Exante VLCD

[unhealthy2healthy]

Hello, I'm not sure if there's already an Exante thread, but I thought I'd create one to share how I'm finding it (4 days in) and keep people updated on this 12 week journey.

I'll try and log weight loss weekly, and products I like, plus anything that I find helps keep me on track . Hopefully it'll encourage and give people some insight into what 12 weeks of 600kcal a day feels and looks like.

I currently need too loose 4 stones - hoping by the end of the 12 weeks I can loose at least 3...

[unhealthy2healthy]

So far I'm liking all the shakes (chocolate, coconut, cookies&cream, strawberry and honeycomb), the vegan ones are a little gritty. I've also tried a cookies&cream bar (very sweet) and gooey chocolate pudding (which was ok, but needed more water and less time in the microwave)...

I've been drinking around 3ltrs of water a day, and one cup of black coffee - I'll weight myself next week to see how much I've lost .

I'm also not feeling too hungry, and I feel more energetic than I have in weeks - my body seems to be liking ketosis, but it's only day 4!

[ASairFecht]

Hello, I'm doing Exante too - day 41 for me. I have lost 21 lbs so far; 9 in first week, 2-3 since.

In particular I like the lemon bars and the choc caramel bars, banana shakes and all the puddings. The savoury meals to me are just dreadful.

So surprised at the lack of hunger and how easy I am finding it to stick to. Saying that, I found the first 3 days hellish - felt as if my body crashed, i had headaches, was exhausted and moody. Feel great now though!

[unhealthy2healthy]

Wow! That's amazing - are you doing total solution? If I can manage 41 days that would be a huge achievement.

Glad to hear you're feeling great

[ASairFecht]

Yes, I am doing Total Solution. Not getting the huge loss amounts that others experience but otherwise happy to be out of binging mode.

Looking forward to see how you get on.

[Katkincake]

I just started on Friday. This is the third VLCD I've tried (did Cambridge about 8yrs ago and used slim& save about 3yrs ago) and I'm not impressed with the products so far, bar the shakes, but bought a months worth box so I'm stuck with them. Had to stop eating the spaghetti Bolognese and flapjack and just gagged down a chocolate bar as we're out & about. However the effects are great as I'm 7lb down since Friday, which is a motivating start.

Only plan to do it a month to get back into some summer / work clothes (though I need to lose about 3.5st) then I plan to move on to a steadier approach like 5:2, but once the loss starts happening and I find products I like I might stick at it another month.

[unhealthy2healthy]

I have to say I'm the same, I love the shakes (for diet food), but the only solid I've actually liked so far are the lemon pancakes..

I've done a VLCD once before, but I would have cheat moments, and as soon as I started doing that it just became impossible to truly commit. So, this time I'm not going to allow myself to do that, it just doesn't work for me.

7lbs is incredible for 3 days I haven't weighted myself at all, it'll be interesting to see how tomorrow goes, although I can already see visual differences!

[unhealthy2healthy]

I weighted myself today, at the same time I did last week, and I've lost 16lbs!! A lot will have been from water retention, but I'm sure some fat has been burnt too ...

I've been drinking 3ltrs/4ltrs a day which has kept the cravings at bay

[Katkincake]

Well done, 16lbs that's great.

I caved last night and had some pieces of KFC chicken breast, but back on it today and feeling less hungry. If I'd have persevered on just products I may have got into Ketosis today - I have an overnight stop and day long workshop tomorrow so wanted to be in the zone for that, willpower and starvation got the better of me!

Have packed double the products I need incase they are unpalatable. Hoping I find something, other than shakes, I like soon else I may have to go back to slim&save!

[unhealthy2healthy]

Thanks !

Glad to hear you're back on it!! I've become a vegan in the last year, so there's a lot less to tempt me now, which has really helped - although crisps is definitely still a weakness.

How come you've chosen to do Exante over slim&save?

[Katkincake]

Gosh imagine Exante is a challenge as a vegan, but they do have vegan shakes don't they, plus a lot is soya based. Crisps - my weakeness too!

I thought I'd try a different brand & there was a good deal on a months starter pack. Cambridge is too pricey and although the support from a consultant is good, it's still your own willpower that sees you through at the end of the day.

Just got on OK with the sweet & sour noodles, so thankfully there's something savoury I like. Tried the carbonara and the smell stopped me cooking it any longer, a little taste test and it was gone down the sink / bin

Are you planning to stay on this to target? How much would you like to lose?

[Katkincake]

Sorry just seen your put your target in your opening msg

[unhealthy2healthy]

Whilst I'm on Exante I'm not being a vegan, I think it'd be too hard and the vegan shakes aren't the best..

