Exante?

xxtashaxx

Losing the mummy fat
How easy is this to follow?
Is anyone finding it hard? Im starting on slimfast tomorrow but I am not liking the lack of choice you get.
I was thinking of going onto Exante once I had used up the slimfast that I have bought.

Plus can you only buy the products from the exante website?

Thanks :D
 
Hi there.

I think the majority of us prefer to buy off of the true exante website.
probably through the mixture of a few things, first being it is so easy and the next day delivery can be a life line if you forget to reorder, or just can't face the one flavour you have left to last (that might be just me ;) )
Mainly though, since the only sustenance I am putting into my body is the food packs, I would never like to tempt fate and buy off of ebay or Amazon etc, although by now most of the users recognise the look and taste of the product, me personally would rather not risk any possibility.
Plus the date life on things like bars, etc, is limited.

The site is very simply laid out and they are really helpful.

I can only tell you my experience, this is my very first vlcd, and so far I have not had any blips. The range of food available in the packs may be more limited than some of the other vlcds, but to me, i prefer it, as less flavours available, less not to like.
I like this diet, for of course the price, which for me is cheaper than shopping for all the separate diet friendly food. Also, this is one of the few vlcls without gm and additives etc.

All the food replacement choices are palatable, and although I may complain alongside others, when push comes to shove, I enjoy the weight loss, and yes even the soups themselves.

The stages before ketosis can be a hard won battle, but one day you just wake up and all the problems vanish. Most people move into ketosis rather quickly. Due to my body and the mistreatment in the past, and the rather stupid diet I was on prior, it took my body about 9 days to shift into ketosis, it was hard, but what kept me going was the fact that every hard day of headaches and early nights was another well earned day to wards my goal, and ketosis. I wasn't going to give up and start again.

So I find it easy enough to stay on the straight and narrow, if only not to go through the first week again hehe.

I find this forum a real support network, and a font of ideas and solutions to problems.

for example, helping me figure out to have an add a meal week early to coincide with a few family celebrations, the excuse of medication to avoid drinks, the taking of food to be cooked at a bbq etc.. the little things that sometimes might knock us off the path.

The diet has a few different 'solutions' depending n how much you want to lose and your lifestyle.

Even on the total solution, the calories a re a little higher than other vlcd, which to me, makes it more sustainable, and does not leave me fatigued. My sister is a nurse and was doing LL on just over 400 a day.
She is now an exante convert.

Whatever you decide i wish you luck.
xx
I would recommend this diet to anyone that is 100% committed to a vlcd.
 
Thank you for all that, appreciate you taking the time to explain it :D

Can I ask what the shakes taste like? Im really struggling with the slimfast powder ones as they stink LOL.
Are the shakes ones you make up yourself? xx
 
Hi Doodlelover

I agree with everything Short and Dumpy has said.

I think a lot depends on your relationship with food. If you can practise moderation, want more of a choice with food and are realistic about how long you need to allow to lose your 4 stone, then maybe Exante is not for you.

The shakes and soups are not exciting (for me), but I like the bars (only 1 a day mind!). BUT for someone like me who cannot be trusted with food and gets very despondent with a small weight loss each week, it is ideal.

Perhaps it comes down to whether we can cope with the short, sharp, shock of doing a VLCD or want to take the more comfortable but slower route.
 
hehe.. no probs.

The food all come in a little sliver pouch of powder (space food packs) that you mix up as and when you want to have them.
handy size to slip into a handbag if going out. I used to take a bar if going to coffee mornings to eat alongside my black coffee. Some people like to unwrap them and put them into a tub or cling flim to hide the fact it is a diet bar, as it does look just like a cereal bar unwrapped.
They recommend that you eat or drink the made up shakes or soups within 15 minutes to preserve the vitamins and minerals.
You can also get bars, but they have to be limited to one a day, as they contain higher amounts of carbs and bits and bobs. many people buy the bumper pack at £99 that includes the shakes, bars and soups for a month, sometimes it can last longer depending on whether you are on the 3 or 4 packs a day, to start with to get a taste of the variety and which you prefer.

I am going to thank and quote SkinnyG for this that follows, I think she did a really good job in describing them. There is also a sticky about the things that make you go mmmm in the top part of the exante forum, which details the things people do to their packs, in order to change the taste or textures

The shakes themselves i prefer not to sweeten but many do.


This is what the packs taste like I know before I started I was interested to know what the space food was like and I saw lots of other people asking, so I thought I'd describe each - although these are just my opinions of course.

One thing to add first though, and I know others always try to stress this - they're not the nicest things you'll ever eat in your life. It's a means to an end, so don't expect them to be delish, but they're not vile either!

Vanilla shake

Don't expect this to taste like vanilla ice cream. It's a more grown up or old school vanilla. It reminds me of ready brek or Ovaltine or something like that. It has an almost floury taste for me. Not undrinkable, but not my favourite.

Some people have this one hot and add coffee or cold with coffee like an iced latte.

Banana shake

I think this is the most milkshake-like. It tastes a lot like a bannana milkshake - not an overpowering flavour, but enough to really taste it. I like this one thick with ice.

Strawberry shake

The strawberry flavour is very mild, so I think you can taste some of the floury-ness a little bit like the vanilla. It does still taste of strawberry, just not to the same degree as the banana. This one benefits from a sweetner added I think.

Chocolate shake

This is fairly chocolatey but not very sweet. Somewhere between the strawberry and banana on the flavour scale. If you have this hot I think it actually tastes pretty much like a real hot chocolate.

