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That's a reasonable expectation. losses on this type of diet are rarely consistent for no obvious reason (drives me bonkers!), but it is likely your body will not let the mass go easily. :)

Hendricks - that's a marvellous result. :) Day 5 for me, bit late to the party, but all is well. :)

Honk :)

Fair enough. Sometimes different formulations 'agree' or 'disagree' with people in different ways too. All the best with it. :)

Heya, If you look at a lot of people's stats, then it is quite usual to have a 'slow' week 2. I assume it's the body re-grouping over the shock of week one. However you can rest assured that week 2's losses with be all body mass, rather than the week 1's last meal/glycogen/masses of...

Heya, Research has shown that once a diet dips below 800 cals into the VLCD range, there is, overall, no statistically significant difference in weight loss whether you're on 400, 600 or 800 a day. By that point, you are losing as fast as your own body's capable. You have to go with the best...

p.s. There's never such thing as a 'last chance'. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. enjoy the trip. :)

Dear Weelanie, It is all relative hun. 100kg is actually my first major goal! ;) However I will say the voices in yuor head will subside after a while. Cravings and the like are your body's way of going 'ere! what's going on!!' as it doesn't like drastic changes. However it gets used to the...

you look at most people's stats - week two is usually, for most, a inexplicably slow week. I think one's system compensates a bit for the shock of week one. It's just one of those odd things that happens on this rather bonkers diet. You're doing marvellously though, and will be over the stone...

Quite right too. :cool:

I tend to fall back on the craft route - or just get out of the house and get some air. If you're on a roll, think of how much domestic organising you can get done! lol

Starlight - earlier posts by the OP do mention the use of bona fide products. Exante are also touting a 700 cal plan, now.

Cool. That's not what the last person said! lol Seriously, do hang about, it's nice to know how people are getting on. :)

I did lipotrim in the late Nineties (so I'd like to think it has been vastly improved since), and Exante about 4 years ago (aside from an expanded range, products look much the same). At the moment am with a different company, and may yet change still. Lipotrim, if it's the same as recent...

Biology is an amazing thing. Cravings are perfectly natural, but sometimes damned overpowering. It a real shame you can't switch them off, as after all, we're trying to do ourselves a favour with this! However studies show that cravings and hunger can subside quite substantially by week five...

Excellent news. And yes, picking a quiet time socially does help... Good luck on the job front, too :)

Agreed - also did exante in 2010, and always bought in bulk at '50% off'. in fact I don't know why they bother with the full price items. Sometimes they did pretty good deals on other things they might have overstocked. For some reason I prefer making the shakes with hot water and had a hot...

Excellent news! :) Watch out for week two, and hang in there x

If you actually come back to read this:- Sorry, but it's best you get the truth now about what's attainable, than have you panic in several weeks time because you're not losing 'enough'. You should be pleased, chuffed to bits and utterly proud of losing say, 2-3 stone, than feel a failure by...

Hi, Ultraslim is Tesco's version of a 'slimfast' type diet, where you replace 2 meals with their drinks, and then have a proper meal once a day. It is not designed to be a VLCD (it will not be nutritionally complete), and is not designed to be ketogenic. Also, (with much love and respect) I'm...

Hello and welcome. Good luck, it's not easy at times (at times you may want to punch people, cry and/or gnaw your own arm off), but stick with it, as it has no option but to work! Let us know how you get on... :)

Well done. I used to find Exante + a Rock'n'Roll jive class = swimmy head and a good sit down... ;) Actually I envy people who can run. It's one of my ambitions for the summer. :)

To be honest, it depends on the individual. I think it depends on what your baseline level of exercise is prior to beginning the diet, as to how well you can tolerate exercise while on the diet. (If I went out and ran for a bus, that could be considered strenuous.) However if you are taking in...

Excellent news! Well done you!

it's the 'carb hangover'. Aside from water and painkillers of choice, I can only recommend an early night. I'll pass, you'll probably be fine (or at least much improved) tomorrow. Good luck :)

Thankyou so much. I love reading positive stories that show what can be done :)

Super. I look forward to it :)

Anyway Karma, How did you get on today? were the other meals any better?

It is. I didn't know until yesterday. I did count your asterisks, hence I wasn't sure whether that was the reason or not! lol

Excellent news Shazzer, keep it up. :)

TBH, milk has lactose (milk sugar) in, and therefore will add to the carb count. This may well affect ketosis. Then you will probably lose the advantage of ketosis, and defeat one of the main advantages of a VLCD. To do the least damage you'd have to mix skimmed milk with water, which is...

it might be the reason in your case, can't be sure, but I got edited yesterday. OK, no worries, I said. actually I don't think this site is paid for by brands (in fact they go out of they way *not* to give opinion or favour), only that at least one made a particular nuisance of itself spamwise...

at least one brand of product has earned themselves a bad reputation through persistent marketing practices on this site. It might be that. I can't list mine for the same reason. However at the end of the day a VLCD is a VLCD, many products are the same across the different brands, and we all...

Heya, Understand your partner's objections, it doesn't sound 'right' really does it, and he might well be a bit scared something's going to go wrong for you again. However he only really needs to do the most basic of research to understand that there are a number of advantages to the VLCD at...

ketosis is just a physical reaction to a drastic restriction in carbs - don't hold on to the idea that it is some sort of enlightenment. If you do, you might be sorely disappointed! You still feel hungry at times, tummy rumbles, you still crave some days, and the overall bluntening of one's...

