistat, with data from more than 30,000 patients.
Orlistat works locally in the digestive system and does not act on the heart or brain.
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Setting your calorie and fat targets
alli should be taken with a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet.
But why reduce calories? Calories are a measurement of the energy your body needs to function. When you eat more calories than your body needs, it stores the excess energy (or calories) as fat.
Your calorie target is the maximum number of calories you should eat per day. This target varies according to your weight, gender and activity levels and you can set your targets using the information in the alli pack or below. Eating less than 1200 calories daily is not recommended.
Fat is an essential part of a balanced diet. The right amount of fat helps the body absorb vitamins and perform other essential functions.
So, with alli, you don’t need to cut fat out of your diet completely; to successfully lose weight you should limit your intake to your individual fat target e.g. 15g of fat per meal for someone with a calorie target of 1400 calories a day.
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Your individual fat target is determined by your daily calorie target
Your fat target is the maximum number of grams of fat you should eat in each meal or snack.
Controlling the amount of fat you eat is essential when losing weight with alli, not just because fat is high in calories, but also because of the way the capsules work. Taking the alli capsules means that some fat isn’t absorbed, so by staying within your recommended fat target, you can reduce the chances of experiencing diet-related treatment effects.
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Healthy Eating tips
Healthy eating doesn’t just last for a few weeks while you’re ‘on a diet’. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to make long-lasting changes to your activity levels, and maintain a balanced diet.
Achieving your weight loss goals with the alli programme isn’t complicated, it just takes practice to get into the new habits. Like most things, once you’re used to them, healthy eating and maintaining a higher activity level will simply become part of your daily routine.
The sections below show how a little forward planning can go a long way when it comes to losing weight with alli.
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Plan your meals
Knowing what you’re going to eat a few days in advance puts you in control. It helps you keep to a balanced diet and avoid making last-minute choices that are too high in fat and calories.
In reality, you probably won’t be able to plan every single meal and snack. However, as you learn more, you’ll be able to work out what you should and shouldn’t eat while on the alli weight loss programme.
Also remember that eating too much fat at any one meal may increase your chances of experiencing diet-related treatment effects. These can include wind with or without oily spotting, fatty or oily stools, or sudden bowel motions.
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Shopping for success
Try not to shop when you’re hungry. You might be tempted by fatty convenience foods and start snacking on your way home.
If you don’t already make shopping lists, now’s a good time to start: it can help you save time and money in the supermarket; and of course reduce the chances of you picking the wrong foods.
Take control of what goes in your shopping trolley – if it doesn’t go in the trolley, it doesn’t go in your cupboards or fridge
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Portions
Measuring spoons and a set of weighing scales for the kitchen are cheap and effective tools to help you be sure of your portion sizes. Try to get into the habit of weighing your food – it only takes a few extra seconds and could help make a positive difference to your weight loss.
Use a smaller plate; one that’s 8 inches or 20cm across will look fuller and help you to avoid overloading.
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Managing cravings
At some point, nearly everyone who’s trying to lose weight will experience food cravings. If this happens to you, it doesn’t have to mean giving into it and undoing all your hard work. To overcome these urges, you’ll need to recognise whether your body is hungry, or if you’re just craving something. Hunger is an empty feeling in your stomach – a signal that you haven’t eaten anything for several hours. A craving doesn’t mean that your body is hungry – it usually happens when you feel like eating a certain type of food. It can be triggered by stimuli outside the body, such as stress, changes in emotions and seeing or smelling something appetising.
It would be unrealistic to tell you that you won’t experience cravings, but it is possible to control them and limit the damage they can cause.
Try drinking a glass or two of water: sometimes your body is thirsty rather than hungry. Also distraction can work well: try phoning a friend when a craving strikes.
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everyday tips for reducing fat
Staying within your calorie and fat targets doesn’t just help you lose fat and get the results you want on the scales. It’s also an effective way to reduce your chances of experiencing diet-related treatment effects.
Follow these simple tips to help cut your fat intake and make positive progress towards your goal.
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Preparing and cooking your food
- Bake or grill instead of frying.
- Steam or boil vegetables
- Trim away all the fat on meat and skin on poultry before cooking it
- Beans, lentils and peas are high in fibre. Adding them to meat dishes helps reduce the fat content as less meat is needed
- Cook with less fat by using vegetable/sunflower/olive oil spray instead of butter or margarine
- Eat reduced-fat versions of dairy products, such as semi-skimmed milk and reduced-fat yogurts
- Use reduced-fat rather than fat-free products as they contain more vitamin A.
