Exante Diary

[anna.claire]

Doing a little diary log of my food and drink intake today just to see how I get on.
Done exante before but need to have a little spell on it again, aiming for Exante 800 but if my calories are between 800-1000 I’ll be happy enough. Mostly going to have exante products but may have a 200-300 calories light meal for tea.
Really need to do this! I have a holiday in June, another next year and a few other things going on this year. Need my confidence back and to be back in clothes I used to wear!

Will update when I remember

DAY 1

Will try and drink more water as well

** red berries exante porridge pot
** berries and cherries shake
** plain porridge pot
** chocolate shake

Drinks: several coffees with skimmed milk, few glasses of water, 2 exante bursts

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 2

will try and drink more water today, found that difficult yesterday

** vanilla exante shake
** Chocolate exante porridge pot
** exante Cinnamon porridge pot
** exante Banana shake

Still really want to do this but finding today harder. Had an oxo drink to curb the cravings a bit and have something salty.

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 3

Woke up with a slight headache but a couple of coffees and water helped ease it

still feeling determined but I do find this all really difficult!

just had my first food of the day:

** Blood orange exante juiced - really wanted to like this but it really wasn’t for me, such a strange taste
** red currant porridge
** Heinz Chicken and Veg soup (waiting on exante delivery tomorrow but this is 200 cals so think it will be ok!)
** 2 x Babybel light 83 cals

so I did eat a bit of ‘normal food’ today but should be well within calories so I’m happy with my third day

will have another couple of glasses of water this evening and had an oxo drink earlier, had an exante burst too.

onwards and downwards

 

[anna.claire]

Still really wanting to do this! Bit of background about why I’m doing this…

I’m a typical yo-yo dieter, have been since I was 16 and although looking back then I was never massively overweight and didn’t ever have much to lose, weight has also been a massive confidence issue for me.
So I lost 1.5 stone on WW when I was 16-17 and several years after that if I put a stone on id lose it fairly quickly and always stayed a bit more in control. This helped me as a shy teenager meeting new people in uni etc.

roll on a few years and I’d put a stone on, went back to WW and lost the stone again. But this time went a bit too far and lost 2 stone. Wasn’t exactly underweight but it was too small for me and I did my own version of vlcd (just not eating enough and got a bit obsessed with it)
went on holiday with my then boyfriend (now husband) and loved being a size 8-10 (though I generally wore 10, or 12 as I have never liked tight fitting clothes) and felt great but it wasn’t sustainable for me, especially the way I had lost the weight, and gradually started putting on a bit of weight and over a couple of years went back to my original weight.

got engaged then married and managed to get married at the weight I was when I was 16, which was a healthy BMI and I felt good. Went on honeymoon and felt great in shorts and vest tops and little sun dresses. Perfect!

came home, put a stone or so on in the next year or so. I’ve tried SW on and off and did lose weight but then soon after covid hit and I’ve started working from home for the past 2 years. So all weight went back on plus a lot!! So I feel the worst, biggest, unhealthiest and unfittest in my life!
I’ve realised I avoid meeting up with people I haven’t seen in a while since before covid and friends as I’m just so embarrassed by the way I look. I don’t like photos of myself so I don’t want to be in situations where that could happen. But I need to sort this out! I need to feel I can say YES I can come to such an event, or YES I will come for drinks/evenings out etc.

My husband is great and generally doesn’t comment on my weight but he knows I try every diet under the sun and haven’t been sticking to anything for a long time. He doesn’t comment as such but I know he knows I’ve put weight on and I’m conscious that I don’t look like I did when we met and got married etc. but this isn’t about him, I want to do it for myself and that’s what i need to remember this is all about me! I can do it! For me!

I have a weekend away with my husband in April booked, a holiday to Portugal in June 2022 and a holiday to Greece booked early 2023. I do not want to feel embarrassed on holiday, I do not want to avoid photos or pretend to be enjoying myself but feeling embarrassed or anxious that people are looking at me.

so that is my why! To feel like me again and get some confidence back again.

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 4

feel ok today!
starting with 2 coffees and a glass of water. Made an order of products yesterday for delivery today. Didn’t want to order any more unless I’d managed to stick to it for my first 3 days and use up the products I already had! But feeling ok. Taking one day at a time but I’m aiming for these products to last me 2 weeks, or 3 if I have 200 cal meals.

i have ordered a mix of porridge and shakes as I know what I like now. Some days I have 2 shakes and 2 porridges, some days I’ll have a 200 cal meal in there if I need real food instead of an exante product.
i also do have a few exante bars but they aren’t my favourite really. I always think they have a strange texture and make my stomach gurgle/feel uncomfortable.

I don’t know how long I’m going to do exante for, literally taking one day at a time and will celebrate every half a stone and stone. Can’t wait to see a whole stone gone! Although really I would like to lose 4.5 overall!! But 3 would be amazing! Wonder how long that would take me?! Hope I can stay dedicated

Today I have had: (will update as and when)

loads of coffee, an exante burst, oxo drink and a few glasses of water - I need to up the water over the coming days

** exante strawberry shake
** exante chocolate peanut butter shake
** exante chocolate porridge

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 5

Woke with a headache so taken two paracetamol.

Starting the day with the usual couple of coffees and a glass of water or two.