Hey, can't think of a proper reason why that happens. my not-proper reason might be that you're getting used to a different formulation. There will be fat loss (there can't not be), but I bet you will have retained water which masks the true result. Everyone using 'weight' as a benchmark is all...

sadly my quality of sleep has gone right downhill, some evenings because I'm cold in bed. need also to consider whether my coffee intake has increased...

Hey WooWoo, what's done is done, no point kicking oneself for it now. I too weighed late as it took me a couple days to psyche myself up for it. However I'm not sure I'd want to know if I was any more than I was (it was a bit of a shock!). So I consider the weigh day Day 1, and that which came...

The peer-reviewed, properly conducted, academically and scientifically rigorous studies into aspartame have showed that there is no risk to health from it at all, even at high concentrations. The only 'evidence' is theoretical, anecdotal, and internet chinese whispers. However each to their own...

maybe, if they have citric acid in, but to be honest, I think you should look after yourself first and get well, then the diet can follow when you're in better fettle :)

Yep - get it too, on random days. Sometimes your body doesn't like having large, concentrated doses of vitamins in one hit. Although having said that, this time round hasn't been quite as bad as last time round. Anyway usually lasts a day or so at a time, then goes away. :)

I'd say that was a good idea. it's very easy to think that just because you're having one meal, you might as well have the whole day off! but it would be a shame to sabotage a good attitude. If you can keep the meal low carb, you'd be doing yourself a favour, too. Good luck :)

Wot Mia sed. :) Have no regrets re starting earlier - can't change it, and you did well in starting at all. I just think you're a flippin hero for continuing under the circumstances. I'd have utterly lost it.... ;)

You're ill! the fact that you've stuck to it at all (strepsils aside) is a proper miracle!

Yes! Oh god yes. I put it down the the fact that my stomach acid has nothing else to work on - I only usually fet it when I eat cr@p, not when I eat well.. In fact, just bought a new box of rennies today... I do believe it settles after a while as you 'adjust', but shall get to an actual...

it takes about three weeks before your body converts to the alternative fuel, so on some days you might feel like a wrung-out dishrag, others you might feel ready for a stomp round the block. I do exercise, but that's because I rather like what I do, and missing a week or two would mean falling...

Well, as I said elsewhere, it's your diet, you're in charge.The only person who has the right to tell you what you should or should not do it your GP, really.

I know it's passed, but sadly that's quite normal. the carb 'hangover'. Lots of fluid, pain killers, grit your teeth,usually lasts only a day though.

Hello, replied on the similar thread in 'recipes'.

It is hard work. It really is sometimes. but sadly that's the pay-off you get for the results. Anything worth doing ain't easy, and if it was easy, everyone would be doing it! Hang in there, have an early night, it gets better :)

you are allowed aspartame, it's just exante leave it out of their products to give consumers a choice. I tend to put it back in :) (and as with MSG, the decent, peer-reviewed, properly conducted scientific studies on both additives have concluded there's nothing wrong with either. Both appear...

you are probably not out of ketosis, just having an 'off' day. Sadly ketosis is treated a bit like the hallowed panacea, but it's simply a physical reaction to a drastic drop in calories - you are running on nearly empty, there will be days when you feel like it. Although the emphasis with...

1 1/2 weeks, my trousers fit better. :)

I'm going to be honest - if you have a history of gallstones, a VLCD might not be for you. There is varying research out that which ranges between 1) it increases the risk of gallstones in everyone, to 2) it increases the risk of gallstones in those with a susceptibility to the condition...

each time I get headaches for a couple of days, and at worst, I get a full-blown 'hangover'. This time round I planned to have a lead-in week where I reduced carbs in order to prevent the transition being such a shocked. Worked to a degree, still had a couple of wobbly days. :)

How fantastic, I'm exceedingly chuffed for you. :)

Still catching up with everything, but just wanted to say what a lovely first post on the thread, really made me smile. :)

I had one last night that I thought 'that was wierd', but I can't remember it now.

Recommend the Atkins book as a general reader about ketosis, or Lyle McDonald's 'The ketogenic diet: a complete guide for the dieter and practitioner' if you're up to something a little heavier going. Can't find a print version for love nor money, but most of the science chapters are available...

Last time I did this I was living on my own, most of the time. Since then, we got hitched and bought a house. So it's bringing with it a whole host of new 'experiences'. Thankfully he knows where the kitchen is. Well, he survived perfectly well for a number of decades before we got together...

Because some chewing gum has net carbs - even the sugar free ones. You may not be ingesting the gum, but you are the flavouring (unlike toothpaste). And it won't stop your tummy rumbling, either, but may well make it worse! Also, one of the central concepts of TFR diets is the 'T' part -...

depends how sensitive you are to carbs, and whether you are already 'tweaking'. Would not venture more than one or two day personally, but you'll have to read the labels and judge for yourself. :)

I do believe the guidance that a manufacturer of a VLCD has to stick on the side of the packet has finally been changed, pursuant to recommendations from a rather long time ago - the EU standard advice now is to avoid continuous use for more than 4 weeks without medical supervision (IIRC). This...

