Cambridge Diet, Lighter Life, Slim&Save - VLCD'ers gather over here!

[SconeInSixtySeconds]

Welcome one and all to The New Thread !

Results for me on Slim and Save 10 weeks = 42 pounds!

:o

Week 11 is looking rubbish for me, but I have been (and continue to be actually) poorly.

Come and make yourselves comfy...

Hope it is ok that I post on here.

I have about 5 stones to lose and was thinking about trying Exante Total Solution.

Has anyone tried it?

Hi fluffy. I'm not doing exante but I'm sure there are some people on here who can give you some great advice.
How is everyone doing today? I'm feeling really positive long may it last!

Ah yes, cheesy, that was it - deterioration. Sure you're right and it's just over-zealousness. Thanks for explaining. And thanks for this thread. Funny that there's not a section for it as there is for 5:2 etc. It must be popular enough to warrant one.

fluffy I'm doing exante working solution. When I had more to lose I did LL. I think I need the 4 hits a day one way or another. Think I'd struggle on just 3 packs psychologically. Have you considered Slim n Save? That's cheaper than LL (the cheapest all round I think) and you get 4 packs a day. Obviously the calorie content all adds up to the same thing but you may feel less deprived. Exante is good though, not knocking it. But it does help to have my hard boiled egg and bit of turkey each evening - oh the luxury!

fluffy I'm doing Exante ... it's ok. I lost 3.5 stone in 2008 with Cambridge, and I was really dedicated and 'enjoyed' it. Since then, I've used Exante whenever felt I had a bit to shift (because it's so much cheaper). Now sadly a lot of it's crept back and I have 3st to lose. I've never had quite the same enthusiasm about Exante as I did for Cambridge - maybe not having a councellor means you're less motivated. I'm hoping to counteract that feeling though by reading this thread regularly for motivation. In terms of the flavours, there are some Exante flavours I like more than Cambridge and some less. Cambridge chocolate was much nicer than Exante chocolate flavour for instance, but Exante flavours are generally ok. I have my three packs at 9.am, 1.30pm and 6pm ish - try not to ever go earlier than those times or I get hungry - if I can hold off with my first 2 packs a bit so much the better. So good luck with whatever you choose - the key is to keep your motivation level high and don't waver.

Morning everyone,
I have an awful headache but I lost 3.5 lb overnight!
I know it's naughty to weigh yourself every day etc but i felt so rubbish this morning that I needed the motivation.
I think my body is in shock for the lack of chocolate and other Christmas treats, that's possibly why I feel so dreadful.
Roll on another day!
What's on the menu today for everyone?

Wow Ellie that's amazing! I'm so eager to weigh but I'm not walking a mile in this weather!
I'm feeling good very positive, dreaming of being a size 10 really keeps me motivated.
I haven't had my first shake yet going to wait an hour, I'm just not hungry I plan to have a vanilla shake, strawberry shake and cottage pie. Hoping dh brings home coffee so I can make my crispy shakes more appealing! What's on the menu for you?

I'm eating an exante choc orange bar in the loo of a Gourmet Burger Kitchen while the DH and kids stuff their faces. It's actually fine though. My main GBK weakness is the milkshakes and I'm having plenty of milkshakes at the mo so am not too jealous. Will fill up on this bar then sit serenely with my fizzy water.

Pinkdelight that is some willpower! Are the exante bars filling? The slim and save bars even though they are nice tasting are not very filling a all.

So today I have:
Spicy spaghetti - just had, really nice possibly my favourite so far
Vegetable soup
Mushroom pasta
Chocolate and coconut bar (after dinner so to speak)
I found myself really craving something sweet in front of the tv last night so i made a mental note to keep a bar for that
Despite the headache, I feel bizarelly energetic and raring to go, may it long last!
Learning points for the last 24 hrs for me:

1. I will see how the vegetable soup goes but if no good, I would say there is no match between having a pasta dish vs a soup, the former being way more filling so since you can have any combo (apart from the bars) I will probably end up having less soups
2. On a similar note, though not ideal, I think you can have some broth made with Bouillon which I found a real godsend when starving plus it ticks the box for a soupy/warm drink without having to use a pack.

As i say, only 24 hrs in but i thought I'd share!

What are the soups like Ellie? I haven't tried a soup yet (a bit reluctant) I'm finding the shakes really filling.

