Update 12/7/22. Actress Kirstie Alley is on TV in her own reality show, Kirstie Alley’s Big Life. She also has a website called Kirstie Alleys Organic Liaison. It’s literally her website (KirstyAlley.com). Reality TV shows are full of marketing, but Kirstie’s reality show appears to be the first instance where a reality show is being used for marketing a specific line of weight loss supplements. Let’s now review Kirstie Alley’s weight loss program and see if it might help people lose weight. Update. Unfortunately, Kirstie is no longer with us, so these supplements are likely no longer being sold. While I may have differed with Kirstie on supplements, I'm sure we agreed on many other things. I really was a fan, and she will be missed.
Organic Liaison. How Does It Work?
Organic Liaison consists of several dietary supplements that are all said to be organic. These products include :
Rescue Me™
This supplement is supposed to reduce appetite and boost energy. It’s also supposed to “cleanse” the body by removing “toxins” (we are not told what toxins it removes). Kirstie calls Rescue Me a “weight loss elixir” and says that it will “flood your body with the missing elements that make weight loss and weight management an uphill battle.” One bottle contains 16 servings.
Release Me™
This is basically a calcium and magnesium supplement. These supplements are said to “counteract acidity from food and drinks and toxins”. But you should know that there is no published peer-reviewed proof that altering the acidity (or pH) of the body leads to weight loss.
Other attributes of calcium and magnesium are also mentioned (i.e. supporting muscle contraction, heart function, etc.). These other functions are true, but ANY calcium or magnesium works just as well. Calcium and magnesium are pretty cheap, too – especially when it’s in food. One bottle contains 30 servings.
Nightingale™
This is a supplement that’s supposed to help you sleep better. Kirstie’s website says it contains tryptophan, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and folic acid. Tryptophan is often found in sleep aid supplements because it is converted to a chemical called serotonin which calms us down. Because turkey also contains tryptophan, this is also why people often say they get tired after Thanksgiving dinner.
Lack of sleep might cause people to eat more food (because they are awake more) and it might raise levels of cortisol which some suggest is liked to gaining weight, but the amount of tryptophan in a typical turkey dinner (and likely Nightingale) is probably not going to cause a significant sleep effect.
Kirstie also says tryptophan can help relieve muscle pains. What kind of muscle pains? Muscle pains after exercise? If this is what is suggested, there is no proof of this claim. One bottle contains a 30-day supply.
Here is Nightingale on Amazon.
Relieve Me™
This is a colon–cleansing supplement. The idea here is that if you cleanse your colon, you get more energy. It’s a common claim made by colon cleansing advocates but what none of these “experts” ever tells us is that our colon cleanses itself very well naturally.
Our colons expand and contract regularly (it’s called peristalsis). This helps keep food moving through the digestive system. There is no proof that our colon has several pounds of undigested food / fecal matter that clogs us up, causing fatigue.
Colon cleansing supplements are basically laxatives. Advocates probably use the word “cleanse” instead of laxative because they want to distance themselves from cheaper, over-the-counter products. People with health issues should be cautious of cleansing supplements. They may alter heart function.
For those who want a really cheap “cleanse” just take a walk. When we move, we help the body push food through the digestive system faster. This is why you often have to go to the bathroom after a workout.
Pagoda™
This is the name given to a blend of green tea. Kirstie’s website says this product is supposed to help you burn calories. This is because green tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is popular among weight loss supplements and here is the reason why:
-
- Caffeine has a mild fat-burning effect. It helps pull fat from fat cells, where it’s used to make energy.
- The more alert you are, in theory, the more physical activity you might do – and, the more weight loss that might occur.
One bottle of Pagoda will last 30 days.
According to Kirstie’s website, the complete Organic Liaison kit will cost you $139 a month. You also have to pay for your Organic Liaison membership. Currently, this costs either $10 a month ($120 per year) or, if you pay upfront, it's $89 a year. For those who only want to try it for 1 month,
So, let’s do the math. If you were a member of Organic Liaison and assuming you took advantage of the $89/year membership, you would pay :
$139 per month for 12 months = 1668 a year
+
$89 yearly membership
Total: $1,757 per year
So, you’re paying $1757 a year for Kirstie’s weight loss products and membership to her website.
