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What a touching thing to say, Helen. I am as honest as I can be here and elsewhere because I'm sure countless others struggle as I do. There's no smooth and easy path to lasting slenderness and peace. As with most things in life, the road to success tends to be the rocky one, beset by ups and...

I hope and pray we all reach our goals! There's so much understanding between us. It's a long hard slog but worth every bit of the struggle xx

5lbs is a good wee chunk of weight. Well done! Losing weight feels wonderful, doesn't it? xx

Earlier I experienced an almost forgotten yet unmistakeable sensation - this time, really and truly, I'm going to succeed. I'm going to lose my regain and become slim again. I don't feel all excited and buzzy at this conviction. Rather I feel calm and purposeful. If I ponder it in more depth...

You're doing great! We all have to find the plan that works best for us, and you seem to have done just that. Keep up the good work x

I'm an evening eater, too. And spacing the three packs evenly over the day IS hard. Once you're in proper ketosis it gets a lot easier. If you're desperate (LOL) you can split all or some of the packs in half xx

Heya Jayne. Please come back and let us know how you're doing. We really miss you xx

Good morning all. I'm up bright and early thanks to my boy cat who cries to be let out from 4am-4.30am every day. My girl cat has come back upstairs to nap at the foot of my bed. I really enjoyed last night's broccoli. Breafast (any minute now) will be the usual Atkins shake with ground...

My late grandmother was Irish - from Sligo. I'm from Glasgow but live in the East of England. Hail to a sister-Celt LOL. Lots of my family live in Mosspark. I've been to Paisley many times. My Aunties used to take me for tea in that Church - or is it Abbey? xx

Cooking a head of deep green broccoli. Will eat it with a bit of butter, salt and pepper. Mmmmm. The simple pleasures of life! xx

Brilliant Manda! You're doing fantastically well. Exante is I honestly think the very best VLCD. Gaun' yersel! xx

I love cheese, too. Extra mature cheddar in particular. Well - it's low carb! LOL x

Feeling good. Today's total: Carbs 28g. Calories 850. Protein 52g. Mood greatly improved, blood sugars stable, gnawing hunger and cravings at peace! As hard as it is in some ways to get into proper low-carb mode it is, for me, the only true escape from carb slavery. My initial weight loss...

WOW Green. What an achievement. You'll be bursting with happiness for at least a week LOL xx

Welcome and good luck! We're all supportive on here and we have a laugh, too x

@Queen Bizzle: Women in particular learn at a very early age that to not be conventionally pretty and 'perfect' means potential social exclusion and life-long mockery. Fat is the western world's disease; the more food a country has to offer, the thinner its wealthy population tends to be...

(Accidental repeat post).

Green how wonderful that you have always felt like 'the real you' - the woman inside the fat suit. That's how I felt before losing a total of 11 stones. Now you're literally revealing your true self, and you feel fantastic. I'm starting to do the same at long last. One thing being longterm...

Hello Manda! Howzitgaun? LOL. I am from Glasgow too - Mount Florida, 2 minutes' walk from Hampden Park. I've lived in England a long time. I cannot wait to get back to the slim me. I think the majority of people with food and weight problems will lose, regain, lose, regain over time or are...

DN, you're a brave woman. Your average day has lately come to resemble a set of mathematical calculations! I know chopping and changing suits you and helps you to lose weight. I couldn't handle that many radical adjustments. I'd go mildly cuckoo! As the saying goes - if it works, don't fix...

Green, when we lose a lot of weight, particularly in a short time, we often need to 'catch up' psychologically and emotionally. Eventually we do both and become used to the thinner 'us' to the point of feeling that thinner is normal. That's how I felt for years. Normal. No need to fear clothes...

EEK! Just dug-out a hoard of 0 carb icing powder. Have to use it sparingly because the polyols wreak havoc with the digestive system but Oooh all the same. Coming up: a weekend treat of low-carb chocolate sponge with sugar free choc frosting. Will make a moderate-sized cake, portion it and...

Atkins shake with ground linseed. Large mug lemon and ginger tea. Four slices of quorn bacon. 2 fried eggs. 1 tbsp tinned mushrooms. 1 tbsp mushy peas. 1 heaped tsp mayo. Supper: Not sure but possibly Exante apple crumble and custard with heaped tsp ground linseed and medium tbsp coconut...

BRILLIANT, Green. Didn't I say back at the beginning that you'd be slim long before me? I always know these things LOL. Fantastic result xx

WI result : 2lb lost. Wahey! Getting there LOL xx

Thoughtful today. Reflective. Every day on any diet we're slowly, gradually and definitely altering and refining our food intake for the better. What suits one person won't suit another. This is why it can be unhelpful and even counter-productive to compare one's food intake, losses and...

(((HUGS))). This is a hard diet. It's not for the faint-hearted. It takes away our crutch - food - and throws us back on our own devices. We've used food for every purpose, mostly, other than nutrition and health. We've come to depend on it as a mood enhancer, a source of pleasure, a hobby...

You've had me laughing out loud! Poor thing. All that joy (!) and hunger, too! These diets really tax the suffering individual x

Oh, Poppy! How awful. Hope it all gets sorted out very soon. Such an unpleasant thing to happen x

Atkins shake with ground linseed for brekkie. Boiled eggs with mayo for lunch. Dinner will be Exante risotto with one whole egg, ground linseed and half a vegetable stockpot plus half a head of broccoli. Supper - Atkins shake or boiled eggs with mayo.