Or your local veggie shop should stock it, if your supermarket draws a blank. I like it occasionally, find it useful to get a flavour going, or just to make a change from yet another tea or coffee.. :)

Hello, Although you have a set of guidelines, you are in control of your diet. You are an adult, the choice of whether to stick to it as directed (or not) is, and always will be entirely yours. No-one here can give you permission, or forbid you from doing whatever you like. You are in charge...

Good for you. Pleased you're perky! I tend to find days three or four a bit of an issue, when your body realises that the ketosis is not as temporary as usual. My day 5 last week meant I couldn't concentrate on anyth- ooh, pretty sunset... Not trying to rain on your fireworks, but forewarned...

Heya, Food smells, TV adverts, the internet, etc are utterly hellish in the first week. The smells are stronger, the colours are brighter as your very being is hollering at you to eat. Once it gets used to the fact that it's not going to get fed, the cravings die down a bit. Even driving past...

Started again a week ago, although couldn't psych myself up to do the scales thing until Tues, which was a bit of a shock. Was in two minds about measuring by weight at all, TBH, as I have other personally more important benchmarks, but it's the only real way of noting short-term change. It's...

Good evening, After thankfully remembering my username and password, I'm back for another go. Thought I'd also check back in here, too. I notice Exante's no longer a sub forum, the wallpaper's changed, and the place has had a few renovations and extensions since I was here last! There's a lot...

it is quite exciting to start with. It really is. And then the fits and starts happen, which is perfectly normal, and happens to us all. But seeing them actually happen on a daily basis is really quite demotivating, as you've found out - which is such a shame, as we may well be doing great in...

Wee recipe tiop - I tend to use 400ml water on both shakes and soups (100 cold, 300 hot), tends to make them a bit thinker and less sludgy. Tablet sweetner for the shakes, and things like tabasco, black pepper and the suchlike to perk up the soups. Tabasco is my friend... Good luck.

Some fundamental truths about scales:- 1) stick to the diet and you cannot fail to lose weight. it may be in fits and starts (erratic losses are not unusual), but you will lose it. At this kinda calorie level, you cannot not lose weight. 2) You will lose weight at your own personal rate, which...

This evening I spent nearly an hour on the phone to a mate, watched Holby City and bought a rather splendid pair of tap shoes on ebay. I've not got anything constructive done at all, (despite my massive mental and actual list of jobs to do) and thoroughly enjoyed it. But... I still feel like...

I completely hear you on all of that. Deprivation & guilt (and the associated feelings of 'failure') are diet-killers for more people than they care to admit. Me included. I'm afraid my approach is a little off-message at times, and certainly at variance to the 'stick to the diet at all costs!'...

Well, there are no hard-and-fast 'rules', no-one else can tell you what you should do. you need to decide what's going to work best for you to stay more-or-less on the wagon long term. The diet is merely a tool for you to use as you see fit. There are guidelines, but they are simply that - the...

Wotcha Bren - lovely to see you too. Hope you are well x And thanks to the other lovely peeps who welcomed me back, too. x

You have two choices - drink or not drink. Ultimately you're in charge of your diet, and the choices (and consequences) are yours. 1) if you drink, make sure you come out of ketosis first - which usually means eating something. If you don't go mental and go straight back on the wagon, you'll be...

Good lord - oodles of newbies. I suppose that happens... I'm back peeps - houses moved, fella is installed, online, wedding frock ordered, and have just about emerged from the paperwork mountain. So, who's still here, then? Am back on the spacefood, although may loosen the reins a bit on the...

Gaah! my reply's not here! In short, I'm with Myr. leaving an 18 hour gap between 200 cal packs is not a triffic idea. It's got nothing to do with kickstarting your metabolism - it'll already be working like the clappers - but more to do with not feinting or feeling giddy...

Meh, what don't they have a hate campaign on??

Meh - what's done is done. But getting back on that wagon is real difficult - had issues myself, TBH. Onwards!

Well, they're sufficiently meat free and artificial, I'll live with it until I know otherwise. ;) I'm quite content as to ther provenance - I'm fairly sure I checked with some websites. And she's not wrong - the French's idea of veggie catering is usually to cut the meat up really small :D ...

Yep. most of these companies that sell 'their own' diets are actually all flogging the same stuff under different brands. That's not necessarily a bad thing - loads of companies do that sort of thing, it's a business after all - but unfortunately the advice regarding the suitability of...

I've got a friend who lose weight (9 stone in total, as it happens) for health reasons. She wanted to avoid the family disease heritage. Fair enough. Was she unhappy being fat? Hell no. I've never known someone so comfortable in their own skin. Is she any happier now? Um, actually, no. She is...

there should be no problems with mixing - they're all VLCD products after all. I probably wouldn't have more than one bar-type-portion a day though, but that counts for any of 'em. I'm using exante shakes and soups, and avidlite as 'a third product' cos damned if I was paying over two quid a...

Indeed! But do remember it works both ways! :)

Sexy is a state of mind... ;) It's not easy at the best of times, but hang in there. Look for the small victories rather than the big picture. Best of luck ;)

First of all, stop and breathe... it's only a diet. Calm now? ;) Right - we don't know what's 'wrong' if anything, either - we're not medics or psychics! However we can offer the benefit of personal experience. I think the 'starvation mode' thing is largely cobblers, and generally espoused by...

