I can’t give you any info about alli, but I CAN give you some suggestions for weight loss. I’ve shed about 75 pounds in the last year (actually, it took about 9 months and I’ve been on a plateau for the last 2 months). Everyone has different challenges, and maybe ours aren’t the same, but here are the top things that helped me:
1. WATER! Lots and lots and lots of water. Don’t drink your calories, and stay hydrated. A lot of the time that “hunger” you feel is actually just thirst.
2. SparkPeople. This is a free website where you can track you food and exercise. It has articles, recipes, food calculators, and groups of every type. Tracking your food is essential to losing weight, at least until you can establish good eating habits.
3. I’m an emotional eater, so finding other ways to experience my emotions was essential. If I need to cry, I cry, I don’t eat.
4. Educate yourself. Learn about nutrition - whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean meats, minimal fat. Learn how many calories you expend in a normal day. Learn how many calories you need - there are dozens of calculators out there to help you.
5. Be realistic. Don’t expect to lose 15 pounds in two weeks. One or two pounds a week is healthy and sustainable. Expect to fall off the wagon sometimes, but forgive yourself and jump back on IMMEDIATELY. Don’t say, “well, I’ve ruined my diet so I’ll just pig out the rest of the day.”

Forgive me - I get pretty enthusiastic on the subject. I could go on (in fact, I belong to a Yahoo! Group and I have a looong list that I like to post). If you’d like to chat, feel free to e-mail me.

By the way, I’m not writing off alli - it may be helpful for you. For me, I need to do it through diet and exercise, and by exercising my willpower. It needs the workout in all areas, not just food.