exante?

[WotsitSandwich]

Anyone doing exante? I got my box yesterday and started after a black pudding sandwich so started properly today, just been out for breakfast with DD, DSis and DDad and didn't touch a thing! Feeling really motivated.

Any other exante'ers out there?

I am back from my festival. Managed to stick with Exante on the Thursday, a bit of Exante, plus low carbing (avocado salad for lunch and a couple of cheese strings for a snack) on Friday, but then, once the whole gang had arrived on site and started partying it became more difficult to keep it up. Trying to find time to prepare low carb meals whilst dashing between stages to see the bands we really wanted to see made it very awkward and if I would have ended up spending a lot of time on my own back at the van, while they all went off and danced without me.

Decided not to worry and just relax. Didn't indulge in any crisps or snacks, but did have a bun on my quorn burger at the bbq, a scone with cream and a cheese and onion staffordshire oatcake. Not too bad given everyone else was on chocolate, crisps, pork pies, sausage rolls, samosas, buttery toast, cookies, toasties and food from the stalls - plus copious amounts of alcohol (I had one glass of wine round the fire-pit on the last night). I also ended up having a baked potato last night, as dh was cooking and I didn't think to remind him that I needed to keep it as low carb as possible.

Oddly enough I found it more of a pain to eat real food. Didn't want to just eat all the rubbish everyone else was having, so couldn't think what to have and once I had eaten, I started to get hungry, when I haven't had any hunger since week 1 of Exante.

Back on track today. Shake for breakfast and a bar for lunch so far. Can't say I was desperate to start again - although am looking forward to re-finding the energy I've had on it and not having to think about what to eat for every meal.

I am so exhausted, everything aches and I really wanted some lovely warm toast with lots of butter. I'm also really missing having milk in my coffee, which is another thing I did have over the weekend. I was soooo tempted to wait until I'd fully recovered from the weekend, but decided it was better to just throw myself straight back into it or I'd probably just keep making up more and more excuses not to start again. Dh isn't helping, as he's got the post festie munchies and wanted to have a takeaway curry tonight, so was trying to encourage me to wait and start again next Monday!

The bad news is that over the weekend I was invited to two more festivals - including one that's invitation only and has one of my all time favourite bands playing. The first one is over my birthday weekend, the week after next and the second/private one isn't until the start of July, so actually motivation to get a bit more weight off before then. Both are only one-nighters though, which should make things easier to handle.

I know I said I wouldn't weigh-in, but dh forgot to hide the scales this morning and it was just too tempting. Before I left I was 1st 3lbs down in 4 1/2 weeks and this morning I had put on 5lbs, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I won't be weighing in again now until the Monday after next though.

Walkwaddlerun don't be so hard on yourself. For me, it has to be the right time. If I'd tried to start Exante even a month earlier I wouldn't have stuck to it. I had to be in the right mind-set and know I had the opportunity to give it a real go without any social events coming up for a few weeks.

In what way have you found it hard to stick to, perhaps we can offer some suggestions or tips that might help?

Moan well done on another loss last week and your epic walk! I danced my backside off to Killing Joke and the Levellers on Friday night, but didn't have the stamina to dance that much again for the rest of the weekend. I had a bit of a boogie here and there and there was lots of trekking between stages and back and forth to the van for sustenance, so I'm hoping I will have at least burned some calories that way. My muscles certainly seem to think they've been working hard.

Veg well done! It sounds like you handled the festival well-better to allow yourself to go off track in a controlled way, than be unrealistic. I'm sure the 5lbs are carb related & will drop off quickly.
I am finding it overall pretty palatable & I also like having to not shop & cook v little, although this week is my 200 cal meal week. I am close to my first stone off, just 1 more lb & - bit. My DP is becoming accustomed to the regime, which helps.
I was reading the thread about Diet Chef - sounds horrific & I very nearly took the Groupon offer up a few months ago, thankful I didn't. At least with Exante, you get what you buy & vice versa, no hidden contract or commitment. I do get at least 1 email a day with an offer, but I am not buying til my supplies are run down, then I'll look at offers.

Still going and well done everyone.