Spearmint is a leaf tea, it's fine. Chamomile's probably OK too. Give one a go now and then. I stuck a longer response on another thread in the past, not going to repeat it, it's there to be found. But in short, the fruity/flower ones may contain sweeteners and/or preservatives. Either can...

Never used them, but I understand they are a once-or-twice-a-day thing, not all the time. Despite the fact that something is 'allowed' (really dislike that phrase!) moderation and control is still the way forward.

3 1/2 stone in 2 1/2 months is one hell of an ask! I think you might need to be a little kinder on yourself. Not because I doubt your fortitude, but as people lose significant amounts of weight (as you have) and get increasingly closer to goal, their rate of loss slows. Quite understandable...

Welcome in, and good luck. with regard to the previous week or so - what's done is done. Lets all move on ;) But on the up-side, whatever it was that you got rid of, is now gone and won't be looking at you. Right - I'm not going to lie to you - brace yourself for an 'interesting' first week...

Crikey, how brilliant is that? :cool:

First time for a few weeks - as it all went pear-shaped and I've been easing meself back into it - Honk.

Good - It just happens like that sometimes. There's something in the 'your body catching up a bit' hypothesis, but I still can't think of a scientific basis for it though. Dunno, one of the mysteries of the universe. It shouldn't happen like that, but it does... I'm glad (and utterly relieved...

Have only seen Flexinutrition as a seller on ebay, but in any event from the description above they appear to be selling the same Bariatrix products as most of the others on ebay, and several other suppliers. Check out the Avidlite website - same products, probably cheaper. ;) (not on...

They sprays are fine - you're not really ingesting anything!

Ok, tucking into a cottage pie. As long as you don't go expecting a microwave dinner, it's actually quite good for VLCD diet food. Yeah. I've eaten worse.

Sadly Caz, that's normal BUT... it only usually lasts a day - certainly did with me, anyway (often referred to as the 'carb hangover'!). Couple of days feeling a tad spaced out, but I only felt rough for a day. And compared to my mates, I had it bad. It's quite survivable, and part of the...

Re the meals - they're indeed soya based. (As are rather a lot of non-diet 'dried' meals. If they were 'fresh' I'd raise an eyebrow about the content (I'm a veggie too). But just about anything 'meaty' that involves adding hot water to reconstitute it, generally isn't. :) ) I plan to give one...

Minty breath freshener spray, any of them will do, I found mine in Boots. :)

*eeep!* Tiny! how cute is that? :)

:talk017::talk017: :party0038::party0038: :party0019::party0019: :talk017::talk017: xx

First of all, if you are doing it right, it is impossible not to lose something. However 'weight' is actually a terribly crude measure of er, losing weight. IYSWIM. Best thing to be doing is to cover all bases - weight, measurements every few weeks, and be using some of them new-fangled scales...

Wow. 13st 6 an all time high. I think that's probably my goal. :( Anyway, that aside, we're on our own journey here. And best of luck with yours. And I concur with my esteemed friends above. When you take into account an average woman's calorie requirement (never mind what the diets contain)...

Cool. :cool: Kinda fancied that myself, once; but ended up having to throw all my time at everything else I was studying, so never actually finished the course I was on. And that was a few years ago now, so I've mostly lost it, back to square one... But anyway, found it fascinating.

not 'arf. Had a non abstinent blip owing to house purchase trauma. Have since discovered a number of things:- 1) It's not actually worth it, and while things are nice they don't make me feel any better. 2) I think I enjoyed the shopping for interesting farmers market things more than the...

There is a technical explanation to this, which I'm sure someone will impart, but in the meantime I'll stick with the analogies. as Gina says, you are on a starvation diet. You are giving your system just enough energy to keep it ticking over. As a result, weight losses are rarely consistent. I...

Probably not. 14lb a month is doable, if you stick to it. The sort of loss above would be exceptional. I'm not saying it can't be done, but that sort of loss is by more luck than anything else. You're only setting yourself up for disappointment. Your aims are a bit on the ambitious side - 40lb...

Just bought a box-full of their stuff to serve as a top-up and (a variation on) my exante supplies. I was running out of exante bars, and quite frankly wanted a bit of variation, after 3 months-or-so. So while I have plentiful supplies of exante shakes and soups, I fancied a change for my 'third...

Pharmaceuticals ;)

Exactly! Any person can be dissatisfied with an individual aspect of their personal being - be it weight, career, domestic circumstances, hairdo, whatever - but it doesn't necessarily mean we're all wandering around being singularly miserable about it, all the time.

The problem is - what makes a person 'truly happy?' Is a fat person truly happy? Probably not, but then nether is a short person, a mousey blonde person, a scarred person, a lonely person, a short-sighted person, an unemployed/redundant person, a homeowner in negative equity - you see where I'm...

Ooooh, what a load of cobblers! (the comment in the original post - not the subsequent response :) ) First of all, I blame Trisha for this whole nonsense about being 'happy with yourself'. 'As long as you're happ with yourself...' I've heard regularly in the past. But is anyone truly happy? If...

Still wearing most of mine... But as for the rest, the good/unusual stuff gets ebayed, the rest to charity shop.

