Starting vlcd for christmas weight loss

[Summerbody]

I am starting a vlcd using exante and slim and save. Want to lose 2 stone to be a healthy weight again. Is anyone currently doing a vlcd or planning to start and want to join me? Today is my day 1!!

[lilydaisyrose]

I am off work with a s&d bug today. I haven't 'eaten' anything today and think a shake etc will go straight through me so I am going to try a couple of boiled eggs.

How is everyone else?

[lilydaisyrose]

Well the runny bum helped with a 6lbs loss this week! And wavering into the 17sts so nearly 7lbs but I'll take the 6lbs.

So:-
Starting weight 7/11/19:- 19st 8lbs
End of wk 1 14/11/19:- 18st 10lbs (12lb loss)
End of wk 2 21/11/19:- 18st 6lbs (4lb loss)
End of wk 3 28/11/19:- 18st 0lbs (6lb loss)
Total weight lost in 3 wks:- 1st 8lbs

Yahoo! I'm feeling much much better today and ready to go back to work however my LO's childminder now has the sickness bug so it looks like another day off for me!

[lilydaisyrose]

Well, if anyone needs to do an exante order, now is the time to do it! I just saved £127.13 on my order! My order was £79.99 but should have been £207.12!

BFBUNDLE is the code for 100 meals for £80, which also gives free delivery, and then you get to choose a FREE Black Friday box (worth £20) with this in it:-

2x Black Forest Fruits Shakes (limited edition)
2x Gingerbread Shakes (limited edition)
2x Candy Cane Shakes (limited edition)
2x Stollen Bars (limited edition)
2x White Chocolate Orange Bars (limited edition)
1x Cranberry Water Enhancer
Plus -
Choose Beauty Edition to receive 3x beauty miniatures from Eyeko and Illamasqua
Choose Skincare Edition to receive 4x ESPA skincare miniatures

So some treats to come too! Yay!

I've yet to have anything today as my tummy is still recovering, but thinking I might have the s&s noodles for lunch as I'm starting to feel quite hungry now.

[lilydaisyrose]

I'm talking to myself here, but I am going to continue as I've nowhere else to talk about my weight loss plan!

I'm 100% back on track today after my bug. I did have the s&s noodles for lunch and it was like eating cat sick, yuck. I wish I hadn't bought another pack today now, but at least I only bought 1 more! I also had a chocolate coconut bar, which smelt like a Bounty but was very disappointing, it had that vitaminy taste a few of the bars have. I then had some (dry) chicken at 7pmish and a hot salted caramel shake at 8pmish. It wasn't a great day tastewise, but I am going to bed not hungry and still in ketosis so that's good.

[Milbo]

Hi @lilydaisyrose glad you’re back on track and feeling better. I’m still going although I’m going to stop using Exante once my products have run out and move to a different VLCD. I’ve now found hairs in two shakes, I started sieving them after the first one, and I just feel a bit sick when I’m using them. I think psychologically it’ll help me to switch and not be expecting something gross in each one. I’ve now lost just over a stone and a half so I can’t complain on that front. I think the stuff I have will get me through to Christmas and then I’ll try something new in the new year.

I find the S&S horrible too, some people rave about it though. The cottage pie can be made actually quite nice by adding some veg and a spoon of Bovril. The spag bol is also good with Bovril and a bit of tomato purée and added mushrooms. My best success seems to be with the shakes and the odd meal and bar added in.

[lilydaisyrose]

Thanks Milbo. What weight loss plan are you going to try now? Its totally understandable why you wouldn't want to continue with exante, have you contacted them? They are pretty hot on marketing so I'd imagine their customer service is also good. I really hope you stick around here.

I 'treated' myself to a small meal of smoked salmon with fresh lime juice and cream cheese last night. I needed a treat for various reasons. Not really allowed but still low carb so I am happy with that.

I am being driven demented this morning by the smell of hot buttered toast after my kids have had their breakfasts. I really really want some with melted salted butter mmmmmmm...

I need to keep necking my water, I'm often onky managing between 1-2l per day then ending up very thirsty in the evening.

[Milbo]

@lilydaisyrose I’m not 100% sure yet. I may just try limiting my calories to 800 and see if that work. I’ll need vits etc supplementing but my appetite has reduced majorly so that could be the answer. Failing that, I’ll give one of the other VLCDs a go. Customer service hasn’t been great from Exante but I think it wasn’t quite right for me anyway so I’m not bothered about trying another way. I’m happy with my losses and I know it works for lots of other people.