You're right about willpower, I'm hoping posting here weekly will keep me in check! And yeah, I'm planning to do it for 12 weeks, so I should reach the 3 stone target, and if I hit 4 that would be even better

So glad to head the sweet&sour noodles are good!! I'll pop a pack in my next order.. Let me know how you get on this week with weight loss and if you need any motivation pop a post on here

[WellVersedInEtiquette]

Hi, can I join in? I'm on day five after starting because my husband has been doing it for the past five weeks. He's done really well. He's had five days off over Easter but has lost 30lbs.
I've done slimming world previously and lost four stone and kept it off for two years. Then I had a baby!
I've lost 7lbs in those five days and am the lowest weight I've been in five years. It's been tough (how bad are those chocolate bars?!) but seeing the loss on the scales has made it worth it.
I'm slightly worried about week two. What are your thoughts on week two weight loss? Is it as good?

[unhealthy2healthy]

Hi, absolutely!! How long are you planning to do it for? Wow, he's doing amazingly, and to get back on it after 5 days, I'm not sure I would be able to have that motivation...

7lbs in 5 days is fab, it always shocks me how much people loose in the first week, it's so motivating! Week two weight loss so far is 3lb, so i'm hoping for around 5lb by Monday.

I think the pancakes are fab, ordered an extra box of those, but other than that it's just shakes for me (which I don't mind too much, super filling). Week 2 in general has been ok, still feeling very positive and I've stuck too my 600cal a day, but I know I only have until August to get to my ideal weight. So, it's keeping me going and I'm hoping I don't cheat at all in the 12 weeks...

[WellVersedInEtiquette]

Hi, initially I'm just looking at two weeks but I'll see how I feel at the end of it. Dh and I are going out for a meal two weeks today but I'm not sure how I feel about doing almost three weeks in total. That sounds like a good loss for week two. I'm trying to stop myself from hoping for too much to be honest.
My box has just arrived (I've been using dh's up till now) It's just a cardboard box with everything chucked in I feel a bit cheated compared to his which is a fancy box with compartments
Dh isn't telling anyone he's on this. I've mentioned it in passing to a couple of people at work but other than that I'm just still going to my sw meeting

[unhealthy2healthy]

Two weeks is great, definitely kick starts the healthy eating I think I lost so much in my first week because of serious water retention, but 7-10lbs seems to be the norm!

I've been getting cardboard boxes to - what have you ordered?

I haven't told anyone either, waiting until someone (hopefully) mentions that I look like I've lost weight.. What's sw meeting?

[WellVersedInEtiquette]

Husband had a fancy box with two mixing bottles in. Mine was just a brown cardboard box. Think the offer was 45 for £50? Or something like that. I lost interest after I'd picked the food
I had the choc mint cookie for lunch and it was lovely.
Sw is a weight loss group meeting

[unhealthy2healthy]

Ahh maybe it was the mixing bottles... I ordered a bigger one from Amazon because I prefer the shakes with a lot more water (400-450ml).

Ooh that's great to hear, I haven't tried it yet.. I've been so put off! I now have enough meals (nearly all shakes) to last for another 6 weeks, so once they're gone I'll grab some bars and be a little more adventurous.

I've never heard of it, gave it a quick search and it looks great! Do you find it helps going to meetings?

[WellVersedInEtiquette]

I'd avoid the chocolate bar at all costs!!
I've had the carbonara for tea which I really enjoyed. I'm a bit hungry now but I daren't drink any more water or I'll be up all night!
Weigh in on Sunday morning which I'm excited about. On day two I never thought I'd manage a full week.

[WellVersedInEtiquette]

I've lost weight on slimming world before and it does work but you have to be organised and I'm just not at the moment.
I'll go back to the meals once I'm where I want to be. I like the fact that I can just grab a shake or bar and I don't have to think about it.

[B3x88]

I started Exante April 17th and have lost a stone already! Love all the shakes. Meals I sent back the shepherds pie was awful 😩.

[lardass88]

Hi I'm thinking of doing this as i just seem to be getting fatter and fatter 😩 there's so many shake diet plans around tho and I'm overwhelmed with choosing one. Was there any reason why you choose exante and not like slim and save or the Cambridge diet?

[B3x88]

I found with Exante there's more variety with flavours, I've known people have great losses with it and they have great deals on so doesn't work out too expensive. The shakes are really filling 200 calories each and contain all vitamins etc needed.

[lardass88]

I see there's porridge as well. I'm a bit wary of trying to do just a shake for each meal as I've tried slim fast before and got bored

[unhealthy2healthy]

I've done Cambridge before and the cost is 3x as much compared to Exante, and I didn't find the consultant added much... exante products are essentially the same , so just for cost reasons I chose Exante this time!

I thought just doing shakes would be terrible, but it's actually not been too bad , and the pancakes with Exante are great