18g per serving, DNinja x

A Day in the Life of a VLCDer Ha Ha x

My wee Grannie, God rest her sweet soul, was 4' 11". She used to say, 'better a wee somethin' as a big nutthin'. So true LOL xx

Me, too! And ground linseed (flaxseed). They're both wonderfully nutritious and ketogenic. Ground linseed is mainly fibre so it is generally regarded as a 'carb wash' - goes through mostly undigested. It leaves behind wonderful Omega 3s! x

The lowest carb ones I've found are Atkins. However the ready to drink ones, that once tasted good, no longer follow the US recipe. US rtd shakes are creamy and thick and have added vitamins and minerals. The UK ones are thin and nasty and have no added nutrition at all. They sell for...

I'm a shorty too - we're the same height. I, too, have TONS of clothes from a few years ago. Size 12 tops and size 10 bottoms. I cannot wait to fit into them again and so long as I limit carbs and overall calories I SHALL. And so shall you! Naturally I'd like to achieve this superfast but to...

That's the thing - with much fewer carbs you can eat more calories and still lose weight. AND get into ketosis! Sure it takes a lot of self-discipline but when you can eat yummy, nutritious stuff and not feel ravenous you have a much improved chance of sticking to your diet and shifting large...

Size 14 jeans, QueenB! Fantastic. You'll be fine because your thinking has changed along with your diet LOL. Big Hugs xx

Welcome Jeszee! You certainly can do it and you will. Beautiful pic - you're a lovely-looking girl. Give it your best one day at a time and keep posting x

Dinner was an Exante apple and cinnamon porridge with one tbsp of ground linseed and one tbsp coconut oil. Delicious. When I low carb seriously I feel so much better. My mood improves and I feel 'brighter' in general. Boiled eggs with mayo later for supper. Vitamin and mineral...

They're yummy and also virtuous! xx

Raining still. Chilly, too. I'm sipping a large low-carb cocoa and it's delicious. I fancy an Exante porridge for late lunch. Will allow myself a total of 25-30g carbs today if needed (can have some veggies mmmmm) and keep my calories around 800. I don't expect much of a loss on Wednesday...

No, QueenB, you're 'normal'. Carbohydrate meals such as pasta are well-known for making people sleepy. When we diet we don't have enough food in our tums to get that drowsy effect LOL xx

Aww Angel. Surely the hydrotherapy will help to strengthen all of you? I'm so sorry they think it won't help your specific problems but it's certainly worth a go. You're still sad about your poor friend, and feeling more vulnerable than usual. Nothing helps really but the passing of time...

The sweet and sour noodles are yum. I WI on Wednesday too but not looking forward to it. Despite low-carbing on Atkins shakes and real food for the past two days I've already lost the initial water weight so losses will now be more modest. If I can just get into a decent level of ketosis I'll...

I know what you mean about not having suitable snacks in the house. We get anxious about the availability or non-availability of 'permitted' foodstuffs. I bet you know where every type and variety of food is stored in your kitchen. And if the larder starts to look even a bit empty, you feel...

I like Exante products for taste and texture (the porridge; the bars) so I'll continue to include them for one or two meals daily once my ketosis is better established. What I'm eating right now is fine in the short term but not ideal for months on end. But the lower carbs make life much...

I have the honour and privilege of serving two Tuxedo (black and white) cats. My boy is six years old, and my girl, two-and-a-half. They are unrelated so it took a wee while for my loving and macho Resident Tom to learn to tolerate and then accept my Shy and gentle Babygirl. Both were adopted...

I've been struggling for a while now Poppy. Good days followed by slips and blips and more good days, etc. So I'm trying to get my ketosis back. My emphasis is on real food and very low carbs. Calories between 800 and 1000 but 1200 is still fine as the carbs are so low. We do what we can...

Day 2. Atkins shake plus tablespoonful of ground linseed. Lemon and ginger tea. Vitamin and mineral supplements. 2 boiled eggs with mayo. Coffee with 1 tablespoonful single cream. Ground almond and linseed porridge. Later tonight: Atkins shake or boiled egg with mayo OR two veggie...

I hear ya, Angel. I hear ya. This, too, shall pass. I'm absolutely starving but I won't give in! xx

Coo-ee Jayne! How are ya hun? x

Yes, you're probably retaining water. Look forward to a good loss next week, too. BTW 5lb is a very nice start. Good luck and keep posting x

You look so slim, DNinja. Well done xx

True Lily. Although I know people who turn the stick purple on VLCDs. Never managed it yet! LOL. The eggs are boiling... Yum xx

I never seem to get the deep ketosis others achieve. Even on a no-carb regime I can only manage pale pink on ketostix LOL. Ah well, not to worry. The easing of cravings (and the foul breath!) are my markers xx

I won't fib - I'm hungry. Not desperate, but I sure could eat. Looking forward to my boiled eggs and mayo xx PS It's four and a half hours since I last posted here.

Forgot to add that Atkins powder mix shakes contain 18g protein per serving. And I got the calories wrong due to misinterpreting online information! LOL. One shake made with the recommended 2 scoops of powder has 168 calories. To recapitulate: Atkins vanilla shake - 168 calories, 3g...

So am I, QueenB! And it's gorgeous with just cauliflower and grated cheese x

Scones with jam and clotted cream... I used to bake low carb scones and top them with low-sugar jam and - clotted cream! All totally acceptable for a low carb diet LOL x

Curve you look lovely! Great pic. One of these days I'll pluck up the courage to post one of me LOL xx

Brunch: Atkins vanilla shake made from one scoop powder mix, I tablespoonful ground linseed and water. I coffee with tablespoonful single cream. 170 calories, 3g carbs. Dinner: same as above Supper: 2 boiled eggs mixed with rounded teaspoonful of Hellman's mayonnaise. I peppermint tea...

I'm vegetarian so if you are a meat-eater my sparse menu might not suit you. I tend to wing it each day. Eggs, cheese, cream cheese, ground linseed buns, ground almond pancakes, almond and linseed porridge, vegetables, salad, low carb protein shakes. I'll be making low carb protein bars at...

