Brand new shiny VLCD thread...LighterLife, Cambridge etc

[Cheesyslice]

New thread as the old one is now bursting at the seams.

I have asked them for a Saturday delivery and they have flat out refused.

I've just had a very rude and dismissive email from them! Telling me they have no obligation to do anything!

I am really taken aback at just badly they've handled this as I've had nothing but good experiences until the last two orders.

Would like to start a VLCD but cost is a huge issue for me

Already paying for gym membership that I don't use

Feel so down with my size and the moment and had some particulary nasty comments from people I though were my friends .... I hardly go out and refuse to be any family photos, opting to be the photographer instead

Saw my reflection in a window this week and cried....

Have tried slimmng world, weight watchers, paul mckenna, 5:2 etc etc...

Emmie I'm doing exante and finding it cheaper than buying food. There are lots of exante discounts codes - I got 60 food sachets for £60 which is 20 days food. That's far less than I usually spend on Starbucks and m&s lunches.

I was going to give Exante a go but am a bit put off now! Might go for Cambridge instead!

Christmasevesteve

If you are being put off by my rant then i would say I would still recommend exante. It's so much more convenient and cheaper than cambridge. No need to see a counsellor either.

I have ordered from them before and had no problem and the products are good. I would just advise people not to rely on the next day delivery if they are running low on products. I will be more organised in future and order well before running out.

I'm doing Cambridge but thinking of changing to Exante purely because I can't effort 180 pounds a month. With offers I'd pay 74 with Exante. Such a huge difference. I do think having a counsellor is an advantage though. Do you know if the pancakes have to be mixed up or how does it work?

I've not tried the pancakes, sorry. The chili and spag Bol meals add powder that you add water to rehydrate, so I would guess the pancakes are similar.

The pancakes are delicious!

Exante do maple syrup ones and fruit flavoured ones. You mix the powder with water and I can get 9-10 mini ones from a pack which I stack up on a plate. You fry them using frylight.

Have come to say hello! Am feeling very inspired by some of the stories here and when I am tempted it is a good place to come and see why I should stick with it

I did LL a few years ago and loved it but have regained a bit of weight over the last couple of years and so have decided to get back to VLCD after failing miserably on SW (turns out you can't eat as much as you want and still lose weight so my lack of will power with pasta was an issue!) Funny how it is so much easier not eating ANY food because then there can't be "a little bit more". Am clearly a strict rules sort of girl

Am in Australia so no LL here but have found a Cambridge diet person which I am so pleased about. I had trialled a few diet replacement foods out here from the pharmacy and they were truly awful so I am so happy the Cambridge ones are nice! Plus with the cost of living out here it is WAY cheaper than eating food so added bonus :) I think I need at least a counsellor to make me feel like I have to stick to it otherwise I will just give up after 2 days again like I have trying to go it alone. I miss my old LL group in the UK though- it was nice to have that extra chat and support and to see people shrinking!

82kg starting and aiming for 65kg. Day 4 is beginning and I am hoping I am in ketosis! Hard to work out if it was the diet or the night shifts making me feel rough the first 3 days!

Good luck all!

Anyone doing cambridge, just had my first rice pudding and am still picking hard rice out of my teeth. Any idea how to improve it? I soaked it for 10 mins?

spekulatius

I'm not a fan of the aftertaste of the pancakes (it definitely has that whey protein-y aftertaste) but there is a knack to making them. I can only do it properly if I make the whole pack into a big thick pancake as my little ones all fall apart. I make AMAZING normal pancakes so this bothered me a lot

You need to mix it with less water than the packet states and then leave it to set for 3 mins or so. Then spray a pan with frylight and cook them on a fairly low heat to stop them burning.

That is a shame ChestyNut- I was looking forward to the rice pudding! I might not get any just yet...

I've told Cambridge lady that I can't effort it anymore which she was fine with so now I'm waiting for my first delivery of Exante. I've got 1 shake keft so hope they come soon! Got 100 fir 85 pounds. Such a difference.

There is a groupon at the moment to pick your own bundle of shakes (two weeks for £35) or a bundle of shakes and meals (four or six weeks). Really good value, I only like the shakes and even then not every flavour so it's a great option as the groupons usually only consist of set bundles full of stuff I don't like. I'm considering picking up a four week one as well before the deal runs out as DP LOVES the apple and cinnamon porridge and is complaining that he has run out.

