Why absorb less fat?

Fat is the most calorie dense food available. One gram of fat has more than double the calories of the same amount of protein or carbohydrate. So eating less fat is a sensible way of cutting calories and making a positive difference to your weight.

A balanced diet includes carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which is why the recipes featured in the alli programme includes all three of these important food groups.

Examples of proteins

Meat, fish, pulses (like chick peas or beans), cheese and eggs. Some of these are higher in fat than others. Lean, skinless meat or fish is a good option. Be aware that cheese is a fatty source of protein and more likely to produce diet-related treatment effects than skinless chicken or turkey.

Examples of carbohydrates

Pasta, bread, rice and potatoes. On their own they are relatively low in fat, it’s what you put with them that you have to watch. Choose tomato based sauces or salsas, not the creamy, dairy variety. They are high in calories, however, so watch your portion sizes.

Examples of fats

Butter, margarine, cooking oil

General fatty foods

Some sources of carbohydrates and proteins also have a high fat content so this will need to be allowed for in your daily fat intake. Be aware of this with cream, nuts, chocolate, biscuits, cake, cheese. Remember that the way you cook food can add more fat. Avoid frying. Steam, bake and grill food instead.

However, calories from any food source (including proteins and carbohydrates) that aren’t used up or ‘burnt off’ by your body’s daily energy requirements, can end up being stored as body fat.

To lose weight, you have to consume fewer calories, or use more calories than your body needs to maintain your current weight. When your calorie intake is less, your body will burn stored body fat for energy. And as you burn fat, you'll lose weight.

Simple but important adjustments

You needn’t cut fat out of your diet entirely when you’re on the alli programme as fat is an essential part of a balanced diet. In fact, the right amount of fat helps the body absorb vitamins and perform other essential functions. However, for the best chance of getting the weight loss results you want, you need to make some simple adjustments to your eating habits so you follow a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet.

You’ll need to aim for reduced calorie, lower-fat meals of around 15g* of fat per meal. Keeping to this limit will help you avoid any diet-related treatment effects that may occur because of the way alli works.

*Based on a diet of 1400 calories per day. You calculate your individual calorie and fat targets based on the information provided in the alli pack or here

Move your body

When you consume fewer calories your body has to use its fat stores for energy and as it does that, you lose weight. When you exercise, you can encourage your body to burn fat stores more often, thereby increasing your weight loss.

Being more active on a regular basis is good for your general health and can encourage your body to burn fat stores more often, thereby increasing your weight loss. Try to get more active because it can also help you stop putting the weight back on.

Don’t worry if you’re not the sporty type, we’ve got lots of ideas for getting more active >>

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