Hot buttered toast would be my weakness too! I’m salivating just thinking about it. Well done for keeping your resolve. How are your losses going?

[Vic537]

Hi everyone. I’m also starting a vlcd 1 December 2019. Hope I can join you all in losing weight

[Milbo]

Good luck @Vic537. Which one are you doing? The first few days can feel tough but after that it’s great.

[Sjanish33]

Hi all

I may join you if that's okay? I'm doing a VLCD it's called New You - I think it's similar to exante although it's total food replacement, they have shakes, bars, meals, porridge, etc. Lots of OK tasting (if small) stuff! I did 3 weeks in August and lost a stone have kept that off and Now I'm on day 6 of the run up to Christmas and hope to drop another 10lbs -

Then I will continue on because I'll have two more stone to lose after (a Christmas break) I don't want the weight to drop too fast in case it goes back on as quick but I need to lose it. I weighed this am and had lost 3.5lbs after 5 full days -

I'm finding the diet OK - though I get starving by dinnertime and I look a little dark under the eyes -

[Summerbody]

I'm day 7 today (after 2 false starts!) and I don't know my exact loss as i didn't weigh at all until day 3 as previously I lost motivation when I didn't lose straight away. So since day 3 I have lost 5lbs. How many lbs do you all think is realistic to lose in the next 25 days? If I could lose 12lbs I would look heavy but not too big, so that's what I'm hoping for! I'm not sure what to do about works Christmas do, we go for a big meal and usually end up going out after and drinking loads! How are other people handling the upcoming festivities?

[Summerbody]

@sjanish33 we are both on day 7 and both hoping to lose the same by christmas!

[Milbo]

@Sjanish33 hi, that’s great that you managed to keep the stone off. I’m the same, a little break of Christmas and then back on it. Well done, 3.5lbs is great for 5 days.

@Summerbody congrats, great loss. I am having the day off on 8th for a Christmas do, 20th-26th for a wedding and Christmas and then I’m going to be super strict from then on. I’m going to try to eat sensibly and still limit my calories.

I weighed in this morning and I’ve been on it exactly a month and have lost 23lbs.

[Sjanish33]

Thanks, both Hi Milbo, hi Summerbody - yes our goals are similar - though I feel I have so much to lose overall (another 3 stone ish) that what I've lost so far isn't even noticeable :)

That's a brilliant loss Milbo you're heading for the 2 stone!

[RevolutionaryBiscuitsOfItaly]

I've joined the Christmas weight loss party a bit late, but hope to lose a good few pounds before then. Day 2 of Exante for me. I'm starting at 15 stone, and eventually want to get to 12 (just inside healthy BMI for my height). Doing the 800 plan, 4 exante meals a day to start with as I don't trust myself to stay within 200 if I try to make a meal. It's inspiring to hear about everyone's progress!

[Vic537]

Thank you Milbo. I’m also doing the 800 plan.
Starting weight 2 days ago (30 November 2019): 95.2kg (15st / 210lb / BMI: 39.6 - Obese Class 2).
Weight loss of 1.4kg (3lb) today (2 December 2019): 93.8kg (14.8st / 206.8lb / BMI: 39.04).

How often is everyone weighing themselves and/or reporting weight loss on here?

[Milbo]

@Sjanish33 I also have about another 3 to go, ideally about 3.5. I have started to get a couple of people noticing- mostly people who I haven’t seen for a while. I need to go down a size in jeans now which is a nice feeling.

@RevolutionaryBiscuitsOfItaly how are you finding it? Are you enjoying the meals?

@Vic537 I weigh myself daily but more because I’m interested in seeing the little changes and it sometimes gives me the kick I need to stick to plan. I generally report on here whenever it comes up but it’s probably about weekly. I keep a weekly loss record in my phone.

[Vic537]

Milbo, 23lb in one month is remarkable, you can be proud of yourself, well done. You obviously did stick to the plan.
What is your exact daily routine with eating/drinking shakes etc (eg. time of day/amounts)?
Do you do any exercise or is that too tiring with only 800 calories a day?
Do you find the plan easy to stick to? What do you do at the ‘tricky’ moments when motivation may be dwindling? Will you continue on the same routine into month two or will you amend aspects of it?
Lots of questions there! But any information will be much appreciated.

