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?

Well done Norfolk!

Blimey Norfolk that is amazing! Was that in one week!!! Seriously well done, what a boost.

That's fantastic Norfolk, well done :)

Well done Norfolk! Resisting the kids left over macdonalds probably now seems worth it!! Is that your first week?

Haha it does seem worthwhile leaving their chips. Yes first week. I assume mainly water weight though. Haven't noticed any difference in clothes yet.

Some of it will be water but certainly not all of it!

For those who have done this before when do you think you really started to notice a difference? I'm nearly 3 weeks in and not noticing much on the scales. I'm freezing cold and not hungry so definitely in ketosis. I know maybe a woosh is due but perhaps I'm expecting too much. I thought I'd notice something after the first month. I've done Exante before but never stuck with it. This time does feel different though. I'm more determined I think but need to hold onto the thought that I'll start feeling a difference soon!

Pasta carbonara 😷😷😷

Hi I've just found this thread can i join. I started exante last week- never done a diet like this before so will be nice to hear how others are doing

Welcome tiptop!

Norfolk - pasta carbonara is basically curdled puke. I made one a couple of weeks ago and only managed a couple of spoonfuls before chucking it away and then my kids refused to go in the kitchen the next morning because even they couldn’t stand the smell! Definitely one to be avoided!!

Kittens, have you tried ketostix to check whether you are in ketosis or not? You can buy them fairly cheap on amazon and they are basically a pee on a stick job and the colour tells you whether you’re in ketosis or not. I think I’ve been going in and out of ketosis as I think the shivering cold might be part of the keto flu!

I haven't got the Stick things but actually I think you are right Pitapotamus,
I'm going to order some, I have been wondering whether I'm in ketosis, sometimes I'm sure I am but then I wonder if something I'm doing is sending me out of it and then I go back quite quickly. I've been adding sweetener to coffee, could be that although I thought it was one that was ok. Going to get the stixs! Thanks Pitapotamus.

Had some normal food yesterday, chicken and omelette. All low carb but just felt like maybe that was needed. Back on the packets today though as back at work and I find it easier there.

Yes pasta carbonara is the worst one I've tried, inedible.

I've had my third weigh in yesterday and I've lost 12 lb so far. 👍🏻

Bollocks. I did a naughty mid week weigh and I've got the weird week 2 gain happening 😩

I took my wedding dress to the seamstress yesterday and it can be taken up, but it can't be let out in any way, which I knew. She said stick with it for 3 months and then go back to see where I'm at. That probably ties in with my next hospital appointment so I just need to get my head down and stick to this now. Although, wedding plans have changed again, we are planning on moving to Spain so decided to get married once we are out there so that gives longer to get in to the dress but I have to do this now for the fertility treatment so no slacking allowed.

I've got a banana smoothie & a coconut shake or apple pie & custard with me today.

Ketostix are amazing and really help with motivation, I found.

Well done everyone, keep going! My weight got stuck in week 2 but when I measured I'd lost 6cm of my hips. If you haven't already do your measurements bishop, hopefully that'll show progress.
I had a small chicken breast and salad at my course yesterday and refused the person serving insistence that I had rice or chips with it. I felt almost saintly.
It's my day off today so I've decided to do a 'treat day'. So far I've done you tube yoga, DIY facial and I'm just waiting for the mask to set to get in the shower and do a full body scrub. Next plan is DIY pedicure, a walk and then more yoga and a bath. I have also speed cleaned the whole house so it's not all pampering here.
Has anyone heard of Mel Robbins? Author of the 5second rule. Shes doing a free online 'mindset reset' on YouTube/FB etc. It started on Jan 1st but is all still available, I've found it really useful. I'm a bit behind as I haven't managed everyday but I really think it's helping me, particularly the first few days she did. I've mentioned before we've had a bit of a shitty couple of years - 3 pregnancy losses, now 2ry infertility, mum died, dad developed dementia, got managed out of my job to get someone cheaper in etc etc. It really is helping my mindset which is helping me stick to this. Might be worth a watch.

Sorry to hear you’ve had such a shit couple of years rainbow. But great to see what your treat day consists of. For me “rewards” always consist of carbohydrates and so it’s good to change the mindset to give yourself something that will actually make you feel good for the whole day.

I had a stressful event yesterday (nothing major just to do with moving house) and normally I would have made a big bowl of pasta or similar but instead I just waited for dh to come home without going in the kitchen and then had my shake as normal at 9pm once he’d calmed me down from the height of my stressiness!

I’ve also lost one lb! Which I’m happy about - any loss is a loss!

Yay for the 1 ib Pitapotamus!!!

That really does sound like a really awful couple of years rainbow. Amazing that you are focusing on such healthy, healing stuff.

We could all do with being kind to ourselves and feeding our souls in ways other than the way that led us all to be on a VLCD!

I know I need to stop daily weighing, the figure is still creeping up on the scales, but I've lost another 8cm off my waist, 18cm in total since the start.

Day 14, onwards. Last night was hell but I didn't cave.

18cm is absolutely amazing Bishop! I'm also trying to keep away from the scales as it is so demoralising. I'm starving hungry today so am wondering if I am in ketosis. Have ordered the sticks but they don't arrive until tonight. I'm on day 21, my stomach definitely feels even wobbler than usual so hopefully something is happening. Going to try and do some exercise today...

How is everyone else doing?

That's masses of cm to lose, Bishop!

I caved and weighed on Monday after two weeks without a single slip up (boasty face).

10lb lost, which is bang on what I'd expect. Now I'm into my normal BMI and a couple of pairs of fat trousers have been filed in the attic

I'd like to lose another 13lb, which might just be doable in my last 4 weeks, but I may stop after 3.75 weeks rather than suffer through another weekend just to go straight into a fast day on Monday!

Ok so official weigh day only 1lb this week but it's 9lb altogether and I've got good size loss. Keep telling myself that.

Well yay for that one pound Bishop! At least it is a loss and your themeasurement loss is massive. I'm going to try and hold off to weigh until the weekend but if there is no significant loss this time I know I will find it hard not to cave so probably better not to weigh.
Clothes seem tighter in some areas. Got the keto stix and I'm definitely not strongly in ketosis, somewhere in the middle of the colour chart. So not sure what that really means