Exante 2018

[minimalist99]

Is anyone planning on starting exante? I have 4.5 stone to loose and thougjr exante may help me loose a little. If you have tried exante and succeeddd feel free to share any tips you have.

Percephone

It is a similar type of diet to slim fast.
Slim fast you have 2 products and prepare your own low cal evening meal, on exante there are different plans. Total solution is a 600cal all meals replaced with a meal replacement product or theres a 800 cal plan which is 3 products plus 200 cals of extra food and theres a flexi programme which I think is for maintaining or people with less to lose.

The main difference is that slim fast is very high in sugar compared to exante unless you go for the new one think its called slimfast vitality. Theres more choice on exante in terms of flavours.

I do exante but always made my own evening meal and I use products from other companies just for variety and personal preference regarding carb/sugar/fiber levels.

Thanks, that's helpful. I had heard there was a lot of sugar in Slimfast. Just noticed I can get Exante on Amazon!

I ordered the 100 meals for £85 yesterday and my ginormous box of goodies arrived today! Planning to start on 26th or 27th. Black coffee is ok, right? Chicken12 - I don't think my GP can stop me being a greedy sod with no self control

Percephone 26th or 27th good luck.
I really hope you get on ok with it, I mean this kindly, you're going to have to have very strong will power to start this over the Christmas period.

Black coffee is fine.

I've stopped for Christmas now but will check in from time to time.

Percephone I'm taking a few days off for Christmas but will be restarting on the 27th, so you'll have company! Will be trying to exercise portion control for the off days, while tasting everything I've said no to! Fitting back into some clothes I couldn't wear before I started so don't want to give up my increased wardrobe.

I didn't weigh at the start, because I couldn't bear to see the number. Knew from past experience that it was 135lbs+ though (I'm 4'10"). I didn't want to know how much over that already too high number I was! Decided to be brave today and stepped on the scale - I had initially said I'd leave it until I knew I was close to acceptable and likely end of January. Have 2 scales, because I thought one was wrong and got another, and then they both calibrated. Oops. Anyway, stood on both 3 times, and the average was 118lbs!! Am gobsmacked. Knew people were losing a stone a month, but I'm short and could never cope with WW etc because those big losses didn't seem to happen. Good motivation to keep things moderate over Christmas.

Well done Bubbylone, that's an amazing loss! I'm also short at 5'1" so with other diets I still have too many calories. I'm not too worried about starting right after Christmas. We seem to have been celebrating for weeks so in a way it will be a relief not to worry about how much I'm eating.

It's good to have another "petite", Percephone! I can lose on other diets but it's SLOW and I can't really carry my weight either. Talked to an obesity doctor at a fitness expo once a few years ago and he said "Oh, I actually feel really sorry for short women like you. You get so few calories!"

And I started right after a trip home with dinners and allll the treats. Similar - it was actually good to not have all the crap.

bubblyone well done on your loss.

Its great that you and Percephone are starting/restarting and can help each other over Christmas.

I've been feeling really sluggish and a bit blugh since I've reintroduce carbs, started to feel more normal today, think my body has adjusted to being fuelled by glucose again. Had my first alcoholic drink last night in over 6 months, I took it steady and diluted but I felt it this morning.

Thanks Minnies! It's a relief more than anything. Used to approach my closet with dread and was petrified of the scales.

You've done so well! Break will be good. Have read a lot of a trainer called Leigh Peele and she said people think they have carb intolerance etc when they start reintroducing them sometimes, but it's just gut adapting. She's also into breaks and refeeds to keep metabolism up.

It makes sense bubblyone that it takes time for our bodies to adjust. Are you reading this trainer online or is it s book you have?

You've done great too.
Hope you have a great Christmas

@Minnies She's online and has published eBooks. Lyle Mcdonald also has some good stuff.

On my diet break. So stuffed!

Hope everyone is doing well!

I was home for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Ate all the things! Probably less than other years overall though, felt too uncomfortable and too full after it and my gut was not happy. Scratched the itch though, and had anything I'd been thinking about.

My initial plan was take Boxing Day off (was travelling) and then do flexi for a few days to ease myself back in. Ended up eating non-Exante protein bars and egg whites etc yesterday, with only a few morsels of sweet treats I was putting in the freezer. Just felt done with all the rich food. Bizarre. Basically back on plan today so hoping this feeling lasts. Glad I just ate whatever though. Wasn't left craving anything at all, and those feelings have a tendency to build with restriction for me, and can trigger binges.

I’ve had a much longer break than I’d originally planned.... back on plan tomorrow and actually looking forward to it.

Well done bubbly for doing so well over Christmas.

Hi Thisgirlcancancan you might want to head to this thread, this ones been quiet for a bit.

