Angie's Exante Adventure

[angie-bum]

Any Google search of a gallbladder attack will tell u all u need to know.


Anyway,
This feels a bit like I'm practicing maintainence early. It's funny, I don't have any pull to eat carbs, or to drink alcohol....7 weeks of this diet has had some effect on my habits, I start the day with a bar, having a Dahl or curry at dinner time, a low carb meal in the evening, followed by another bar. Portions control, calorie counting, weighing weekly and coming on here, it's all u need to maintain.
I've never been in this place- eating measured amounts using Vlcd packs, but eating more (a new grey area, not being Vlcd but still being in ketosis, and not eating standard food) I think I can do this because in my mind, each product was 85p each, following an exante sale, I have a lot of products to eat, I don't have the mind set of wasting money on Vlcd but not losing it fast. I'm swimming in the grey areas of my mind.
I realised, with knowing I'm not going to goal quickly, I automatically shed some dreams and warm fuzzy feelings about getting skinnier. I assumed I would be getting there soon. I'll see how my blood results are by next week, if I'm back to normal I'll consider holding at about 800 with exante products.

I'm coming on here to still be accountable, just because I've had to stop does not mean I am going off on a bender.

 

[angie-bum]

Oh Angie, feel better soon xx

Been there, done that ........gallstones are serious agony

Had cholecystectomy some years ago now, and haven't looked back

.....nobody wants surgery, I know, but you'll feel so much better for it - and being lighter certainly reduces your risks and recovery time

Take good care

Thank you

 

[angie-bum]

Maintaining goal: no increase in weight with 1-2lb loss a week
Trying to keep the gb happy.

1lb off this week
Now 15.4 and grateful

 

[womble35]

Take care of yourself Angie - I have a gallstone too (apparently just the one big one, no little ones, so not at any immediate risk of complications, hence delaying surgery) and know the AGONY when an attack comes on. Didn't realise this diet would aggravate it, so will bear that in mind. x

 

[sybersadie]

Your maintaining goal should be doable, and you seem determined Angie, good luck

 

[Darcy15]

Take care Angie

 

[angie-bum]

Hi guys,
It's weird limbo, I had no intention of coming off the Vlcd, none. So I find myself on here, doing the maintaining thing early, again , not in my plan.
But while I'm here I'm interested in how my mind hasn't reverted to type, I was given a small bar of Chocky yesterday by a colleague, instead of explaining and getting questions, I thanked them and said I'd have it later. I gave it to my little gal instead today, while I had the rest of my bar.
Went to a team meeting today as well. Lots of food on offer, I ate my black bean hotspot and spaced a jam crunch bar through the afternoon.

Other times I've stopped after losing a couple of stone, I've gone straight back to not calorie counting, eating everything and not weighing, but it finally seems to have stuck that I can't do that. It's early days yet, but I really understand that I have to be on a semi diet always vigalent. So I will keep on keeping on.
I wonder what cals I have to eat to lose 2lb a week? I had such a scare, at the moment I do not want to risk such a big flare-up, so I am tentively practicing eating more within limits, noticing what I'm thinking.

I want to get down to 14, but slowly, I'm so wary. My gallbladder shuts up for months and months, then bam! It's not the pain, that usually goes in a few hrs, it the fear one will lodge, or my gallbladder will tear and I'll be in a hell of a state. I feel I've dodged a bit of a bullet.

I'm actually enjoying my exante food, I don't want much else, I might have some salad or a piece of ham, but I'm actually really liking the simplicity, especially at work.
It's just nice not to have to plan meals, it's convenient. Anyway, just using my diary to be accountable.

 

[enlightenme2]

Good luck on the new plan Angie!

 

[womble35]

Have you considered low GI for maintenance (Patrick Holford does a good book and recipe book too). It's an incredibly healthy way to manage your weight - I lost 10kg following it for the first half of last year till I fell off the wagon. It's based on the principle of eating good fats and wholegrains (and avoiding processed foods and sugar), in order to manage blood sugar and stave off cravings. It should also help keep your gallbladder happy

 

[Darcy15]

How are you doing Angie?

 

[angie-bum]

How are you doing Angie?

