Total Solution Gulp.....Day 1, here I go!

[**Time to change**]

Hello everyone!

After slowly creeping up the scales for the last 10+ years and believing that I was always going to be "the fat one" so what did it matter, I have finally decided to stop playing the victim and take control of my weight problem.

I have dieted before with varying success and am gradually becoming more active, but it has always seemed like such a long and difficult journey to get to my ultimate goals of fitting into those jeans I loved when I was 16 and possibly one day, running a marathon!

A couple of weeks ago a new friend told me about her weight loss through LL. 6 stones in 4.5 months??? Surely this was too good to be true?? I always thought that there were no easy-fixes, that losing weight was going to be some sort of nightmare that you'd have to endure for months or years as punishment for letting yourself get into "this state" in the first place. But....after LOTS of research, I realise that there are people out there who have lost huge amounts of weight healthily, and have gone on to maintain that weight loss for life.

So here I am, on day one of my Exante journey.

I am terrified. For lots of reasons; What if I can't get past the first couple of days? What if I am starving all the time and become a constant grump and can't concentrate at work? What if I have no energy? What if I don't lose as much weight as I want to and become demotivated? What if I do lose a huge chunk of weight and put it all back on again?

But I am also reeeeeally excited.

For the first time in my life I feel like I have a goal that I can and will achieve. I have dreamed about not being overweight for so long and now I genuinely feel like I could be closer than ever to this dream. I am already beginning to talk about when and not if....

One hot vanilla shake with a shot of coffee for breakfast, a surprisingly tasty vegetable soup for lunch, a peppermint tea, 3 litres of water and more trips to the loo in one afternoon than I can ever remember making and I'm still on track. It's pasta carbonara for tea, I'm going to imagine that it's been delivered by my favourite Italian takeaway when I take my first bite and hopefully it will feel like a treat.

My stomach is beginning to rumble and I have that shaky/need some sugar feeling but I am going to do this

So here goes...I'm looking forward to being on here for the next few months as I make my journey alongside so many of you. I'm sure I'll need all the support I can get as I am in no doubt that it will be one of the toughest things I've ever done, but I'm ready so bring it on

 

[Determinationiskey]

Hey there welcome, stay focused and good luck. Exante is fantastic u can reach ur goal. Perseverance is very important. The forum is great. I still come here to chat despite currently trying to maintain. Take care and all the best

 

[Klucyp]

Welcome to exante! I am on my first week..... Weigh in tomorrow evening. The first few days were the worst of the week, even then they weren't bad..... But felt better as the week went on past day three. Not hungry at all enjoying the shakes and bars , discovered that the meals need a bit more water than directed, have yet to try soup.... All in all a really good week and feeling better for it! Good luck with your first week! x

 

[Jasper666]

Welcome, seems like you are in a good place, ready etc etc................ditch the what if's as you have seen that many on here can succeed at this so any hurdles are only personal to you and a lot of the time, in our minds. We are here for a reason so keep positive and look forward. This is not forever, it is a means to an end. There are no reasons to put the weight back on again unless WE don't eat healthily after Exante. I genuinely believe that all the times I've piled it back on was down to my own lack of monitoring where I am at and thinking it was fine to eat what I wanted. Clearly it isn't, its just taken me ages to realise that.

No reason why you can't DO this if you are ready. Yes the first few days are hard, I felt pretty ill up to day 5 in terms of grouchy and headaches and it would be easy to just give in, but I was 100% ready like you are so carried on. The headaches may have been coming off the caffeine too, that's one of the things I felt had to go for me personally. Had a great first weigh in and on day 10, feel fine, not been hungry at work just drink plenty of water to keep hydrated, don't allow yourself to dip. Still cooking for the family etc and don't feel tempted for a morsel. We CAN do this.

Good luck to you and I wish you every success xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[carrieclaus]

Welcome and good luck xxx

 

[**Time to change**]

Thank you so much guys for your lovely words of encouragement

Day 4 and things are on track I think.

I had the challenge of spending 11 hours travelling up and down South on Sunday. It was a long day and not being able to stuff my face with lots of treats on the journey was strange. When we got there the family tucked into a huge roast beef lunch. I knew it was coming and was worried that I'd find it really difficult to be drinking my shake as they had their lunch, but I really didn't.

