Absolutely confused, and in need of some advice.

[Mally]

Hello all,

I am completely new to both this forum and all these diets, so please bare with me if I make ignorant claims or suggestions.
I am looking to lose weight for personal reasons and have been researching the 'Cambridge weight loss plan' for a while now. Only today did I realise that one needed to go through a councilor in order to purchase the products available, which has completely put me off wanting to follow that particular plan.

Google has the ability to take you to many places which is why I find myself on Minimins today, and inquiring about the 'Exante' plan. Am I correct in believing that Exante is virtually a replica of the Cambridge plan but with the luxury of cheaper products? Personally I have little to no care about the taste of the products which is why I am not eager to find out how bad or good the Exante foods taste.

Also I have a real niggling concern which is preventing me from purchasing the products as I type, which is the speed in which you lose the weight on these liquid replacement plans. Now I am aware that sounds absurd as one would think I would want to lose weight as quickly as possible, which admittedly would not be far from wrong. However I am aware that the faster one loses weight the higher the possibility of excess skin which absolutely petrifies me. On the Cambridge plan it suggests no exercise, is that also the case on the Exante plan? Also does the fact that I am 18 work in my favor?

I have many more questions to ask, however will not bombard this forum with all my queries. Thank you very much for your time.

 

[Darcy15]

Hi

I can try to answer some of your questions.

Essentially all very low calorie diets ( VLCD ) are the same. The calorie count can vary, but all are below 800 a day. All vitamins and minerals are contained within the packs provided.

Exante estimate a weight loss of about 14 pounds a month. This varies from person to person, depending on many factors. If you have a lot of weight to lose, your initial loss is likely to be impressive!

Loose skin is a tricky one. Your age will have a definite advantage in that it is likely to be very elastic and should shrink over time. However, rapid and significant weight loss can result in excessive loose skin in anyone.

I too was put off the Cambridge plan as I had no desire to share my weight loss journey with a 'counsellor'.

Exante recommends 20 minutes of exercise daily.

For me Exante has been a life changing journey. I have tried every diet you can think of, and failed each and every time. Taking choice away has been very liberating for me. I am losing weight slowly but surely - I do not lose as fast as some, because of my height.

I have never looked at an internet forum before, let alone been active in one. I discovered Minimins through Google as well - and have found it invaluable for support and information sharing.

Good luck whatever you decide

 

[pjlucy]

Hi there, Im finishing off on the exante packs at the moment and have started slim and save products. The exante are fab priced and easy to use, but prefer the taste of slim and save and feel I need to have at least one meal a day. Both still around the same calories. Im a little disgusted to hear Cambridge suggest no exercise, everyone needs some form off exercise, be it 20mins or 1 hour each day.
Your very young and will have fab skin, if you have a huge lot to lose then exercise will help with any excess skin problem, but that depends on each person. Welcome to the forum, loads of people on here will give you more advise.

 

[AliGal]

All vlcds are fast - usually a stone a month after a possibly higher first few weeks. Excess skin depends on how much weight you have to loose and the elasticity of your skin. Younger people usually do better than older folk so being 18 years old helps.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Ali

 

[Blue Butterfly]

All VLCD's are the same, the only thing that differs is the taste of the packs and the price.
All say that you can lose a stone a month.

Excess skin scares the heck out of me too but in all honesty I would rather have loose skin that I can cover with clothes and be healthy than stay at the weight I am now.
I do pilates which is supposed to sort of help tone and I am learning to swim. Apparently swimming is the best toning exercise you can do.

So I say go for it.....if you're left with excess skin then that can be fixed later, being overweight can give us problems that may never go away.

 

[Mally]

Thank you so much for all of your comments thus far, it really means an awful lot to me. To be completely honest I do not have an inordinate amount of weight to lose, however the thought of excess skin honestly paralyzes me with fear. In order to get down to a healthy weight I need to lose around 3 stone, nevertheless I personally am looking to lose closer to 5. In your personal opinion (and I do appreciate it is very difficult to judge) taking on board both my age and the weight I have to lose, do you believe I will suffer excess skin?

Furthermore for those who have been on Exante for a longer period of time, or even those who have a strong grasp on the rate of weight loss, how much money would I be looking to spend to get down 5 stone, roughly?

I fully acknowledge the questions I am asking may vary widely, therefore I will not hold anyone to any 'predictions' they are to make. I hope you appreciate that due to my age this decision is a rather large one, and I feel it is important to gain extensive knowledge on what could be a life changing decision.
Thank you again in advance for any answers.

 

[Blue Butterfly]

Hey Mally, I've known people that have lost about 3 stone and been left with excess skin and I've also known people who have lost 8-10 stone and been left with none at all.
I suppose it's all down to each persons body and how/where they carry their weight.
Drinking water, moisturising and doing toning exercises will all help if you're worried.