You will actually pay more than this because organic food costs more than non-organic foods.
Membership does include perks like getting support from other members, finding supermarkets and restaurants that have organic foods and reading health articles.
Kirstie Alley’s Organic Liaison weight loss supplements are organic. But does organic mean faster or better weight loss? No, it doesn't. To me, the word “organic” in Organic Liaison leads me to believe they are trying to link the healthy attributes of organic foods to weight loss.
But, no study has ever shown that eating organic foods would lead to faster or better weight loss than people who ate the same amount of calories in non-organic foods. Kirstie’s own website says that weight loss is about “calories in and calories out”. So, if this is the truth (and it is) then how would eating organic promote superior weight loss? I can see how organic foods may be healthier, but superior weight loss makes no sense.
Organic Liaison Supplements
The Organic Liaison website does not tell specifically the ingredients of any of the Organic Liaison supplements. For example, in the product “Release Me”, we only are told that it contains calcium and magnesium. What type of calcium does it contain? I'm guessing it's either calcium carbonate or calcium citrate but I don’t know. Also, they say that Release Me contains the “right balance” of calcium and magnesium, but what is that right amount?
Organic Liaison vs. Jenny Craig
Kirstie Alley was a spokesperson for Jenny Craig. When she followed Jenny Craig, she lost weight because she was eating fewer calories. When she stopped eating, according to Jenny Craig, she regained weight because she consumed more calories than she needed. Organic Liaison is a weight loss program too.
When people eat according to the Organic Liaison program, it’s likely that they will lose some weight because they are eating fewer calories than normal. If people were to stop eating according to Organic Liaison's low-calorie guidelines, they are likely to regain the weight. This is very true for all weight loss programs.
The supplements are a profit center for Organic Liaison. In other words, it’s a way to make more money. Unlike Jenny Craig, Organic Liaison makes no money from the organic foods you buy at the supermarket. So, they have you buying their brand of supplements. There is nothing wrong with this. It’s just capitalism.
In April 2014 Kirstie was back with Jenny Craig. So my question is: If Organic Liaison is so great and works so well, why did she go back to Jenny Craig?
I'm actually quite surprised that Jenny Craig is allowing Kirsti to market her supplements to Jenny Craig members. Doesn't Jenny Craig know that Kirsti has already lost a lawsuit against a woman who sued Kirsti over her products?
Let me be clear. I like Kirstie and have always appreciated her sense of humor, especially when it came to dealing with petty people who had nothing better to do than made fun of her.
I wrote this because I thought people deserved some answers about whether Organic Liaison was right for them. I also know that in the real world weight loss has many paths and that, for some, Organic Liaison may be something to consider. For those who are on a budget, just remember that eating a few fewer calories a day (about 250 less a day) is likely to be just as effective as any weight loss program– organic or not.
Any questions or comments?
I used to be a full addict to the easy way out. You name it I spent money on it and tried it! Pills, vitamins, shakes and the much needed excercise equipment.
Everything was a quick fix until I went off them and gained an extra kilo or two as well as on top of what I had just lost.
I felt awful until a mate of mine led me to Sarah Davis. She taught me its all about moderation an balancing healthy eating with a training program. I feel amazing and have thrown all my pills and potions away for good.
There really are so many quick fix, easy way out and scam diets out there so please just be careful about what you are putting into your body and what you are spending your hard earned cash on
Jenny Craig works for the time you are on it because of portion control. I tried it for a three week period and gained 4 pounds which showed me what I already suspected; I am gluten intolerant. I was hungry the whole time I was on it, but the portions are way less than I am used to. My conclusion is this. The well balanced diet suggested by Curves along with the regular exercise at Curves, is the best plan available.