I’ve been trying to just have drinks in the morning then not had my first exante product or food until at least 12, but the later the better so 1-2pm.
then I’ve been spreading my exante packs products out between my first one (between 12-2pm) and last of the day around 7pm. I try to just have water, or a burst (caffeine free) or a decaf coffee after this time.

Bring on day 5!

** exante vanilla and almond shake
** exante cinnamon porridge
** exante toffee caramel shake
** Kvarg protein yoghurt (82 cals)

Drinks: water, coffee and 2 exante bursts and an oxo drink

been for a couple of little strolls today so hopefully that helps too

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 6

Feeling ok today!
I WFH mostly since Covid started but I’m in the office for a few hours today so maybe that this keep me distracted (and away from the kitchen!)

So I’m trying to break down my goals to more manageable small ones.
*In just over 6 weeks I go away for the weekend with my husband, so to have anywhere between 1-1.5 stone off would be great.
* in just over 3 months I’m going to Portugal for a week with my mum. I would love to have 2-2.5 stone off then.
* in august we have an anniversary night away booked - I’d like to be 2.5-3 stone ish off by then.
* in May 2023 I have a holiday to Greece booked with my husband. Maybe 3.5-4.5 stone off! And I guess around whatever I want my goal to be.
In total 4.5 stone would get me to a healthy BMI so I suppose that’s my main goal. 3.5 stone off would have me feeling HEAPS better.

sorry I do ramble

starting the day with 2 x coffees and 2 x glasses of water.

** exante lemon cheesecake shake
** exante red currant porridge
** exante salted caramel shake

Exante burst, coffees, water

happy with how I’m feeling today!

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 7

here we go! Starting with 2 coffees and some water.

Nearly a full week completely on plan! Feeling ok, still determined to shift this weight and surprisingly not been starving. I do feel a bit hungry when I go to bed but not starving and not enough to actually go off track. I think that’s just my current mindset though do hopefully I can stay in the zone.

drank lots more water this morning and a few coffees too.

** exante strawberry shake
** exante chocolate porridge
** Heinz Big Soup beef and veg - 212 ish cals

 

[anna.claire]

FIRST WEEK WEIGH IN
Officially completed week 1 with a weight loss off 7 pounds.

I know first week is usually a bit more but hoping for as much off as possible in week 2.

here’s hoping for a successful week 2

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 8

pleased with my loss in my first week so need to continue. Been looking at photos from a few years ago and makes me realise how much weight I’ve put on.

started the day with a few glasses of water and a couple of coffees. Will have an exante burst this afternoon.

** exante banana shake
** red currant porridge
** chicken 150 cals & 2 Babybel light 82 cals

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 9

Been for a little walk today whilst the weather has been dry, and got my hair cut this morning so kept me busy for a while.

** exante vanilla shake
** cinnamon porridge pot
** ham slices 135 cals & 2 Babybel light 82 cals

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 10

Could easily go off plan today…but I won’t! Feeling determined to get some weight off.

Need to drink more water mainly had coffee today and an exante burst, also had an oxo drink

** exante chocolate shake
** exante chocolate porridge
** wicked kitchen Tuscan style white bean stew 222cals
** kvarg yogurt 83 cals

 

[Jo1989]

Hi Anna. I’m also about to start a VLCD (tomorrow I hope) after messing about since January. I really identify with the yo-yo dieting and would love a diet buddy.

I hope you’re staying strong on your day 10 - the hardest bit is over!
Jo

 

[Jo1989]

I should add I also need to lose around 4 stone to get to healthy BMI so our timings will probably be similar.

 

[anna.claire]

Hi @Jo1989, so nice to hear from you! I’ve been doing this little diary to write my thoughts down which has helped. Yes just shy of 4 stone would be a healthy BMI for me also, but 3 stone would probably make me extremely happy!
Are you doing a particular vlcd? Are you feeling ready?

 

[Jo1989]

I’m doing S&S and yes I’m ready - I’ve got to be after weeks of messing about!

I know from past experience I start feeling better about 3 stone down but 4-4.5 stone is perfect! How was day 10? I always find day 1-4 then day 10 or 11 the hardest.

 

[anna.claire]

I’m doing S&S and yes I’m ready - I’ve got to be after weeks of messing about!

I know from past experience I start feeling better about 3 stone down but 4-4.5 stone is perfect! How was day 10? I always find day 1-4 then day 10 or 11 the hardest.

Good luck with your day 1! I agree day 1-3 was ups and downs, almost needing to prove to myself that I could stick to it properly. Then for a few days I was fine. Hope it goes well today! X

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 11

Trying to focus on reasons for staying on a vlcd plan today. So looked at a few old holiday photos from when I felt so much better.

had a few coffees and a litre of water so far. Need to up my water today as I’m still lacking in that area.

Ive been having either 2 or 3 exante packs and allowing myself 200-400 cals a day of food depending on packs, staying within the 800.

** exante frappe Caramel latte
** exante plain porridge pot
** Chicken 74 cals & 2 Babybel lights 82 cals
** Pastrami 198 cals

 

[Jo1989]

Plenty of time to get through a couple of litres!

I fill up a bottle and set myself a time goal ie I’ll finish the bottle by 3pm and I force myself through it!

 

[anna.claire]

Thanks @Jo1989 I have managed some more water. Will keep going.

hope your day 1 is going well! As we all know the first few days are tricky!