alliConnect

Can Valentine's Day be bigger than boxes of chocolate and candy hearts?

Today is Valentine's Day, and, if you didn't know it, February is American Heart Month.  Two great reasons to think about your heart, and the hearts of those closest to you.

As the alli calendar from Vogue Magazine (download it here) states: "do something good for your heart and for the one closest to it.  Take a long walk with your valentine."

It may not be practical for everyone to take a walk with your valentine mid-February, but you get the idea.  How can you make your February more heart healthy?

Big blogs ignore the healthy hype

The issue of obesity as a lifestyle choice turned quite a few heads last month (i.e. New York Times and ABCNews.com, to name a few).

Fat acceptance blogs are popping up online and dismissing the obesity prevalence in America as mere hysteria.  Blog creators say the sites are breaking down stereotypes about overweight people and promoting self-love.

Confidence, high self-esteem and the overall idea of just being proud of who you are-yes, the alli team definitely supports that.  We know it's all about being the healthier you.

But, as one health expert said in the ABCNews.com article "the health risks are the health risks." It's undeniable that obese people are disproportionately at risk for diabetes, certain types of cancer, stroke and heart disease.

And while losing weight does require lifestyle changes, little things like shedding two pounds a week, and walking the steps rather than taking the elevator don't change the person.  They just gradually enforce better choices.

So, instead of shunning the blogs or saying they're all bad, we need to ask ourselves a question.  How can we use them to promote both self-acceptance and being the healthier you?  Seriously, we'd like your suggestions.

A gift for you on alli's anniversary

It may not be the December holidays, but this week can be a week for not-so-healthy food.  Between the Bowl games, Fat Tuesday, or maybe even Super Tuesday, it's a big week for pizza, wings, beer and lots of snacks.   

Life is about choices.  If you didn't choose well yesterday, make better choices today. 

Today is a day that celebrates a choice: The anniversary of alli's FDA approval.  We wanted to celebrate this with you by offering a $15 coupon available on myalli.com and in USA Today's lifestyle section on today (2/7/08).  So, if you choose to begin a low-fat diet, you can get the alli weight loss boost and get $15 off your alli purchase.

Make This Year Different: The results are in....

A few weeks ago, Joe wrote about the Make This Year Different event that was held from January 4-7 of this year.  The event was a free, four-day program that gave people the opportunity to engage with health care professionals who could help with weight loss questions.

People asked registered dietitians and pharmacists hundreds of questions.  Here are three of the top questions and answers.

1. How do you fit exercise into a busy schedule?  For example, when you work full-time, have kids, etc.  You don’t have to hit the gym or hire a personal trainer to make a real difference in your health. Studies show that moderate exercise—such as walking for 30 minutes every day—can reduce your risk for disease.
The great thing about exercise is its cumulative effect—you don’t have to do it all at once. You can add it to your activities throughout the day by sneaking in a little extra walking into the things you already do.

What's important is including activity regularly in your routine.  Start small and work your way up. Consistency is your goal.  Go to myalli.com for additional information.

2. Do high fiber foods help in weight loss?  Yes.  Adding lean protein and fiber to a diet, especially a low-fat diet, increase satiety.  Many times, high fiber foods are also lower calorie and are a good source of other nutrients.

3. Does alli work for men?  Yes, alli is for overweight women and men.  In fact, there is a message board forum dedicated to the guys on alli.

Even though the chat room and phone line have closed, videos from weight loss experts are still online through the end of January.  You can also continue to get advice from your local pharmacist.  You may not know this, but many pharmacists have earned certification as weight control counselors as part of their continuing education. 

Taking a different look at beauty in 2008

More attention has been given in recent years to how media portrays beauty, especially among women. Some brands have begun to challenge the stereotype that to be beautiful, you have to be stick thin. You may recall Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty which celebrates women no matter their age or size. A new TV ad for the campaign, featuring a little girl, was recognized in one of TIME's 2007 Top Ten lists.

You don't have to be a size two to be beautiful, as the models portrayed in advertising for alli have demonstrated. You also don't have to be a size two to be high fashion.

This month, alli and Vogue magazine have partnered to provide a new weight loss tool for overweight women - a 2008 alli calendar. The January 2008 issue of Vogue includes a 28-page pull-out calendar featuring real, beautiful, fashionable women for every month along with motivation tips for losing weight.

In addition, three mini-episodes on healthy entertaining will be posted online on ShopVogueTV in March, September and December 2008. I'll try to remember to post on the blog when they're available for viewing.

As the calendar says, "Resolutions are good, but action is better." I hope the alli Vogue calendar will be a real motivator to stick with your action plan, and have a little fun while you're at it.

The new survey results behind the national "Make This Year Different" weight loss event

Losing weight tops almost everyone's New Year's resolution list. And this year, for the first time, an FDA-approved weight loss product is available to help.

The alli team thought very carefully about how to structure a theme for this time of year while being consistent with the alli approach. To help guide our thinking, we commissioned a survey that asked 2,000 people their opinions about weight loss options and their past New Year's resolutions.