I'm pleased you're so happy, but it's only a byproduct of the process and not an end in itself! lol Don't get too hung up over it :)

The triggers never stop. The thing is, is to see them for what they are, and either 1) give in to them and accept the consequences, or 2) realise they are simply triggers and not orders, and try and rise above it - use distraction, smugness, whatever works. Either way, we're all grown-ups and...

Glad to see you're well read, but I do try and reply for a general benefit (if a point may prove useful to someone, somewhere, in the future). So no, it wasn't a specific reply to you, just about the point you raised. However, being a preservative, it does indeed crop up in the daftest places...

If you want it at the 'Bumper Pack' price (ie £25 pw), then sadly they come pre-packed with no substitutions allowed... But most of the flavours are OK, and most of us prefer or hate different ones...

Alternatively, in the interim, they are available in full from the exante website. :)

Citric acid is one of those things that's best avoided as it will prevent you going into ketosis, but it's a moot point as to whether it'll take you out of it, once in. There's a post on this forum with references. Again, it's down to individual tolerances. When in ketosis I can get away with...

That's cos it's green tea - it's not meant to ;) It only goes yellowish. It's a different beastie from 'normal' tea. It's a much more delicate flavour, too. All part of life's rich tea-pastry...

It's not 'bad' or 'good' to weigh yourself repeatedly, if that's you're wont, but if it's likely to affect your mood for the rest of the day then you're doing yourself no favours. If you can see it as an 'interim result' then why not? I just firmly believe we're all grownups and are wholly...

You said the 'C' word. :( On a VLCD try to avoid overdoing the cardio.

Oh yeah, and I drink EG by the (porcelain) bucket. http://www.minimins.com/exante/145503-drinks.html http://www.minimins.com/exante/137260-drinking-exante.html http://www.minimins.com/exante/144681-starting-tomorrow-but-no-booklet.html

Have a good search - try 'drinks', this has been discussed loads, and there's oodles of useful info kicking about, if you blow the dust orf the posts :)

I swim with my glasses on - they get wet, but I prefer to be able to see where the end of the pool is, even through wet glasses. I really don't like not being able to see properly, and contacts seemed too much like a liability in the water. No-one seems to have an issue with it yet... Do it -...

Ebay, every time for party gear. But then again, my tastes may be a tad off the beaten track. Currently hankering after a few frocks here, too:- Ladies plus size clothing | dresses | tops | skirts Occasonally pick up stuff here:- http://www.yoursclothing.co.uk/ And on their sale site, here:-...

Good luck.

Only if you're not having too many carbs a day to tip you into the process. It depends on your daily carb count, which could be added to even with the lactose in the milk. Unfortunately you're going to have to work that out for yourself and/or your diet provider, whom ought to be able to answer...

I know *exactly* how you feel, believe it or not. That's part of the reason why I have taken photos. We won't see it, and (aside from one colleague) nor does anyone else who sees me on a regular basis. I just look down and still see *me*. Don't notice any difference physically, but feel...

Hello new peeps - basically, with the monthly challenges you cut 'n' paste the list from the last contributor and add your own details if you want to join in. Likewise, you are responsible for any updates personally. That way some poor soul is not responsible for doing *all* the work, and it...

Ahhhh.... thought as much ;)

Tickers are from tickerfactory, however you need a certain number of posts before you can play with signatures and the suchlike. There's a post about it on the main forum bit.

If you do a good search there are several threads in the recent past, (I think one of which is entitled 'drinks', or similar) where there are posts re ketosis-compatible drinkies.

9lb since the beginning of May? that's incredible ;)

It appears to have disappeared. So the rest of us are none the wiser... ;)

BMI is a simple calculation that that has a degree of applicability to everyone, but is specific to no-one. It's simplicity means it was widely adopted, but there are so many variables that are no taken into account when calculating it. IT is also relatively easy to understand - but it's...

10st v. Milk in your tea? No contest, really. It's a recommendation for a reason, and you really do get used to it before long. It seriously isn't the end of the world. Skimmed milk is practically water anyway with little more than a bit of colour. This diet is a good opportunity to examine a...

Yep, but it is very much a forum for mutual support, so you get out what you put in, really. More of a little community. All the best with it. :)

In the nicest possible way, if you approach this process as something to be feared and everything involved in the process is a string of negatives, then you will be fighting an up-hill battle. If you focus on the positive things you hope to achieve (rather than the cr*p you may, or may not...

Whooo! Welcome back - and glad everything seems to be on the up :)

Crikey - you both on commission? ;)

3. Largely out of 1) expense; 2) this isn't stuff I would choose to eat so don't really want extra; and 2) when in full flow am not that genuinely hungry anyway.

Well, you can either let it get to you, or you can put it behind you, write it off as a bad few days, and move on. all the best.

Yep - but all but the very lucky don't have issues in the first week. It'll be worth it - good luck.

Seriously, the recommendations are not to increase your exercise levels in the first few weeks. Keep doing what you're doing, but certainly don't do any more until you get into a groove with the diet. You will feel tired for the first couple of weeks. but if you keep in context what you're (not)...

Best advice - go back through a loads of threads on here over the next few evenings, and you will see this is all perfectly normal. Just remember - you're currently in the process of converting your body to run on 600 cals of mostly protein. You will feel a bit listless for quite a while...

Day 2-5 can be quite hellish - sit it out.

