Total Solution First time on a VLCD!

[jenna_bird]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time trying out a diet like this - although not to a very good start as I'd ordered one bumper pack and even though only one came up in 'my account' they have sent and charged me for two!...

Anyway! I spent my life really underweight and didn't enjoy this but all at one time, when I was 20, I just piled weight on. 6 years later and still having issues with it. I find other weight management diets hard to get into but feel that, at this point, something like meal replacement would be a good head start for me so that I see weight coming off and it will hopefully encourage me to continue following the four weeks on exante! I've also just come off the contraceptive injection (hopefully not too much info) and hoping this will help.

I'm quite positive about it all but also slightly worried about it when they stated you might experience hair shedding! And bad breath :ashamed0005: Starting on Monday anyway, and just thought that with the new diet I'd also try forums as that is never something I'd used. Any tips to get through the next four weeks would be appreciated!

How is everyone else doing on it?

 

[Lois]

Hi jenna_bird and welcome :hug99: xx

I've not experienced any hair loss! Regarding bad breath, nobody has ever mentioned I have it! But I always have sugar free mints at hand to be on the safe side!

The best advice I could give you would be to make sure you drink your 2-3L of water every day. Always have your 3 packs a day. Have black pepper at hand (in case you don't like the soups!) and read the diaries on here whenever you need motivation, inspiration or support.

 

[jenna_bird]

Thanks for your reply!

I've ordered bottles of water so that I can always have some with me! But I'll get onto the sugar free mints!

I've actually just gone for the shakes, I don't particularly enjoy soup anyway and I know it would have been better to go for a mixture but feel that I can stick to shakes easier for some reason.

I'm really going to stick with the forums as no one else really gets why I'm doing this!!

 

[jacqueline]

welcome jenna_bird, good luck with your exante journey, i agree with gigglepants plenty of water is a must. i also use a mouthwash wasn't sure if you could have mints, i really enjoy the diet i have a shake or porridge for breakfast ,bar for lunch then a soup at teatime this works for me and i find i am satisfied. keep an eye on the diaries on here you will get loads of support ,
GOOD LUCK!

 

[jenna_bird]

i will keep an eye out, thanks for the advice! I'm just wondering what times to have my shakes, I'm on night shift at the moment so don't want to be having them all through the day and then starving at night!

 

[Lois]

Good morning Jenna, I have no idea with the night shift times. There are a couple of posters on here who work nights, maybe best to pop in their diaries and ask what they do regarding times?

"Tubbynomore" is lovely and works shifts - days and nights, her diary is "Nursetubs has left the building"


I'm not a fan of the soups. I started with the mixed pack but since I discovered iced shakes, they're now my faves! Have a fab 100% day (and night)! :hug99: xx

 

[skinnicow]

Hi jenna_bird

Welcome! I'm on day 4 of my exante journey and so far so good. I got the bumper pack so I have soups, shakes and bars. The shakes and bars are my fav but I do enjoy having the soups as a savoury at dinner time, chilli, black pepper etc are a must though!

I make my vanilla shakes with coffee and the choc one too. I've seen on here that some folks make the choc one with peppermint tea so it's like a hot mint chocolate. I've not tried that yet but plan to. There are lots of good ideas on here that will you through.

When do you plan to start?

Good luck!! x

 

[jenna_bird]

Thanks gigglepants! I've found her diary and can't stop reading it, it's nice to read about someone who seems so positive! I'm just going to get to the end of her posts and then write a little message to ask and see what works best for night shift.

Skinnicow - Thanks for the welcome! The chocolate sounds nice with peppermint tea, might try that on night shift if I end up with the cold hands etc! I've just got up after a night shift so actually considering starting today. I could put it off until tomorrow for 'one more day' but it's all those 'one more days' that have got me where I am. So I suppose...I'm going to go for it! I'm going to make up the strawberry shake first, it seems the most appealing got my 2 litre bottle of water standing by and some asda diet cola!

I'm also a bit concerned as have friends coming round for drinks and food etc then a night out on Friday and it's the thought of getting into ketosis (fingers crossed) then having to start all over again. Was considering having two shakes then having chicken with veg for a meal then just having a couple of vodkas with asda cola, wondering how much of a difference that will make!

 

[jacqueline]

Hi Jenna -Bird I agree with what you said about putting it off day by day there is always going to be something you have to go to or people coming round, I had a wedding and a christening last weekend but just made the decision that my journey is more important, I went to both and stuck to soda water and no food and took my bar with me, It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be but i am glad i stayed on track.
I hope you can stay strong once you start to see the results that will spur you on!
Good luck xx

 

[jenna_bird]

Thanks for that, I think it's got to a point now where I'm fed up and really want to lose the weight for myself. Like I said in my first post, I'm really using this as a head start and then hope to change my eating habits and also need to get more active/find more things to do as eating when I'm bored is my biggest problem!