[Milbo]

@Vic537 thanks, I am happy with it. I didn’t actually entirely stick to plan so I’m probably not the best person to give advice. I had two wobbles and in the last week I have substituted some Exante products for 200 cals of low carb food.

At the start I did stick strictly to plan so would have a shake in the morning, Exante meal or 200 cal low carb meal for lunch, a Bovril around mid afternoon, Exante meal or 200 low carb meal for dinner (each day I’d either have real food at lunch or dinner, it just changed day to day) and then in the evening I’d usually have an Exante bar and a beanies coffee or Dr Pepper Zero. I drink water throughout the day. My meals were usually some protein and a bit of salad or veg.

I haven’t really exercised much, I live walking distance to the beach so I walk down a few times a week but I haven’t done anything else. I am now considering adding in more exercise as I don’t really feel tired at all but I’ll take it slowly.

I found the plan easy to stick to at the start when it was novel. It got harder though as I found I didn’t like the taste of quite a few of the foods. I tend to rotate the ones I do like now and that works but I am definitely finding it helps to add in some real food if it keeps you on track. The best thing to do would be to stick with the packs but I figured if I was struggling with that I could fall off the wagon altogether and return to eating rubbish or try to manage the hard days by still keeping at 800 cals with food.

Today I am back on the three packs and one meal as I feel I can do that so I’ll keep that up for the moment. I think you have to do what works for you. The one thing I do know though is I am not craving food like I used to, even on days when I am not eating Exante products. I don’t think about food much and I feel full much quicker and have got so much better at listening to my hunger and satiety cues. I feel better in myself and I can’t really feel the difference dropping weight has made to me physically.

Good luck and take one day at a time. If one day is hard don’t give up just see what you can do to make the next day work and don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s all about making a big life change, it’ll take time but the early quick losses can be mega motivating.

[Milbo]

• I can really feel the difference
  
  Sorry, that was an essay!

[Vic537]

Hi Summerbody, well done on your first week’s weight loss. I’m handling the upcoming festivities by trying not to think about them lol; I’m trying to just focus on making sure I’m sensible with my eating day to day. However, having now thought about it, I think I will aim to try to stay within the normal recommended 2000 calories on the work Christmas do, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

[Sjanish33]

Hi all

Weigh-in this morning - so the official week count is 5.5lbs which I'm delighted with because I had a little veg (broccoli) every day at dinner - It's not a meal for me unless there's veg even though I'm on TFR.

And it's all coming off my bottom half. So I wouldn't think anyone would even notice it :)
Looks like I may get to the 10lb down before Christmas now -

The temptation this month is ferocious though - I was in the supermarket with the DH and it's heaving with all sort of xmas goodies and then he's like but can you have this? and I'm no and then he's what about this? and I'm nope... It took all my power to walk past the cream cakes

[Vic537]

Thank you very much for your helpful reply Milbo. Yes I agree about adding real food to help stay on track. Sticking to 800 calories, no matter how that may be, is good enough for me at the moment. I’m in consultation with a dietician and she’s recommended I have a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, a healthy mid-afternoon snack and a small balanced supper, so not dissimilar to the routine you’re already doing.

I found my weight skyrocketed after being on antidepressant medication for a year; I really did go from a healthy BMI and about 55kg (I’m short) to obese in the space of just a few months. Unfortunately I didn’t realise there was a link between taking the medication, increased appetite and hence rapid weight gain, until my parents mentioned they’re very worried about my weight and I started reading around the topic this year. I tried many times to lose weight whilst on the antidepressants but to no avail. I found it extremely difficult to control my appetite because my hunger and satiety cues just seemed to disappear. I always felt hungry (even straight after a three-course meal) and was constantly thinking about food. So, after five years I have now come off the antidepressant medication in the hope that the extra weight begins to come off and it is easier than my previous attempts.

Lovely that you live within walking distance of the beach. I am trying to add in more walking as a basic too.

[Vic537]

Well done Sjanish, you are very near your target, and even with three weeks until Christmas left

[RevolutionaryBiscuitsOfItaly]

@Milbo I'm finding it ok so far, but it's only day 3 for me. I bought the 4 week pack, which has a variety of meals. Enjoyed the chicken and leek soup, and coconut shake so far. Thought the butternut squash soup was awful! I'm keeping notes so I know what to buy in future. I like the suggestion up thread to add ice to the shakes - makes it a lot less gloopy!