The soup I have tried so far was tasty and flavoursome but very thin and looked like a cup of milk with mushroom bits floating in.
If you don't mind milk, that's ok but I have a real aversion to it.
I am aware that most if not all Slim n Save foods have milk in it but as long as they don't look like it I can pretend!
As I say, flavour wise not bad but, provided you can have Bouillon (i just checked their website and they actually sell it), i would not waste 1 of my 4 packs on a soup again.
I still have 6 days worth so i might change my mind but we will see.
If you like the shakes noswing, my advice would be stick to what you like as it has the best chances of success, you never know in a few weeks you may be a bit bored and feel more inclined to try a soup.
Hope it helps, just my opinion of course :-)

Exante bars made of the crispy things are more filling than the smaller choc bars that all the diets do. Take a lot more chewing. And they're part of a 3 a day plan not 4 so more filling fundamentally (200 cals I think vs the others that around c120 cals). I still had to stop myself nicking the kids fries but not cos of hunger, just habit. Amazing how often I stuffed food into my mouth without even thinking or really wanting it.

Spicy spaghetti pack sounds yum. Will def get me some ready meals I reckon. Till then the shakes and bars are fine. I've got a sweet tooth.

I'm thinking of getting some of their water flavouring to use in one of the childrens slushy makers!

After a great first 6 days I feel terrible tidy - BUT had much less sleep - sleep must e the key

Also I had a porridge at 9 and so far have avoided eating anything until 12ish - so that didn't help.

You all seem to be doing really well x

Hi all. So great to see this thread get busy!

I've had a mint choc shake, nut fudge bar and spag Bol today. Also been for a 30 minute run. faints

I was naughty and had a poppadum last night

Cheesy, will it matter if some days I don't completely leave it 3hrs between packs? Its just Ive never eaten before 12 sometimes not before 2, I know its not ideal but could I have a shake and meal an hour apart say?

Yeah I don't see why not. I think part of I his is about learning to listen to your body. If that's what feels right then go for it. The spacing is, I think, designed to keep blood sugars stable and prevent any pig outs.

I'm no expert though, please don't take my advice as gospel!

Hi all,
I must confess I am feeling my resolve waning slightly. I have been feeling so rubbish all day, missed out on going out with my husband and my girls as I felt so bad.
I had a nap and woke up shaking quite hard, all very strange.
There are little voices in my head that are saying, can't you just eat normal food and do away with this?
Sorry everyone, it is the last thing you want to hear but i feel so miserable right now.
I am not even hungry I just feel dreadful.

Hi everyone.

Sorry to hear you are feeling crappy Ellie. DP is currently feeling the same. He's moaning and whinging, saying he can't do it. I told him the first few days would be shit. We're on day 3. He can't give up - if he gives up I will give up too.

It's only five and a bit weeks to go (said we would do it for six weeks to kick start our weight loss).

I've only had a shake so far today. A soup and a bar later.

Not sure if you need to methodically space out your packs. Once you're in ketosis you are burning fat, not relying on glycogen/sugar/carb stores. Who knows. Just do what is right for you!

...and I'm off to get a slightly less festive name change!

Ellie honestly in a few days you will start to feel better. I do already I'm feeling full of energy, I wasn't even tempted by tesco seeking the huge thorntons boxes for £3!!!!!!!! Last week I would of eaten a whole box of them just as a snack ( yes very greedy).
Merry how are you finding the packs now? Have you found some flavours you prefer?

Thank you for the word of support, I will definitely stick it out for the next 4-5 days at least as I want to get out of the ketosis "flu", after all I always feel crap at the beginning of a diet but I can only commit to a mini goal at the moment!

How much have you got to loose Ellie? I'm 5ft 2. I'm 11st 6lb so 3st would be amazing but going to focus on 2 for now.
I've had 2 packs today going to have anothe shake before bed. Dh brought coffee home so looking forward to having a spoon of it in my shake in the morning.

Hey Ellie, I know how you feel. I'm on Day 4 and knew it'd get tough so booked a massage this afternoon and gonna have a hot bath and early night but right now I'm frikkin ravenous and definitely having sod-it-all thoughts, but I also know this'll pass and I'll really regret going back to real food before I've lost a good amount. That's the whole point of this diet, to me, that I can't lose any weight when I'm 'allowed' real food so I do this for a few weeks and the results really are worth it. Worth more than a big feed right now. Much as I fancy it! Just hang on in there. It'll get much easier.

Hi everyone,

Am on day 2 now. Feeling quite hungry now! I had a rice pudding fir breakfast, choc shake made into a kind of mocha with coffee for lunch and just had a butterscotch shake now as was ravenous!!! Not too keen on the butterscotch tbh.

I'm not sure whether to do option a or b within sole source plus. Anyone have any experience?

A - 4 products plus 200ml milk

B - 3 products plus 200cal low carb meal.

Which do you guys think best? I initially thought 4 products as it was roving food completely and I couldn't overindulge. But am pretty hungry now! Will this really pass by day 4/5?!