Thread: Newbie - 8st goal

Hello everyone

I have been having a read of this forum. I have started S&S today, after initially planning to go with Cambridge. The massive difference in price made me place an order to try out S&S. The 3 packs I had today really really impressed me. I was honestly expecting it to be verging on inedible but wow!

I have a lot of weight to drop, and I feel that total meal replacement will psychological be safer for me while I train to reduce my food as I am worried about triggering bad eating. I had a lot of success loosing some weight when I was younger on a low carb plan and really enjoyed it and kept weight off until I got pregnant with my son and put on loads of weight. I then spent the next few years with a little one, working and studying very intensively for my degrees which just resulted in me having the most shocking eat habits! I am really hoping to try and get to a good size, work on my poor eating habits and get more confidence. I am applying for graduate medical school at the end of this year and I really feel I would be able to present myself at interviews and things better, not to mention be fitter, if I can get slimmer. I feel my weight currently really can hold me back at times.

I am hoping keeping a bit of a diary will help me vent some of my diet woes. My hubby has already said that he wants me to do well but he doubts he will be much support (thanks!) so I am looking for some S&S comrades!

- Maev xx

3rd day completed. I am finding it quite easy to stick to for now. The sachets are really nice! I am a bit worried that I haven't had the headaches that normally come with the onset of Ketosis, but I don't have any sticks to test with so I am waiting for horrible breath I guess.

Really liked the vanilla shake, and the chilli meal. Yummy! Have been browsing the selection on the website to decide what to order next. It is wonderful to have so much choice.

Welcome to minis Good luck with the diet. How are you finding it so far? Don't worry about ketosis, it will come. I don't know why everyone is so obsessed! Do you really need to have the headache and bad breath? Or see a colour on a stick? If you're sticking to plan and losing weight then that's what really matters.

Hi Caz It is going great still thanks, early days but I am enjoying it a lot. Today will be day 6 and I have yet to feel swayed away from the plan by anything naughty, which is good for me.
I just liked to know when I slip into ketosis and be aware of the timing of carbs to make sure I don't slip out. In the past I have easily slipped out but then I didn't check for things like citric acid then (and I love pepsi max). It is also great at preventing cravings. I am happy I didn't get the headaches but definitely went into ketosis, the breath and thirst are enough to tell me without the sticks heh.
I am going on faith that it is working as I don't really have very good scales in the house do I haven't bothered weighing yet. When I was younger I would definitely weigh myself too often on diets so I am planning on doing it once a week and taking measurements once a week too.
I tried the spicy pasta today for the first time, quite interesting! Trying to decide what to take to work for lunch tomorrow, soup would be good but not sure how well it mixes without a blender yet. Any suggestions?
I am not planning to give too much info about my dieting away at work, as it would definitely result in uninformed lecturing and suggestions of just getting acupuncture instead.

Glad to hear that it's going so well for you. Is your WI tomorrow then?

I make my soup (chicken noodle is the only one I have) without a blender. I just put the powder in and a little hot water, mix into a paste and then add maybe half the water, mix again and then the rest with a final fix. That works for me anyway, no lumps or anything

Hi Maev

I too am on day 6 today and so far so good! This is the first time I have done a meal replacement diet, can't believe how easy it is so far! I have had the odd headache over the past day or so, but ok otherwise. I did have a sneaky weigh yesterday morning and had lost 7lbs, got a stern telling off by OH hehe, so won't be doing it again, weigh in on Wednesday, can't wait!

Andrea x

I haven't tried that soup yet Caz, I will check in my box and see if I have one and try it to tomorrow. I will weight Wednesday so after I have done the full 7 and see what the scales say. I should really get some proper scales but found it hard to find any with good views when it comes to consistency. If anyone has any recommendations that would be awesome. I had some digital ones with fancy features but the batteries leaked in them.. Whoops! They were a bit unpredictable anyway as everywhere is carpeted. Now I am relying in tiny Ikea scales! You can shift weight up or down loads by moving on them, but I have worked out how to stand on them to give repeated results for now.