- Foods that are high in fats should only be eaten in small quantities because eating them too often, or in large quantities, can lead to weight gain and increase your chances of experiencing diet-related treatment effects
- Try to avoid foods that are high in added sugars such as cakes, pastries, desserts, fried foods, chocolates, biscuits, ice creams, mayonnaise, butter, oils, nuts, creamy sauces, salad dressings and sugary drinks. Keeping some healthy snacks to hand, such as fruit or chopped vegetables, can help you resist tucking into the wrong sort of food if you’re hungry
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Get active!
Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. At its most basic, exercise is any type of physical activity you perform which raises your heart rate above its resting heart rate; this doesn’t have to be going to a gym class, it could be gardening for an hour.
Not only does regular exercise help to maintain overall fitness and manage weight loss, it can also lower the risk of serious health problems. People who exercise regularly are more likely to live longer and enjoy a better quality of life, because exercise can also benefit mental and emotional wellbeing.
You can maximise the benefit of the alli programme by becoming more active. Don’t worry if you’re not ready to join a gym, there are lots of other ways to get moving and burn calories. For some of the activities you don’t even have to leave the house! Whatever shape you’re in and however busy you are, it’s still possible to be active every day.
Start gently and increase slowly. Begin with 10 minutes extra walking a day. If you’re already active then build up the time or add in something else as well.
Remember to check with your doctor before you start any new exercise programme.
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Moves in the right direction
- Don’t sit down when you make a phone call – walk about your house while you talk
- Even if cleaning is your least favourite activity, it can be great exercise. Vacuuming, mopping and dusting all help to burn fat
- Get off the bus one stop early. When you feel ready you can try two stops early and so on
- Take the bike whenever you can
- Walk up escalators
- If you take the lift, get out a floor early or take the stairs from ground level
- If you usually pay someone else to wash your car while you sit inside, try washing it yourself
- Park further from the shops and walk the rest of the way there. Supermarket car parks can be huge, so get into the habit of parking as far away from the shop entrance as possible
- Splash out – swimming is great exercise and kind to the joints
What do you need to do to get the best results from alli? Use this handy summary as your preparing for alli check list.
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Don’t rush
The alli programme provides you with a sensible and effective approach to weight loss that helps you lose weight gradually and sustain it.
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Smaller portions = a bigger reward
Adding alli to a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet can help boost your weight loss by 50%. So, for every 2 lb (1 kg) you lose through your own efforts, alli can help you lose 1 lb (1/2 kg) more.
One of the best ways to stay within your recommended fat and calorie targets is to reduce your portion sizes where you can.
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Lower-fat is the way forward
Limiting the amount of fat you eat at each meal to your fat target is very important when you’re taking alli capsules. If you don’t stick to it, you are more likely to experience diet-related treatment effects.
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Get more physically active
Exercise helps to burn calories so when you’re following the alli programme, you can support your weight loss by taking more exercise. Start with ten minutes a day and gradually increase. Even small things like getting off the bus one stop early or parking further away from the shops can help.
Always consult your doctor before you start a new fitness programme.
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Read the facts
When taken correctly and combined with a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet alli can help boost your weight loss by 50%. So for every 2 lb you lose through your own hard work, alli will help you to lose an additional 1 lb.
Healthy Eating step-by-step
Sensible eating goes beyond the few weeks that you’re ‘on a diet’. There are no tricks and no mysteries; the simple key to losing weight and keeping it off is to make long-lasting changes to your lifestyle habits. You’ve already made a start, and the alli programme provides support to keep you going.
The following tips can help you make steady progress to your goal weight.
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Eat regular meals and snacks
Eating with alli isn’t about starving yourself and going for hours a day without food. You should be eating regularly – three good meals that are reduced calorie and lower-fat, plus 1 snack that are all within your calorie and fat targets.
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Take your time
The longer you chew your food, the more you’ll notice the different flavours, because it has more time to stimulate a larger number of your taste buds. Eating more slowly can also give your stomach the time it needs to let your brain know that it’s full – about 15 minutes. A well-chewed meal helps you to avoid indigestion too.
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Eat a varied diet
While you’re following the alli programme, it’s important to eat reduced calorie, lower-fat meals which contain a range of different nutrients. This will help ensure that your diet is balanced overall so you lose weight healthily.