(Silly bugger isn't even doing the plan, he just likes the prouducts )

Products*

They've just delivered. Had a bite of the hot cross bun bar and love it. Will have to organise them to make sure I have enough bars for work and when out. Is it the same that you're only allowed 1 bar a day?

If you run out of bars, Tesco Ultraslim bars are nice and can be used as meal replacement.

I'm not a big fan of the Exante bars so I stocked up on Slim and Save chocolate praline bars - they're delicious! I was expecting something "nice for what it is" but it's actually just nice full stop

MrsMiles have you looked at the Tesco VLCD range? I forgot to bring a bar for lunch once and so subbed one of those, they were lovely!

If you're any where in South Wales, you're welcome to have some of my products.
I ordered stuff from Exante about 3 weeks ago now, the next day I received an email to say the order has been delayed. It arrived about an hour later. I am still getting emails from them saying they are investigating my order. Very strange.

Anyway, little update on my progress, I fell off this thread a while ago. I started Exante Total Solution on the 2nd Feb. I had a weekend away and off the plan with a 6lb gain (gulp!) but managed to get straight back on track on the Monday. Currently 38.8lbs lost. I have a wedding to go to on a week Saturday so hoping to get to 42lbs (3 stone) by then. Hope everyone is having a good day.

Help! I've ordered 100 products from Exante and I can't stand most of them to the extent that I can't eat them particular the hot meals. Will they let me swap them? I love the spaghetti bolonese from Cambridge but this one is horrible. I've got about 50 pasta, sweet and sour noodles and carbonare so I will run out really quickly as I can't eat them. Any suggestions?

Oh no! Have you asked if they can exchange them? Ebay? There are probably exante swap groups on facebook.
Have you tried all the ones you've got?

I've sent them a message so will have to wait but in their FAQ it says that they don't take returns or exchange. Trouble is I need replacements and I don't want to end up paying more. I'm so disappointed. I love Cambridge spagh bol so ordered lots and it tastes awful. I used to have it twice a day. I like the bars I've got though they are very sweet. Tried pancake in the microwave this morning, that was fine. Don't like the apple & custard but got about 6 of them. I haven't tried the shakes but I'm sure they wilk be ok.

Speculations, if I were you I would just stick them on eBay. Exante are not keen on refunds/exchanges etc but worth a try I guess.

I've not tried the apple crumble packs yet, how would you describe them? I could with a change. I eat most of the bars and have been having eggs, sausages or pancakes too. I'm on total plus so Aldo have a salad of stir fry with one meal.

I'm now just under five weeks in and have lost 1 stone, 5lbs. So pleased I didn't give up last weekend when exante messed up my delivery. My husbands doing it too and has lost a similar amount.

When do other people start to notice I wonder, not one person (other than dh) has said a word, even though I do look noticeably slimmer. I think they are just used to me being fat maybe, I lost a stone last summer and only got a few nasty comments at work.

Mrsmiles I think it depends how much weight you have to lose. People who know I'm doing the diet 'notice' all the time but I'm not sure if they are just saying it to make me feel better! No one at work has noticed even though it's nearly 3 stone now, but from about 2 stone onwards other people have started to comment which is great.

I quite like the apple custard one, the texture is a bit like the porridge, a bit like baby food but I like it!
I love the red bean chilli and the sweet and sour I find ok. I have ordered 1 sachet of a few of the other meals to try too.

Chochip, that's amazing, nearly 3 stone, well done

I am off work for easter holidays so hoping to be nearly at 2 stone by the time I go back. It would be nice if anyone noticed it then, but I guess the only real reason to lose weight is for me not anyone else.

I know my mother has noticed. She keeps looking me up and down lol. But no way will she pay me a compliment unless it's a veiled insult ha ha!

I think she suspects I'm on a vlcd, or what she calls "that stupid diet!". And she's invited us for lunch on Monday. I'll eat a normal small portion which will put her off the scent!

We are also going out for lunch tomorrow with in laws and I have been invited for lunch with a friend on Tuesday so my plan is to eat as low carb as possible and then get straight back on track afterwards. Life is too short.