Yes it is true that I own a small Curves, but I have been “dieting” for 50 years and this is my favorite and most the most practical because it is a slower loss, healthy food that the whole family can eat and enough protein to keep you full. Exercise is a must for life long weight loss and health.
I can see some use of the Organic Liaison rescue me for people who hate to drink water. (and I have several in my club that I may recommend it to.) I don’t think it is any more that a sports drink, but it could still help because drinking plenty of water is so important.
Llinda, thanks for the feedback. It really does come down to an individuals preferences. I hope your Curves is doing well. Ive always liked the idea of Curves and have also taught certification classes at some Curves in the Past. I found the ladies who worked there to be very intelligent and they always asked very insightful questions. You should have left your website link so people could find you. People can always google your name to find the location of your Curves too 🙂
You’re a good sport Joe! But you’re also a man, with a different (very different) hormonal profile and body chemistry than a woman–especially when the hormones start going wonky in her 40’s, approaching menopause, and trying to live through it.
“Organic” which implies natural, unprocessed, unrefined foods in their natural state (ie grass-fed beef instead of mass grain-fed; free-run chickens instead of those kept clammed up in smelly cages stuffed with hormones to keep producing big eggs and big meat, vegetables grown outside in the fresh air and sunshine instead of greenhouses sprayed with pesticides, and naturally ripened fruit instead of the gassed-up toxic bananas they ship green from South America . . . )
The liver must be clean and healthy and functioning properly. Ditto for kidneys. When you are suffering toxic overload and your digestive system is weak to begin with, and compromised after child-bearing (ahem but you men will never be able to do this so don’t even try) and add to this “harmless” social drinking and “harmless” occasional fast-food or food court lunches, and beef and chicken injected with hormones and fruits and vegetables sprayed with pesticides and processed foods laden with preservatives and frozen foods which you have to nuke in a microwave and destroy the natural enzymes necessary for proper digestion and assimilation of nutrients . . . well, look around you, everywhere, there are FAT people everywhere, absolutely everywhere.
Not just FAT, but OBESE. We’re talking people that struggle to get to a gym after a day in the office, and kill themselves on a treadmill, spiking cortisol levels, stressing themselves out, and then wondering why they’re getting even FATTER after these workouts.
Sounds ludicrous I’ll be the first to admit, but the trouble is simply this:
TOXIC OVERLOAD
Our bodies aren’t meant to handle the typical American diet. And young strong able-bodied men like yourself, well, remind me of my young son who can jug down three beer and a vodka and half a pizza and go to work after four hours sleep and then wonder why Mom are you so tired? He says, “I only slept four hours, my liver is toxic and I smoke a pack every couple days, and I feel fine!!!”
How old are you Joe? How are your blood test results, your lipid levels, your red and white blood cells doing? How about your iron level? Most women are struggling with extremely low iron levels (like myself) way down at 27 when 100 is where you should be at, or at least 75 to function properly.
Without iron (ie the kind you get in RED MEAT or red beets or spinach or whatever else we don’t eat enough of) your red blood cells cannot transport the necessary oxygen which is why so many women just can’t run a track without dropping to the ground after a lap or two; or why they keep chugging down coffee at the office to keep awake–when coffee/caffeine blocks iron absorption and just keeps the nasty cycle going.
We’re caught in an ugly trap, and the only way out is to get back to basics. We need the isolated nutrient supplements because they are not in our store-bought foods, and the compromised body needs more to compensate, because when you’re full of toxic overload a lot of the good stuff you eat goes in and out without being absorbed by your intestines.
Imagine your closets full and overloaded with clothes and shoes and boxes and things you never use . . . no room to hang the clothes you actually wear. Imagine trying to just “tidy up” when there is no room to actually put any of this stuff.
Well that’s how it feels to be grossly overweight and overladen with toxins.