It’s important you follow a lower-fat diet to avoid any diet-related treatment effects.
You should also take a multivitamin every day at bedtime to ensure adequate absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K.
The alli programme encourages you to eat foods from all the main food groups. The food plate model shown below shows the proportions of the different food groups you need to eat in order to achieve a balanced diet. Each group plays a role in the diet by providing nutrients and energy.
- Breads, potatoes, breakfast cereals and other grains should be the most important source of calories in your diet.
- Have at least one portion of these types of foods every meal.
- Wholegrain versions provide additional fibre to help fill you up.
- Some starchy foods have a low glycaemic index which helps regulate your blood sugar and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
Fruit and vegetables
- Fruit and vegetables are a really important part of any balanced diet.
- Aim for a minimum of 5 portions per day.
- Fruit and vegetables contain fibre and a wide range of different
vitamins and minerals.
- Try and eat fruits and vegetables of different colours to ensure you’re getting all the vitamins you need – for example red pepper and green spinach.
Milk and Dairy foods
- Milk, yoghurt and cheeses or fortified soya alternatives are essential for the calcium they supply.
- Eat reduced-fat versions of dairy products, such as semi-skimmed milk, reduced-fat yoghurts and cheeses.
- Use reduced-fat rather than fat-free products as they contain more
vitamin A.
Protein rich foods
- Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses and vegetarian sources of protein should be eaten in small portions.
- Use lean cuts of meat, removing visible fat. Remove skin from poultry.
- Beans, lentils and peas are high in fibre. Adding them to meat dishes helps reduce the fat content as less meat is needed.
- It’s recommended that you eat fish twice a week, with one of these being oily fish as this is one of the few sources of dietary vitamin D, and beneficial
omega 3 fats.
Eating to lose weight
Portions
Knowing your portion sizes is another important part of losing weight. It’s best not to guess the amounts – it could be the difference between a happy moment on your bathroom scales or a disappointing one. That’s why the alli programme recommends that you have a set of measuring spoons and weighing scales for the kitchen. Electronic scales that can weigh from 5 g up are a good option.
The following table is a guide to some of the calories and fat in smaller measures and typical measures of certain foods
| Food |
Measure |
Weight g |
Fat g |
Cal |
| Cooking oils including olive oil |
One 5ml measuring spoon |
3 |
3 |
27 |
| Cooking oils including olive oil |
One 15ml measuring spoon |
11 |
11 |
99 |
| Butter |
Medium spread on 1 slice of bread |
10 |
8.2 |
74 |
| Butter |
Thinly spread on 1 slice of bread |
7 |
5.8 |
52 |
| Reduced fat spread (59% fat) |
Medium spread on 1 slice of bread |
10 |
5.9 |
54 |
| Reduced fat spread (59% fat) |
Thinly spread on 1 slice of bread |
7 |
4.4 |
40 |
| Very low fat spread (20-25% fat) |
Medium spread on 1 slice of bread |
10 |
2.0 |
18 |
| Very low fat spread (20-25% fat) |
Thinly spread on 1 slice bread |
7 |
1.4 |
13 |
| Walnuts |
6 halves |
20 |
13.7 |
138 |
| Almonds |
6 whole almonds |
13 |
7.3 |
80 |
| Pinenuts |
One 5ml measuring spoon |
5 |
3.4 |
34 |
| Cream (18-20% fat) |
One 15ml measuring spoon |
15 |
2.9 |
29 |
| Cream (50% fat) |
One 15ml measuring spoon |
30 |
16 |
149 |
| Crème fraiche |
One 15ml measuring spoon |
15 |
6 |
57 |
| Crème fraiche, reduced fat |
One 15ml measuring spoon |
15 |
2.3 |
14 |
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Plan your meals in advance
- If you’ve started planning your meals that’s great news – carry on and try using our meal planner too.
- There’s no need to make separate meals for you and your family – alli recipes are so tasty that everyone can enjoy them. The only difference is that those not taking the capsules can eat bigger portions.
Preparing and cooking your food
How you cook your food is another way to stay within your daily fat and calorie targets.
- Bake or grill instead of frying.
- Steam or boil vegetables.
- Trim away all the fat on meat and skin on poultry before cooking it.
- Swap your cooking oil for an oil spray.
