Almost everyone is interested in losing at least a few pounds, but of course, we all like to eat! No one wants to feel tired and hungry when they are on a weight loss diet. When you make food your enemy your weight loss diet is sure to end up in disaster. If you want full control of your weight loss, you should make food work with you, not do battle with it. The good news is, there are a lot of delicious foods that will please your taste buds and your waistline at the same time. Go for those fat fighting foods with a weight loss diet that will make the pounds slide away, even while you feel full.

So, what makes a good fat fighting food: foods that will help you fight fat are usually those foods that make you stay full longer, while eating fewer calories. They usually are high in fiber or have some good fat in them. They may also be packed with nutrients that will make your body work a little bit better, burning away all that excess fat you have stored up.

The best fat burning food has got to be oatmeal. This rich and hearty breakfast will stick to your ribs like nothing else, thanks to its high complex carbohydrate content. It will keep your blood sugar levels on a nice balance while your on a weight loss diet, so you don’t end up reaching for those high calorie donuts mid morning. Of course, in order to get the best benefits from oatmeal, you should eat the plain, unsweetened variety and flavor it yourself. Some artificial sweetener and maybe some dried fruit will give it the flavor you crave.

When you don't have oatmeal for breakfast, have some egg whites. While eggs are a nutrition powerhouse, too many egg yolks will stress your calorie load while your on a weight loss diet. Egg whites on the other hand are full of protein and will help you feel full. Egg white omelets filled with veggies and sprinkle of cheese will keep you feeling satisfied until lunch.

Whole grain breads are another smart choice if you are on a weight loss diet. The fiber in the bread will help keep you feeling full and your system working well, while also keeping your cholesterol in check. Try not eating thick slices of bread every meal, change it up by adding whole grain wraps and crackers. You can also expand on this theme by using whole grain pasta with a meal. Top it of with veggies and a little protein, and you have yourself a fat fighting super meal.

Craving sweets gets nearly every person on a weight loss diet in trouble at one time or another. When your sweet cravings are demanding satisfaction, instead of reaching for the chocolate, reach for fruit. Fruit tastes sweeter than your favorite candy bar, and yet it comes packed with nutrients and fiber that make its impact on your blood sugar less disastrous than the hard stuff. Dried fruit is a great alternative if you are tired of the same old apple/orange/banana routine, or try switching things up by freezing grapes or other small chunks of fruit for an icy treat. When you eat fruit, don’t forget to make sure berries are well represented. Berries are the nutrient power house of the fruit world, delicious and with more nutrients per square inch than would seem possible.

Last but not least, go dairy. Sometimes dairy foods get a bad rap in the weight loss diet world, but statistics show that calcium helps keep the metabolic fire burning. Skim milk, low fat cheese, low fat yogurt, the possibilities are endless and delicious.

The My Alli Weight Loss Diet Plan was created by nationally recognized nutrition and weight management experts who understand the challenges of losing weight. Read more about one of those experts who has joined the alli team, Dr. Gary Foster. Gary Foster, Ph.D. is a renowned leader in the field of weight management and behavior change. Dr. Foster is a Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has previously served as Clinical Director of the

Weight and Eating Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Foster is a frequent presenter at national and international meetings and has treated overweight patients in individual and group settings for over 20 years.

Begin with meal planning. Life is tempting. Fast-food advertising encourages you to grab and go — often at a good price that could cost you in the long run. If you know what to expect from the outside influences, you can avoid the setbacks that lead to weight gain. In this section, you’ll find resources including meal planning, articles, and information that can help you: fight cravings, survive slip-ups, control portion size. You can also discover which popular low-fat diets work with the alli™ program. Just view alli-friendly diets.

Some diets are not a good fit with alli, because they allow high-fat foods that can cause treatment effects while using alli capsules. With alli, you need to stick with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet. Find out more about the debate on low-fat choices. How many daily fat grams and calories are right for you? Check out the target fat & calories charts.

Has this happened to you? You see a chocolate bar in a magazine, so you take a walk to the nearest vending machine. Or you’re in a movie theater, and the smell of popcorn drives you to the concession stand. These triggers are hard to handle. What can you do? Get moving. Physical activity can boost your mood just like food can — and it uses up calories, rather than adds them. Swap foods. If you crave a salty snack, have some salted celery or a lettuce salad with lemon juice and a sprinkling of salt. If you want something sweet, try sugar-free hard candy or a fruit-and-ice smoothie with no-calorie sweetener. Distract yourself. If you can do something else for just a few minutes, the craving may pass. Drink water. Sometimes thirst disguises itself as hunger. But make sure you’re not substituting water for food; you still need nutrients as part of a healthy diet.

Survive the occasional slip-ups. Weight control is not like walking a tightrope — one misstep and you’re done. If you slip, don’t fall overboard with bad choices. Here are a few tips for recovering: Accept that mistakes happen. Forgive yourself and focus on what to do differently next time Persevere with your goals. Avoid “all-or-nothing” thoughts of giving up Identify triggers. Try to understand what events or circumstances led to overeating. Anger, stress, loneliness, or the blues are common. Be ready for them. Turn your back. When you sense a trigger, change direction. If you’re in the kitchen, or near food, go somewhere else. Just walk away.