Kirstie Alley’s Organic diet is simply based on an hour of good aerobic exercise daily (but don’t force yourself, or stress out your adrenal glands, which are usually the source of burn-out and weight gain) and healthy natural foods, emphasizing lean meats and fruits and vegetables; plenty of SLEEP–and the supplements to help you sleep, because most of us overweight toxic people just can’t fall asleep at night. We’re too stressed out.
And the colon cleanse stuff is just to help clean you out because when you’re big and fat your whole system slows down, like a vehicle short a cylinder or two.
Doesn’t matter how hard you press the gas pedal, how hard you work out–you have to clean out the engine, change the oil, and use clean fuel.
A clogged-up engine in an old car just won’t work right. And since women are very emotional creatures, and our emotions directly after our neuro-transmitters which affect our craving and eating patterns, well, for most of us food is definitely better than sex. In fact, the thought of sex stresses most of us and we go years without, because we realize that men are not attracted to fat, cellulite-ridden ugly bodies. And we can’t stand to look at ourselves in the mirror.
Which is why when some women lose a lot of weight they turn very promiscuous to compensate. They may never have an orgasm, may never be attracted to any of the men they bed, but they do it, because for the first time in a long time, a man will actually look at them, desire them.
Btw organic foods, fresh clean filtered water, fresh air and sunshine, may actually restore a woman’s sex drive (as long as she had one in the first place). Fancy that.
VanCityChic, I appreciate what you are saying and again I have no problem with organic food – I do think its healthier (minus any genetic modified foods that are labeled organic – dont get me started on that) but if you took 100 people and split them into 2 groups each getting the same calories – one group gets organic and the other group gets non organic foods, who will lose the most weight? I believe it will be the same but Ill concede that Ive never seen a study to prove it. Organic is also more expensive than non organic so its out of reach for a lot of people on a budget. This can be a stumbling block for some who think that “only organic” is best for weight loss.
Again for the supplements, I feel they are not needed and just an added profit center.
We all have to find our own path when it comes to weight loss. I feel that simple – that you can fit into your daily life – is the way to go.
Joe I appreciate your research and comments, however, you are wrong in saying that simply decreasing calorie count is sufficient for weight loss. This is simply not true.
I gained 40 lbs in 6 months by NOT eating. Ie, getting up to a cup of coffee or two, after only 6 hrs sleep (when my body needs 9 hrs to awaken naturally). Then going for hours until my lunch break at 1 pm, when I wasn’t hungry, because I had fasted too long, because I’m not hungry in the mornings. Coffee as we know, decreases appetite and spikes cortisol levels.
Protein deficiency is the real culprit here. Leading to excessive estrogen, decreased progesterone levels, which FOR WOMEN is a recipe for weight gain disaster.
So we grab some easy carbs for lunch just because it’s time to eat. Ie, a sandwich, muffin, with more coffee, or maybe orange juice or a supposedly healthy yogurt.
This cycle leads to arriving home in the evening absolutely exhausted and needing a “pick-me-up” and comfort food (ie starches like pasta, rice, potatoes, which must be accompanied by various sauces–I mean, who eats these foods dry??)
And add to this the popular fitness faddists who claim that it’s bad to eat meat. Excuse me, but 60% of the white population in America if not more, are confirmed Blood Type O which should be eating a Paleo diet (lots of lean meats, salads, vegetables–NO grains, starches, dairy, or typical high-carb fitness foods)
Well after stuffing yourself with your comfort mashed potatoes, or pasta with sauce, or rice smothered with various toppings laden with sodium etc . . . and polishing all of this off with a “healthy” glass of wine lol
That’s how you gain 40 lbs in 6 months.
Kirstie Alley is a wise woman, and has lived the experience of having gained and lost incredible pounds–you best walk a mile in her shoes before saying that simply cutting back a few calories is all it takes to lose weight.
VanCityChic, My question to Kirstie Alley – and everybody else – is just show me a published peer reviewed study that shows eating organic foods promotes more weight loss than non-organic foods, if calories are kept the same.
I think eating organic is healthier and so I have no problem with that. My main issue is the supplements that are used in the Organic Liaison program. Show me published peer reviewed proof on any of those products that they help weight loss.
