Anyone doing Exante at the moment and fancy a buddy or someone to chat to about their progress?

[FrenchLimeBlossom]

Hi all, just wondering whether anyone else was doing Exante Total Solution at the moment so that we could maybe keep each other company?

My story is that I've been on the programme since 1st August - so far lost 16lbs which makes me feel great , am about a quarter of the way along as I have 4 stone to lose to get to where I feel comfortable with myself, at about 1/2 a stone lighter than when i met my DH!!!

I was 16 stone 1lb on 1st August, which at 5' 9" with a sadly sturdy frame made me a rather well padded size 18 - now I am at 14 stone 13lb and my size 18 jeans are much more comfortable, size 16 skirt and tops fit me again and i feel just that bit better. I have rewarded myself today with a little splurge on new makeup and I think i'll try to maintain that approach, reward myself with something lovely when i cross each stone off. Spotted some lovely scent today so that might do for 14 to 13. 13 to 12 will be excellent (new wardrobe time i think!) and if i can get down to 11 something I will be turning cartwheels if I don't faint on the spot.

I've found it actually really easy to stick to so far, I quite like the soups and shakes and the bars aren't bad - i've had a couple of lunches out (healthy choices!) and one lovely dinner and even then I seem to have managed to lose over the wee. Hopefully it'll continue to work that way, I like the idea that I can have a couple of bonus nights off over the month, it makes it feel a bit less restrictive. I've definitely found that my appetite is smaller though and I felt full after much less food than I've been used to, and as I'm a comfort and boredom eater having a proper break from food is really good for me mentally too.

I'm planning a food week break next week and then straight back on the Total solution after that. DH might do it with me next month, think he'd like to lose a stone too - which will make it even easier to stick to if he's not cooking tasty meals while I tuck into a soup.....

Anyway, it'd be great to hear from anyone else doing Exante at the moment or any of you ladies who has done it in the past and got a success story to tell

Wow oinker that's great! Be prepared to fluctuate a bit over the weeks but that is a fab start well done! It totally helps you keep motivated knowing that you are on track and that is such a great start.

As for the aches and pains, sorry no clue - I've not had anything like that except with my current cold/flu

Could you have flu too?

Keep drinking plenty of water and maybe have an early night.....

But I'm do pleased for you, I think I managed 7 lbs in my first week and I was amazed but 10 lbs is excellent!!

FLUCTUATE What do you mean?

If i stick to it will my weight fluctuate or are you meaning allowing for a few indescretions?

Answered my own question I think...

Just had a minute peice of carrot.....

weekly weigh in tomorrow....

1 Stone........ Am chuffed...... But not really overly surprised.
I've been on LL before and knew the first week would be a big loss. It's managing it now
I have loads to lose so the weight will drop off initially...
Had a blip yesterday... 2 meatballs and a banana
I weighed myself this morning and it's the first day that I have not lost anything.... No surprise there...
Oh, and people are already noticing. I always lose it in my face first then tummy area.
How are you doing Frenchie

Well done oinker that's excellent! When I said fluctuate I meant if you weigh in every day it'll go up and down so don't get disheartened if it goes up by a lb or two.

So good though! Well done. Don't worry about breaking off, in many ways it's good to keep your body and mind used to real food as you go so you don't just regain as soon as you stop the diet. It is so nice though when people start to notice! Good for you.

I'm ok, back to 14 st 0 which is fine, trying to keep in track but I've got this dreadful cold and just feel like I need more food to fight it off. But am making sensible choices.

Still aiming for another 2 stone off. It's hard going though as I have so many lunches and meetings etc, hard being around other peoples food without eating.

I will stick to it though, it's so nice to fit into things I couldn't for years before, I wore an outfit today I've not fitted for at least 2 years - all good!

Hi ladies, can I join you? Have ordered a weeks supply and will be starting Monday. Will weigh myself on Sunday night but I am pretty sure I am around 11 stone 9 at the moment. I am 5ft 4" and a size 14.

I have yo-yo dieted my whole life mainly with WW and I am truly fed up of WW now! At my heaviest after my DS was born I was 15 stone and my lowest (about 9 years ago when I was 20!) was 9 Stone 7.

I would love to be 10 stone so that is my goal. I'm getting married next year and have ordered my dress in a size 10- eek!

