ladyfelsham
Back to SW again
Bet you don't! That's just your mind not wanting to believe all your hard work! 
Daily Mail article on Pauline Quirke
- Thread starter Alpaca
- Start date
To be honest, Exante was the best thing that ever happened to me, yes it is hard core and you really have to want it very badly. I struggled with the eating weeks as I really didn't want to eat at all, and probably never had as many calories as I should have in those meals but it worked for me, after the first weigh in I never looked back, I do think it is a case of right time, right place (in your head) and right circumstances. I had just started going out at weekends watching bands and I could so easily have given in and drunk but I stuck firmly to soda water and carried on dancing............even the works crimbo meal out worked for me, ate atkins style and did not drink, had a wonderful time mainly due to the compliments I got - was the first time I had "dressed up" since going from a size 26 to a 14 and it just spurred me on all the more.
It is far from easy, some days were downright hard and I just kept telling myself how much I would regret falling off, so I didn't.
I have to agree that the more times you do this sort of thing the harder it is to carry on, I got to the stage where I could do 5 days and then go crazy so have packed in with it now, have thrown away the crutches so to speak - it is down to me, learning what works and what doesn't and if I do have a binge (Tuesday lol) then to get back on some sort of straight and narrow the day after, the binges seem to get less as time goes on, it is just a matter of staying focussed and saying - no way do I ever want to go back to what I was.
Ok - verbal outpouring over - if any of it helps good, if not keep calm and carry on lol xx
It is far from easy, some days were downright hard and I just kept telling myself how much I would regret falling off, so I didn't.
I have to agree that the more times you do this sort of thing the harder it is to carry on, I got to the stage where I could do 5 days and then go crazy so have packed in with it now, have thrown away the crutches so to speak - it is down to me, learning what works and what doesn't and if I do have a binge (Tuesday lol) then to get back on some sort of straight and narrow the day after, the binges seem to get less as time goes on, it is just a matter of staying focussed and saying - no way do I ever want to go back to what I was.
Ok - verbal outpouring over - if any of it helps good, if not keep calm and carry on lol xx
Divalicious
Silver Member
Quak said:
Well said! (clap hands) x
Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
Alpaca
Gold Member
Bren!! You are inspirational. You are exactly right on starting it when its the right time, right head space... my focus is about 90% with the odd binge when I've had a stressful day and get home too late.
But, I don't think my head space is good enough to do the total replacement. I think my body and mind are too weak to do that - yet... the determination you have shown, and continue to show to do what you've done - and also Diva - is immense and you deserve a medal, a trophy, an MBE, a pedestal, a book, a movie ... people under-estimate the super human effort it takes to lose so much weight. I have SO much respect! x
But, I don't think my head space is good enough to do the total replacement. I think my body and mind are too weak to do that - yet... the determination you have shown, and continue to show to do what you've done - and also Diva - is immense and you deserve a medal, a trophy, an MBE, a pedestal, a book, a movie ... people under-estimate the super human effort it takes to lose so much weight. I have SO much respect! x
Divalicious
Silver Member
Alpaca said:Bren!! You are inspirational. You are exactly right on starting it when its the right time, right head space... my focus is about 90% with the odd binge when I've had a stressful day and get home too late.
But, I don't think my head space is good enough to do the total replacement. I think my body and mind are too weak to do that - yet... the determination you have shown, and continue to show to do what you've done - and also Diva - is immense and you deserve a medal, a trophy, an MBE, a pedestal, a book, a movie ... people under-estimate the super human effort it takes to lose so much weight. I have SO much respect! x
Oh thanks for the kind and encouraging words. Am kinda doing Atkins at the moment. My TOM is all over the place so am trying to see if I stay away from packs whether it will settle. Much as it's annoying coz I feel like I can still do the diet it's not worth being tired all the time since I have 2 kids to look after. With Atkins at least the steaks will sort out my iron.
90% is good, you still lose the lbs. Keep at it! X
Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins
girlygirl1
Banned
The Pauline Quirke part of this thread will go one of two ways. Either she will follow the refeeding and maintenance advice to the letter, and have at least a reasonable period of reintroducing food without going off the rails, or she will discover as countless VLCD-ers have before her that it is when the food is included again that the true challenge presents itself.
I would guess that she has been having extra professional help to lose the weight. Counselling perhaps, and maybe even a personal trainer, supplied by LL. Everyone will have rallied round to cheer her on and to keep her motivated, thus far. LL will be doing everything it can to make sure she stays the course and slides effortlessly into maintenance. Should she backslide it might just might affect the company's image and profits. So finding the right celeb is important and you will have noticed that she did not go public about her use of LL until she'd lost a fair old chunk of weight. That was no accident! Both parties surely wanted to see if she could hack it and if she would be a good longterm bet for the publicity campaign.