Just about to make my first shake, think I'm going to put it in the blender with some ice, might as well make the first one the best it can be!!

 

[jenna_bird]

My unexpected day 1

I wasn't going to keep a diary but after reading through a couple it seems to be a good place to write things down as there aren't many people that get the reasons behind this diet or that even want to understand it.

Obviously I said earlier that I keep putting diets off and my official start date was originally for tomorrow, but why wait! I've been on night shift so haven't eaten today, just been drinking water and asda diet cola! Decided to make my first shake, choosing the strawberry as I thought that this would be the sweetest and best tasting. Chucked it in the blender with some ice as well.

Must say it's not what I expected, I wasn't expecting the nicest tasting shake or anything. It's drinkable but I feel like it leaves quite a nasty after taste, anyone else with me on that? I know a few people add different things to their shakes so I guess I just need to find what's right for me. Going to try sweetener first so I'll pop out and buy some tomorrow. Probably heading to Tesco so will have a look out for those ultraslim bars as I've only ordered the shakes, but maybe they'll sway me from when I want actual food!

Think it's going to be a tough one with working night shift and then going back onto days in a couple of weeks but also work in a locked ward where breaks don't happen and sometimes neither does eating/drinking so going to have to make sure I get the water in at least. Hoping not to have any upset stomach episodes as there's not much time for loo breaks either!

So...there you have it. I'm now on the exante diet.

 

[Busybusy]

good luck hun x

 

[DreamingThin]

Hi. Well done for starting and good luck.

Im just coming to the end of my 1st week and have found the diet easy to stick to. I seriously struggled with the scales not showing daily losses and came on here to rant about it, so my advise would be dont weigh everyday! There are lots of lovely people on here to keep you from going off the rails. I dont think I would still be on this journey if it wasnt for this forum and the friendly people spuring me on. :hug99:

 

[jenna_bird]

Thank you! I've never been one for sneaking a look at the scales so I'm going to hold off until next Sunday. I think because it'll be a lovely surprise to see the (hopefully) big change in the numbers! The forum is definitely going to be a big help to me so I'll be sticking around. Got a few diaries added as well so that I've got reading to do as 1 of my distractions. Still drinking this milkshake but I suppose there's no rush - definitely going to see if I can find the tesco ultraslim bars as already can't imagine just lasting on drinks.

How did you feel during your first week? Headaches or anything? Worried about this bad breath issue everyone's talking about as well!!:brushing teeth:

 

[DreamingThin]

I have felt fine all week except for yesterday I had no energy. I just wanted to sleep all day and today I have a slight headache. It's more of a background headache than a full blown pounding one. I don't think I've had the bad breath yet or at least no-ones told me I have lol.
Don't worry about it. Keep positive and you'll deal with it as/when and if u need to. xx

 

[RebeccaCrystina]

Hi Jenna, it is my first time on a VLCD too, you seem to be doing great so far, keep up the great work

I managed to get to day 5 and the decided to have a little food and then completely steered off track, so I am restarting tomorrow and hopefully I can stay dedicated this time.. I really need to lose the weight but at least now I know I need to stay away from anything thats not in the Exante pack lol..

Totally agree iced shakes are the best and I am yet to try the peppermint tea/hot choc mix.. sounds yummy though..

Good luck with the rest of your journey and hopefully i will be smiling one week from now at my first weigh in!!

Rebecca x

 

[jenna_bird]

I think it's easy to go off track though as it's natural to want actual food! The thing is I know I need to come off it on Friday which is silly after only starting but having friends round and won't be able to watch them eating and drinking! Although reading up about alcohol is worrying me a bit!!

Good luck to you too, I'll keep an eye out to see how you're doing!

 

[jenna_bird]

well. i. am. starving.

 

[Lois]

Good morning Jenna, hang on in there, it does get easier honest! :hug99: xx

I don't drink, but if I remember correctly, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere on here that vodka is the best drink to have on Exante.

So maybe vodka and coke zero wouldn't do too much damage and try to eat low carb too on Friday night if you can?

"Lanarkwitch" is the person to help you out with this one, her diary is "Exante 5 Week Challenge"

 

[jenna_bird]

I'll have a look for that, you're just full of good ideas

I also read that vodka was ok and wine was ok but thinking wine goes to the head more so probably just have one with my tea then a couple of vodkas! I'm heading to the shop today to get coke zero and also some blackcurrant and cherry water from sainsburys for a bit of a variety so will go between that with the vodka! Got my meals sorted so fingers crossed!

Been up all night and wasn't even on a night shift. Zzzzzzz!! Hoping I sleep through the headache today x