VLCD/Meal Replacement on 1st Jan

[DelightfulCunt]

Hi everyone!

I’m starting a VLCD (Slim and Save) on 1st Jan and wondering is anyone starting too? Or Cambridge, Exabte etc and maybe we could keep each other motivated?

Yeah some people do 4 on Cambridge too, never looked at slim and save though so don't know what the 'normal' is.

Good luck Bishop!

Yes I believe they are 😀

Yes good luck Bishop!

Eliza my thighs are seriously sore today

Feeling better today, have a very slight headache but my skin looks clearer, or brighter or something. I don't feel any lighter, just empty as someone else said but quite pleased I'm into the second week.

Pitapotamus, I feel exactly the same, I'm always trying to lose weight but don't stick with any one thing for long enough to actually lose the excess.

I really, really want to succeed this time. I know the even bigger challenge will then be maintaining but one day at a time an' all that!

Kittens - we can smash the second week!! 💪 💪 💪

Feels weird knowing that I am not weighing in second week but a couple days into week 3, desperately want to know how I'm doing be don't want to check lol! Equally using different scales is always risky lol!

Thanks Pitapotamus

I was the same could only stick to a diet 3-4 days, then when I started this last year something just clicked and I did it for 6 months, I thought I'd just restart, I cant really understand what's stopping me, after all I know it works for me.

I need to check in to the thread more, when I go off plan I tend not to post instead I hide from it, which is utterly stupid.

Thanks Eliza.

If anyone's thinking about maintenance, I found the 5:2 worked really well after a VLCD. You can even use your leftover packs!

It sits better with me to have two hard days and then be able to relax a little than to count calories. I kept the weight off for 2 years like this and it was only the events of 2018 and not getting each few pounds off after holidays / bad weeks that meant it crept on and I put on a stone or so.

Gah, last night was hard, cooked my fave meal of sausages, cauli cheese and cabbage, took all my willpower not to devour a sausage!! Just had some cabbage with a tiny bit of gravy as a compromise then my cod fillet with cauliflower rice and steamed greens, felt triumphant that I resisted that, can turn down most things but I do love sausages!

Feeling really cold again today, heating has been turned up, cardigan, dressing gown on top and a big throw wtf does this diet make you so freezing!?
Trying to pass time till gone 12 when I can have my first shake, think I might have cookies and cream today. My fave is choc orange and toffee caramel, what’s everyone’s fave here?

makingmiracles
My favourites are choc-mint and Almond-vanilla
The lemon pancakes are nice too.

Interesting that you're more cold than usual, I've felt it much more this year and assumed its cause i have less fat insulating me , possibly bit of both.

My favourite is chocolate! I’m actually glad everyone else seems to be freezing so I can attribute it to the diet - I was worried something else was wrong.

Someone up thread talked about maintenance after the weight loss. I’m planning to do 5:2 using the exante packs on my starvation days. I like the idea that that way I don’t need to think about food constantly and be counting calories daily, I’ll be relatively “free” to eat a roughly balanced diet and enjoy life 5 days a week because the two starvation days ensure that on balance you’re not overeating.

I LOVE sausages too Making- and cauliflower cheese, it's making me desperately hungry thinking about it! You did so well to cook that and then not eat it. I'm killing time too until 12, have new shake to try Caramel Frappe Latte which I'm going to try hot with some coffee. I haven't yet had a shake I don't like but I do prefer to feel like I've actually eaten something so don't tend to have them that much. If I'm having them cold (prefer in the warmer months) make them with ice too and in a blender, so much better.
Also I am blooming freezing still, my hands are like blocks of ice, need fingerless gloves to type in!

Elaine, the 5:2 is exactly what I'm thinking for maintenance- if I can get that far!

Minnie's - when I've been on this type of thread previously I haven't posted when I've gone off plan. This time I'm planning to and hoping it will keep me on the straight and narrow or at least get me back on it more quickly if needed.

That's a great idea Kittens, just keep posting and get back on track.

Mmmm sausages! They are the best lol! Also freezing here! I don't normally feel the cold so not used to it at all!!

**if any of us fall off that is!

5:2 after seems like a good plan actually, I've been worried about the after and hadn't settled on anything.

kitten why do we do that, it's so counter productive.