I ate lots and lots of cauliflower during my slim years! It became a standing joke between me and my Dad. I'd cook a wee bowl-full then mix in some grated extra mature cheddar. Mmmmm xx

Well said Angel. Losing vast quantities of weight is so hard. It's a long and often lonely endeavour. Keep on keepin' on xx

Hungry but determined not to eat. Sipping a very low carb cocoa. I might go 20g carbs/800 cals or less tomorrow. If I make it through (LOL) I'll try for three days more. Need to get my ketosis re-established as the ever-creeping cravings are starting to get to me xx

A bottomless eating machine! LOL. Good description. I can eat and eat and eat. After a yummy sugary/carby appetiser my artificially-stimulated hunger is off and running. It's scary, to be honest. You don't want to eat. You know you'll gain weight fast and end up miserable. But you...

If your scales at home say you've lost a stone then you have. Scales may give different results but the actual weight lost is usually accurate. It just means you were slightly heavier than you thought when you started the diet! You're doing great xx

Hi Bananas! I always have to plan, too. To have a basic framework for my food intake that allows for occasional treats (i.e. goodies!). Since I started to regain the carbs have had the upper hand. It takes me ages to get back to a comfortable low-carb routine x

When you switch from eating 20g carbs per day and being ultra-careful about the quality of the food you eat to eating sugars and starches daily the lost weight comes back very fast xx

Low carb always works for me. I lost ten stones, maintained for a while then lost a further stone. I maintained within a 5-10 pound range for seven years. I wore the same size clothes throughout that time. I felt at last that I'd cracked it and that I would now remain slender indefinitely...

Sometimes I really hate my carb addiction. I want to be like 'normal' people who can eat bread and potatoes and pasta and even cake and biscuits without gaining weight or being propelled into binge-eating behaviour. Over the years I've tried to bargain with this problem. I've tried many times...

This low carb protein bar recipe looks fab: Jamie Eason's LiveFit Recipes: Low-Carb Apple Cinnamon Protein Bars - Bodybuilding.com One portion is 64 cals but I think two/three would make a nutritious meal. Check the statistics! Low carb, low calorie and delicious. The apple could be...

Exante porridge for breakfast, Exante risotto for lunch. What shall I have for dinner? LOL. Maybe an omelette with onion and peppers xx

We all love food! What's not to like? LOL. You did wonderfully well at the Chinese all-you-can-eat. You could indeed have gone nuts but you were super-restrained. And the small amount of regular food you ate was delicious. Well done my dear! xx

It's really tasty. I spotted Tiramisu on the site too. But that will have to wait x

Thanks so much for the Exante Sam Bailey Diet tip. Small portions of fruit and veg and even tomatoes! Looks great. AND milk in tea LOL. Pretty much what I'm eating/drinking now only less generous with the fruit. You can even have one small banana a day! xx

Today's food so far: 2 small apples 2 boiled eggs Vitamin and Mineral supplements Exante Porridge Exante Apple Crumble and Custard Mmmmm! xx

Lack of funds now forces me to seek-out low-carb protein meal bar recipes. I've found a few. I'll try a couple and let you know how they turn out. I'll also post links to the most successful (and tasty) bars. Like many low carbers I have lots of leftover protein shake powder, sweetener, etc...

You can add vanilla shake powder and sweeteners to black coffee and get a fair substitute for your milky favourites. Or simply add coffee granules and sweetener to a whole vanilla shake pack! Good luck x

Hi DN. Never heard of that plan. Will google it! I'm feeling so much better for having included fruit as well as green veg. Peppers are fairly sweet but they look so gorgeous (LOL) and they're lovely in salads, stir fries and omelettes. I enjoyed every mouthful of the bananas I bought. Yes...

'Friends' may soon be telling you that you've gone too far (!) and that you look ill... etc etc. LOL x

I just want a few days' worth of raw fruit and lightly cooked veg. I may have one Exante meal every day for the protein, etc. I will take on the chin any STS this may cause. After four months of mostly Exante I really need a break x

Feeling good, thanks. Haven't lost much weight in many weeks but haven't regained it all either. I've been experimenting I suppose with different foods and levels of calories/carbs. My cravings for real food were too strong to ignore. I'd be fine on TS for a few days then whammo I'd crave...

You have a great day too! I still have wee Gala apples left, as well as oranges, tomatoes, peppers and broccoli. So rather than waste this lovely fresh produce I'm going to do a fruit and veg 'detox'. No Frankenfoods (LOL) for two/three days. If I get hungry (and I surely will) I'll munch...

And why not? Might as well aim high. Even if we get halfway there you've done well. So long as our goals are fairly realistic it's good thing and helps provide motivation. The important thing is to not beat ourselves should we fall short at any time. Any loss is still progress x

Green this does happen to everyone and I believe that the body is craving real food and is giving us very strong signals to eat more. I suspect that this explains the VLCD practice of having one food week in every four. We need to up calories significantly and also up carbs a little so that...

Thank you, and hello again! I won't manage the stone now. So I'll try for eight pounds between now and May 28th. Mini-goals are sometimes easier and more manageable x

I had fruit yesterday, too, as it seemed an awful shame to waste it (LOL). Today I'll use up the broccoli as it's low carb. I have to say that fresh tomatoes are gorgeous and I've really missed eating them. Bananas, likewise. So this week may be another STS or even a slight gain but that...

Green? Where are you, hun? Hope all's well. Miss your posts xx

Thank you Lesley! Tomorrow I'll be back in the saddle on my trusty steed Exante LOL. I'm loving the fresh fruit and tomatoes etc but enough is as good as a feast (so they say!) x

I know I shouldn't be eating fruit but I feel that after four months I deserve some. I'm really enjoying it, too. Tomorrow or the next day I'll be low-carbing again because it's the only thing that works for me. This is one aspect of VLCD-ing I dislike - no fresh fruit and limited fresh veg...

