Monday marked the end of my first two-weeks on Alli, the weight loss pill that’s causing such an uproar all over the blogosphere. (Mainly, I might add, by those who have not yet tried it.)

In that time, I’ve skipped taking my Alli on four separate occasions. I either forgot — since I’m not good at remembering such things — or consciously opted out because I knew I was about to eat a more fatty meal than I should. I am, after all, a big believer in “diet-free days” since they short-circuit that whole deprivation-binge-guilt cycle for me.

As far as “unwanted treatment effects” go, I’ve told you about those: having learned not to let my husband cook, I haven’t experienced any other problems at all. Not one.

I’ve been eating Egg Beaters and/or toast and fruit for breakfast, along with Lean Cuisines and a small salad for lunch. For the first two weeks I’d also been eating the same dinner I cook for my family: I’ve just made sure those have been low-fat as well. Now, however, I’m sticking with prepackaged, frozen diet meals and a double-dose of steamed veggies for dinner. They’re more convenient, and I don’t have to endure the temptation to nibble while cooking.

And, yes, I’ve cheated on my diet several times. Since Alli has a 2-hour half-life, it’s out of my system before bedtime… my most dangerous snacking time of all. Those tortilla chips topped with melted cheddar and jalapeños were the best tasting thing I had all week, but they also ensured that the following morning was the first day I didn’t see any weight loss at all.

Total pounds lost so far: seven. That’s right: seven relatively effortless pounds.

This week I’ll be drinking even more water with lemon in it (for the additional health benefits). I’ve also begun exercising again, not because I like it — I most assuredly do not, and it bores me — but because even with Alli it all boils down to calories in and calories out.

I’ve set a goal to lose 10 more pounds in the month while my husband’s away on business. As a reward, I’m planning on a little trip to Victoria’s Secret. By then, I figure, I might just be able to buy a lace bra that doesn’t look like something my grandma would wear.

As employers continue to look for ways to trim the bottom line, they are now turning to employee health insurance as a fast way to shed financial fat. Overweight or tobacco-using workers at Clarian Health in Indianapolis, for instance, will now have to pay additional money toward the cost of their own insurance if they indulge in unhealthy habits, including overeating.

More employers are zeroing in on obesity and smoking as the primary culprits for the ever-rising cost of health care. And that means companies increasingly are tracking not only their employees’ productivity but also personal information such as their waistlines, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Some companies already have been monitoring employee health habits and sometimes charging premiums accordingly. But some programs, such as Clarian’s, are moving beyond the honor system to mandatory health questionnaires and screenings.

The cost, an additional $30 every two weeks, amounts to $780 out of an employee’s pocket annually. The company justifies the practice by saying that health care costs for overweight employees are 21% more per year… roughly $670, according to the article.

So where does that other $90 go? Let’s just say that, even if they’re giving employees motivation to shed a few pounds, the company stands to gain yet more.

This list of “21 Sure Fire Ways to Lose Weight” certainly has some excellent tips in it. Among my favorites:

- Start somewhere; what is important is start doing something about losing weight, here and now.

- Challenge yourself that you can lose weight. Keep reminding yourself that you have to lose weight and entertain a positive feeling about it.

- Do not be disheartened if you do not lose as much weight as some others following the same plan. Unfavorable comparisons might ultimately make you stop the whole program altogether. Be happy about whatever little weight you have lost so far.

- Remember you have an urge for food in times of emotional disturbance, frustration, boredom and so on. Food at such times is not a physical need. Avoid it then.

Losing weight is about mind-set as much as effort. Sure, you can exercise until sweat drenches your clothes, but if you fool yourself that you’ve “earned” a piece of cake after such exertion, you might as well have stayed planted on the sofa. Exercise is not about earning indulgences, at least not when you’ve still got weight to lose. Exercise, at that point, is about redeeming the indulgences you’ve already granted yourself: that slew of burgers, fries and shakes that packed on the pounds in the first place.

It’s also about doing something good for yourself today that will benefit you tomorrow, even if the needle on the scale does not budge a bit.