Yesterday I was so tired after such a long day on Sunday and I felt totally rubbish. I really struggled at work and was so tempted to nip over to the shops at lunchtime for something to pick me up but actually, a cup of coffee and a shake filled me enough to get me through til hometime. Had a bath and then some yummy chilli and felt great going to bed.

I decided that I'd only weigh myself once a week and measure myself once a month, but this morning I cheated and stepped on the scales...oops! Good news though, 5lbs off woo hooo! A much needed boost to keep me going. I tried the apple and cinnamon porridge for breakfast and loved it, I think porridge will be on the menu most mornings for me now. I also quite happily sat at my desk and watched my workmates snack on sweets and chocolate all afternoon. I didn't want any and certainly didn't feel deprived. Perhaps this will change in a month or so when I'm craving "real" food?

I feel much better today although I'm still a bit woozy and have a kind of empty feeling this evening. I'm not sure if it's hunger or just a not being crammed full of food, time will tell I guess!

Hoping that tomorrow after a good night's sleep I will be feeling almost normal again. I can't wait for the hunger to disappear, especially when I'm at work. My colleague assures me this is imminent, hope so!

All in all though, I just feel totally positive about the whole thing. Taking control is such a wonderful feeling

 

[Shrimp]

Welcome on your journey!
you are sounding really motivated...keep posting

 

[Hoping]

Welcome to exante! Bet being 5lbs down has put at least a little smile on your face.

You sound like you're doing really well. If you have tricky times, read this back and remember the good thoughts and feelings.

Looking forward to following your diary. x

 

[**Time to change**]

Food seems to be mocking me everywhere I go atm!
Yesterday, all the girls in the office got bacon rolls for breakfast. My first proper challenge. To be honest I wasn't that fussed that I wasn't having one which was a huge surprise as I'm normally the first to give in to these things. But it was still a bit rubbish to have to watch them eat them!
Today, there were cheese toasties drifting around the offices this morning (cheese is my ultimate downfall) and then I had to go out to pizza express for lunch as it was our new boss's first day ARGH!
I just sat there with my glass of water feeling like a bit of an idiot. But, I'm glad I got the first eating out challenge out of the way.
By day 6 I was really hoping to be in ketosis and not feeling hungry at all. I am fine during the day and drinking lots of water so no hunger but by about 5pm I am starving. I have just had the chilli and it hasn't satisfied me at all I am still wondering if it's a mental thing and I am mistaking my stomach being empty for hunger. It keeps making lots of gurgling noises...is this normal?
Oh well, I will definitely persevere and just hope that this hunger feeling isn't going to last for much longer.

 

[Hulllou]

Hi and welcome.

I can totally understand your feeling today as I'm in a similar position. I'm on day 8 and I have just got used to the empty feeling. I think I thought I was hungry earlier in the week but it was just a mental battle. Well done on the Pizza Express outing. It's one of my favourite places and to think you got through that is fab willpower!

Hope tomorrow's another positive day for you.

 

[**Time to change**]

Thanks Hulllou!
Yesterday was another rubbish day, more chocolates and bacon rolls in the office. I can now easily see how my weight has crept up on me, especially over the past year - all that grazing during the day and then a big dinner in the evening with not enough exercise to compensate. It's weird how you notice how much people eat when you are watching from the outside. And also, how much people talk about food. I have learned so much about myself and my eating habits over the past week I really hope that by the time I am ready to go back to normal food I will know enough to stop myself getting into the same habits again.
Day 8 and I weighed myself this morning...12lbs off! I can't believe it. All of the hunger has been worth it! And to top it off, I don't think I feel hungry today...could this be it? I really hope so as I was worried that I wouldn't be able to go on for much longer as I was definitely struggling at work.
I'm going to make weigh in day Monday so that I can go to Boots and get a wee print out to keep as a wee reminder to myself. I'm wondering if I can perhaps mange to only do fortnightly weigh-ins from now on so that I don't become too obsessed with standing on the scales. I'm not sure if my willpower will stretch that far as it's already at it's limits on this diet.
Having a quiet weekend to catch up on some much needed sleep and tv shows. Hope all of you out there have a great weekend xx