Today has gone fairly easily, have a heavy week at work, with very very monotonous tasks, so it will be good to see if it gives any temptation. I cut up a lemon/yogurt bar today and it kept me going for ages! Then just had shake for breakfast (Caramel, quite nice!) and dinner, I had the chocolate shake warm which made it more satisfying.

Hi Andrea!

It is awesome we are on the same day! I am glad you are doing well too and finding it easy. I think the variety will be really helpful in the coming weeks. If it was just 3 flavours of shakes like some of the other plans I think it would be far more daunting thinking about staying in for the first 12 weeks. Are you aiming for 12 as well to start with? Have you found any favourite products yet? I really like the chilli con carne meal and the maple fruits almond bar thingy!

7lbs is fantastic!! Well done I think weighing can have such an impact on mood that it is good to be careful. In the past I would get super happy if I saw scales move down and then really despondent and demotivated if they went up- very silly! I am less focused on scale weight now and have accepted that eating like this will lose weight and it will take as long as it takes, most important thing is just sticking to something even if the scales aren't encouraging on some weeks. My body is being forced to burn that fat XD

It would be great to compare how we go, and encourage each other

Maev x

Hi Maev,

I am studying too and working so can identify with you there, it doesn't make it easy to eat right! I have a lot to lose too, my ultimate goal is to lose 7stone, but my first real goal is to lose 4 stone by the end of june, ambitious, but you have to have something to strive for! good luck xx

Hi Luna
studying really doesn't help on top of everything else does it ? My assignments have been fuelled with late night carbs what do you study? I am sure you will reach your goals, we just have to channel the dedication that gets us trough studying while working a bit onto proper diet/ eating
On the recommendations I read in another thread I am also now reading Dr. Beck diet solution, a CBT programme to help rethink. Only started today but it reads well and rings true to me in a lot of ways.
First week results (obviously lots of water loss!!) -7kg which is like 14lbs I think ? I'll take that at least it makes the numbers look at bit better. Prepared for next week to be more normal decrease! Yay happy, mainly that I got through the first mini goal of one week!
How are you all doing?
Maev xx

HI Maev, you are doing really well! Keeping going! Remember you will lose inches and not just the numbers on the scales!

Excellent loss in week 1, well done... I am studying psychology, so I'm intrigued about this cog behaviour therapy and if it works for you... Brilliant first loss x

Thanks for the kind words Kira. You are right and I will also make myself track measurements as well

Psychology is a great thing to study Luna, I wish I had been able to study more of it myself. Would have been very useful as I am currently working for a social care charity and get quite a lot of clients with mental health issues at work. How long do you still have to study? I will keep you informed how I find the CBT. I don't want to spend my whole life thinking of dieting / needing to diet so some mental change is needed.

Food wise I experience the spag bol meal pack for the first time, and it was nice. I also tried the crispy vanilla milkshake... not so keen!! I don't get the crispy lumps at all. Just makes me feel like I failed to mix it properly. Won't be ordering those next time hehe.

How is everyone doing today?

oLadies as this thread is 8st goal (I know you have reset goal) and you are like me it seems a daily weigher. Simply had to share my daily weigh today! 8st 11lb 8pz!! (Sorry I have to count the ounces!) I did find last night difficult but gritted my teeth, went to bed early and somehow got through it!

Congrats Kira!

I haven't posted for a bit but as tomorrow is day 14 (gone sooo fast!) I wanted to put a reminder here to myself about the last 2 weeks. It has been pretty easy, craving for junk food have almost been totally absent, and when they creep in I can tell its just bad mental habit. So if I feel like it is getting hard I want to remember that :

I haven't been hungry! Which actually shouldn't surprise me as I have enough calories worth of fat to keep me from needing more calories from food.
Keep drinking water as dehydration kicks in quick!
Even a slow weight loss week will mean goals will soon be reached. If two weeks goes so fast it will soon be months!
I can actually resist food temptations without the world ending.
Really compared to a lot of things in life, this wonderful diet programme is very pleasant!

Hope everyone is doing well,

Maev xx