I am pretty sure I read somewhere that you can drink coke zero on this diet as it doesn't have citric acid- anyone have the answer?

Also can you use hot water with the shakes, I like the idea of a hot chocolate!

You are all doing fab ladies- this thread was my inspiration to get started. I was going to start in the new year but I don't think I can face another xmas of bursting out of my jeans and feeling rubbish!

Welcome Egginabap.....Just reading your name is killing me.... It's Sunday morning and this was the norm in my house for a whilse, egg, bacon, sausage Argggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Hubby and DS are tucking in ... Oooh yummy shake for me....

No, it's not too bad.. I've crashed and banged this weekend... It started with a carrot, then an apple, then a banana....I refuse to resort to BAD foods......
Will be back on properly on Monday.... I have to get my act together not just for health reasons but for my babba...

Hi there egg good to see you have joined us - it'll be great! Don't worry oinker like you say, it's not the end of the world to have a day off as long as you make sensible choices.

At the end of the day you are already so much slimmer, if you want something have it. Just remember the balancing act you have to do afterwards. I too am using my DS as motivation, I want him to have a slim(mer) healthy mummy and I want to be slim when I get pg with DC2 which we will start trying for next month I think. So that should help me focus - easier to get pregnant if I'm not (too) overweight, easier to stay healthy whilst pg if not overweight, easier to lose baby weight if not overweight to start with.

I'm feeling ok, am defo going to have a strict week this week though as have been wavering and need to get rid of another stone before Christmas. I am on the wagon from today. Which is fine. Hopefully a few days of waver will mean that metabolism kicks in faster too!

It's great to know that you guys are also plugging away at this dieting lark too though, really good motivation to have a group to report to!

Good luck everyone!

Ok so I weighed myself, 11 stone 7 and BMI is 27.7. I am on day one now and had the banana milkshake (urrgggh) for breakfast and am now trying to eat the toffee nut bar. I usually love cereal bars but this tastes nothing like what it looks like, I am struggling to eat it. The only thing I am ok with is the water! But shall stick it out............. anyone got any tips as to how to make things seem a tad tastier?

Hi egg, glad you've started off ok but sorry to hear you're not enjoying the bars - no tips I'm afraid as I really like then, particularly the orange and choc ones. Maybe try with a cup of coffee to accentuate the choc/orange taste? Or crumble them up with some warm or cold water like a muesli?

I did my weigh in today and was at 13st 11lb which gives me Bmi of 28.5. SO much better than when I started - hurrah!

I am feeling really positive, had another compliment from a colleague today and all that really helps keep me on track. Plus I am now focused on Christmas and seeing my family and my inlaws - will be lovely to see them all healthy looking instead of bloated and self-conscious as I was before. Not seen my SILs since a family wedding in the summer (they are overseas so we chat on skype but havent met up since July) so will be great to feel less huge around them.

Plus of course the sales in Jan - maybe we can all pick up some bargains on new clothes.

Hi all, hope everyone is keeping motivated and feeling good.

Weigh in this week was 13 st 8lb hurrah! Feeling great, wore my lovely new (old) Hobbs suit to work yesterday, loads of compliments. Bought a new jacket in size 14, fits really nicely! Yay. Plus a new sweatshirt where I needed a 12 as the 14 was too loose.

Really want to get to 13st 0 before Christmas, fingers crossed I can do it so am being as good as I can, no treats etc although it's the work do next Friday and my birthday at the weekend so will have to watch what I eat both days!

Ok everyone take care and have good weekends, hopefully I'll hear some more good news from you too soon

Hey French, that's great news well done, I can't wait till I can get my size 12 jeans on!

I'm on day 13 now can't believe I've lasted so long! Haven't weighed myself yet but will do so tomorrow, I can tell I've lost some no idea how much though!

Although I had my first blip today, I've stuck to it 100% until today when I was on a course, I took a bar with me for lunch but was gagging as I was trying to eat it (have decided to sack the bars off now I just can't bear them). I ended up having a tiny little bit of salmon, Parma ham and mincemeat, literally a mouthful of each. I'm now feeling like an utter failure, my stomach has bloated and I feel rubbish. I'm trying to drink loads of water tonight to undo any bad I've done.