Exante say we can lose a stone a month but you also have to re-feed (where you still have some packs at first but start adding meals) I think a safe estimate to lose 5 stone and re-feed would be about 7 months.
So if you're buying the bumper packs @ £100 a month then you're looking at about £700 but maybe less if your weight comes off and you re-feed quicker.

 

[and]

Don't forget you're not buying ANY other food during that time though.
So £25 a week is ALL your food.
It's probably cheaper than eating normally.

I've lost 2.5stones on LT and I don't have excess skin anywhere except my belly - but that's from having 2 huge babies rather than this weightloss and I'm more than twice your age - eeek!

 

[Want2BeSlim]

I chose exante because I too didn't want to have to check in with a councillor. Also because it was one of the cheapest meal replacements as I don't have a lot of spare cash.

With regards to loose skin, it really varies from person to person. Some people have better skin elasticity than others. Age can help, but there are times when it doesn't - I remember seeing a video on youtube of a girl in her late teens with loose skin after losing about 7 stone. I have also known older people to lose a big amount and have none-hardly any loose skin. So it really depends on the individual.

When I was 21 I did a VLCD and I lost about 2.5 - 3 stone over about 8 months and I ended up with a little bit of loose skin on my breasts, thighs and stomach. Wiith relatively a small amount lost and not too quickly either, I guess it was because I'm not blessed with good skin elasticity! I have just turned 26 and dread loose skin because I have about 5 - 6 stone to lose this time round eek! But if I am honest I think I would rather be slim, healthy and look good in clothes than be unhealthily overweight and feel very self conscious in any type of clothing that I wear.

Good luck whatever plan you choose to go with.

 

[Bellerine]

Hi there

May I just pipe in and say that you could use a VLCD to lose the first three stone to get to a healthy weight but after that you really shouldnt. It isnt really recommended to use the diet once you have a healthy BMI and IMHO far too many thin people are using these diets to crash diet rather than dieting in a healthy way. You have three stone to lose to get to a healthy BMI. You just barely qualify to use a VLCD based on the rules most companies issue because it is based on weight to lose to get to a healthy bmi not to your goal which may be a lower. If you use the diet for three months and lose the three stone then see how your skin is. It will cost about 300 pound for three months if you get the discount packs.

Belle

 

[Mally]

This may sound condescending, however I really do not mean to be rude. Due to the fact that I am only 18, means that if I suffer from excess skin now I am going to have to deal with it for the rest of my life which I do believe is quite a big deal. I could not agree more that being large is unhealthy and carries thousands more health risks then saggy skin ever could. However considering I do not agree with having plastic surgical procedures (except if they are absolutely necessary) I simply can not comprehend the thought of having this problem.

This sounds ridiculous, as I understand that there is nothing anyone can do about it. If one were to excessively exercise, surely they would not suffer the skin problem considering of course they do not have too much weight to lose? I know this sounds vain beyond belief, but I can promise you now I am the least vain 18 year old I know. My confidence cannot possibly get any lower (I will not go into details)so the thought of suffering from excess skin takes the whole ordeal to a completely new level. Could somebody let me know what exercises are good for toning the entire body (individually or not).

I sound so ungrateful, but I truly am thankful for each and every post on here. My personal weight issues are deeply intrenched and I feel lost in life to be honest with you all. Thanks again.

 

[and]

Mally - I had my first child at your age. I put on LOADS of weight - and i've had that belly ever since.
No amount of sit ups or any other excersize will EVER shift it.
I still don't like it but i've learned to live with it.

IF you're really large you could get that excess skin EVEN if you lose weight slowly.

BUT like you said a baggy stomach is far, far better than an early grave.

Also... like someone already said, try losing 2-3 stones and see how that looks... Maybe you could then have a break, spend a month or two toning and maintaining...

You don't know, we don't know, no one knows what your body is going to be like.

 

[nixib]

Mally, I've lost over 5st in a relatively short period of time (in the past) and had four children and was very lucky as I didn't suffer from any excess skin. I kept to a strict regime with firming creams , and I'm doing the same again this time. I treat this as part of my learning to take care of me time!! No one can promise that you won't have a problem, but age is on your side . The worst case scenario is you don't like the new slinky you and you decide to put the weight back on.... I don't think that is really a possibility!!
Nix
Xx

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[AliGal]

Congratulations, Mally, on getting into the trenches with the intrenched issues.

I've heard people say pilates and zumba are both great. I find some zumba classes are too much for me - so try various teachers to find one you are comfortable with.

I liked the suggestion that you start, and evaluate how it's going when you've lost, say, 3 stone. Make sure you manage the refeed for which ever system you choose properly so you keep off what you've shed.

let us know what decision you've made and keep posting as this is a great place to get support. It works best to use the forum for whatever way of eating or vlcd you decide to follow to start your journey.

We're rooting for you.