How wonderful, Angel! Fantastic. You deserve to be thrilled xx

Atkins bars are good substitutes xx

The weight losses on SW are notoriously slow. I'm not a 'club' type of person to begin with. My saviour when I lost a ton of weight and maintained the losses was low carbing. It's still my saviour although not always easy to stick to. Besides I couldn't face a room-full of people at this...

Still sore and aching. My back feels worse - as though someone had kicked it hard while I slept. My shins are killing me. Not used to walking a distance greater than the few metres between my bedroom and bathroom. Going slowly up and down my stairs prompts many an 'ouch' at the best of...

Hi everyone. I am aching all over after yesterday's exertions but content that I faced up to letting 'the world' see me as I am now. I had to sit down on a bench every so often, understandably; even so the physical effort was well worthwhile. Lots has changed in town. New bistros and cafes...

Yes indeed Angel. I'm glad I braved the great outdoors LOL. My back is killing me and my knees and feet think they've been kicked hard, but it was worth it. I could have gone for that lunch with enthusiasm but I thought - no. I need to keep moving forward diet-wise. It's shocking and...

Have a wonderful time, Susie, and tell us all about it when you get back! xx

BACK from town! I was very nervous beforehand but I managed just fine. I voted (Labour) then she took me for coffee and we had a good natter. She wanted to buy me lunch but I wouldn't let her. Also I didn't want to eat LOL. I managed a bit of walking but quickly got tired. I felt like a...

Good luck, DNinja! xx

Awwww Green! Just look at you! Fantastic and so much slimmer - like a new person. Great idea to start running. Unbelievable how well you're doing xx

So sorry to hear about Cath. All the more shocking as she is so young. Brightest blessings sent xx

Until 16th May they're still doing BOGOF on packs of 7. I bought bars recently because they're already reduced to £13 for 7 (instead of more than £15) and with the BOGOF you get 7 products for £6.50. Some of the meals/pancakes etc are now £10 For 7 or £5 with BOGOF xx

Yes, we are. And also human. We're high performance but we're not cars that you fill with petrol then operate as usual until the next fill-up. Food is so much more to a human being than mere fuel. I know some dieters are taught to consider food as a source of energy only, and not as any kind...

WEDNESDAY WI RESULT: I haven't lost another ounce. To my dismay my scale recorded a profound 'Stay-The-Same'. Hmmm. How can I lose a stone by tomorrow morning? Ha Ha xx

High Five, fellow sprout-fan! I love them. Kate Winslet lived on sprouts only for six weeks to lose lots of weight for TITANIC. I'm craving veggies and fruit at the moment. In the past, whenever I included both in my diet - raw foods, in particular - my energy levels would soar and I'd...

I'm fine, girls! My son was visiting. He stayed overnight. It's so lovely to see him because it's not very often. Diet-wise everything is going well. When I have company I seldom even think of food. Here's another good thing. Son's gf has volunteered to drive here and take me out on...

When you couple low carb with low calorie ketosis sets-in far more quickly. A daily intake of 800 or fewer calories of pretty much any food will trigger ketosis in most people. So the combination of both factors makes for fast losses. I really do think that 60g carbs per day are too many for...

I may not lose this week, either. You're doing so well. Yes, carrying a toddler is a very good indication of how heavy a couple of stones really are! x

You too, Angel! x

07.12am. Just finished my apple crumble and custard breakfast. Mmmmm. I got up at 4.00am thanks to my boy cat (LOL) but decided to wait as long as I reasonably could before cooking brekkie. Fool that I am I got on the scales (before breakfast but after two cups of lemon and ginger tea). Eek...

YAY YAY! Well done. The 'secret' to successful long term weight loss is... to never give up! No matter what, just dust yourself off and keep going. You SHALL go to the ball, QueenB! And so shall everyone else here LOL xx

Helen, the first week or two can be a real challenge. But before you know it you're in ketosis and buzzing. Exante really keeps it weight loss promises and is so much cheaper than other VLCDs that it's like a huge gift from the Universe! LOL. You're doing well, just keep at it x

Red skinnies! Wow. Go you! Sexy Mama LOL. Honestly so long as we keep any extras low-carb we can't do much damage. And it's great practice for maintenance. Where I used to come unstuck was by being rigidly strict. If I strayed from the diet in any way at all I'd become consumed with guilt...

Honestly I was drooling at the thought of mashed sprouts with butter, salt and pepper! Ha Ha. I didn't have them in the end, but I wish I had because I became very hungry. I got through the evening by having an extra bar. FOUR bars yesterday. This is why I suspect the 60g carbs per day may...

Well done! You managed to resist temptation x

LOL. Yes the creamy cocoa really hits the spot. Good luck to you, too! Every pound we lose is real progress x

Good morning! Glad you've had some great days. Fingers crossed for tomorrow's WI result x

Just had a lovely apple and cinnamon porridge. Could have eaten double the amount, quite easily! Will have sprouts late evening if I'm hungry LOL x

Great to hear from you, Jayne. Very sorry to hear that your son is ill. I know how desperately worrying it is when a beloved child is poorly. I hope he'll be much better soon. I had a feeling it might be more than just diet glitches taking up your time. Belated Happy Birthday! I'm glad you...

I've got a craving for brussels sprouts...

I may 'only' lose 2lb this week as that seems to be my pattern. If so - I'll still be happy. I might try some arm and leg exercises that can be done when sitting or lying in bed. Every little helps! xx

Hello Boof! Welcome to Exante LOL. The flavours seem strange at first. Pretty soon you get used to them and even start to look forward to eating/drinking the ones you disliked. I'm not mad on the savoury meals, myself. Even so they do kinda 'improve' over time. I add oxo, seasoning, curry...

