FAQs

A:

alli works by preventing fat absorption, and because of this, you can enjoy the benefits of having more options when you make food choices. Taking alli without having much fat in your diet would have little effect. Fat is an essential part of a balanced diet as the right amount of fat helps the body absorb vitamins and perform other essential functions. With the alli weight loss programme, you just need to limit your intake to around 15g of fat per meal*. Also, the aim of the alli programme is to help support you to start eating a balanced, healthy diet for the long term. You can set your individual fat and calorie targets using the information in the the alli pack.

* based on a diet of 1400 calories a day

A:

alli prevents the absorption of some of the fat in the meals you eat but does not discriminate between types of fat. Eating too much fat, whether it's "good" or "bad" fat, can contribute to weight gain and may cause diet-related treatment effects, so try to stay within your daily fat targets.

Saturated fats, found in dairy and animal products are proven to be less healthy for the body than monounsaturated (olive oil for example) or polyunsaturated fats (corn oil for example). However, all fat types have the same number of calories and are affected by alli in the same way.

A:

The alli programme gives clear advice on how to read food labels and check the fat content in your meals. It also includes a guide to the fat content in a range of foods. Before you begin taking alli, you’ll need to set your fat and calorie targets according to your current weight and activity levels. It’s important to stay within your recommended fat and calorie targets per meal. Go to our calculator tool for more information.

A:

In many cases, yes. However, for best weight loss results, you should follow the reduced calorie, lower-fat diet in the alli programme. alli can work well with diets that emphasise balanced meals containing moderate amounts of fat. It does not work well with diets that encourage you to ‘save up’ fat and calorie allowances and then splurge on a high-fat meal or dessert.

You would not need alli with a very low-fat diet because they would have little effect. However, many people find very low-fat diets difficult to sustain because of severe restrictions on the foods they can eat. They’re also likely to feel far hungrier when there is little fat in the diet. The alli programme allows you to choose from a wider variety of foods, and to eat enough fat to feel fuller.

At the other end of the spectrum, low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets tend to be very high in fat. Don’t use alli with these diets. Not adapting to a lower-fat diet can increase the chances of side effects.

A:

Alcohol adds calories to your diet. A 175 ml glass of white wine contains 130 calories and a 300 ml bottle of premium lager has 177 calories. So you can have a drink with your meal, but be sure to allow for the calories.

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Some of the recipes are written for 2 or more, and are adaptations of family favourites so your family will enjoy many of the recipes available here and in the alli diet book.

Children need energy from foods to grow healthily and be active. When eating as a family on the alli programme, children should enjoy meals and healthy snacks which are proportionate to their age and activity levels, (which may be larger, smaller or the same as the adult portions).

A:

Healthy diet and physical activity are the foundations of losing weight, but the alli programme provides you with useful tools to help you sustain your weight loss and commit to lasting, positive changes to your eating and lifestyle habits. Clinical studies show that, when added to a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet, alli can help boost your weight loss by 50%. So for every 2 lb you lose on your own, alli can help you lose 1 lb more.

For healthy sustainable weight loss, you need an eating 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. The alli weight loss programme 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. For reduced calorie, lower fat recipe ideas, visit our recipe section.

Exercise is also an essential part of a healthy lifestyle – not only does it help to maintain overall fitness and boost weight loss, it can also lower the risk of several serious health problems. Structured exercise is important, but general activity can make a big difference as well – gardening or cleaning are great activities to burn calories. For more information on how exercise can help you lose weight, visit How Exercise Works.

A:

No. alli is only recommended in conjunction with low-fat diets that contain about 15 grams of fat per meal*. Eating a meal with too much fat while taking alli can result in bowel changes, such as loose stools, more frequent stools that may be hard to control, or wind (flatulance) with or without oily spotting. These changes, called treatment effects, may occur in the first weeks of treatment, are not harmful, and can be managed by following a reduced-calorie, lower-fat diet of about 15 grams of fat per meal*.

*based on a diet of 1400 calories a day.