All of the shakes turn out quite thick if you use the recommended amount of water, so most people use more. Some people make half a shake and have the other half later. I tried this but it ended up a little too thin and watery for me, but good if you don't like drinks thick. They can all turn out very lumpy if you don't whisk them properly. Even when you use boiling water if you're having the shake hot, you need to whisk it.

Choc orange bar

The bars look kind of like rice krispie bars or to the untrained eye, a flapjack. I'm trying to think of something that they're the same size as... maybe a bar of soap. I think they're the best for taking to work because they don't require any prep and because they look a bit like a flapjack, nobody really notices that you're eating special diet food. The texture was a bit odd to me the first time I tasted one - it seems to break down into tiny bits in my mouth in an unpleasant way, but the second time I ate one I didn't notice it. The choc orange is lovely. It tastes quite strongly of orange essence, is fairly sweet and it has real dark chocolate chips in it. Yipee!

Raisen, toffee & nut bar

The texture and look is the same as the orange bar. The toffee flavour is quite mild and the nuts are so small you'd almost miss them, so don't worry if you don't like nuts. You get real raisens in this one - they're nice and juicy!

Mushroom soup

The soups are all pale and opaque in colour and turn out quite milky or creamy. I like to make them with much more water than is recommended to make it go further. You do have to whisk to get the lumps to disolve. Some people make the soups in a saucepan if they want to feel like they're cooking something.

Mushroom was the first one I tried and I really like it. About to have one! The mushroom flavour is apparant enough and there are little mushroom pieces. You could add salt and pepper to this if you like.

Thai Chicken soup

This soup is a pale orange colour and has a mildly spicy flavour - not too hot if you don't like that sort of thing. You could add salt and pepper or chilli flakes. I think some people add tabasco etc.

Vegetable soup

This one has a pale green colour and a plesant but non-descript vegetable flavour. I added lots of salt and pepper, because I like it, but it was fairly tasty without.

Tomato and basil soup

A lot of people don't get on well with this one. I found it very similar to the others. A pale peachy colour and creamy consistency. The flavour is very mild and I couldn't taste any basil but I added my favourite flaky seasalt, sracked black pepper and some of my garlic and chilli grinder and I thought it was fine.

I hope this helps some new people who are thinking about starting. I've had lot of support so just wanted to try and give something back :)
 
Hi Doodlelover

I agree with everything Short and Dumpy has said.

I think a lot depends on your relationship with food. If you can practise moderation, want more of a choice with food and are realistic about how long you need to allow to lose your 4 stone, then maybe Exante is not for you.

The shakes and soups are not exciting (for me), but I like the bars (only 1 a day mind!). BUT for someone like me who cannot be trusted with food and gets very despondent with a small weight loss each week, it is ideal.

Perhaps it comes down to whether we can cope with the short, sharp, shock of doing a VLCD or want to take the more comfortable but slower route.


The problem with me is that I have a bad relationship with food, I can start off well but then I just go into a crazed mood and scoff what ever is in front of me!
The reason I like using the meal replacement is that I can control what I am having and I seem to do well on them.
With the 4 stone I have to lose I don't care if it comes off in 3 months or 2 years I just want to lose this unwanted weight :(

Thank you for sharing your experience :)
 
Thanks again Short and Dumpy :D

Have been looking at the bumper pack and defo think Im going to go for it once I've finished the slimfast.

Thanks x
 
i am a bit obsessive.. i find the strictness of the diet a good thing.
i like the power now of knowing i am relearning.
we all know what is good for us, what we should eat.. i think we are all aware of the bad things and potion sizes, but sometimes it was easy to ignore.
I feel on this diet that I have regained control over my food relationship. i used to detest it, but now i see that it was me.

Now the only person that stops me from eating that sugary or carb laden thing that is calling to me.. is ME.

So I am confident that when I reach goal (not if) i will have used the time on the vlcd wisely, in regaining self control, not only to avoid bad food, but to enjoy eating food, not to avoid it all together.
Before i used to go to extremes in diets.

Sometimes, at the start it was hard, but it does get easier, and the longer i did it, the more resolved i became.
People do try to tempt you at times, but i suprise myself at the willpower i have, and the act i do not feel i am missing out. As i know that i am doing this for me, and every time i refuse or resist, i am proving to myself the inner strength i will need to have once i reach goal.

xx
 
It's a great diet. |'m like you get a cake near me and i'll eat the packet and then whatever else is in the cupboard. I like the fact food is taken away. The bars,soup and shakes are so easy. I love all the soups and I find I can eat bars and soups at work with no-one noticing at all. You have a good period in which to lose the weight before the wedding. I would start now and then you will be down to your poerfect weight in plenty time to choose your dress and you will feel so proud and happy.
 
Wow Short and Dumpy you are full of great insights today! That is so true. I have found on this diet that I fell crappy and tired if I have sweet and sugary stuff and if I stick to the diet or diet plus a decent low carb meal I have lots of energy . Also the exante stuff as S&D said is additive free and lots of foods send my tummy mad so I have discovered that I am intolerant to additives and when eating food now I would try to avoid them as they cause me a lot of discomfort. So I would agree it does give you time away from food to listen to your body and relearn.
 
Thanks everyone and congrats on all your weight loss!
S&D where abouts in Leeds are you from? I've just left Leeds to come to Cornwall and do miss it! xx
 
I am near the old kirkstall abbey.. it is my favourite place in leeds.

I am a little opposite from you.. i am a west country girl living up north!
I still have my Cornish family twang when I am sleepy :D
 
Oh wow, I lived in Pudsey so not far from kirkstall Abbey :) xx
 
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