Excellent! You're on a roll xx

Hi Dimples, and welcome. Very exciting that you start Exante tomorrow! Good luck, and keep posting x

Another day, another dollar, maybe another pound down! LOL xx

Good morning, Miss Mac! It's a great idea to regard slips and delays as exactly that and to simply 'continue', afterwards. That's what I do because it's a conscious choice and not a backward step. For most of us the journey to goal is kinda wonky in places! So long as we dust ourselves off...

You triggered a memory. When I was at secondary school - up to and including the sixth year - I was of course always on a diet. And my classmates could it seemed eat and eat and not gain so much as an ounce. So when someone would offer me a crisp or a bit of Mars Bar (at that time my absolute...

Jayne, I hope all's well. If and I say if you've had a few difficult days it doesn't matter. Look at my recent track record! I'm two stones behind Green in weight loss despite once being almost the same weight at the same time. A lot of things, including illness, derailed me. Then my hunger...

03.51 am and I'm wide awake. I decided to have breakfast. Choc pudding with a heaped tsp of ground linseed and a heaped tsp of coconut oil. The oil is to trigger fat-burning. The linseed for Omega 3s and fibre. Ground linseed is almost solely fibre so the 'carbs' just shoot through the...

Brilliant Susie! You hit your target. Congratulations. I've set myself a hard task this month - by the last week of May I hope to have lost a whole stone. Very do-able on TS (for Green, anyway! LOL) but my losses are slower. Well, I'm going to give it a good go and see what happens. You...

Fabulous! Green you're going like a bullet train LOL. It really is worth the discipline and effort. This diet suits you to a T(S)! I'm thinking I might, just might try to get through this week TS. Will be interesting to find out whether or not I can squeeze another 3lb loss. You're such an...

Angel - cook the choc pud for around 45-50 seconds, depending on the wattage of your microwave. That way the centre stays gooey like chocolate sauce. Yum! I LOST 3LB! Ha Ha. I managed it. I tried really hard to balance overall carbs and calories whilst including some regular low-carb food...

Just watched two excellent films about the role of sugar and junk food in obesity. Hungry For Change and Fed Up. I highly recommend both x

Good luck on your restart! Keep aiming for that tattoo x

WI IN DAY TOMORROW, GREEN! For both of us. I'm sure you'll have dropped another few pounds. If I manage 2lb I'll be happy. 3lb and I'll be making a celebratory cup of cocoa LOL xx

Gosh Angel three months already! Where does the time go? You're doing great despite so many added challenges (family stresses included LOL). If that 'ham' soup is in reality meat-free I might buy some. Sounds yummy x

No Green I just had the one cup LOL. It's amazingly chocolate-y. One tbsp of cocoa powder is only 12 calories (I use two tsp) and the cream is 20 calories (0.64 carbs) per tbsp. I use no-calorie sweeteners. Bit of boiling water on top and - Bob's Your Uncle! Ha Ha. Tastes much better than...

We're trying to change old habits for new and better ones that will last all the way through weight loss to maintenance and beyond. New ways of thinking about and relating to food and social occasions. Many of us have a sugar AND salt problem. Either or more commonly both. Food...

You could use a smaller mug (mine is larger than usual!) and halve the quantities. Honestly it tastes delicious and feels like a luxury treat. Let's face it we have to find innocent ways to get our chocolate fix LOL xx

Wow Kos. Mere, you've worked hard to stay in shape and to maintain. Holidays and nice clothes are our reward! Have a fantastic time x

Brilliant! Every day we get through feels like another wee triumph. Well done x

Great result. It's all so inspirational! Well done x

Just made my bedtime very-low-carb cocoa. It's comforting just to stir it and inhale the familiar aroma! LOL. The simple pleasures of life xx

That's right Jael. It's three months before you can use ANY Cambridge diet plans. And as you say there are strong health reasons for this whatever VLCD you use. Thank you! x

Forward planning is always a good idea, QueenB. Then you're not slipping as such, rather you're enjoying a social occasion and at the same time minimising any potential damage to your diet plan. Keeping the carbs low is always a good idea because you're much less likely to binge either when...

Kira, I eat for comfort too. And because I'm bored and lonely. Also because I've had trouble falling asleep since early childhood. My problem is sugar and all things containing sugar, as well as white flour. I try to avoid things made with pastry, iced cakes, biscuits... They have me...

Yay you're in the 19s, well and truly! Brilliant. And the size 20 coat! Take it easy with exercise whilst your daily calories are so low. Listen to your body. Fatigue shouldn't be ignored. You had surgery recently. Cambridge doesn't allow customers to use their products within three...

I'm definitely back on the wagon. Instead of a boiled egg last night I had a cup of low-carb cocoa. Talk about amazing! Two teaspoonsful of cocoa powder, three tablespoonsful of single cream, artificial sweeteners to taste. I put the lot in a mug and mixed them together until creamy. Then I...

LOL! You're doing great. When you're on a VLCD you discover that the simplest, most basic foods are absolutely delicious. Lovely new pic! xx

Good morning everyone. I just had two boiled eggs for breakfast. Very nice. For lunch I will probably have an Exante bar and for dinner, an Exante porridge. If I get hungry towards bedtime I might have another boiled egg. Want to keep the calories and carbs around 800 today.

Oh Lara. I'm here to apologise to YOU! You haven't done anything wrong, not at all. I became over-emotional. My tendency to over-empathise caused the problem. I have a tendency to 'mother' also! To nurture and protect and try to 'save'. For this, too, I apologise. I was empathising with...

Coke Zero can affect some but it's rare particularly since you only had one. Don't panic! Just stick with it. If it was the CZ then the effect would only be temporary. As a general rule if a fizzy drink has no citric acid or sugar it should be fine in moderate quantities. Good luck and...