I'm struggling to get restarted at the moment

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/3463179-VLCD-Meal-Replacement-on-1st-Jan

Good luck, This! How's it going?
I think I was kind of lucky with Christmas? The timing worked out for me because I hadn't started until November 21st so was definitely happy to have a break, but hadn't built up crazy levels of craving and hunger. I was also in a different location so mentally not as big a deal to switch back when I came back here, IYKWIM

Thanks Minnie have had a lurk on the other thread, looks like lots giving Exante or similar a go. How are you getting on? Hope you’ve managed to find your mojo again, you did amazingly well last year.

Bubbly I actually only started back properly on Monday. Found it hard with the kids being off school and knowing there were still lots of nice things to eat in the kitchen leftover from Christmas. Can’t believe how well you did over Christmas, I think if you can manage that then you’ll be able to overcome any dieting obstacles. How’s your weight loss been?
I’d lost 19lbs before Christmas, I weighed myself on 1st Jan and know I was 5lbs up, I didn’t weigh myself on Monday but think I will on Friday to see how I’m getting on.

If anyone else is still around would be great to hear how you’re getting on.

Thisgirlcancancan I'm struggling, I managed day 1 then hit the food again, back to it for days 6 and 7 and lost 4lbs this week (water, I'm sure)

I just cant seem to get back into it and I don't really understand why, I'm really concerned I'm just going to put it all back on.

Hi, This! I really think I was helped by not being at home for the whole time. I would have struggled much more if all the nice things were staring me in the face. I have tons of treats in my apartment in general, but not open mince pies and leftover desserts. It would have been much harder if I were there longer. It's great that you're back on track now! And 5lbs really isn't that bad at all - will be mostly food and water.
I didn't weigh to begin with but based on how I looked and felt and how tight clothes were, I'd estimate 135lbs + (I'm 4'10" so what would be skinny for a normal person is fat on me). I caved and weighed Dec 23rd and it was 118.5 lbs. The next morning was 113.8 lbs before I flew back...but I don't really believe that one. Somewhere between them maybe. 112.4 lbs Jan 3rd and 110.8 lbs on Monday! Was going to do Monday and Thursdays but think I'm going to stick with Mondays for now. I don't think it will move too much, so once a week should be sufficient and then maybe up the frequency when (if?) I get to goal. Can't fall into the trap of putting the scales away and embracing denial when I know I'm gaining yet again.

You were on it a long time, Minnies. You probably needed the break, mentally and physically. And you're doing better now, it seems! That's a great loss. Even if you managed 5:2 you'd still manage to lose. Plus you were probably a bit too low at this stage anyway - even they recommend 800 cals below BMI 30 and flexi or 5:2 for people who don't have much to lose or want to maintain.

I lurked on the other thread as well. Lots of enthusiasm. They seem nice but I like catching up with people here too! More manageable and more of us who are struggling more with wanting to eat more again. Which I definitely do.

Thanks bubblyone

That was really helpful, I actually didn't know that BMI below 30 should be 800 kcals, its reassuring as well because at the moment I've been considering a 800 day a success.

I think I'm going to post on both threads. I need to hold myself accountable, instead of posting for support when I'm struggling I go AWOL and hide.

Approx 25lbs lost, You've done really well.
How much more do you want to lose?

Oh you're more than doing enough by being on 800cals, Minnies! TS is hardcore. I know I couldn't even do it psychologically. Having some normal food has made a big difference. There was a guy on the Facebook page who posted a YouTube video yesterday about his journey. He was quite obese but never did TS either. He just couldn't make himself. Has lost 4.5 stone anyway. When you think about it, they say 1 lb of fat is 3500 calories, so an extra 200 a day is only 1400 over the week. Maybe less likely to be in ketosis because you're not starved, but it's still a whopping deficit.

I'll lurk on the other but admit that I like the smaller group here too. Easier to keep track!

I think it's about that in real life too. Fit back into things. So happy to get to wear a North Face parka I've barely worn today. Couldn't last year - was skin tight!

I think another 10lbs and see? I was pretty skinny before when I was that weight, but I'm conscious of this being a "dry" weight, so I'll look like I did 5lbs heavier. Waist etc has decreased a lot, but arms/upper back and legs are taking their time and need a bit more to fit back into some dresses and trousers. Not even aiming for the smallest skinny jeans I have. Can't believe they once fit me.

Just posting again is helping.

Dh comes home today which is good and bad; good because until I get back into it I need someone to keep an eye on me (like a child) at the weekends; bad because he'll be eating real food and asks helpful questions like "what's for lunch", my response for the last 6 months has been I dont eat lunch and yet he still asks

I've found the days I've been working much easier, once I get fully back into it I'll be fine at weekends too, just got to persevere.

A schedule seems to help. I have food in my office drawers, so that kind of tempts me (even though it's Exante) but the routine is good for me. When I'm at home I tend to be a bit too fidgety and trying to undo the habit of snacking as something to do. I think you'll get back into the swing of it again. One of the things I've noticed about diets is how much of a HABIT they are. You slip into the new normal, once you're over the first week or two.

I make it sound so easy, but have spent a year to two in between diets not getting into that habit. Just resisting it for some reason.

So tempting to offer your DH a sachet and let him off.