Hi, still here, bit on a limbo, had a plum today, first fruit in 8 weeks.
I'm still confused as to what to do, eating my packs, not going carb mad....unsure what to do to maintain. I've been a bit lax with calorie counting. Probably need to go back to 3 not 4 packs and up the cals with milk, low fat meat and low carb veg. I'm trying to get into a new pattern, but it's hard.

 

[angie-bum]

Have you considered low GI for maintenance (Patrick Holford does a good book and recipe book too). It's an incredibly healthy way to manage your weight - I lost 10kg following it for the first half of last year till I fell off the wagon. It's based on the principle of eating good fats and wholegrains (and avoiding processed foods and sugar), in order to manage blood sugar and stave off cravings. It should also help keep your gallbladder happy

Hi, I'm keeping off the grains at present, but was thinking of incorporating some low gi foods with pulses and veg, but I don't want to go nuts, just get used to making 200 and 300 small meals to eat in a calorie controlled/portion controlled way.

Whilst I try and work out a new way of eating I'm eating my packs. But thanks, I'll look him up.

 

[sybersadie]

unsure what to do to maintain

I think sometimes the packs are safe because we know its a measured amount and vits and mins are all worked out so its balanced. I'm trying to look into different ways of eating for when I come off this diet, I can only imagine how hard it is when you have to come off the diet early.

As far as calorie counting is concerned, why not record what you eat in myfitness pal - it gives a breakdown of carbs and proteins as well so you can keep track to stay in ketosis

 

[angie-bum]

Yeas, I'm liking the safety of the packs, not willing to put too much variety in my diet at present. If I can't do I simple tot up in my head, I'm eating too much.
Really my focus at present is just eating and drinking regularly so my Gbullock doesn't have a huge spasm, and basically staying off the crap and alcohol I'd usually retreat to. If I'm wanting to still lose1-2lb a week I may need to eat my cals but start exercising. Bleugh!

 

[angie-bum]

Was 17.10
Am 15.5
Will be 12.7

I've stayed the same for which I'm grateful.
Still haven't found the balance between losing weight and keeping the gb happy. What I am doing is using exante products for 2 meals then having a more milk and a bigger tea. Suppose I need to experiment with 1000-1200 cals rather than '1200....oops I've had more cals'. Some of this maintainence weight will be glycogen again. I look a bit plumper in my face again and my tummy looks bigger. Anyway, I feel I've got maintainence within my control, without being complacent, it's in my control, it doesn't mean I can eat without control.

Weekly weighing and mindful eating, simple tools, it's what I'm going to have to do for the rest of my life

 

[sybersadie]

Great to hear that you are in control of maintenance, Angie

Hope all has settled with your gallbladder

 

[angie-bum]

I spoke too soon
Was 15.5
Was then 15.8
Am sure to be more this week after 10 days of Choc abandon.

Plan: 2 days of bars and shakes and a weigh in, then better vigalence and keeping off the Choc and alcohol. Want to be 15 stone or under when have gall bladder removed.

It shows I haven't yet learnt what eating well and in moderation means.
At least I am aware.
I will still be weighing in every weds and being accountable

 

[sybersadie]

I think Easter weekend is a difficult one though - all that chocolate around the place. I'm sure a couple of days on bars and shakes will get you back in control

 

[angie-bum]

And I still didn't learn. Have stabilised at 5lbs heavier than when I stopped the shakes.

I am scheduled for surgery in 13 days which is a surprise as I thought it would be August. Have been put on a yogurt and milk diet to reduce the size of my liver. However as it's supposed to be an 800-1000 low cal, low carb, low fat diet, I'm going to use my common sense and use the soups and shakes for a few days to get into the groove. Other nhs surgery sights give more options than yog and milk, some say use optifast or slim fast. I have a box of exante so I will dip into that.

Was 17.10
Am 15.10
Will be 12.10

 

[angie-bum]

Actually I checked this am and note I'm actually 15.7, 13 days b4 surgery. It's been a bit rough starting this again, but I'm confident I'm going to be under 15 by the 11th. Haven't been under 15 stone for about 4 years.

Then I intend to keep it going until I'm 12.10 at least