I went through a lengthy phase of overspending, too. All those half-price and BOGOF deals! But I pare my final list down to what I actually need and can afford, with maybe one or two extras. I love shopping. Don't we all? LOL x

Angel picturing you putting-out that wheelie bin made me think of my own efforts doing the same. On a good day I can limp down the garden path with the help of my walking stick. It's getting the bin from its regular corner space, on to the path, and from there, out of the garden gateway and...

I am, QueenB. Like most here I'm sensitive and emotional and I 'feel' things acutely. I always want to heal/nurture/save others and that needs to be kept in check because it can inadvertently become intrusive. People like me try to do for others what nobody ever took the trouble to do for us -...

Lookin' good, Green! You've lost a huge chunk of weight. I know how thrilling that is LOL xx

Right, my friends, I'm back - and feeling better. The raw edges have been soothed and I've had three good dieting days. I'm looking forward to next Wednesday's WI because I know I'll have lost weight, perhaps a couple of pounds. I'm in ketosis for sure although some days as we all know the...

(Post too full of emotion!).

Too full of emotion! Apologies x

I am on a strictly limited budget. I find online shopping a Godsend. I don't fall into the honeytrap of in-store bargains (LOL) and I can shop at my leisure within the limitations of the comparatively modest sum I have to spend. My main expense these days is cat food and cat treats! I make...

You'll get a good result, Green. If by some mischance on any given week you see a slightly lower loss it will be due to hormonal changes, water, and/or the body still trying to adjust. Bear in mind, too, that, as our weight falls, we need less calories. The last stone, trust me, will probably...

May I gently suggest again that you cut back on vigorous exercise? You already know that your punishing routine exhausts you and makes you hungry, which places you at a greatly increased risk of overeating. It seems that you are using the exercise as a 'trade off' - to allow you to eat more...

I'm thinking of weighing fortnightly after Wednesday. This is what I did when I was slim. I weighed once or twice a month and no more. The pressure to see great losses can lead to self-sabotage. Green, I decided that I simply must see my GP before he leaves, to thank him. My son's...

You'll get that ketosis back again after a day or two. It takes time to adjust to a VLCD. They're fantastic for weight loss but never easy LOL x

Ha Ha YAY! The Big K. Isn't it wonderful to not feel ravenous? LOL x

The path to peace and calm seems to always be the rocky road. Seldom if ever smooth and narrow! You can have carbs from vegetables as Dr. Atkins insists LOL. I don't think strict no-carb is necessary or even desirable. Reduced carb and sugar-free items can make the journey more pleasant...

Relapse is part of recovery. It would be unrealistic to expect to be perfectly at ease around food 'overnight'. And you're right, Lara, to avoid wherever possible any potential slip backwards. Binge/Purge is in itself addictive and ritualistic - but also a learned behaviour. The less you do...

Hi Green darlin'. I think I'm 'there' apart from the odd twinge of 'I could eat something' LOL. I'm prepared for slower losses because I lose slowly on Exante too but then again I don't consider 2-3lb per week as particularly slow. There are people doing SW/WW/Atkins who'd weep for joy with...

Green, happiness is contageous. Weight loss can be 'catching', too! Right girls. Let's all hang-onto the hem of Green's tunic top... LOL xx

Good day today. Hungrier than usual but I made do with a bit of cheese x

You're making a good, honest and practical start. Self-knowledge is like gold dust when we face a challenge such as a tough VLCD Ha Ha x

I can't look at photographs, either. If I look at my slim ones I become sad and regretful. Looking at old fat ones might make me weep, because I'm heavy again. Haven't had any photos taken for at least four years. I honestly thought I'd made it to goal for good. At least I'm losing again...

Welcome, Allanah! This is a great site, and your fellow Exante dieters are very supportive, warm and friendly. You'll lose a lot of weight at first which is fantastic for boosting your confidence. We all have favourites as you'll discover. The sweet packs generally beat the savoury ones by...

Good luck on your restart. I've just restarted, myself. I hope all goes well and that you'll soon be posting very nice losses x

A slice of wholemeal bread might be a lot better for you, and a lot more filling, than crackers which basically have very little nutrition. However if bread would set you 'off' and crackers won't, stick with them LOL. It's all about finding the balance - what works for us. You're doing great x

A VLCD presents a huge challenge to any dieter. After months of packs we are bound to slip now and again. Two weeks of maintaining when you could have gone crazy is a result to be proud of. Go on, Jayne! You know you can do it x

Good luck, Nova. It doesn't matter how we do it so long as the diet plan suits us and we can actually live with it whilst we lose weight! Please keep posting to let us know how you're getting on x

Girls, I'm still not back in proper ketosis. I'm adjusting calories and carbs and stealthily adding good fats, day by day. So I get hungry A LOT. Nothing to be done, though, but to persevere. I'm well aware that one can only tinker so far without risking the faster weight loss benefits...

Remember that the camera adds ten pounds. It really does! Everyone photographs slightly fatter than they are. Bear this in mind before you start to fret xx

I find it pretty much impossible to last from dinnertime until breakfast! I bet lots of us find that very hard to do. I know I'm supposed to eat as soon as I get up because of the long 'fast' overnight but after a few days I'm ravenous at bedtime. We need to eat/drink our Exante at times that...