- Choose semi-skimmed or skimmed milk.
- Look for cheese or cottage cheese that’s reduced fat.
- Use tomato-based sauces and salsas instead of creamy, cheesy versions.
- If you like to bake cakes, try swapping some of the fat or oil for apple sauce. It will still be moist and delicious, just lower in fat.
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Healthy snacks
Keep a few alli-friendly snacks on standby so that if you get hungry or feel a craving coming on, you can make choices that won’t sabotage your weight loss efforts for the day. Why not pick up snack ideas from other alli users from the allicommunity? Or check the alli recipe database for snack ideas.
Remember to stay within your recommended fat target per day i.e. 3 grams of fat per snack per day, or 2 snacks of 1.5 grams of fat each- but if you are having 2 snacks a day, check you’re within your daily calorie target.
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Shop to make your weight drop
Making a list and sticking to what’s on it will help you feel more in control and save you time as well. Don’t tempt yourself unnecessarily – if something doesn’t go in your trolley, it doesn’t go in your fridge or cupboards. Shopping when you’re hungry is a bad idea and might lead to snacking or to you taking the wrong food items home.
- Avoid processed and fast food as often as possible – they’re usually high in fat. Choose lean meat and fish, poultry and vegetable-derived proteins such as beans and chickpeas.
- Increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in your weekly shop. They’re low fat and an important source of vitamins.
- Read the labels of products to find out the fat content, remembering the fat target that you’ve calculated per meal. Check the portion sizes too – if it’s for two people make sure you only eat half.
- Swap whole-milk, cream and other dairy products for reduced-fat versions – choose semi-skimmed milk, low-fat spreads and reduced-fat yogurts.
- Choose lower-fat salad dressings.
- Some foods are high in fat and you need to either avoid them or be particularly careful that the portion you eat does not take you over your daily fat target. Which foods are these?
- most hard cheeses or cream cheeses
- sausages, salami and other processed meats
- fried foods
- oils, butter, cream
- mayonnaise, salad dressings and cream based sauces
- ice creams
- chocolate
- cakes, biscuits and pastries
- savoury dishes which include pastry
- nuts, savoury snacks (unless fat reduced), regular popcorn
- desserts, especially those containing cream.
The fat content of these foods can vary a lot, so it’s best to look them up in a fat and calorie counter or check the food labelling. If you’re uncertain about the fat and calorie content of particular foods, don’t eat them.
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Using food labels to help you find suitable foods
In order to understand about the fat content of foods it helps to know how food is labelled.
Basic labels
Some food labels provide very basic information. They may look like this:
| Nutrition information |
Per 100g food |
| Energy (kcal/kJ) |
375/1584 |
| Protein g |
4.7 |
| Carbohydrate g |
71.1 |
| Fat g |
8 |
This shows that 100g of the food provides 8g of fat and 375 calories.
This sort of label provides limited information because you still need to know how much of the food you will eat. It may be 30g, 100g or 250g. You can weigh the food to find out what a typical portion contains, or look this up in a fat and calorie counter.
Detailed labels
Some food labels provide more detailed information, including how much an average portion should contain. These labels are really useful as you know exactly how much fat is contained in one portion. However, you should take care to ensure that the portion size you eat doesn’t take you over your fat target. You may find that you typically eat a larger portion than is recommended.
The example below is of an Apricot and Raisin cereal bar. The bar provides 131 calories and 2.8g fat so could be eaten as a snack since it provides less than 3g fat in one bar.
| Nutritional information |
Per 100g food |
Per portion (1 bar) |
| Energy kcal |
375 |
131 |
| Energy kJ |
1584 |
554 |
| Protein g |
4.7 |
1.7 |
| Carbohydrates g |
71.1 |
24.9 |
| Of which sugars g |
40 |
14 |
| Fat g |
8 |
2.8 |
| Of which saturates g |
5.5 |
1.9 |
| Fibre g |
3.3 |
1.2 |
| Sodium g |
0.07 |
0.02 |
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Eating out with alli
You can eat out with alli and still stay on track. Start by trying to see the occasion as something more than an opportunity to eat. Appreciate that you’re meeting up with friends or going out with family. Take the focus off your plate and enjoy the conversation.
When you’ve arrived at the restaurant, take your capsule and sip water while you’re ordering – sparkling mineral water with a slice of lime is refreshing. Or, if you’re going to have an alcoholic drink, remember to allow for the calories.