Ali

 

[Mally]

I am feeling optimistic about starting, and am currently awaiting my credit card so I can get ordering. May I ask a few questions about the actual products themselves?
Firstly, I have had a root around the Exante site and the 'mixed bumper pack' appears to be of best value, is this indeed the case? Also, I am very cautious about buying online as I am aware of the bogus sites and the potential for one to lose money, so how safe is ordering from Exante? I would set up a PayPal account, however it takes a while and I do not wish to wait any longer. Therefore is it wise pay directly via credit card, or would this be a silly move? Generally how long does it take to be delivered, and is the packaging particularly large (the bumper pack packaging)?

I am going to try my damnedest to not think about having skin problems, and focus on the positives. I am going to purchase a 'dry body brush' as I have heard that they are good for bringing blood to the surface of the skin, and prevent excess skin (as much as possible) do any of you use one? I have also purchased Cocoa butter firming formula, as I have heard it is beneficial to keep your skin moisturized as best possible. Is there anything else anyone can suggest?

Moreover, because of the nature of this particular plan, is the weight loss more 'water weight' then actual fat, or is it actually burning through the deposits of fat around the body? Also you have all spoken about 'maintaining', is this by adding in food small bits at a time? By the way, just quickly want to ask, at the end of the checkout to buy products on Exante do you HAVE to type in your weight and measurements, as I cannot seem to skip the step? They are not planning on questioning me about this when they reach my house are they? I am just a little confused as to why you cannot skip the step?

Thank you so much.

 

[Darcy15]

I am feeling optimistic about starting, and am currently awaiting my credit card so I can get ordering. May I ask a few questions about the actual products themselves?
Firstly, I have had a root around the Exante site and the 'mixed bumper pack' appears to be of best value, is this indeed the case? Also, I am very cautious about buying online as I am aware of the bogus sites and the potential for one to lose money, so how safe is ordering from Exante? I would set up a PayPal account, however it takes a while and I do not wish to wait any longer. Therefore is it wise pay directly via credit card, or would this be a silly move? Generally how long does it take to be delivered, and is the packaging particularly large (the bumper pack packaging)?

I am going to try my damnedest to not think about having skin problems, and focus on the positives. I am going to purchase a 'dry body brush' as I have heard that they are good for bringing blood to the surface of the skin, and prevent excess skin (as much as possible) do any of you use one? I have also purchased Cocoa butter firming formula, as I have heard it is beneficial to keep your skin moisturized as best possible. Is there anything else anyone can suggest?

Moreover, because of the nature of this particular plan, is the weight loss more 'water weight' then actual fat, or is it actually burning through the deposits of fat around the body? Also you have all spoken about 'maintaining', is this by adding in food small bits at a time? By the way, just quickly want to ask, at the end of the checkout to buy products on Exante do you HAVE to type in your weight and measurements, as I cannot seem to skip the step? They are not planning on questioning me about this when they reach my house are they? I am just a little confused as to why you cannot skip the step?

Thank you so much.

Mally

The Exante website is secure, please don't worry. I pay by credit card, have had several orders and no issues.

If you order early in the morning, delivery by courier is usually the next day. Bumper pack is the most economical option and arrives in one medium brown box for each months supply.

Have no magical answers to your skin concern. Can only say I have lost quite a bit of weight, am less than young, and have no loose skin so far!

Weight loss in the first week is water lost from your glycogen stores to a great extent. After that, weight lost is fat pure and simple!

Hope this helps.

Try to relax. This is hard for the first few days, no doubt. Then it gets to be so much easier, honest!

 

[Getslimquick]

Dear Mally

It works, it's safe to buy and to do it. It worked for me, no horror stories just a severe addiction to buying new clothes.

I post in maintaining section -- it might reassure you. I lived on Exante for eight months, bought it on line - no problems in endorsing the product and the company.

Ps and I feel well.

GSQ

 

[mrsvjx]

i ordered online and used my credit card... my order arrived on time and with absolutely no issues I am looking forward to getting stuck in will look out for your first weight loss post

 

[Getslimquick]

On the subject of loose skin, a lot depends on your age and skin type. It also depends on the amount of weight you lose too.

Creams etc help but it's marginal, the older you are the less elastic the skin. For me it was not an issue, loosing weight was far more important than skin. It is also important to remember when you lose weight, the fat deposited around the major organs goes too and that is a very good thing. Some people are lucky, their skin is younger, more flexible and shrinks as required, others not so.

Whatever you do, losing weight is worth some loose skin.

GSQ

 

[Getslimquick]

On the subject of the Exante web site, the requirement to put in your BMI weight and height is to protect the company from being sued. If you declare your BMI they cannot be accused of supplying VLCD to those for whom it is unsuitable eg anorexics.
There are no counsellors - thank goodness, so no-one but you to check up.
It's all about Exante minimising their risk. - the delivery man will have no interest in you, your weight or even what he is delivering - so off you go.

GSQ