Boredom is a very big part of it but also - I'm a night person. Always have been. I'm a lifelong insomniac, too. Perhaps my body chemistry (and appetite) 'liven up' at night! x

I eat first thing a few times each week for the sake of my metabolism but later is always better for me. Funny isn't it how you can have an easy, problem-free diet day and then suddenly be hit by desperate hunger and cravings at night? LOL x

Just had a very late lunch (!) orange and choc bar. Yum. My third Exante tonight will be eagerly consumed at 8pm or thereabouts! Sometimes I leave until 9 or 10pm because late evening/bedtime is for me a common 'I'm starving' time x

Boy, JJ, you and your family are fairly goin' through it! I laughed out loud at every nose wipe being a murder reenactment. Real shame about the elopement but for the sake of peace and quiet changing your plans may prove to be wise x

We can all change. It's a learning process and doesn't happen overnight but it really can be done. We can't go on harming ourselves emotionally, physically and psychologically. No good ever comes of giving ourselves a kicking LOL x

Great plan! And very do-able. Welcome back. Go full speed ahead into your restart on the appointed day. Keep posting x

Hello MM. Good luck with your restart. I'm restarting, too x

Go for it, Lady! 14 days counting down from... now! x

Don't fall back into the trap of starving the next day. That's the old, unhelpful way to go. It fuels all the other restrictive and punishing things you've been doing. None of them worked; they only made things worse and made you feel rotten. Eat nourishingly and well for each day as it...

Hey Green! Day #2 is fine. Big coffee for breakfast, pancake pack for lunch. The Blueberry pancakes are almost gone now. I might force down another risotto later (LOL). My curry packs will be growing beards before I get through them. I'll be interested to see the WI result next Wednesday...

PS you didn't actually eat that much x

Making progress doesn't mean an overnight cure. Changing our eating behaviour can take a long time. Your priority is to avoid binging most days, because you feel better when you eat more moderately and when you are more at ease around your meals. And that's exactly what you're doing! You're...

Today was my first Exante TS in weeks. I still find it surprising how comparatively easy it is to stick to TS - at least in the shorter term - than it was for me to stick to Cambridge SS, before. I've eased my way back into ketosis by gradually reducing carbs this past couple of weeks. Now I...

Wow well done Mere x

2lb is a good loss. We tend to forget that when we are aiming for 3-4lb every week. 2lb is a bag of sugar. 2lb represents a deficit of 7,000 calories. You've managed once again to cut that many out of your weekly food intake - in addition to the calories you'd already cut (your pre-dieting...

Hi PinkT, and welcome. Exante is great. Not always easy but it really works. Good luck and keep posting x

Hats off to Green! What a wonderful result. You sound so excited and happy. Followed correctly VLCDs are Da Bomb! Well done hun. You're going to be so much slimmer and fitter for that holiday xx

This morning I weighed 15st 10lb. Could have been worse! I was on an average 1200 cals per day, occasionally more. Now that I'm increasing my rate of fat to protein/carbs and lowering calories most days I should start to see decent results. This morning I had a lovely coffee with cream...

We have to become our own best friend. The criticism and self-hatred have to go. They serve no good purpose; rather the opposite. The old ways of thinking and reacting didn't work. They made us more and more sick and unhappy. We must be kind to ourselves when we slip and allow ourselves to...

Support is essential. The journey back to health and peace is so much harder without it. The support of people who share food and weight problems is best because we share so many experiences. It's not a question of how many stones are gained, lost, regained - it's about the underlying...

I add a whole egg or two to most savoury packs. It improves them no end and adds protein and almost no carbs. It also makes them much more filling and satisfying. I also have out of date ones which I am trying to use up! Yes, what I say is simple but not always easy! So long as you commit to...

My GP's been great but he knows that when I can't go out, I just can't. He doesn't try to force me. Alas he's leaving the Practice at the end of May. That's going to be hard to take-in. I'll come out of this funk eventually. Losing weight will help with my confidence as well as my mobility x

Hi Angel. I quite like sparkling water on its own - I buy it cheap at Tesco LOL. I can drink more of sparkling than I can of still. Your life is so hectic it must be exhausting at times. You take care hun and good luck for tomorrow's TS restart x

Indeed you can't, Mere! Bless you. Gie'in' it laldy ha ha x

My pack-tinkering continues. I just had an egg pack mixed with one fresh egg, a heaped tsp of ground linseed, a one-inch cube of extra strong cheddar and, when cooked, a heaped tsp of Hellman's mayo. Delicious. Tomorrow I'll have the same but will further reduce carbs by using only half of an...

Put the slip behind you and carry on. You'll get there x

You're in a good place right now so keep the momentum going. When challenges come, meet them by dismissing any unplanned behaviour and simply continuing to forge ahead. That way, miracles happen x

Alcohol is fermented with sugar. Tobacco is cured with sugar. Interesting, don't you think? If you really can't avoid drinking, try having one alcoholic drink, then a diet drink, and so on during the evening. Automatically halves your booze intake and keeps you mellow rather than drunk. I...

Green - we'll have to call you skinnygirl soon LOL. Wonderful xx

Great to hear that you feel stronger and better-nourished. It makes sense, doesn't it? When you are able to take a step back from the mayhem you become aware of your body's needs for good, wholesome nutrition. Without it we become depressed and physically weak. It doesn't take long for the...

I'm agoraphobic at the moment because of the extra weight. I've had agoraphobia all my life in fits and starts. When it hits and my depression kicks-in I become reclusive. Struggling to walk outdoors using a stick is horribly embarrassing when you're overweight. People stare and stare. Had I...

So quiet here. Only the sound of the high winds blowing outside. Isolation. Such is my life x

Lovely sunny day. I long to be outside again. Hiding away is just not good for a person. The sunshine and extra daylight hours are making me yearn to be slim again. To slip into my wee skinny jeans and feel attractive. Will have Exante porridge for lunch and an Atkins Chocolate Brownie...

Excellent, Lara. Sounds like you had a very nice Saturday x

I love Feta! Yummy and high in protein, low in carbs. I adore crunchy peanut butter. You can have it a couple of times a week, surely, in maintenance? It's low carb. Mmmmm x

If I could manage to finish a risotto pack, I must be LOL. I need to use 'em up and the curry ones, too (ack). The thing for me is to keep the carbs down as well. 20g carbs is a lot for one meal when you're low-carbing. Atkins Induction allows only 20g carbs per day - and it is suggested...