Ooooh - old convo. Rather than repeat self, I refer you to the following thread:- http://www.minimins.com/exante/147190-ketostix.html Personally, when I'm at it 100%, my ketostix are a proper purple. but it varies so much from person to person (and time of day etc) to really make the scale...

Well, it may well be interlink (or similar - can't remember which), but they might have sub-conned work, and/or the local fella covering your patch may be a bit risk averse depending on your neighbourhood. Round here most couriers leave stuff with neighbours (although I got my exante delivered...

That'll probably depend on the policy of the individual courier, unfortunately.

well yeah, cos they've been collecting and concentrating overnight, innit. ;)

Wicked. We ordered our wedding rings yesterday while in Brum. There I was umming and arring about ring sizing last week, but the morning I actually rocked into a proper jewellers shop it was a really rather warm day, and my attempted protestations that 'my engagement ring didn't actually fit...

Dunno mate, can only speak from my own experiences, and I'm afraid I've never had 'only' 18lb to lose. May be worth asking this of of the other ladies on the exante forum, who's a squeak away from goal and ask them what rate they're losing at... But purely on stats, 6-8 weeks, giving it 100%...

May also be as you're a bit happier about one's lot, you're standing up straighter. ;)

For assorted reasons I'm having a minor rest from the spacefood until after the bank hol. Normal service shall be resumed shortly. :D Just remember peeps - it's not a competition, and you're all winners. :cool:

Different people react to dietary ketosis in different ways. Ketostix only measure the excess ketones excreted, and not ketones produced. Some people metabolise more ketones than others, and therefore those which are excess (and available to be measured) vary from person to person, tolerance to...

Groovy. Glad to hear it. We all reach that point from time to time, glad yours worked out :)

Me too. TBH, it's none of anyone's business unless I make it so. Have only told the close friends who have done/are doing something similar, and my OH as my choices would affect him. That's it. Coke Zero is my little bit of normality. I probably overdo it, TBH, but I've gotta have something ;)...

Indeedy - I quite agree. I generally don't have an issue with anything that I've chosen to do, and at least thought about! I'm actually a huge advocate of making one's own choices in this, as after all, they are one's own to make. If you've thought about it and are prepared to either work...

No honk today, but ate for what I believe were the *right* reasons, rather than giving in to cravings. After being ill for most of the week, I went back to work today, felt very washed out and wibbly (well, I wasn't languishing round the house) so 'treated' myself to a small 400cal dinner of...

I've tended to find the carb withdrawals are practically non-existent after a weekend off. I suppose there's a big heave-ho into ketosis the first time round, but subsequently it doesn't seem to be quite so much of an issue. But I wouldn't tempt fate too much :)

I can only echo what my esteemed friends have said. Also, as you lose weight, your metabolism lowers too - that's nothing to do with dieting ruining your metabolism, it's because you then become less physically big and therefore have a lower energy requirement. Effectively, you become more...

TBH, no-one's in charge, it's entirely up to you. On the plus side - you get what you're craving. On the down side - it'll dent your losses. It's swings and roundabouts, innit. But to do this 100%, for weeks on end, isn't easy. The recommendations as to which solution to follow are worked out...

20ish lb? is your ticker a bit adrift, then? According to that, BMI wise, you're only a squeak over normal anyway - to do TS or WS you ought to have a BMI over 25, which you're not far off as it is...

Well, congrats on getting away with it! lol You've been at this a while, so you know this may still bite you on the bottom in the next week or two. Just be a bit accepting if it does...

Cheese. You mentioned the 'c' word :( Glad you had a great time, but did you really have to go into so much detail :cry:;)

May be worth a go, just out of interest, like. But don't be surprised if there's a lb or two difference. Just approach it as an 'experiment' and don't let any differences (if any) bother you too much - for all we know, these ones may be more right than the ones that broke... it's the...

That's a shame. But you haven't got much left to lose, and may well achieve it (or get reasonably close) by the end of the box anyway :)

Thankyou - am just grumpy today, and felt like falling back on bad habits. But I just usually think about how much more grumpy I'll feel if I intentionally blow it for no real reason. And then I consider that if I'm going to blow it for no good reason, then what's the point in the effort and...

Apologies - a slightly miserable and forlorn honk here. Thought about blowing it, but didn't.

Blimey! they chuck out more info than mine! It's all interesting to know though, and it only goes to show that there's more to this than just 'weight'. Nice one.

Well, needless to say, not all badly-reported studies apply to everyone. If that was the case, I shouldn't be fat at all... I think we could safely consider a stereotype bucked, there. However, found articke interesting (in context) all the same though - knew lots of middle-class well educated...

Well, quite - that would be exactly my gripe, too. Fair enough - you're a better person than I. I'd just lie in bed and stew... ;)

Ooooh chuck - I think it's personal ;) Be sure to have a good whinge (*ahem* read 'strongly worded formal complaint') at them though. I would. This gear ain't cheap.

Ah well, I happen to know much of what has been said is true, as I know a number of the contributors personally. Especially the bit about the Dennis the Menace Fan Club badges ;) Anyway, on a similar point re overconsumption:- Cleverest women are the heaviest drinkers - Telegraph

I've still got my Dennis the Menace Fan Club badges somewhere...