Take your time when reading the menu. Expect some flexibility from the restaurant and feel confident about asking for your meal to be changed to suit your alli healthy eating plan. Following the principles below will help you keep to your healthy diet and support your progress.
- Chicken and seafood are lower-fat protein choices than red meat.
- Ask for meat and fish to be grilled, not fried.
- Choose salsas or tomato-based sauces rather than rich creamy ones.
- Ask for dressings to be separate from the meal and see if there are lower-fat alternatives available. It’s better to lightly dip than drench your food in it.
- Try mustard instead of mayonnaise or choose a lower-fat mayo.
- Finally, be aware of portion sizes – they may be large and you don’t have to clear the plate.
Tips according to restaurant type
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1.fast food
Best choices:
- small plain burger
- grilled chicken
- salad (separate dressing)
- fish (no batter)
- fresh fruit
- corn on the cob (without butter)
Foods to limit:
- small portion of chips
- sauces
- ice cream
Foods to avoid:
- cheeseburger
- large portion of chips
- hot dog
- cheese
- mayonnaise
- buffalo wings
- ribs
- desserts
2. Chinese
Best choices:
- plain boiled rice
- stir-fry dishes (vegetable, chicken, prawn or beef and remember to ask the restaurant to limit the oil!)
- clear soup
- tofu – not fried
- steamed dumpling
Foods to limit:
- prawn toast
- spring roll
- sweet sauces
Foods to avoid:
- egg/special fried rice
- duck
- battered/deep fried/crispy choices
- prawn crackers
- spare ribs
3.Pizza
Best choices:
- salad (separate dressing)
- thin crust
- toppings; vegetables, prawns, tomatoes, seafood, plain chicken
Foods to limit:
- dough balls (no dip)
- ham
- chicken
- cheese
Foods to avoid:
- deep or stuffed crust
- extra cheese
- pepperoni
- sausage
- oil
- garlic bread
- coleslaw
4. Indian
Best choices:
- tandoori dishes
- tikka dishes
- madras
- jalfrezi
- balti
- dopiaza
- plain, boiled rice
Foods to limit:
- onion bhajis
- poppadoms
- pickles
- naan bread (plain)
- pilau rice
Foods to avoid:
- anything with coconut milk
- creamy kormas, pasandas, masalas, biryani
- peshwari naan
- ghee/oil on top of curry
5.Italian
Best choices:
- tomato-based sauce
- bread sticks
- seafood (not fried)
- minestrone soup
- sorbet
Foods to limit:
- ice cream
- grated parmesan
- pesto
Foods to avoid:
- creamy pasta sauces
- garlic bread
- creamy puddings like tiramisu and zabaglione
- fritto
6.Pub
Best choices:
- soup (not cream-based)
- lean meat ploughman’s
- jacket potato (with baked beans or tuna without mayonnaise)
- sandwiches (lean filling, no butter or spread)
- chilli
- baked fish
Foods to limit:
- stew and dumplings
- cottage pie
- smoked fish ploughman’s
- fish pie
- sauces
Foods to avoid:
- jacket potato with cheese
- pasties/pies
- chips
- crisps
- roast
- quiche
- cheese or paté ploughman’s
- potted meat/shrimps
- fish and chips
- lasagne
- sausage and mash
7.Thai
Best choices:
- clear soups
- seafood salad
- stir-fried dishes
- steamed rice
- sticky rice
Foods to limit:
- steamed fish (can be steamed in oil and water)
- spring rolls
Foods to avoid:
- anything with coconut milk or coconut cream
- deep-fried starters
- fried rice
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Staying on track
Achieving the weight loss you want doesn’t only take a certain amount of will power, it takes staying power too. Which is why the alli programme includes tools and guidance that can help you stay on track to your weight loss goal.
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Write it down: you can use the meal planner tool to keep a record of what you eat and how active you are. When you buy alli, you should be given the alli starter guide and there is a diary within that. Writing down what you eat helps you understand what it takes to lose weight and proves that you can do it, so if you ever start to doubt yourself, go back over the pages and see what you’ve achieved so far.
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See beyond the scales: sometimes your weight loss on the scales may not be as big as you thought. It’s natural that you might be disappointed but try not to use it as a reason to comfort eat. Remember that there are other ways to chart your weight loss; make a note of your shrinking waist measurement and check if your clothes are looser. Remind yourself that you’re making positive steps to improve your health and well-being. Are you feeling more energetic? Happier? More confident? These emotional benefits don’t show on the scales, but they’re important too.