We found that three quarters (73 percent) of adults who plan to make a serious attempt to lose weight in 2008 agreed that receiving outside help from a dietitian, pharmacist or other healthcare professional would help them achieve their weight-loss goals. However, only a fraction (17 percent) of these adults said they would actually seek this level of support.

This was the foundation for our idea: a free, four-day program to give people the opportunity to engage with health care professionals who can help with weight loss.

Mark your calendar for Jan. 4 - 7, 2008 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern daily

You may hear about Make This Year Different in our TV ads. Visit the site to find out more on how you can engage with a healthcare professional, even if you are not taking alli.

Here's what you can do as part of the event:

• Chat live with a registered dietitian or pharmacist January 4th - 7th from 10am-6pm


• Watch videos by weight loss experts


• Call 1-866-551-DIFFERENT for tips from weight loss experts


• Learn about GSK's partnerships with the American Dietetic Association and the American Pharmacists Association


• Lastly, learn how alli can help you lose more weight

Hope you'll tune in if you are overweight.  This can be your opportunity to make this year different and to seek expert advice from a registered dietitian or pharmacist.

Note: you do have to register for the chat sessions but it only takes a minute.

alli makes two Top Ten lists for 2007

The annual ranking of the Top Ten Most Memorable Product Launches of 2007 put alli at #5, sandwiched between Domino's Oreo Dessert Pizza and Oreo Cakesters. Of course, the iPhone was #1.

On a more serious note, alli is #4 on TIME's Top Ten Medical Breakthroughs of 2007. We're honored to make this Top Ten list. It helps get the word out that alli is not just a diet pill, it's a new, breakthrough approach to healthier eating and a healthier lifestyle.

It's been a busy year for the alli team. And it will be a busy year ahead as we continue to support alli with an integrated educational campaign, both online and off. We wish you and yours all the best for the holiday season. Eat wisely, exercise and have fun. See you in January.

Just in time for the holidays: new alli Cookbook created by trio of renowned chefs

Let's face facts: the period from Thanksgiving until New Year's is full of temptations. That's why Meredith Publishing created the alli Cookbook (now available in bookstores everywhere), the second book developed especially for alli.  The first was the alli Diet Plan. The fat gram and calorie totals for the whole meal have all been calculated so you can be sure to stay within your alli personal targets.

The new cookbook includes a tear-out "eating out with alli" guide and over 200 new alli-friendly recipes, including holiday suggestions.  Recipes include: Cheese Grits with Ham (pg 28), Strawberry-stuffed French Toast (pg 14), Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches (pg 65), Taquitos Suaves Sonorenses (pg 91), Linguine with Shrimp Scampi (pg 160), Summer Vegetable Quesadillas (pg 181), Lemon Angel Cake with Raspberry Syrup (pg 228), and Flourless Chocolate-Almond Cake (pg 226). Yes, they are all alli-friendly.

What's notable about the recipes is that they were developed using the cross-cultural expertise of three renowned chefs: Kathleen Daelemans, former Food Network host; Sylvia Melendez-Klinger, RD, who leverages Latin cuisine with a healthy lifestyle; and Lindsey Williams, who created his own brand of healthy soul food cooking. 

While the recipes are low-fat and alli friendly they can also be enjoyed by anyone who loves good food. I should know, I've cooked a few and even made the Green Beans with Caramelized Onions (pg 250) for Thanksgiving. Try the Chicken with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta recipe (click below) for yourself.

Try myalliplan for free, even if you're not using alli

When you purchase alli you get free access to myalliplan, an individually tailored, online action plan. Sounds good, but what is it? A meal planner? An online calendar? What do we mean by "individually tailored, online action plan"?

You can visit myalli.com for a list of the benefits you get with myalliplan. They include: personalized lessons (called steps) created by weight loss experts, online weight loss tools such as quizzes and a nutrition tracker - and yes, a meal planner with recipes. You can also watch a video about the plan. Interested?  You can try it before you buy alli.

Get a free 10-day trial of myalliplan 

Check out the free 10-day trial here. When you sign up, you get a sneak peek of how myalliplan works. Use your trial to enter your food preferences and favorite meals. This creates your customized weekly alli meal plan and shopping list.

If you have already purchased alli, register using the product code inside the Hi Guide (in the starter pack) or Companion Guide (in the refill pack). 

Holiday tip: "The first two mouthfuls are the best"

I had a great time at the alli booth at Team Prevention Walk it! Philadelphia with Pat Baird, RD, one of the myalli.com experts. Pat was representing alli as a sponsor of the event. She was providing healthy eating and weight loss tips, as well as education about alli, to those who stopped by. I wanted to share a story from the event:

An alli user approached Pat at the alli booth. She said she had lost 38 pounds thus far which gave her the confidence to complete her first race, an 8K, that weekend. She told Pat she was excited about approaching Thanksgiving and the holidays with a new outlook, as she now knows she can cook and eat healthy, watch portions and not cheat.

As she put it: "Let's face it, the first two mouthfuls are the best anyway, and who needs more after that?"