I'm another 5lbs down this week making my total lost from April 19th 39lbs. I've got another 2st to lose to be at my pre-pregnancy weight.

I keep fluctuating between feeling awesome, to feeling overwhelmed about how much I have to go (and no doubt the big losses will slow soon).

I've been doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred religiously and walking wherever I can!

Also, my GP wants to start me on the mini pill. I'm not allowed to take the combined anymore (migraines) and haven't been on the pill since 2011. Bit worried about potential side effects re weight etc.

Just got to keep going though. This week is 1/2 term and I feel my energy levels are being tested because of DD&DS!

That's an amazing loss Pando.

I don't think I could shred while existing on only 600 kcals a day though. They advise you to stick to 20 minutes of gentle exercise a day. I've been walking for mine, but am thinking about upping it a little - with maybe some wii-fit and core/floor exercises 3-4 times a week.

I lost 4 stone through using My Fitness Pal, walking, shredding and doing JM's Banish Fat Boost Metabolism a few years back. Kept it off for just under 2 years, then injured myself, ended up on crutches for 6 months and developed other health issues that meant I have been unable to exercise pretty much ever since. So I'm back to square one - well a stone down-ish now.

When I was shredding/BFBM-ing 6 days a week I found my weightloss stalled after a couple of months. I was on 1200 kcals a day and had to up it to 1400 then 1550 to continue losing.

Pando you get the gold star, my energy levels are pretty good, but no way I could do the level of exercising you are.
On day 4 of add a meal week. Barely hungry today & my meal was lemon sole, green beans & loads of salad. I just wonder if I will lose anything? I have a slight dilemma as my son just got his uni final marks & we are going to celebrate Sun night. I'll just have to be super-careful.
So far I have lost 13 lbs & my goal is to be at my half way point by mid June -20lbs down, but I am now inspired by Pando. It can be done!

A little quiet on this thread. I am weighing in a day early as I won' t have access to my scales tomorrow.
I am happy to report another 2lb loss, so that is 1st1lb lost in just under a month. I am on a roll now, and feel really positive about reaching my target.
When I have lost another 7lbs I will be half way to goal, so that's my next target- hope to get there by around 3rd week of June. If I stay with it, I am looking at the end of August to complete this phase.
Now that I have been on it close to a month, I am getting very accustomed to it; not too hungry, not craving much.
Planning: I am away over-night, so taking bars & instant meals (daal pot). No dining or outing planned so should be simple. Tomorrow night taking DS out to eat, but will be careful & no pudding! Next week & a half, DP is away so temptation should be reduced.

Well done Moanranger. Congratulations to your ds on his uni marks - I don't know what they were, but as you were celebrating, I'm assuming it was good news? Hope you enjoyed your celebratory meal.

I gave in and weighed in this morning. Started the diet on 25th April, had three days-ish off over the festival and a 5lb gain afterwards, but overall I have lost 1st 4lbs. So essentially I lost a pound last week on top of losing all the water weight I gained over the previous weekend.

It's my birthday next weekend and we have friends and family coming from all over the place to meet us at a folk festival. Just one night this time, so should be easier to stick to the diet. I'm only planning one meal off, on my actual birthday.

I then have another one-night, two-day festival at the start of July and would really like another stone off before then, although I think perhaps 10-12lbs is probably more realistic given the pace I've lost at so far.

I would really love to be at least two and half stone down by my summer holiday (early/mid August) and I know I can carry on with the diet, for the most part, during that, as we'll be staying at the family's holiday home as usual and we only tend to eat out once or twice in two weeks.

Planning went well & I was too busy too eat over weekend. On Sun I subsisted on v bad black coffee & 1 bar til I got home - absolutely famished so had a shake then later dinner with son - who got a 2:1 in music, veg , thank you for asking. This was aome veg tempura, asparagus starter & then pork with an absolutely delicious tomato salad. Veg fab, meat a bit meh. No dessert. 1glass pro secco, 1 glass white wine. Did not feel I over- indulged but I enjoyed myself.
Veg sounds like your back on track after festival. & I agree, 1 night you can easily handle. We have similar challenges this summer, but planning works! A enjoying the feeling of being lighter.