I know Kirstie a wise woman. She’s taken her weight problems and factored it into a reality show and weight loss program. She was also in Star Trek and because of that she’ll always have a special place in my heart 🙂
Thanks for the review, personally I think Kirsty got fat, lost work and now she wants to make some cash. The red stuff is Calcium Magnesium and can be bought for way less at your local pharmacy. The tea…………easy, it’s just green tea, cheap and easy to buy at the supermarket. Don’t buy this diet its a waste of your hard earned money. If you want support when you’re dieting there are any number of free forums to join, you don’t have to pay Kirty Alley xxx$$$ a month. This is just one big rip off
What a crock! $140 a month for a whole bunch of crap you don’t need. I was really interested in this product after I watched an interview with Kelly Preston and she raved about it. I never spend money on anything without researching it first and this is overpriced nonsense. The main selling point is the stuff you put in your water to curb your apatite. You can buy the same stuff at your local grocery store for about $3. All of the membership “perks” can be found online. There are all sorts of communities where you can get advice And support for cheap or free.
I have been overweight almost my entire life and one thing I know is diets don’t work. You have to have your aha moment and you have to make a lifestyle change. My aha moment was when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My doctor likes to keep things simple and said you don’t need to waste money on programs or dietitians. She gave me a booklet on portion control and said two things. First is exercise. Do something everyday. Even if its just taking the dog for a walk.
Second is to stay away from processed foods. If man has touched it, don’t eat it. I’m not saying its always easy. There are days when all I want is a slice of pizza, a pepsi and a twinkie. Cutting out carbs has been the hardest thing. But its worth it. In three months I have lost 30lbs and my A1C level is normal.
If I keep this up I will be off medication and and never have to worry about diabetes again. Oh and the sleep aid is useless. With all of these changes I have made I feel better physically and mentally so my serotonin levels have risen naturally and I sleep so much better.
it is more expensive to eat naturally. Crappy, processed food is cheap so expect to see your food budget increase a little. Take that into consideration and don’t waste your money on junk like this.
Modean, I am so glad you have a doctor who helped you understand how to help your diabetes and that your A1C level is back to normal!! Here is an interview I did with a women who also had diabetes. Her doctor was not as helpful as yours. http://www.joe-cannon.com/interview-yolanda-bowles-diabetes-exercise-nutrition-cure-type-ii-diabetes/
Continued success Modean!!! 🙂
Thanks for the insight Lisa. I agree “Rescue Me” is just a ploy for Kirstie to make money…your money!!! Anybody can lose weight by staying on a food intake program like the one you mention. I’ve lost 38 lbs by eating natural foods…nothing processed. If you read the ingredients and don’t understand the words ,then it is bad for you.
Eat foods with only one name..apple, orange, berry,nut, cabbage, brussel sprout….etc. (look up negative calorie foods) Hardest part of all is drinking at least a gallon of water a day. NO SODAS…NO SODAS did I mention NO SODAS diet or otherwise. Also, no memberships,if you want to lose weight it’s up to you , no one can do it for you. If you say “I can’t” then you really enjoy being FAT.Good Luck 😉
This diet is a waste of money. It’s non-refunadable and a promo for the egotistical Kirstie, whose name and picture is plastered on everything. I had this sent to my office, but with her name on the box, no privacy that I am dieting. The nightangale is the vilest thing I’ve ever tasted and the Release Me is in second place for that. The Rescue Me a a farce for getting you to drink extra water. It takes like watered down carnberry juice but at least it’s edible. Anyone eating organic food, drinking 100 oz of liquid and eating 1200 calories a day can lose weight without making Kirstie richer. The non-retrun policy sucks, as does the product. DO NOT BUY THIS!!
Lisa, wow that’s pretty shocking over the lack of privacy! Thanks for mentioning all of that!