Holidays, food and eating are a part of all of our lives as the year ends. I can point you to holiday tips on the alli Web site where it guides you to eat until you're satisfied, not full. But I also wanted to share this weight loss journey story and the "two bites" tip with you. Whether it's chocolate chip cookies or stuffing, I think it's one that really resonates.

And again, in the interest of full disclosure, this user's weight loss results and experiences may not be typical of all alli users.

Weight loss is about self care. It may be common sense, but is it common practice?

Colleen Laing, a blogger writing for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer notes that she picked up a copy of are you losing it? while waiting in line for a prescription.

Her biggest takeaway came from a quote on page 10 by Gary Foster, Ph.D., director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. "Weight loss is about self care. It is about taking time for self care. It is about changing your attitude, your behavior and your lifestyle," says Dr. Foster. 

And, he weighs in on how to accomplish this: "Don't make time for yourself - take it! ... you are worth taking care of." As Colleen puts it:

Remember in the airplane when the flight attendant says "put your oxygen mask on first, then your child's." That's the idea here -- if you're not taking care of yourself, how can you take care of others? Burnout is on the horizon, temporarily staved-off by a few donuts, a couple frappuchinos [sic], a brownie here, a cookie there.

- Colleen Laing for the Seattle Post Intelligencer

As the book says, the big question isn't whether a weight loss program can change your life, but can YOU?

New study says alli users are not deterred by side effects

While the media and many bloggers have focused much of their attention on alli's potential treatment effects, consumers who are actually using the product take a different view.

They say that treatment effects act as a deterrent or a reminder NOT to eat fatty foods. We know this anecdotally from alliFirst Team members as well as from a new study presented at the recent annual meeting of NAASO (aka The Obesity Society). Download PDF of study poster.

The study found that fewer than five percent of users stopped taking alli because of treatment effects and that, in fact, potential side effects were viewed by many as a positive feedback tool.

Caryn Eyring, the alliFirst member featured in People Magazine (after losing 21 pounds), attended The Obesity Society Annual meeting in New Orleans. She said in an interview:

“I had a treatment effect once when I ate too much fat at a meal. I just got right back on the diet. There is no way that a little treatment effect was going to stop me from doing what’s working for me. alli is like a little reminder, sitting on my shoulder, telling me to stick to the plan.”

- Quote from Caryn Eyring, an alliFirst Team member from New York who has now lost 30 pounds.

In the interest of full disclosure (you knew we'd say this)... Caryn's weight loss results and experiences may not be typical of all users.

Meet Laura, John, Laurie and other alli users

Back in June I wrote about the alli first team, the first 400 or so consumers who tried alli. A few of the first team members appeared in the news, most notably Caryn Eyring, who was featured in People Magazine on July 9, 2007. She told People she'd had only one "alli oops" episode and that alli was forcing her to "eat healthier." (This is a repeated theme, BTW, from alli users.) 

Now you can see Laura, a real alli user (i.e. not a professional actress although she has great stage presence) on TV in a new :30 second spot. It's posted to alli's YouTube channel. For updates from other alli users (including John and Laurie) visit real alli stories on myalli.com. Oh, and you can submit your own alli story here, and chances are, you'll see it on myalli.com.

Can 2 million alli users begin a revolution?

alli has sold over 2 million starter packages to date (and adding tens of thousands every week). That's a lot of people learning how to eat better (fewer calories in) and get more active (more calories burned).

As Margaret Meade said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." 

I'm following anecdotally (I can't read everything) what the hundreds of thousands of people who started using alli in June have to say about this new and unique combination of a fat blocker and food education program. To date, over 100,000 messages have been left on the official alli message board. Over 5 million unique visitors have visited the product Web site, myalli.com.

In addition, tens of thousands of users are talking to each other about alli in blogs and online discussion groups they've formed themselves. One of the biggest is alli allies on Weight Watchers. See our new blogrolls in the right-hand column for more links to online communities.

Can these two million alli users change the way Americans define meaningful weight loss and how best to go about it? Can a committed group of Americans combat weight loss myths? Is it a revolution yet??

P.S. The screen grab above is from our public service Web site questioneverything.com (short for "question everything about weight loss"), which started the ball rolling before alli launched by providing food education and provocative discussions about weight loss myths.

If you have a question about the alli program, let me know.

N.B. See this new GSK study reporting on product satisfaction from controlled clinical trials.

Get reimbursed for alli by using your FSA

Yes, purchasing alli is an investment (US $50 for the starter pack; US $60 for the refill). But you may not have to pay for it out of pocket. alli may be reimbursed as part of flexible spending account (FSA) plans just like any other FDA-approved OTC drug.

In September 2003, the IRS announced that over the counter (OTC) medicines are reimbursable using some health plan flexible spending accounts.  Money put into these accounts is not taxed and can be used to pay for OTC medicines in addition to other uncovered medical expenses.

Until now, some guides to FSA programs have pointed out that weight loss supplements are not reimbursable. This continues to be true, but does not apply to alli, which is FDA approved.

Reminder: you should check with your plan administrator for eligibility requirements if you want to be reimbursed for alli with your remaining 2007 FSA account or when planning for 2008.