Well done Moan, sounds like you handled it all well.

I am having a wobble this morning. Not sure if it's hormones or because I've not been well, but I'm feeling like I won't be able to stick with this for long enough to make a real enough difference. This is totally out of character, as I haven't found it at all hard up till now and have seen it as something to stick to for the first couple of stone, before moving onto something less restrictive. Mind you, I have also sobbed at a tv thing with a little boy with broken leg in it though, so am thinking it's possibly just general bleugh, rather than anything to do with the diet specifically.

However, I do have some health issues, which have flared up since the festival (which was totally expected with recovery time built in) and make me feel exhausted and weak. So I wonder if perhaps trying to stick with 600 kcals a day while my body is trying to recover could be at the bottom of it.

I also think the fact that I've seen so many other people that have had much faster results than me with this, that when already feeling a bit low, it makes me start to question if I wouldn't be better just low carbing and calorie counting and expecting a slow loss wouldn't be a better idea. I know people with more to lose will lose more quickly, but I do have a lot to lose - and a long way to go, so I don't think that's it.

I probably just need a good slap and someone to hand me a grip!

Think I will go and have some pancakes instead of a shake and see if that cheers me up.

Well I've just used a ketone stick and according to that I am not in ketosis. Not sure how that marries up with me dropping 6lbs last week, even if 5 of it was water weight.

Mightily p'd off and hoping it's just because I'm very hydrated so the sample was too weak.

Yes, if you drink lots of water, & as I recall, you have a medical condition that requires this, it flushes the ketones out. I wouldn't worry about it.

I do have to drink a lot more than most people, even those on keto diets. So I suppose that could be it, but my sticks were dark and occasionally purple before I went to the festival - coinciding with me having lots of energy, but zero hunger and a dry mouth that tasted foul.

Can't help thinking I'm not fully back into ketosis yet, as I have been hungry this week for the first time since starting the diet and am beyond exhausted - although that was expected as a consequence of having fun for a weekend, so I was expecting the crash.

Not happy, as it means I can't have even a meal off on my birthday, as it's likely to kick me out again. We've called off this weekend's festival, partly because I'm not up to it, partly because the weather isn't looking great for it and partly because we found out they've massively upped the prices since last year and it now seems like a bit of a rip off.

Dh's best suggestion for an alternative birthday was to meet friends at a local pub that makes their own super-calorific pies and serves meals that are probably around 2000 kcals each. He was then shocked when I said I didn't want to take my whole birthday of to each cake and indulge in chocolate. Honestly, I could do with support, no encouragement to fall off the wagon!

My mum's suggestion was to come off the diet today, until after my birthday and just eat low carb real meals instead. Can't really see how that will help anything though.

I just made the most delicious smelling risotto for my family. Cooking for them while I'm doing this hasn't really bothered me before today, but I really wanted some and felt cheated drinking my shake. I was strong though - didn't even taste it while I was cooking it.

The rain/thunderstorms are just starting here. The air is really heavy and oppressive and I'm very sensitive to barometric pressure, so maybe that explains my mood today. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. I am aware that probably sounds completely bonkers, but it's a well known issue for people with my condition.

walk I find it tough too. Lost 2 stone in a few months doing this but I keep losing control. Got an operation booked in 4 weeks so going to try and lose 1/2 stone as still obese. So planning on 3 weeks total solutions and than 1 week calorie counting. 12 St 2 is my starting weight.

Veg I suspect your problem is you are not fully in ketosis & are still flushing the sugar put of your system. Hence you are tired. I am at the start of week 5 & not tired, but I stick to it quite strictly. I also decided to be a hermit this summer so that I won't be tempted. For some people, that feels like real deprivation & they start to resent it.
Basically, you either have to fully commit to VLCD - if you do it for a couple of days, then go off, then go back on, you end up tired, ratty, hungry.
Today I had to leave at crack of dawn & completely forgot my food. I ended up going to Pret & having a spinach-egg-avocado cup which kept me going, though, again, I was damned hungry when I got home & had my dinner. I had got out of the habit of letting myself get hungry & then just allowing myself to be hungry "Huger is not an emergency" that is a quote from somewhere. At least I know I must be burning fat if I am hungry for a few hours.