Joe 🙂
Thank you for your reply. You should talk to Deborah Klein, MS, RD about the science behind Organic Liaison. She has been a certified dietitian for the last 17 years I believe. She can give you all necessary information and then you can add those in here as well.
Regarding organic helping loose weight – I am 100% there are papers showing and proving that toxic substances contribute to weight gain. Even as a non professional in this subject, just by reading health articles I can add up that toxins are being stored in fat. So, if my body is receiving pesticides and herbicides and other toxic substances, it is going to try to release it. If it cannot release it, then it is going to try to store it – as far away from organs as possible – so the organs don’t get damaged. So, based on this simple principle, you could make a statement that organic – meaning clean – foods do help in weight loss. Why do people create excess fat in first place? I myself have never being overeating and nevertheless, I had problems with gaining weight and problems with slow metabolism and storing fat where no woman wants it 🙂 For me personally, I strongly believe and have seen the proof that since I started eating CLEAN foods, I have been able to maintain my health weight and get rid off cellulite more easily. My skin looks so much better, everything is much better.
So, yes, if would be good to put together articles on organic – meaning clean natural foods – helping maintain healthy weight and helping to loose weight.
Eve, Ill see if I can find any info on Deborah Klein. Is the the RD behind organic liaison? Ive never seen any studies that have shown that toxins in the body cause weight gain but I will do some searching and see if I can find anything.
Thank you for this well-written article. I appreciated the very clear analysis and layman-termed explanations. I would love to read you reviewing all the infomercials out there. With the new article coming out in People magazine, I’m sure there will be many people out there silly enough to pour their money into Organic Liaison. Articles like yours might save a lot of people thousands of dollars. Thank you, again.
Thank you Sue! I do watch infomercials and have reviewed a few of them here and will continue to do so as more appear on TV. I didn’t know Kirstie Alley was going to be in People Magazine. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
There is some false information.
The membership including the supplements is $119/month x 12 month = $1428 = which is $4/day.
There are many weight loss programs out there. And there are lots of success stories.
These products are clean, organic and drug free … The Membership provides you with Menu Planner, Recipes, Health Consultations and all the other good stuff.
. Eve, Thanks for your words but I stand by what I wrote. I took my numbers on how much it costs directly from the Kirstie Alley website but if your #s are correct it may mean she has lowered the price. Thats good but even so, saying its $4 per day is semantics because you would still be paying over $1000 a year for a product that has zero proof that it causes weight loss better than anything else out there. Organic is healthy and I am all for it if you can afford it but there is no published proof that eating organic foods cause weight loss better or faster than people who eat the same calories with non-organic foods. So you also get a menu planner, organic recipes but cant you also get those a lot cheaper elsewhere?
Eve I was not aware that Kirstie Alley’s weight loss program had Health consultants. Can you tell me what the educational background of the health consultants are?
Im happy that its helping you Eve. I really am! I am all about the research and there is no research the the kirstie Alley weight loss program is better at promoting weight loss than say Slim fast. It it may be healthier but that doesn’t mean it causes weight loss better. The Economy is bad Eve. I would rather you save some of that money than spend it on an untested weight loss product -or any weight loss product for that matter.
Thanks for your review, Joe. I can see how I can add these supplements without the high cost.
Nanciii, glad to help let me know if I can help further 🙂
Thanks Lisa, I will look forward to hearing about your results 🙂
I’ve been on Kristy’s Plan for 5 days now. So far so good. It does curve the cravings I use to get. I’m hoping to see a difference in 30 Day’s. I’ll let you know.
Laura, thanks for commenting. I’m glad I was able to help you in some small way. It’s been a while since I saw Kirstie’s reality show -and her weight loss supplements. I’ll have to check to if its still on TV and if there is anything new to add to my review.
I like Kirstie, too, but am loathe to get sucked into popular weight loss regimes, having done so too many times, with little or no success! I’m glad to read this analysis of the products and the true costs – it enables me to make the intelligent decision not to buy into Kirstie’s product line.
For those who do, good luck – I say, whatever works!!