In January, I wrote about the alli calendar which directs readers to three episodes of Trend Watch on Vogue.TV. The first episode focuses on spring entertaining with celebrity chef and RD Melissa Petitto. 

Melissa used produce from local farmer's markets to create the menu. Spring lends itself to fresh produce no matter where you live. 

For those tempted by the food in the Trend Watch episode, most of the recipes were selected from alli cookbook or The alli Diet Plan. Or, more recipes are available in the healthy eating section of myalli.com or in your favorite low-fat cookbook or magazine.

As part of the alli program, we offer meal plans and restaurant guides within the packaging, customized meal plans on myalliplan, and two alli cookbooks. Also, Steve discussed last June that alli is compatible with low-fat reduced-calorie options like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or Nutrisystems,

We know that some alli users may want meal options that are convenient and fresh.  Last month we announced a partnership with eDiets and now the meal plan is available through eDiets. 

eDiets is rated #1 for best taste and nutrition by epicurious.com. And, you can choose your preferences. An example of sample meal plan could include Denver Style Potato Skillet (breakfast), Oven Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Wild Rice Salad (Lunch) and Turkey Meatballs Marinara with Whole Wheat Spaghetti (Dinner).  Professional chefs work with dietitians to create meals specifically designed for the alli program.

I tried a couple of the main entree meals and my favorite part was that they were freshly prepared and delivered right to me.  In my opinion, they tasted better because they were fresh, and they also took less time to prepare (only a minute or two).  A personal favorite was the Hoison Chicken with couscous (320 calories and 10 grams of fat for those counting).  For breakfast, I also liked the Potato Skillet with Scrambled Dill Eggs and was pleasantly surprised that it had black beans. 

What do you think about diet meal delivery? Would it make your life, and your diet easier or would you miss the cooking?

eDiets is a trademark of eDiets.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Epicurious is a trademark of CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.

As part of National Nutrition Month, the American Dietetic Association provides lots of information on their site, including an interactive quiz and games.  I also wanted to share some tips provided by Lisa Jones, MA, RD, LDN. She's a dietician with the American Dietetic Association, with 14 years of experience.  She recommends:

• If portions are confusing, try drawing them. Sketch an 8-inch plate, cut it in half, and then cut the left side in half again. The right side should be veggies, and the left side should be a protein serving the size of your palm with a starch like rice or pasta.
• Stop staring at food labels, just check the ingredient list. "If it's not in the first five ingredients there's probably not enough of it to make a difference." The healthy stuff, that is.
• For help understanding how to personalize the food pyramid, visit MyPyramid.gov and use the Menu Planner tool.

How much thought do you really put into your food before putting it on your plate? These resources are available to support your efforts during National Nutrition Month & beyond. 

When you purchase alli you get free access to myalliplan, an individually tailored, online action plan. Sounds good, but what is it? A meal planner? An online calendar? What do we mean by "individually tailored, online action plan"?

You can visit myalli.com for a list of the benefits you get with myalliplan. They include: personalized lessons (called steps) created by weight loss experts, online weight loss tools such as quizzes and a nutrition tracker - and yes, a meal planner with recipes. You can also watch a video about the plan. Interested?  You can try it before you buy alli.

Get a free 10-day trial of myalliplan 

Check out the free 10-day trial here. When you sign up, you get a sneak peek of how myalliplan works. Use your trial to enter your food preferences and favorite meals. This creates your customized weekly alli meal plan and shopping list.

If you have already purchased alli, register using the product code inside the Hi Guide (in the starter pack) or Companion Guide (in the refill pack). 

I had a great time at the alli booth at Team Prevention Walk it! Philadelphia with Pat Baird, RD, one of the myalli.com experts. Pat was representing alli as a sponsor of the event. She was providing healthy eating and weight loss tips, as well as education about alli, to those who stopped by. I wanted to share a story from the event:

An alli user approached Pat at the alli booth. She said she had lost 38 pounds thus far which gave her the confidence to complete her first race, an 8K, that weekend. She told Pat she was excited about approaching Thanksgiving and the holidays with a new outlook, as she now knows she can cook and eat healthy, watch portions and not cheat.

As she put it: "Let's face it, the first two mouthfuls are the best anyway, and who needs more after that?"

Holidays, food and eating are a part of all of our lives as the year ends. I can point you to holiday tips on the alli Web site where it guides you to eat until you're satisfied, not full. But I also wanted to share this weight loss journey story and the "two bites" tip with you. Whether it's chocolate chip cookies or stuffing, I think it's one that really resonates.

And again, in the interest of full disclosure, this user's weight loss results and experiences may not be typical of all alli users.