I hope she does succeed. Every weight loss success is cheering to others. I do however think that her toughest trials are yet to come. It is when she is alone at home, in her regular life, with regular food all around, that the real test will begin. LL is expensive, but she will have been supplied it for free. There will be extra pressure on her now, as the face of the company, to keep that weight off. The newspapers will be scrutinising her from toe to hairline from now on. Should she be photographed in public eating just about anything there will be comment, and probably critical comment at that.
This may help to keep her on the straight and narrow, but it could actually have the opposite effect. I hope she is strong enough to withstand the press backlash should she stumble at any point. Every celebrity slimmer I can think of has not only put the weight back on but was at some point persecuted for having done so! Natalie Cassidy is one case in point. Coleen Nolan is another. They are 'size ten' it seems for just long enough to shift a large number of exercise DVDs. And not much longern than that, sadly.
Pauline had nothing to lose but the weight. But most overweight people are very sensitive underneath and the pressure will start to tell her sooner or later. I hope she can withstand it. Slimming in the public eye can be a poisoned chalice!
I would guess that she has been having extra professional help to lose the weight. Counselling perhaps, and maybe even a personal trainer, supplied by LL. Everyone will have rallied round to cheer her on and to keep her motivated, thus far. LL will be doing everything it can to make sure she stays the course and slides effortlessly into maintenance. Should she backslide it might just might affect the company's image and profits. So finding the right celeb is important and you will have noticed that she did not go public about her use of LL until she'd lost a fair old chunk of weight. That was no accident! Both parties surely wanted to see if she could hack it and if she would be a good longterm bet for the publicity campaign.
I hope she does succeed. Every weight loss success is cheering to others. I do however think that her toughest trials are yet to come. It is when she is alone at home, in her regular life, with regular food all around, that the real test will begin. LL is expensive, but she will have been supplied it for free. There will be extra pressure on her now, as the face of the company, to keep that weight off. The newspapers will be scrutinising her from toe to hairline from now on. Should she be photographed in public eating just about anything there will be comment, and probably critical comment at that.
This may help to keep her on the straight and narrow, but it could actually have the opposite effect. I hope she is strong enough to withstand the press backlash should she stumble at any point. Every celebrity slimmer I can think of has not only put the weight back on but was at some point persecuted for having done so! Natalie Cassidy is one case in point. Coleen Nolan is another. They are 'size ten' it seems for just long enough to shift a large number of exercise DVDs. And not much longern than that, sadly.
Pauline had nothing to lose but the weight. But most overweight people are very sensitive underneath and the pressure will start to tell her sooner or later. I hope she can withstand it. Slimming in the public eye can be a poisoned chalice!
Starlight
Gold Member
A VLCD can be the easiest or the hardest diet in the world, depending on your outlook. Easy cos you know its your packs and nothing else, hard because although your not hungry there are times you still crave food.
Theres no doubt its the fastest way to lose weight, but there seems to be a misconception that as soon as you start eating youll gain all the weight and then some. Thats not the case. You only have to look around Minimins to see there are loads of success stories and loads of people who have kept the weight off very successfully. You also only have to look at any of the other forums and see threads from people who are back on WW/SW/CC etc for the umpteenth time.
How you lose your weight doesnt determine if youll keep it off, its purely down to what you do when you get to goal. Revert to your old eating habits and itll go back on, regardless of how you lost it.
I think it must be so hard for celebs who lose it you just know the media are sitting willing them to regain it again and be able to post their 'eating' photos or the then/now pics.
Theres no doubt its the fastest way to lose weight, but there seems to be a misconception that as soon as you start eating youll gain all the weight and then some. Thats not the case. You only have to look around Minimins to see there are loads of success stories and loads of people who have kept the weight off very successfully. You also only have to look at any of the other forums and see threads from people who are back on WW/SW/CC etc for the umpteenth time.
How you lose your weight doesnt determine if youll keep it off, its purely down to what you do when you get to goal. Revert to your old eating habits and itll go back on, regardless of how you lost it.
I think it must be so hard for celebs who lose it you just know the media are sitting willing them to regain it again and be able to post their 'eating' photos or the then/now pics.
girlygirl1
Banned
I hear what you are saying starlight but I do think that VLCDs, where regular food can be totally removed for long periods of time, do tend to cause an added type of anxiety at 'refeeding' time and then on into maintenance.