More people feeling cold, that's really interesting

I’m planning on reverting back to blood sugar diet/keto loosely when (hopefully) I’m near target, I did try bsd last year and really enjoyed the foods and found I did loose weight doing it.
I actually prefer cauli rice to normal rice now and veg fries rather than potatoes chips, I think my biggest downfall has got to be pasta and bread unfortunately so when I reach target think I’ll have to limit those to weekends only or something else I’ll be back to square one!

Anyone made cauli base pizza before? That’s delish, I’m going to have it Monday when the rest of the family have got normal pizza, helps me feel less deprived and is low carb.

When I started exante last yr, I ordered pretty much one of everything, the only meals I could stomach were the fajitas and the sweet and sour noodles. I mainly stick to the shakes but have choc crunch and mint chip cookies for when I’m out all day, I tried having the shakes just with water and I have to take my hat off to those that do it that way, I couldn’t finish it, was truely awful!! Make mine with 200-250ml water then prob about 10 ice cubes, only way I can get them down!

5:2 for me I think.

I've found another product I like. The raspberry yogurt muesli is nice. So actually, so far I've only found two products that I wouldn't eat again, so not too bad.

Either that or I'm getting used to the taste!

The black bean pot for tea, I'm hearing a lot of mixed reviews on it.

I really liked the black bean pot Clash, it was delicious I'd go as far to say. Ok that might be overstating it... something quite crunchy in mine, I left it the whole 5 minutes but it maybe needs bit longer.

I do think we need to set our expectations v low as to how things will taste & also seek ways to make them taste that bit better!
I turned the Shepherds pie into Fishcakes- yes really & they were surprisingly ok too. They looked like wee shite balls but tasted no so bad 😂

The caramel, frappe, hot shake has gone down a treat, so much so that someone in the office commented on how good it smelt!

I have the blood sugar diet books Making and some of the meals do look delicious.

I find adding chilli powder to the meals helps a lot, but then I love chilli so maybe that’s why!

Another great benefit of the diet is not having to cook, I’m finding it’s saving loads of time. I’ve always cooked separately for the kids and dh has been eating at work or just whipping something up for himself so it’s like I have one less job to do in the evenings (every cloud...!)

I agree with posting when we’ve fallen off the wagon. I’m down 0.3kg today (which is good for me!) but I might have to extend the diet beyond 31 January to reach my target at this rate and I’m going to find that difficult psychologically because it was nice having an end date in mind that wasn’t too far off! Off for a long walk over lunch break because I stupidly ate my lunch at 11.50 - always regret doing that!!

I'm thinking of keeping it lower carb apart from real treat meals too, so will look up the BSD. It's the same chap as 5:2 isn't it?

Luckily I've found the slim and save much better after the initial ham and cheese pasted which is real bland gloop. Tonight is tikka masala followed by a bar as a treat - haven't had any yet.

hey. on day & 4 so far so good. have been very tempted to cave in to my cravings but thankfully i havn't. Am also feeling verryy cold but is a small price to pay, im am determined to stick to it this time😊summer will be here before we know it and definitely dont wanna be wearing all black in july...again😔

Well that's motivated me.

Dh bought me a top for Christmas and it didn't arrive, finally turned up today and is too small....

Want to fit into it by the summer!

Another day 4-er here, how are you finding it so far?

Well Today was total opposite of yesterday, I haven't been hungry at all, hot shake at 12 and then really busy, only just got home and have had noddles and had to force down apple crumble thing just so I've had the 3 packets. Not done as well with the amount of water as was out and about this afternoon so worried about drinking so much and not being near a bathroom!
Must definitely be in ketosis to get to 7pm and still not be hungry. Now feel completely bloated!

The top turning up now must be a total sign Clash, great incentive. I was In primark looking for something for DD earlier and on total impulse picked up a dress and a shirt in at least 2 sizes less than I am, probably 3 sizes. So despite saying I wouldn't buy any more clothes I do now have something as well. Will hang them somewhere obvious!

How's everyone else going? How's your first day been Bishop?

Hello everyone, is it ok if I join? I’m currently on day 9 of Exante, lost 6lbs last week so I’m pretty chuffed. Aiming to lose about 2.5 stone.

The only savoury meals I can eat are the curry, the shepherds pie and the sweet and sour noodles - and those I have to add lots of spices and chilli powder too! I absolutely loved the Indian daal pot, but I can’t seem to find it on the website!

Just had the lemon pancakes for the first time and they were really nice - tasted like lemon drizzle!

Sorry that turned into a bit of a review. Hoping to keep checking in for a bit of motivation!