Do the math. If you want to be sure you have a low-fat diet, count the grams of fat in your daily food choices and compare them to the number of grams of fat suggested for your calorie level. For more on daily fat and calorie targets, check out the target fat and calories charts. Watch portion size.

One of the easiest weight loss strategies is to control portion size. Get to know the amount of food you eat. Often, we get in the habit of eating a certain amount of food to feel satisfied, and if we’re served more food, we’ll eat more. Studies have shown that the more food people were given to eat, the more they ate, regardless of their feeling of satiety. If the full plate is important to you, try using a smaller plate. Or keep portion sizes the same, but cut calories by lowering the fat in your dishes and adding more low-calorie ingredients like crunchy vegetables and leafy salads.

Pay attention to the “energy density” in foods. All foods have a specific number of calories within a given amount (volume). Foods such as desserts, candies, and processed foods are high in energy density. A small volume of these foods has a large number of calories. But some foods such as fruits and vegetables have low energy density. So you can have a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories — and that can fill you up without the downside of calorie overload.

10 quick tips for portion control.

• Leave a portion of what you’re served on your plate. Ask for a “to go” container so you can have the leftovers for another meal.
• Don’t be fooled into thinking if you skip the bread, you’re free to have a larger portion of steak.
• Cut back wherever you can. Ask for salad dressing on the side, and use one fewer tablespoon of dressing whenever you have salad.
• Make gradual changes in portion size for lasting results.
• If you want larger portions, add more fruits, vegetables, and beans into your meals.
• A deck of cards is about the size of 3 ounces of cooked meat. A baseball is about the size of one cup. Use these visual cues when looking at portions.
• Don’t let deprivation lead to a splurge. If you have a smaller entrée portion, fill up the rest of your plate with vegetables and a green salad.
• Measure foods at home so when you eat out, you’ll know how much pasta or rice you may be eating in a restaurant.
• Read food labels to get familiar with the calories and nutrients you’re getting in each serving.
• Value meals may be good for the wallet but bad for the waist. You may be better off choosing individual items in smaller portion sizes.

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Is Alli the solution to your weight loss diet woes?

A Mayo Clinic specialist discusses the effectiveness of Alli, an over-the-counter weight-loss pill. Another drug is available to aid your weight-loss efforts, but this time you don't need a prescription. Alli (pronounced AL-eye) is meant for overweight adults who are struggling to shed excess pounds. With its easy access and weight-loss promises, is Alli your answer to losing weight permanently?

Here, Donald Hensrud, M.D., a preventive medicine and nutrition specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., answers common questions about Alli. What is Alli? Alli is the reduced-strength version of orlistat (Xenical), a prescription drug to treat obesity. It's approved for over-the-counter sale to overweight adults 18 years and older. Alli is meant to be used in conjunction with a low-calorie, low-fat diet and regular exercise.

How does Alli work? Alli promotes weight loss by decreasing absorption of fat by the intestines, which reduces the number of calories you absorb. Lipase, an enzyme found in the digestive tract, helps break down dietary fat into smaller components, so it can be used or stored for energy. Alli works by disabling lipase, which prevents the enzyme from breaking down the fat while it's in your digestive tract. The undigested fat continues through the intestines and is eliminated through bowel movements. Alli is taken with fat-containing meals, up to three times a day. Because of how Alli works, it's recommended that you eat no more than 15 grams of fat with each meal. Eating higher amounts of fat can cause unwanted effects, such as urgent bowel movements, diarrhea and gas with oily spotting.

How much weight could I lose using Alli? Alli can help you lose weight, but the weight loss likely won't be great — perhaps just a few pounds more than you would lose with diet and exercise alone. Only a small number of studies have evaluated the effectiveness of Alli. And many of the weight-loss estimates are based on studies conducted on its prescription-strength counterpart, Xenical. The average weight loss for prescription-strength Xenical is modest — about 6 pounds greater than diet and exercise alone after one year. So at half the strength, Alli could conceivably result in an average of 3 pounds lost in a year in addition to the approximately 8 pounds you could expect to lose from diet and exercise alone.

When shouldn't I take Alli? You shouldn't take Alli if you: Are at a healthy weight Are taking cyclosporine. Have had an organ transplant. Have problems absorbing food. The drug also may pose risks for anyone who takes blood-thinning medication or has diabetes or thyroid disease.

Orlistat decreases the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins — for example, vitamins A, D and E. If you're taking Alli, you need to take a daily vitamin supplement (at a time different from when you take Alli) to prevent potential nutrient deficiencies.

How long do I need to take Alli? According to the manufacturer, most weight loss occurs within the first six months. Many people who take medications to lose weight regain the weight they lost when they stop taking the medication. Therefore, to keep the weight off, many people continue taking medications indefinitely along with eating a low-calorie diet and exercising regularly.

How does Alli fit into a healthy weight-loss plan? As you consider Alli as a weight-loss aid, make sure that you make every effort to exercise, change your eating habits and adjust any other lifestyle factors that have contributed to your excess weight. Alli isn't the easy answer to weight loss and is meant only to supplement — not replace — a healthy diet and regular exercise. Work with your doctor to evaluate the potential benefits and risks of Alli or any other weight-loss drugs. As a team, you can create the most effective weight-loss plan for you.

For more information visit: gotalli.com