You have spoken, and we have heard. Part of losing weight is adapting how you eat to fit within your healthy lifestyle.  There are a variety of recipes in the starter pack, myalliplan, and The alli Diet Plan book. But, I'm also going to share some of our favorite low-fat recipes in upcoming weeks.

Here's one of mine.  Recently, our in-house cafe staff from the GSK offices in Pittsburgh prepared some low-fat chocolate chip cookies at a few local Giant Eagle grocery stores. 

Many people that sampled the cookies were surprised that they were low-fat. So, if you are looking for a low-fat treat for the next picnic, try these out. They are even something that you can share with the whole family.

Low-fat chocolate chip cookies

1oz margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
2 tablespoons apple sauce, unsweetened
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt      
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips      

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat margarine, granulated sugar, brown sugar in large mixer bowl. Add egg white, vanilla and applesauce. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Fold in mini chips. Scoop into 25 balls and flatten slightly onto parchment paper.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes      

Yields 25 cookies.  Per serving 1.5 grams of fat - 62 calories (alli snack = 2 cookies)

Tip: For some added flavor, try replacing the vanilla with Mexican vanilla.

We know from the alli message boards that people have questions about The alli Diet Plan book. The book was produced independently by Meredith Publishing and written by Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston University Medical Center.

Dr Apovian created an "alli-friendly" diet program, similar to the plan provided with the alli starter pack.  So, what information does the book provide that is different from what comes with your starter pack? 

The book has additional restaurant dining guides and recipes.  It also offers a three-phased meal plan approach, each having the same calorie target, but different levels of fat content.  Dr. Apovian designed this approach to help reduce the chances of treatment effects. 

Read a review to see what people are saying.  Find the book at most online book sellers or at major book retailers.

Odds are, if you are reading this, you probably know what a treatment effect (TE) is and why they can happen. And yes, we have been very open about TEs in our marketing of alli. USA Today even writes about our sense of scatalogical humor.

But is there really a benefit to using a product that could result in treatment effects? Many cynics say no, but new users of alli disagree. Some people have even been rethinking treatment effects. Not because they're unpleasant, but because TEs are keeping them honest. The USA Today article makes that point too.

What do you think? Can treatment effects increase motivation for people really committed to losing weight?

We launched this blog very quietly about a month ago. No press release, no screaming from the rooftop. So we've been watching with interest to see how visitors find it. Here is some data for you metrics hounds. (We're using Google Analytics, a very cool - and free - Web metrics program.)

Almost one third of the traffic is coming from organic searches on Google. i.e. someone types in "alli blog" or "alli blogs" or "alli treatment effects" and the blog comes up in the search results.

Visitors are finding this blog through Google searches

If you type in "alli blog" the blog comes up #2 or #3 in search results. Try it. If you type in "alli treatment effects" the blog appears at the bottom of the first page of search results. (Note: search results may change.)

We've gotten a thumbs-up from a few influential bloggers

Traffic to the blog is also coming from other blogs. John Bell, who works for Ogilvy PR, reviewed alliConnect in an entry titled GlaxoSmithKline Gets Social. Marketing consultant Toby Bloomberg reviewed the blog. And it was written up on Healthcare Vox.

But we're still not getting as many Comments from readers as we'd like. Challenge us, compliment us, ask us tough questions. Click below and fire away!   

Welcome! alli is the only FDA-approved OTC (over the counter) weight loss product available for overweight adults. You've probably seen our advertising (check out our TV ads on YouTube). The goal of this blog is to have a two-way conversation about weight loss issues. We are going to challenge many people's notions about weight loss. And, we want you to challenge us in return. I encourage you to leave a comment below or on any other entry.

My oops experience...

I hope you'll stick with me - and our other contributing authors - and give us time to find our stride in the blogosphere.

alliFirst Team member Caryn Eyring (left) told People Magazine she's lost 21 pounds since she started taking alli in April, along with "cutting fat [and] doing yoga."

She's quoted in the July 9, 2007 issue of People (page 77) with a post-jail Paris Hilton on the cover. Caryn had one  "alli-oops" episode after eating a chicken with crispy noodles appetizer, according to People. alli, she says in the article, "is forcing me to eat healthier."

Yup, alli will punish cheaters if you don't stick to a low-fat diet. But isn't that the whole point... to encourage a healthier way of eating? As another alliFirst member, Paula Miguel, told People: "If I stopped taking alli today, I would still keep those new habits."

Oh and just a reminder that coverage of the alli program by People Magazine is not an endorsement.