Glad you're feeling better Yoyo. And cool about the weight loss! x

Lara! So good to hear that you're in a better place psychologically. It's like that song - 'what a difference a day makes'. A change in perception so often leads the way to a change in behaviour and in how we feel about ourselves x

Star, the flavours can seem odd at first. After a few days (or weeks!) you get used to them and start to enjoy the taste. Having said that I still don't like most of the savoury meals. I'll keep trying, though x

Just had breakfast. Risotto pack with a heaped teaspoonful of ground linseed and half a vegetable stockpot. Tolerable x

Good morning! I'm glad you're feeling better. Hope your day goes well x

Just read in the Independent that people with a BMI of 20 or less are more at risk of developing dementia. One wee silver lining behind the cloud! x

Hello and welcome back. I'm so very sorry to hear that you lost your Mum, and that your Dad is ill. My Mum passed in 2005 and my Dad a few years ago. I know how much it hurts. I also have a very small family and now that I live alone things can be really tough. It's a lovely idea to lose...

She's truly off-and-running now for sure. Just think of the lovely holiday clothes you'll be buying soon, Green! xx

I wasn't expecting this because he can't be more than late 50s - at the most. I'm not going to get over this easily, nor soon x

Just found out that my wonderful GP is leaving the practice at the end of May. Probably retiring - not sure. I am devastated. Sitting here crying. I can't stop. It will be like losing a member of the family. 27 years and such a good, caring doctor. I feel miserable x

Thinking of making a low-carb sausage roll tomorrow. Almond flour, a bit of butter and seasoning for the pastry. Quorn sausage for the centre... Might make two. Might even add a bit of fried onion (not much). Gosh I could eat one right now LOL. Couldn't really spare the cash but I ordered...

Good for you. Just go on as though nothing had happened! x

All the best, hun. Don't look back, just carry on as normal! x

Good afternoon my dears. My two lovely black and white cats - a boy and a girl - are the lights of my life. However their excellent hunting skills, despite the bells on their safety collars, often result in poor dead creatures brought indoors. Today was a double whammy. A lovely wee mouse...

Oh Nova. I understand totally. One suggestion might be to try WS which allows regular food. Or you could replace one or two meals with Exante and have a decent-sized meal in the evening - low carb but fairly generous portions - to get back into ketosis and lose the cravings. Don't give up...

We've all done it! I can remember Christmases where I was as good as gold. Even managed to lose a couple of pounds over Christmas and New Year, only to cave-in days later and snaffle the leftover chox, cake, shortbread, etc! If there was ever any Clootie Dumplin' left in the fridge or freezer...

BMe I can't find your diary, either! Where are you hiding? x

Oh, Angel! What a time you had with your sister. Never mind, you're quite right that her sabotage efforts and criticisms are a form of envy. And fear. The effect on you is very negative and what's more, she knows it. But you're still doing very well and coping wonderfully with all you've...

I had three boiled eggs with a bit of butter for brunch. That kept me going until 5pm, when I had two quorn sausages with broccoli and green beans. For a supper snack at 8pm I had an Atkins Chocolate Decadence meal bar (high protein, low carb). Two cups of tea, two cups of coffee, all with a...

Thanks, Green. I'll keep tinkering with my daily carbs and calories until I get the comfortable balance I had before. I know that I can only succeed by keeping carbs lower than average. Probably true of all of us! I can't afford Exante right now, anyway. Unfortunate but it forces me to...

YAY YAY the magical 13s! Amazing. You'll be on Cloud 9 all week. Congratulations hun on a fab result xx

I'm doing fine. Getting those maddening cravings under control. I have a very low tolerance for carbs, unfortunately. I'll sort something out xx

Fantastic. You've taken to TS like a duck to water. Our Exante Poster Girl LOL. Very proud of you, hun. Brilliant! xx

It's very hard for parents to suspect that their child has a problem that is affecting their health and happiness, and at the same time to accept that the child feels for any reason that they would rather not share the details. Then again some of us feel under pressure to live up to parental...

I feel good today. Ketosis, no doubt! My cravings have calmed down and I feel cautiously optimistic about my weight loss future. When I concentrate on speed of loss alone I tend to forget that for me 60-80g carbs per day may simply be too many. So I need to tweak packs, low-carb food and...

I know about re-feeding. Cambridge suggests moving up the Steps in measured increments. Let me say right now that if these advisory steps are followed to the letter they are very helpful but they in no way wholly prepare dieters for dealing with regular food and meals one month, three months...

Sometimes very protective parents are the last people we can tell. They become even more worried than they were before, and worse, they then start to watch us, ask questions, etc. Perfectly understandable but this adds pressure so we tend to lie our way out of such situations. I used to think...

We make a prison for ourselves without meaning to, and carry it everywhere we go. It took me decades to deal with my food addiction - much suffering and joy along the way. Nobody is ever 'cured' but it is certainly possible to become free of the obsession on a day to day basis. I know this...

Wow roll on tomorrow! You'll be jumping up and down LOL x

I had a nice quiet Easter. As a treat I made WW hot chocolate on Sunday night and Monday night before sleep - both with a bit of single cream. Delicious. I'm enjoying my low-carb meals, and looking forward to going back to TS say, four days a week, and a mixture of Exante and low-carb the...

Good morning, gals! Happy Easter. When I was a wee girl in Glasgow we boiled half a dozen eggs on Easter Sunday, decorated them with water colour paints and felt tips, then went as a family to Rouken Glen Park to 'roll our eggs' downhill. Countless families did the same! Which family member...

Won't be long now. You'll be in the 13s by your next WI. Talk about fast losses! And you've worked hard for them xx