Losing weight on Atkins or SW or WW means eating regular, ordinary food. In moderate amounts. The weight is lost more slowly but these diets work because lots of people seem to find them easier to stick to and also more in tune with ordinary, everday life. It is no accident that many on VLCDs find, perhaps for the first time, ever, that they can lose weight very fast indeed. How? By cutting out the food part.
This is what I mean when I say that very fast weight loss on packs or bars exclusively can make the transition back to normal food very scary for the dieter. I am not suggesting that it always does, but, rather, that it most certainly can do. I say this from personal experience, from the experience of my many dieting friends, and from countless posts on here. I think dieting on packs etc adds an extra dimension of difficulty that other plans don't have. Moving from the safety of packs into the uncertain world of real food can be like walking on shifting sands for very many people.
We all have good intentions, we all swear 'never again will I eat like I used to' etc but we are dealing with carb addictions, binge eating behaviours, cravings etc etc that all too often resurface in maintenance. I don't think they go away during the VLCD rapid loss, they merely go underground, lulled by ketosis and freedom from having to negotiate food at all. For some 'star slimmers' on all kinds of TFR diets reintroducing food can be the greatest challenge of all. And if you ask people for a truly honest answer they usually admit that they dread maintenance. It need not be a huge problem but unfortunately it very often is. Weight lost rapidly on VLCDs is very quickly regained in the form of glycogen and we all know that this is just water but the dieter sees an extra 7-10lb on in a week or two, panics, and goes back to packs. Thus can begin the on-off cycle that many here will be personally familiar with!
Losing weight on Atkins or SW or WW means eating regular, ordinary food. In moderate amounts. The weight is lost more slowly but these diets work because lots of people seem to find them easier to stick to and also more in tune with ordinary, everday life. It is no accident that many on VLCDs find, perhaps for the first time, ever, that they can lose weight very fast indeed. How? By cutting out the food part.
This is what I mean when I say that very fast weight loss on packs or bars exclusively can make the transition back to normal food very scary for the dieter. I am not suggesting that it always does, but, rather, that it most certainly can do. I say this from personal experience, from the experience of my many dieting friends, and from countless posts on here. I think dieting on packs etc adds an extra dimension of difficulty that other plans don't have. Moving from the safety of packs into the uncertain world of real food can be like walking on shifting sands for very many people.
We all have good intentions, we all swear 'never again will I eat like I used to' etc but we are dealing with carb addictions, binge eating behaviours, cravings etc etc that all too often resurface in maintenance. I don't think they go away during the VLCD rapid loss, they merely go underground, lulled by ketosis and freedom from having to negotiate food at all. For some 'star slimmers' on all kinds of TFR diets reintroducing food can be the greatest challenge of all. And if you ask people for a truly honest answer they usually admit that they dread maintenance. It need not be a huge problem but unfortunately it very often is. Weight lost rapidly on VLCDs is very quickly regained in the form of glycogen and we all know that this is just water but the dieter sees an extra 7-10lb on in a week or two, panics, and goes back to packs. Thus can begin the on-off cycle that many here will be personally familiar with!
nutty me
onwards and downwards
I did LL last year and lost 4 stone. Felt fantastic. Unfortunately I became ill with gallstones and was advised to stop by my consultant. My husband had only agreed to me doing a VLCD as long as i was well, and promised to stop if i became poorly. I was very disappointed with LL as i asked for advise to help me with the transition back to food. I was sadly let down and although i tried my the best the guidance would have helped. Ive put on 2.5 stone since my surgery and stopping LL. I keep thinking of the money i spent and how the period of being slim was short lived. I wish pauline all the best and remember watching her blogs from the first 8 weeks and she did talk of her struggle.
So now i have started a new journey to lose weight lets hope this is it, as i am tired of struggling, i am an emotional eater and carb addict. Hoping atkins will help me break my habits.
So now i have started a new journey to lose weight lets hope this is it, as i am tired of struggling, i am an emotional eater and carb addict. Hoping atkins will help me break my habits.
spongeblobby
Member
hi, newbie here...
Everyone is different here's mine:
April 2010 4 months on Cambridge diet - loss 3 stone, off diet straight away lost a further 5lb. After a summer of over boozing, over eating, 2 holidays and not much exercise I've put 6lb on. I'm starting the Exante diet today as I never originally got my BMI to where I wanted it. In the past 12 months I've tended to be up and down 3lb - I just reel myself back in when needed but I had to get away from 10 years of points/sins/weighing/ reading packets!