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Chat to lose fat: getting support from family and friends is an important step towards success. Share your ups and downs, if you feel a craving coming on, phone a friend. Other alli users know what you’re going through – get involved in the alli discussion forum and see how others are coping.
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Managing cravings
It would be unrealistic to tell you that you won’t experience cravings, but it is possible to control them and limit the damage they can cause.
- Keep a selection of washed and chopped vegetables in the fridge and crunch through a few juicy carrots, celery sticks or tomatoes.
- Drink a glass or two of water – sometimes your body is thirsty and not hungry at all.
- If you feel like chocolate, whisk up a cup of reduced calorie hot chocolate with water or skimmed milk and a shake of cinnamon on top.
- If you’re at home, do something to take your mind off the craving – walking away from the fridge and out of the kitchen is a good start!
- Phone a friend.
- Start planning an occasion or night out.
- Get active for 5 minutes – you can do anything – just get your body moving and take your mind off food.
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Turning setbacks to your advantage
Blips. Bumps in the road. Snack-attacks. Whatever you call them, they happen to everyone. The essential factor is how you handle the setback. The key is to deal with them positively and not be hard on yourself, because that could only make things worse. Instead, accept that it’s happened and decide why, so you can aim to avoid the same mistake again.
For example, if you’ve given in to a craving, try to avoid the same trigger next time. So, if drinking a cup of tea makes you want to eat too many biscuits, try a herbal tea instead. Or, enjoy a cup after a meal when you’ve just eaten and won’t be hungry.
After a setback, make your next meal really tasty and within the recommended fat and calorie limits and remind yourself of how you’ll feel when you achieve your weight loss goal.
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Maintaining your success
If you’ve now reached your weight loss goal, congratulations! Your work with alli has paid off. You’ve reached your goal and should be feeling good!
Your new goal is to keep the weight off. Remember that your healthier lifestyle doesn’t stop once the scales say what you want them to. To stay at your healthier weight, you need to maintain the eating and activity habits you learnt with the alli programme.
That’s not to say that it will always be easy. It’s completely normal to experience similar temptations or potential setbacks to when you were losing weight. Take confidence from the fact that you’ve handled it all before and can do so again – your weight loss is the proof.
The following guidance will help you make sure that your success lasts and lasts. Over time we’ll be adding new sections to our website too and we can let you know when they’re ready.
- Keep moving – being more active helps you burn off calories and is an essential element of maintaining your weight loss. Try increasing the length of time or frequency that you exercise. Remind yourself with our activities tools.
- Take setbacks in your stride. They don’t have to mean the end of all your good work. Just pick up your healthier lifestyle habits where you left off and carry on. Check out what’s going on at the alli discussion forum too – it can really help you stay on track or get back to basics if you’ve had a blip.
Why not celebrate and share your good news with friends? Let other alli users know too. You could inspire others who are just beginning the alli programme, or give others the motivation to keep going.
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The body is comprised of 70% water and nearly every person needs to drink more. Water gives you an essentially free appetite suppressant and colon cleanser. To determine how much water you need to drink each day divide your body weight in half and that’s the number of fluid ounces you should be drinking every day to see water’s amazing weight loss benefits.
The intentions are usually good when most people purchase fruits and vegetables at the super market. Most people buy them to eat them, but too often don’t find the time to prepare them, so they rot in the fridge without being consumed. Purchasing pre-cut fruits & veggies helps you avoid preparation time so they are easier to eat. Whether it’s the time or laziness, buying pre-cut fruits and vegetables can help you eat more.
The Japanese Islanders, known as the Okinawans, have an average BMI of 21.5, and are known to have excellent fitness and health. The secret to their weight management is the “hara hachi bu” just eating until they are 80% full. It’s is far from starving themselves. By following this secret, you can still eat and eat what you like. But, you shouldn’t ever eat until you’re stuffed or full. Stuffing yourself expands the stomach so it takes more food to satisfy in the future.
