My girlfriend just began alli and I am helping her figure it all out. In the calorie and fat counter guide there is a column that says "exchange". What does it all mean? Some things say free and some have numbers.
Hi M.
If u r a good friend u will encourage her not to take Alli. I have read several articles that say its not good for u. Sure u may lose weight but don't b far from a ladies room. And ur body will be depleted of essential nutrients, there r better ways to lose weight.
J. H
If you eat yogurt where you would have milk - that is a dairy exchange. It can mean it is one for one or if there is a two then the yogurt counts as 2 servings of dairy for the day. Hope that helps!
I've never taken Alli and know nothing about it.
The 'exchange' column are the numbers of calories in the items you are looking at..free just means there is no real calorie count...such as veggies.
Sample Exchange Plan Menu
Exchange plans are based on creating meals with a certain amount of protein, starch and other components. Below is an example of an exchange plan menu, although it’s important to remember that there are numerous exchange meal plans available:
Breakfast (one starch; one protein; two fruit):
* Half a bagel with with ¼ cup cottage cheese and ¾ cup blueberries
* ¼ cup apple juice
* Cup of coffee
Lunch (one starch; two protein; one vegetable; one fruit; one fat):
*Tuna salad sandwich (1 slice bread, 2 ounces tuna, 1 teaspoon mayonnaise) with 1 cup tomatoes and lettuce
*½ cup mixed fruit cup
* Cup of herbal tea
Dinner (two starch, two protein, three vegetable):
*2 ounces sausage and ½ cup eggplant in ½ cup tomato sauce over 2/3 cup pasta
*1 cup salad on the side
*Diet soda
Snacks:
*1½ graham crackers and 1 cup milk (one starch and 1 dairy)
*Popcorn with no butter (one starch)
Some diets have "points" and that may be what the numbers are. She should ask the pharmacist or call/write the company, or call her doctor!
However, there have been articles in the paper this week about how many supplements don't work and many don't contain what the labels say they contain. In addition, many contain harmful things such as lead, or forms of drugs available only through prescription. Alli has a celebrity spokeswoman but a lot of complaints so your friend needs to do a LOT more checking if she is going to continue to take this stuff.