Crikey! that's one from the vaults...! welcome in, and best of luck :)

Ooooh! is this a 'I've got the most badges' competition? lol

Sadly I can't get to any of the articles, but if anyone has any, I'd be delighted to read them. :)

Used to use the tesco one in preference to slim fast - but be warned, neither it nor slimfast are meant to be used as total meal replacement diets.

I too sometimes have problems with concen... oh look, a butterfly...

Greetings - am back. -2.6lb. Although it appears that my gallbladder and I are not on speaking terms at the moment *ouch!*. That'll teach me. Yambabe - 10lbs - 2lbs to go - 8lbs lost Karen - 15lbs - 9.5lbs to go - 5.5lbs lost Miss D - 14lb - 3.6lb to go - 10.4lbs lost justgina - 6lb -...

Ohhhh.... Bugger. Well that knocks spots off my mishap week! lol I can sympathise with the 'only having one working hand' thing, have had some experience of that myself. I hope you recover soon. (((x))) p.s. You really ought to add a meal until it heals... you'll need the...

Excellent news!

:cool:That's incredible! well done you.

Glad you've said that - it's the right thing to do... ;)

Me neither ;)

Hangover - normal. Only usually lasts a day. Lack of poo - Normal. Not much going in, and after digestion, even less to come out. Soup - I usually use 400ml (100ml Cold, 300ml hot) to make it less gloopy. Weighing - what the hell. See other thread.

I don't. Daily, first thing. don't bother with the rest of the day as by then you'll have taken water on board, so it's pretty meaningless. It doesn't matter as long as the score on the scales doesn't set the mood for the rest of the day. I just look on them as 'interim' results - it's only...

Ahhh. got spares if you want them. Did I offer them to you before or someone else? Apologies, it's a friday and my brain is worn out.

I ebay my better stuff, the pile is down to some of the 'cheap' stuff in rather good nick. A quid is a quid, innit, but it is a bit of a punt. May be worth limiting your self to that which you paid decent money or new. I have bought 'cheap' stuff from ebay, if it was something I liked, or...

1) Carb content of the bars are slightly higher and may take you out of ketosis if you overdo it; 2) May have a laxative effect. I think there's something in the little book...

Honk for today. Unfortunately owing to a massive change of travel plans (cos I unexpectedly found myself without wheels this week), this weekend's going to be a bit awkward. Trying to lose as much as I can this week to prepare for damage limitation this weekend... Hm.

Well, ultimately, on exante you're in charge.

Usually I keep the colours by 'quoting' the last contributor and just changing the details as necessary :)

In the 12 weeks I've been either considering it or doing it, this is the first 'offer' I've seen other than the usual bumper pack 'offer'. I just personally assumed they had extra stock kicking about, as it seems a bit of an odd one to offer 84 of the same product. But hey, I stuck an order in...

tabasco or a few chilli flakes when blending. perks it up no end :)

Much honkness.

I think banananana is possibly my fave, too :)

I wonder if this can be stickied?

I can seriously identify with that one :) But as for your pics - excellent work ;)

In fact, it's on this page of the forum :)

Yes! :) There's a 'drinks' thread here, only a day or two ago - I won't repeat :)

Heya! Welcome in. Very sensible re the weekend :)

That's a regular question, but a difficult one to answer, TBH, as it depends on personal taste. I get on pretty well with all of them except vanilla and the chicken. Other people will tell you different. I happen to think the bars are great, others don't. Are they 'any good'? In what way? I...

Hello Drench, hugest congrats for your progress so far!

Spot on. However, really try not to, as once you open the floodgates, an' all that... as soon as you think you can 'get away with it', bad habits can creep in, which are ultimately quite destructive. No worries, I'm just a bit ahead of you, and have spent 2-3 months keeping busy by doing a...

Oooooh! *hunts for the plastic. Short of shakes.*

You have my every, deepest respect.

Well, don't take four weeks then ;)

http://www.minimins.com/news-please-read/9000-signatures-progressive-privileges.html

As mentioned above, it's 50 posts. There's something about it on one of the rules pages.

Got a mate who was a Coroner's Officer on secondment, for a bit - she's in the process of reapplying for a permanent post. I want to be a Coroner when I grow up, me. (And CSI is wrong. All wrong, I tell you!)

I think on this forum they like to make sure contributors are 'stayers' before they let them play with the toys. Anything to do with diets probably attracts a lot of random gawpers and pi$$-takers (Hey, lets go laugh at the stoopid fat people!),which is why they protect personal things, like...

You can usually find 'garlic granules' on the same rack as the dried herbs, and some supermarkets do them in grinders, too.

Exante make a point of not adding much (if any) artificial sweeteners to their products. It's part of their USP. Some peeps see that as a plus, but I tend to add the sweetener back in... :)

it's all normal, Fongs. Stick it out for a few days, and it'll start to get better :)

No! they're not meant to be tasty! lol. They're meant to be a low calorie nutrient delivery system, anything else is a plus! If you come at it expecting Nesquick, you will be sorely disappointed I'm afraid. However if you think of it as 'taking your medicine', you may be pleasantly surprised...

I'm a scum-of-the-earth, bottom-feeding, ambulance-chasing, robbing/theiving/b@stard solicitor. Although today I sent damages cheque to a client, so today I'm one of the good sort of solicitors. Tomorrow, depending on the client du jour, that position may change... Believe it or not, I don't...

