Connie D. looked like she'd always been comfortable in her size four skin as she strutted the runway in her custom black dress, made for her by Project Runway's Laura Bennett, at last week's Millions Event. To date Connie has lost a total of 60 lbs. and looks and feels great. But, she knows the road does not end here. "When I made this decision, it wasn't for a short time; it's for a lifetime."

Nearly 50 successful alli users gathered in the Big Apple to share their stories as a part of the one-year alli anniversary. Connie and 13 other alli users are telling their success stories in a short book titled, "We Lost It."  The book is available on allimillions.com. Most of the real-life stories, including Connie's, are also on myalli.com. 

And over the next few weeks, we will introduce you to a few alli users here on the blog.

A few weeks ago, Joe wrote about the Make This Year Different event that was held from January 4-7 of this year.  The event was a free, four-day program that gave people the opportunity to engage with health care professionals who could help with weight loss questions.

People asked registered dietitians and pharmacists hundreds of questions.  Here are three of the top questions and answers.

1. How do you fit exercise into a busy schedule?  For example, when you work full-time, have kids, etc.  You don’t have to hit the gym or hire a personal trainer to make a real difference in your health. Studies show that moderate exercise—such as walking for 30 minutes every day—can reduce your risk for disease.
The great thing about exercise is its cumulative effect—you don’t have to do it all at once. You can add it to your activities throughout the day by sneaking in a little extra walking into the things you already do.

What's important is including activity regularly in your routine.  Start small and work your way up. Consistency is your goal.  Go to myalli.com for additional information.

2. Do high fiber foods help in weight loss?  Yes.  Adding lean protein and fiber to a diet, especially a low-fat diet, increase satiety.  Many times, high fiber foods are also lower calorie and are a good source of other nutrients.

3. Does alli work for men?  Yes, alli is for overweight women and men.  In fact, there is a message board forum dedicated to the guys on alli.

Even though the chat room and phone line have closed, videos from weight loss experts are still online through the end of January.  You can also continue to get advice from your local pharmacist.  You may not know this, but many pharmacists have earned certification as weight control counselors as part of their continuing education. 

Losing weight tops almost everyone's New Year's resolution list. And this year, for the first time, an FDA-approved weight loss product is available to help.

The alli team thought very carefully about how to structure a theme for this time of year while being consistent with the alli approach. To help guide our thinking, we commissioned a survey that asked 2,000 people their opinions about weight loss options and their past New Year's resolutions.

We found that three quarters (73 percent) of adults who plan to make a serious attempt to lose weight in 2008 agreed that receiving outside help from a dietitian, pharmacist or other healthcare professional would help them achieve their weight-loss goals. However, only a fraction (17 percent) of these adults said they would actually seek this level of support.

This was the foundation for our idea: a free, four-day program to give people the opportunity to engage with health care professionals who can help with weight loss.

Mark your calendar for Jan. 4 - 7, 2008 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern daily

You may hear about Make This Year Different in our TV ads. Visit the site to find out more on how you can engage with a healthcare professional, even if you are not taking alli.

Here's what you can do as part of the event:

• Chat live with a registered dietitian or pharmacist January 4th - 7th from 10am-6pm


• Watch videos by weight loss experts


• Call 1-866-551-DIFFERENT for tips from weight loss experts


• Learn about GSK's partnerships with the American Dietetic Association and the American Pharmacists Association


• Lastly, learn how alli can help you lose more weight

Hope you'll tune in if you are overweight.  This can be your opportunity to make this year different and to seek expert advice from a registered dietitian or pharmacist.

Note: you do have to register for the chat sessions but it only takes a minute.