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?

Weirdly it’s the kids meals that I’m getting food envy over, particularly when they have something carby. But i also got jealous of dh’s steak and salad this evening. I’m not actually craving junk food like crisps or chocolate at all, just wholesome meals really so I’m mentally writing a list of meals that I’m going to eat when I stop this torturous diet and that’s helping me through, basically by telling myself that I can eat those things I want to eat, just in small portions and not yet!

Just weighed myself and so glad I did, have lost 11ib since I last weighed which was on day 3 (day 10 today). Not sure what my starting weight was as I hadn't had the courage to weigh. I know it's mostly water but I don't care, it will hopefully keep me on track this weekend. As I sat down at the chair I'm currently sitting on it gave an alarming creak so it kind of feels like I also need to remember that creak to stop going down the 'oh I've done so well I can just have that massive bag of crisps now!'

And I had a sneaky weigh in Tuesday or Wednesday can't remember which and 7 of those ibs has come of since then! Must have been a woosh!

Rainbow I don't think you were over reacting about the Chinese. I love Chinese food, absolutely love it. So I would have been raging if DP came home with some. Well done for resisting.

Pitapotamus, last time I did this diet it was totally carbs I needed up craving and I'm not a massive carb eater anyway, but I guess what you can't have you want. I wouldn't ordinarily eat something like garlic bread or I might have a little bit of it but it would bother me, but last night I swear ii could have very easily wolfed the whole baguette!

Well done Kittens!! That's amazing 😁 that chair will stop creeking in no time!

Rainbow well done! I could easily refuse chinease (hate it) but not indian or pizza or (the heavenly disgustingness that is Donna Kebab! ) you did amazing to refuse! Good job kicking him into the dining room hahaha!

Wow, well done kittens, 11lbs in 10 days is amazing!

Im still losing really slowly but losing something is better than nothing so I’m spurred on by that. 8lbs 13oz lost so far and I’m on day 16! I feel slimmer as well. This weekend is going to be hard, taking some kids out for a birthday treat so will need to sit and drink water during the dinner!

Also, does anyone know the theory behind why they say you have to drink loads of water on this diet? I’ve been sticking to the food packets religiously but my water intake is nowhere near what it should be - must try harder - but it would be nice to know why...

@Pitapotamus - you get a lot of fluid from normal food.

If you don't drink enough, you can experience headaches, constipation and also you feel really hungry.

Thanks everyone
Pitapotamus, I really struggle with the water intake, I do think it is supposed to speed up the weight loss, loads of posts about it on the Exante Facebook page, consensus seems to be 'the more you drink the more you shrink'. I have been adding the water flavour enhancers to help. Also got some sparking water in 1 litre bottle and am going to try and measure out the 3 litres today in that. So far had 1 bottles worth, didn't seem so much somehow.

Thank you for the words of support ladies. I'm still more annoyed than I deserve to be but I'll get over it.
When I washed my face this morning it definitely felt thinner, isn't it weird the things you notice? For me it's face and collar bones so far, why it can't come off my bum and thighs I don't know!
Im running out of decluttering to keep me busy, I've just sorted through a load of old books and DVDs and found an app to sell them on, came to over £100 which is going straight in the new clothes fund

Which app Rainbow? I am de-cluttering too and have boxes of CD's and DVD's that we don't use & heaps of books. I was going to charity shop them all but if I can make some ££ for a clothing fund that would be awesome!

Well done to all those still keeping on.
I'm feeling like hell this morning - day 3 and I have the worst headache and my mouth feels sludgy. I've had around 2 pints of water yesterday evening and overnight so I don't think it's dehydration.

@Kittensgalore it's imaginatively called "we buy books" You scan the code with your phone, I had a few that said no when I scanned it but when I typed the code in it took them.
I've just tried on an ASOS order - trousers are to big and coat fitted in a size 16! The coats hideous and going back but a size 16 fit with room to spare, I could probably of got into a 14 if I wanted to.

Bishop, if you can get through day 3 and 4 you should start feeling better. Have you had any caffeine? Sometimes I find headaches are caffeine withdrawal.

I’m going to do my best to drink the recommended amount of water.

Thanks, pita - I'm so cold! I'm having a couple of coffee a day and lots of water

Day 3 & 4 can be hellish Bishop, maybe take some paracetamol if you can or something similar. Good sign if you are feeling cold though. I am walking around the house with a hot water bottle clutched to me. Baltic!!! Thanks Rainbow will have a look. Although now blitzing DD's room after she and her pal 'cleaned' out the hamster 😩

I don't know if this will help anyone but I read upon the Exante FB group about electrolytes, did a bit of research and got some. Popped a fizzy tablet (no sugar, no carb) in one of my glasses of water and my headache stopped and whilst I feel a bit chilly it's nowhere near as bad...

Yup I've been cold and I normally run hot!

Are exante usually so awful with stock, or is it just the January surge?

Glad your feeling a bit better Bishop.
I've had my first proper meal since new year - chicken and salad - and I feel stuffed.

Yes, I had a salad last night - it's quite amazing how full you feel afterwards isn't it?

Did you find it tasted better? I've never been a big salad fan but oh my god I enjoyed that one!

Yes! It was amazing! I've been for a 30min walk already this morning (polishes halo). That was probably my limit with my dodgy knee at the moment but I'm hoping to move on to couch to 5km once it improves.

Morning all. I’ve not found the weekend as bad as I thought it would be with the kids around eating, but this afternoon will be the real test as dd has a birthday party and there’s will be party food.

Morning! How are we all feeling?
I felt a bit rotten again until I had the electrolytes now I feel fine. Wondering if that's a magic solution or whether I have more glycogen stores and it's not hit yet. Oh well, keeping on keeping on, I was able to sit in the room with everyone eating yesterday and today I'm cooking for the family and I really don't mind...

I've been super busy so not been keeping up with the posts at all, oops!

However I have completed my first week on Exante and lost 10.1lbs! Very pleased. Would love to be a stone down by the end of next week then happy with smaller losses of 2-3lbs a week.

Is anyone getting incredibly smelly farts ?