No point dwelling Mrs R. What's done is done, at least you're having a proper go now. I've been fat all my life, so don't know any different. But I look back on kiddie photos, and curiously I was not actually that huge by today's standards...

not necessarily. There's a string of possible first week symptoms. Some people get some of them other people get others. Some people sail through it. But whatever, it all passes. Edit:- Just noticed. 'It all passes'. Geddit! I really didn't mean to say that...

I was once told once to ease up on food during a cold because the energy used for digestion (which is one of the most energy intensive bodily processes going) can detract from fighting the infection. Could be complete cobblers, but given that I often end up on a bread and soup-fest (both easily...

I got a jar of very lazy garlic because it's still kicking around from before I started. But it's in vinegar. Only used some here and there just to get it used. Not a recommendation for the 'allowed' list, but I didn't stop losing, or suffer anything untoward...

I really wouldn't concern yourself with that yet. Looking that far ahead is too frightening a prospect! lol As you lose you do take a bit more interest in the body and it's processes, and you may well read up a bit more, come to a few conclusions, and make your mind up about the future. But at...

the ketone breath is more obvious to the breather than anyone else, so it's something peeps get a bit paranoid about. But it's not normally as much of an issue as you think. Although the breath freshener is quite useful to get a flavour going...

No citric acid. I believe IIRC that they use Malic acid instead. Not 'allowed' in the conventional sense, but they sneak under the wire owing to the ingredients list. Fongs - Pepsi Max is officialy out, owing to the citric acid thang.

Black tea, black coffee, green tea, peppermint tea.... basically any leaf tea. Water, sparkling water, and the apple and strawberry & kiwi flavours of 'Perfectly Clear'. Coke Zero, and possibly Tescos own, up to a point. No juice, it has carbohydrate in it. No fruity tea, ditto. No squash...

I had the opposite problem too. It passed. there are other threads about it here. The packs deliver a third of your entire nutrient requirement in one hit. That's quite a shock. Sometimes your system takes a little time to get used to it.

it was only for a couple of months, though.

Naaaaah! it just makes you 'slosh' :)

Honk again, even with a difficult evening. Nearly thought 'f'k it'.

I get 'hungry' when I'm tired, too. I'm never entirely sure whether I'm actually physically hungry, or just craving energy from any source. Get an early night. That's my plan :)

Well in that case, everyone's just ignorant, feels insecure about their own situation, or just don't know what to say.

But as an aside, ketosis doesn't actually depend on calories, it depends on carb intake. Bodybuilders use ketogenic diets all the time and can take in a couple of thousand calories, but with very few net carbs. So, the toast probably would have taken you out of ketosis, and therefore you may...

Well, it's quite safe to say that any of the VLCD's don't involve much in the way of big solid stuff ;)

someone sparked up one over the way yesterday afternoon, then it clouded over and got a bit breezy. Shame... (fnar!)

well, if you eat only rabbits forever, it probably wouldn't be too good for you, no. But if you are sufficiently crackers to only eat rabbits out of choice, you probably had 'issues' anyway. But it's funny how eskimos manage to survive though ;)

Cheers. Will be useful in the coming weeks, as I haven't got a scooby what size I'm meant to be, and will only steadily get more confused... ;)

4.2lb for me - I should think so, I worked like a bloody Trojan over the weekend, and am now so stiff I'm not looking forward to tackling the stairs... Yambabe - 10lbs - 5lbs to go - 5lbs lost Karen - 15lbs - 9.5lbs to go - 5.5lbs lost Miss D - 14lb - 6.2lb to go - 7.8lbs lost justgina - 6lb -...

Seriously? or you having a larf and I'm tired? :)

I make the 'crisps' quite regularly. I've got that one quite sussed. Use baking paper/parchment though, rather than greaseproof. Greaseproof isn't non-stick. Otherwise you end up with a gluey mess that you can't get off the backing. :( The author had got their culinary stationery in a muddle.

Linky to the sizing site, Maggie? ta x

cravy? freudian slip if ever I read one... Not 'arf. :( I'm sorry to read all of that. (I only got 3/4 of the way down my soup at lunchtime, as it happens.) I can understand suddenly going off the food substitute when you have had to deal with and smell real food for most of the day. It utterly...

Took my favourite studded belt to the shoe fella yesterday to put in a couple more holes and get a bit more life out of it before it gets consigned to the cheridee bag. I also got into the smaller of two particular frocks* on friday, I won't bore you with the significance here, but shall...

Some of the granulated-type ones are made from sucralose, a derivative of sugar. 'Splenda' does, I'm not sure about the rest though, so can't help - best avoiding the lot. (I think canderel and the tesco stuff is aspartame based, which AFAIK should be OK, but don't quite me on that.) I think a...

I'm afraid that diet, along with many others, are internet urban myths and have absolutely nothing to do with the Mayo Clinic. Eat under a certain amount of calories of anything, and you will lose weight. There's no magic there. The fact that the substance du jour is eggs and grapefruit (as...

bars have a bit of a sawdust aftertaste (but you don't notice that after a while) and aside from that, they're a bit 'cereal-bar' like. Sad as it sounds, I quite look forward to 'orange' day. If your 'flapjacks' were the same as the ones when I did LT over a decade ago, there's no comparison.

we hear you on that one...