I am back in ketosis now, sticks showing it and have dropped another 2.5lbs.

I am however, having a fully on exacerbation of my illness, so that explains a lot about how I've been feeling.

I am speaking to my GP on the phone today and will take advice on what to do. I'm thinking perhaps I may need to switch to Working Solution, eat extra calories and salt load for a while, so my body has chance to properly recover. I know I'm not getting enough sodium at the moment, but it's almost impossible to do within the allowances. I'm hoping going onto WS would be a temporary situation and I can get back to Total Solution once I'm up and running again, but will have to see what they advise. If I have to stick to WS, so be it, hopefully I will still lose weight, just not as quickly as I'd hoped.

I have been on TS for just under 7 weeks with only that 3 day-ish break for the festival, so I don't think it's a case of not being fully committed. I had absolutely no problems in my first week and getting into ketosis initially, but it was much harder after I broke the diet. I suppose that's a mix of the shock to my body's system and me being ill as well.

I don't resent the diet. I was actually enjoying the freedom from having to even think about food. It has only been tough this week.I should have had the sense to realise that, as I am having nocturnal episodes and other health issues, it's bound to be a lot for my body to deal with on only 600 kcal a day. My Cardiologist approved me starting the diet, but I do think I now needs some more medical advice.

On a more positive note - only 3 more pounds until I cross my second stone threshold and I know that's always a big motivator for me.

Well done, so far. TBH, I often add a bit over my packs, but stick to low carb stuff. You can still probably lose really well on WS.

Thanks.

Well the GP I was supposed to speak to yesterday wasn't in. I spoke to someone else, who wanted me to contact my cardiologist. His secretary was on leave yesterday, but is back in today. Another secretary very kindly emailed her for me with the whole saga and hopefully I will be getting a call today.

In the meantime I'm sticking with TS. No more loss since the 2.5lbs, but I 'm happy with that for this week and my weigh-in day isn't till Monday anyway.

I am so pleased to no longer to be feeling hungry. That was a horrible shock after 5-6 weeks of not being hungry at all, I have even managed to cook pizza for the gang without wanting some. Such a relief.

Really hoping the cardiologist says I can stick with TS, as I'd ideally like to get to 12 stone before shifting to a different way of eating, but if he does, I suppose will just have to be sensible, do as I'm told and accept that weight-loss will probably be slower, but still doable.

Weigh -in day, & I am pleased to report I lost 3lbs this week, for a grand total of 1st 4 lbs in5 weeks. Today I was very busy & just had a bar plus coffee; when I got home, though hungry, I had a nice bath first, what I really craved, then had my dinner. All good!

Well done Moan

Sorry I have been awol. I've been pretty poorly and have loosened up the diet as a result. I'm still low carbing, but eating some real food, as well as the exante products. So far I have maintained, rather than losing any more, which is good enough for now.

I am planning to stick with this for a couple of weeks until I feel better then go back to TS 100%, hopefully for another 8 weeks. Hoping that will kickstart the weightloss again before my summer holidays.

As this is day 1 of Brexit, I am pretty anxious so not eating much. Small glimmer of good news - I am 1 lb away from half way mark. I hope to be at goal end of August. Give or take

Hi All

I have just started Exante. I am planning to do for 4 weeks:

Mon-Fri - 2 x shakes, small eve meal with low carb, 2 black coffee, 2L of water
Sat & Sun - Eggs and spinach, 1x shake, small meal with medium carbs
(I run for around an hour at weekends so thinking some carbs needed)

I will be exercising a minimum of 30 mins per day 6 days per week.

Following 4 weeks:
1 shake per day, 1 small 200 cal meal, 1 low carb meal (again black coffee, 2L water)

Minimum alcohol

Current weight: 9st 10lbs
Aim: 8st 5 - 7lbs

Anyone else doing this??

Day one is over and I feel absolutely fine.

Will having one meal still work? I think my cals averaged 800 today, plus a 30 min spin class.

Any advice appreciated :) thanks!