Fiber keeps you regular, feeling fuller longer which keeps you skinner, in addition to controlling your blood sugar levels. Beans are one of the best sources of fiber, while fruits and vegetables, and whole grains contain significant amounts as well. FiberOne is one brand that manufacturers fiber-rich foods that actually taste good. Visit 
Fat with each meal helps control blood sugar levels and keeps you feeling full longer. But eating the Right Fats is critically important. The following list of healthy fats will help you maintain your weight and lose weight, make sure to add some of these fats to your grocery list:
Do you love slurping down a sugary soda? You’re not alone. The FDA reported that the average American consumes 82 grams of sugar PER DAY from sodas and other sugary beverages. That equals 328 extra calories each day of unnecessary (and empty) calories.
Cayenne peppers are beneficially for weight loss! Cayenne has been traditionally used in medicine for centuries. Capsaicin is the key component that gives cayenne its spice. Capsaicin is more than a heat additive; it is also attributed to many health benefits.
Bland food is anyone’s idea of a good meal, but the more salt added increase the risks. Salt forces greater water retention while drying out certain organs. Salt also increase blood pressure and leads to long-term weight gain. But the key to eliminating salt or eating less is to get used to it little by little. Instead of adding the entire amount of salt called for in a recipe, add half as much. By making the adjustment in little increments, you won’t recognize the taste difference and eventually, you’ll appreciate food without salt. Its one small step to a healthier, leaner you.
Fruits are the perfect weight loss foods. Research conducted at Pennsylvania State University revealed fruits and vegetables have low “energy density” because they are heavy in weight but have few calories. Eating fruits for breakfast is the perfect way to start the day. The antioxidants help you use the nutrients that you take in from the food that you eat. Eating fruit in the morning helps you avoid and overcome temptations to overeat or eat unhealthy. The habit of starting your day off right will help you the rest of the day.
Yes, you will lose weight if you starve yourself and fast. HOWEVER, your body quickly adapts. Organs and tissues only work right with a regular supply of glucose. When glucose levels decrease, glucose production in the liver is increased by stress hormones. By starving yourself, you cut off the source of glucose; your body feels the drop and begins storing fat. When your fat stores have been depleted, muscle is broken down and used for energy.
It can be very helpful to determine the type of body you have before deciding on a specific diet. The 3 different classifications for body types are:
Taking your time to eat your food and enjoy the taste helps you fill up faster without eating as much food to decrease caloric intake. Slowly eating your food helps you naturally suppress your appetite and helps food digest better. It takes the brain at least 20 minutes to signal satiety or fullness. If you eat too fast, you won’t feel full until you have already overeaten. People who eat fast do not experience this level of fullness until they have already over eaten. Take your time eating and savor and enjoy every last bite to lose weight faster.
Chewing gum aids weight loss in several ways. At the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Obesity Society, a study was presented that showed the power of chewing gum for weight loss. The study showed that gum chewers consumed 39 less calories per day, had fewer cravings, improved moods and less stress. Chewing gum helps people avoid snacking. And Chewing gum also helps you eat less sugary foods during meals.
It’s true, sugar substitutes have few or no calories at all, but the stronger sweet taste that comes with sugar substitutes is worse than the sugar itself. A featured article in Time magazine revealed sugar substitutes don’t help with weight loss. A Purdue University study on animals with diets including zero calorie artificial sweeteners showed animals consumed more calories and had a slower metabolism and fat burning when compared to animals with diets including glucose. Sugar substitutes can actually sabotage weight loss efforts and the body can’t digest it properly. So it leads to greater weight problems. The key is sugar moderation instead of sugar substitutes.
Quick 20 minute total body workouts are a great way to burn fat and lose weight. Rest no more than a minute in between exercises and alternate different exercises to target different parts of the body. For example, right after doing bench press, start on some squats. After squats, immediately do shoulder, etc. The same works for running. Sprint for as long as you can, then cool down and catch your breath, when your breathing returns to a normal rate, sprint again. According to a number of studies, a few 30-second sprints are just as beneficial as an hour-long jog. Sprint for about 20 seconds before you can work your way up and you’ll be losing more weight.
Running and exercising can take a toll on your feet, but investing in quality shoes can keep your feet happy. Don’t go for cheap shoes just to save money. Spend the extra money and time on finding comfortable fitting shoes. If you’re feet are comfortable, you will actually run a little more or exercise longer.
Laxatives are a great way to help you digest food better and pass stool easier. Laxatives instigate bowel movements and soak up the body’s fluids to release through your stool to help you pass the junk form your food faster without it being stored as fat. Just remember to drink a lot of water. Laxatives may leave you dehydrated so keep your water intake going to see the benefits of a laxative.