Although I AM quite proud of myself for not tucking into the cottage pie, pasta, biscuits and fudge cake they had on offer today. Normally I'd have scoffed the lot.

Will post back with my weigh in results tomorrow...... Have a nice weekend ladies

Well done egg sounds good.

But don't beat yourself up, it is hard to stick to 100% you've not done anything bad by having the odd mouthful of real food. One day at a time, ok? Focus on how well you've been doing, how much slimmer you feel and not on the occasional snack or treat - you can always justify a treat by being a bit stricter afterwards.

Quick tip, I have discovered oat so simple sachets, with semi skimmed milk a bowl of porridge is only about 215 kcal so a decent replacement for bars if you dislike them. Yes there is less protein and more carbs but ultimately as long as you are still only taking in 600-700 kcal a day I should think the program would work.

I've been having the occasional bowl instead of a soup for supper and it hasn't affected weight loss (noticeably) and its nice to have 'proper' food too.

Thanks for the tip French, I love porridge!

Well I just weighed myself.... Have lost 10lbs over the last 2 weeks! Now weigh 10st 11. I'm over the moon

Wow egg that's great news. I'm so pleased for you!

I've had a funny week, I've been really really good I got down to 13 stone 6 pounds and then this morning weighed myself and I'm 13 stone 8 pounds after a good day yesterday! can't understand that. Ah well. Have a fancy dinner tomorrow and birthday at th weekend do not likely to get any lighter!! Still within reach to get to 13st 0lb by Christmas though.

Roll on the weekend......

Ok so was at 13st 5lb yesterday, had a great work do last night (only half a glass of wine) and birthday meal tonight, but am allowing myself to eat and drink whatever I want. My birthday present of size 14 pjs are too big - blimey! That feels v good indeed.......

So many small blessings.

Hope everyone is doing ok and enjoying the view down the hill to our destination as slim healthy women. I am loving it.

Hey French, hope you had a lovely birthday!

I am on somewhat of a downer at the moment. Weighed myself on Sunday and had only lost 2lbs in the past week. Going from a 10 to a 2 is quite disheartening let me tell you!

Well I am now 10st 9lb which I'm still pleased about, but my stuff runs out at the end of the week so I am getting worried about putting it all back on when start eating again (have decided not to get any more until the new year). I'm going to be super healthy but give myself Xmas eve/day & boxing day off.

Lots of luck to you all for the weeks ahead! December dieting is tough!

Ok egg don't feel downhearted you've lost nearly a stone, that's so excellent! Just focussing on your brilliant loss to date will help you make better choices over the Christmas period I bet.

Just keep thinking about shopping in the sales, treating yourself to something amazing. I am fixated on an Amanda Wakeley evening gown, we do quite a bit of black tie stuff with work and socially so I can justify a truly fabulous long gown and I want it to be size 12. Have seen an amazing emerald green one.....

Anyway I too am having a bad day, had a bit of a week of eating 'normally' but still trying to make better choices and ended up 13st 9lb! Bloody hell. So am being v strict with myself from now on and going to make a real effort over the festive breaks at various family and friends to limit the booze and eat more protein and fewer carbs!

It's a real roller coaster but I am fitting my size 14s again, old jeans are loose on me, the new 14 dresses I bought fit perfectly and I did have a super birthday so im looking at the positives.

You do too!

I'm ordering more shakes and bars this week to make up the gaps when we are around as I want to limit my diet when not with family, and otherwise I think I'll be too likely to pile too much weight back on.

Anyway that's enough from me, hope you stay well. I'll update over Christmas but the parental scales are not too accurate so will have to wait to weigh in!

Hi there, hope there is still someone out there apart from me....but whether or not I am checking in. Happy new year to everyone still on the wagon and those about to leap onto it.

Ok, so before Christmas at 20/12/11 I got down to 13st 2lb - not quite where i wanted to be but pretty good. Managed to gain 5lbs over the last two weeks so I am now at 13st 7lbs which is a bit disappointing but on the other hand quite pleasing, as I did just enjoy myself over Christmas and ate and drank what i felt like.

I have to say though, even though i did have a few wines, chocolates, croissants, cheese, port and PLENTY of turkey and the trimmings, i did feel a lot more restrained than usual for Christmas and I felt better for it. So i am guessing eating less habitually has stuck a little bit, if only that I recognise the point when my tummy is full instead of pushing on through and really over-eating. I also made a point of going for a walk every day to at least try and burn off some calories, so that felt good too.