Everyone is different here's mine:
April 2010 4 months on Cambridge diet - loss 3 stone, off diet straight away lost a further 5lb. After a summer of over boozing, over eating, 2 holidays and not much exercise I've put 6lb on. I'm starting the Exante diet today as I never originally got my BMI to where I wanted it. In the past 12 months I've tended to be up and down 3lb - I just reel myself back in when needed but I had to get away from 10 years of points/sins/weighing/ reading packets!
girlygirl1
Banned
Ha Ha spongeblobby! I know exactly what you mean.
Nutty, I am very sorry to hear of your health problems. I have been told that VLCDs can contribute to the formation of gallstones - not sure why this is, but it is fairly common. Perhaps someone can explain this phenomenon?
The main thing is, you are trying a new way now and those of us who swear by Atkins do so for very many reasons. The first is that we are pretty much all emotional eaters as well as carb addicts. We cannot be sensible around carbs, not for long, anyway. Carbs trigger binges and cravings and uncontrollable hunger and the desire to eat, whether we want to or not. That is when you know you are dealing with an addiction.
Atkins allows us to eat without guilt. A wide range of delicious ordinary foods in moderate but not skimpy amounts. Carbs are controlled because carbs cause real problems for us - pure and simple!
Welcome to both of you and have fun on Atkins. Blessings xx
Nutty, I am very sorry to hear of your health problems. I have been told that VLCDs can contribute to the formation of gallstones - not sure why this is, but it is fairly common. Perhaps someone can explain this phenomenon?
The main thing is, you are trying a new way now and those of us who swear by Atkins do so for very many reasons. The first is that we are pretty much all emotional eaters as well as carb addicts. We cannot be sensible around carbs, not for long, anyway. Carbs trigger binges and cravings and uncontrollable hunger and the desire to eat, whether we want to or not. That is when you know you are dealing with an addiction.
Atkins allows us to eat without guilt. A wide range of delicious ordinary foods in moderate but not skimpy amounts. Carbs are controlled because carbs cause real problems for us - pure and simple!
Welcome to both of you and have fun on Atkins. Blessings xx
Dietkitty
Rebel without a calorie
What makes you think Pauline would have got LL for free and that they would pay for a personal trainer too? Has that been reported in another article that I haven't read? I did LL and not only was it confidential everyone in the group was treated as equals whatever their background. There was an option of one to one with the councillor but I'm sure Pauline has mentioned her 'group' In fact at the end of the initial 100 days that we signed up for we were asked if any would like to take part in publicity including photoshoots and no one there was famous! All in my group declined as we were there for personal reasons but Pauline is in the public eye and her weight loss was getting noticed just like Jason Gardiner and Wayne Rooney with their hair transplants. Might as well come forward and be honest. Look what happened to Fern Britton when she tried to hide her gastric band by saying it was down to cycling!
spottydoris
Determined to succeed!
I agree Dietkitty. I too was contacted by LL head office after they saw a blog I kept online and said they'd like to style me, feature me and talk about further promotions. I would have done it but withdrew because I wanted to reach goal first, but then fell off the wagon. Ooops!
I think they genuinely just want to spread the word about the success people have. I couldn't shut up about how it changed my life, so I can understand Pauline wanting to talk to everyone and anyone about her transformation. People more interested in her story than Joe Publics' as well!
Proud of her, and everyone else that succeeds to goal on LL x
I think they genuinely just want to spread the word about the success people have. I couldn't shut up about how it changed my life, so I can understand Pauline wanting to talk to everyone and anyone about her transformation. People more interested in her story than Joe Publics' as well!
Proud of her, and everyone else that succeeds to goal on LL x
girlygirl1
Banned
I don't know for certain that Pauline has been sponsored but it would not surprise me at all. If she's doing it all on her own, fair play to her!
14/09 Update:
Just saw pix of her on the red carpet. WOW what has happened to her hair? Pre-diet photos show her with short but thick hair and a full fringe. Today's shots show very thin, straggly-looking hair. And (like me, alas!) she looks a lot older now she has lost all the weight. The fat plumps out facial wrinkles lol. Never mind, it's better than being obese - but I hope her hair thickens-out again, and soon.
14/09 Update:
Just saw pix of her on the red carpet. WOW what has happened to her hair? Pre-diet photos show her with short but thick hair and a full fringe. Today's shots show very thin, straggly-looking hair. And (like me, alas!) she looks a lot older now she has lost all the weight. The fat plumps out facial wrinkles lol. Never mind, it's better than being obese - but I hope her hair thickens-out again, and soon.
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