If others know you’re dieting, they can help. The support you can get from others will only increase your chance to see the success you are looking for. If others know you are dieting they are more likely to be considerate of your choices and habits. You will likely be surprised by the amount of support you receive and you might even be a good example to others. Who knows, they may join you.
People who get just 6 hours of sleep each night are 25% more likely to be obese compared to those who get 8 hours a night. To function normally, people need 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. A study conducted in Chicago led by Eve Van Cauter followed a group of men in its 20s. They were asked to sleep for four hours for two consecutive nights, and then 10 hours for the next two nights. With only 4 hours of sleep, the group had a 24 percent greater appetite and craved specifically high-sugar, high-salt, and starchy foods. A good night’s sleep is critical for weight loss and better overall health. With a healthier body, it’s easier to shed fat and get into shape.
Not the see-food diet, the seafood diet. Eating more shrimp and lobster has been known to help people lose weight because of the fatty acid in the shells chitosan. Chitosan amazingly binds fat together to help you avoid absorbing it. Instead of being stored as fat the fat passes through your system. The less fat your body absorbs the less it has to burn, so you get greater benefits.
Acupuncture is becoming more popular when it comes to weight loss. It can help aid the digestive process to improve weight loss. Acupuncture therapists carefully pick pressure points and can use electro stimulation of acupuncture points to increase the release of endorphins and stimulate the metabolism. Two important notes are:
While herbs and spices can bring out mouth-watering flavors in your food they also help with weight loss. Herbs and spices have multiple benefits, including speeding up metabolism and helping you feel fuller. Many common herbs and spices you can easily find aid weight loss efforts. Some of the best natural ingredients include cayenne, fennel, flaxseed, garlic, and ginger.
The cotton ball diet is one of the more extreme diets. Eat cotton balls to lose weight. But there’s a better option available. Replace the cotton balls with Glucomannan. This effective appetite suppressant has been proven to help dispel appetites and help you lose weight. Glucomannan expands in the stomach to help you feel full longer.
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“Diet” on the side of a soda can doesn’t mean the soda is better for you. According to Carol Simontacchi’s The Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children, “One liter of an aspartame-sweetened beverage can produce about fifty-six milligrams of methanol. When several of these beverages are consumed in a short period of time (one per day, perhaps), as much as two hundred fifty milligrams of methanol are dumped into the bloodstream, or thirty-two times the EPA limit.” Saccharin contained in most diet sodas is about three to five hundred times sweeter than sugar! No matter the sugar substitute, the fact remains that it is still bad for your body and your weight loss goals.
Dressing casually to work can actually help you lose weight. A study performed in the University of Wisconsin showed there is a relationship between the clothes you wear and weight loss. Wearing casual clothes is a great way to reduce stress and increase physical activity so that it can lead to more weight loss. The study also showed that those who wore casual clothes to work also took 491 more steps than the well dressed counterparts. Those dressed casually burned 8% more calories than their well-dressed counter parts.
Simply supplementing with HGH is a simple way to lose weight fast. The only problem is real HGH costs thousands of dollars because doctors charge huge markups. But you can successfully and naturally increase growth hormones from foods like eggs, whole grains, seafood, nuts and seeds. You can also take HGH boosting supplements like Lifessence HGH+.
Water is the key diet factor. And we all know it is important. But drinking water alone isn’t enough. The more water you get from fruits, vegetables, and other foods swells in volume, making you feel full faster. Opt for fruit when you want a snack and you’ll be on your way to greater weight loss.
Exercise is great, but yoga can also help. Yoga helps people shed those pockets of stubborn fat Research at the Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle (funded by the National Cancer Institute) revealed that yoga can help lose weight and at the very least keep you from gaining weight. Yoga tones less-used muscles, helping to burn fat in those little areas. You’ll also notice better flexibility and easier body movement. Yoga also facilitates digestion and helps you sleep better, both of which can be an immense help towards weight loss.
Snacking isn’t always a bad thing. Snacking on healthy food when you’re hungry in between meals provides energy and helps you avoid junk food, saturated with unwanted calories. When shopping for snacks, opt for the healthier options instead of chocolate and gummy bears. Pick up some Reduced Fat crackers or dried fruit instead of a candy bar. Avoid letting snacks turn into meals, however, and only take small servings to get the greatest benefits