Still, should not have gained, booooooh.

However my current target is only 1st 7lbs away, which is really cool considering where i started. Had to buy some new tops in size 12 as 14 was too big even now! V pleasing (i mean ok, vanity sizing but still......). Anyway, I am feeling so positive about 2012 - this is the year, in fact in the next couple of months I will be where i want to be, can chuck out the old wardrobe, move into the new one and show that I am the woman I've been wanting to be for years.

Luckily January should be an easy month to stick to the diet, as everyone is on a detox at the moment!!

Ok, got to go but hope all is well with you all, and do update me on how you are getting along, great to hear other success stories to keep me inspired!

Can I join you FLB please?

I've dug out some slightly out of date shakes that I had lurking in my cupboard and I am starting again.

I'm 14stone 8lb and need to lose 2 stone to get back to my prev lowest weight, but my target is to lose 3 stone which will give me a bit of a buffer.

I started last Friday, so first weigh in day tomorrow. Had no idea there was a thread, how do I bookmark it so I can find it again next time, and get to the last post rather than wading through all the pages?

FrenchLimeBlossom - wow, you've done well, and stuck to it for so long. I've done it twice before, but the longest I've managed is 3 weeks!! This time I'm determined to do more, as got lots to lose, in fact my starting stats are very similar to yours (but I weigh a bit more!). Its the boredom rather than hunger thats stopped me before, I constantly think about food, and whilst not hungry, have overwhelming urges for "real" food.

Anyway, started last Friday weighing 16 and a half stone (eek), and am 5"9. Obviously I'd like to lose loads, but plan at moment is just to get further than I have before, and take it from there.

I must confess to substituting one of my packs a day for 2 eggs and a big dollop of cottage cheese instead. Real food, a semi cheese fix (I absolutely love cheese) and still high protein/low carb.

Also, I have the tesco ultraslim meal replacement bars instead of the exante bars, and they are gorgeous. Over on the minimims website they have been looked into apparently, and have exactly the same nutritional content as the exante bars, with the added bonus of not tasting like concrete! The rasberry ones are particularly good.

Anyway, thats me! Will try and find this thread again later!

Ooh thanks for that tip about the bars ILFS

Don't know about bookmarking it, I just click "threads I'm on"

Ok, never even taken any notice of that before, just tend to go to each individual topic and have a nosey around at threads!

Try the tesco bars, I suspect you will be converted!!

Ah hello olympic and fluffy [waves] - good to meet you both, welcome to the party.

Think how slim and healthy we will all be in a few short months! I honestly don't deserve any praise for sticking to the diet, it's only because it is so easy not thinking about food that i've done it. Although having said that I have had a few lunches and dinners out here and there and it has been fine. I feel that way works for me, and if it takes me 6-8 weeks longer than I planned to reach my goal then that's fine. Has the advantage that my body's had time to get used to fewer calories so hopefully won't be so quick to podge up again once I am maintaining and not losing.

Might well look into the tesco bars though, they sound good. Luckily for me I really like the exante choc/orange bars (maybe my taste buds are faulty ) so it's been ok so far - got a big box of them and the choc shakes in a cupboard in the kitchen which should last me til the end of Feb and then I can reassess.

***

Oh my good god, just looked at the Tesco site for Ultraslim products - errm how much cheaper than Exante????? Ok, may be converted to those for the odd future week when i feel i need to cut down - so will be really useful for maintenance. Hurrah, fluffy what an excellent suggestion! You are a dieting whizz!

I am such a novice i never even looked at minimims either - I just heard someone on one of these threads mentions Exante as an alternative to Lighter Life but without the faff of counselling and decided to go for it at last. I feel so much more confident now than 6 months ago and it makes me silly-happy to be able to buy clothes in a size 12 (stupid i know) - had to buy a couple of tops in a medium (12) this week as the large (14) was too big! Plus got a couple of cardis in the sale at a 12 on the basis that the 14 was slightly large now and I AM losing a further 20-odd pounds. I know it is still vanity sizing but still. I need my small victories!

Anyway enough about me, would be great to hear your stories and your motivation for doing this now - we can support each other as we go along.