Lisa's Exante Experience

[mathswiz]

Exante Start Date: Friday 3rd April 2009
Starting Weight: 12st 4 lbs

I am in Week 10 of my dieting journey. For the first 9 weeks, I did the Celebrity Slim diet and lost 15 lbs. I love the CS diet, but I feel like I need a significant weight loss to boost my confidence again. So I decided to try Exante Total Solution.

Exante are doing a promotional pack containing 21 products (8 shakes, 8 soups and 5 bars) for £36 so I decided to try the diet for one week and see how much weight I can lose.

My 1st two days on Exante have gone well. I am having 1 Celebrity Slim bar (229 kcals, 9g carbs) and 3 Exante packs per day since I think doing 3 packs will be difficult. My food diary in the past 2 days went something like this:

DAY 1
Breakfast: 1 Celebrity Slim Chocolate Bar
Mid-Morning Snack: 1/2 Exante Chocolate Orange Bar (nice )
Lunch: 1 x Exante Chocolate Shake (not as sweet as the CS shake, but was nice)
Mid-Afternoon Snack: 1/2 Exante Chocolate Orange Bar
Dinner: 1 x Exante Mushroom Soup (this was nice as well)
Snack: Apple
Water: 10 x 250ml cups

DAY 2 :happy096:
Breakfast: 1 Celebrity Slim Chocolate Bar
Mid-Morning Snack: 1/2 Exante Toffee Raisin Bar (I liked this more than the Choc Orange one)
Lunch: 1 x Exante Strawberry Shake (nice and creamy, not too sweet)
Mid-Afternoon Snack: 1/2 Exante Toffee Raisin Bar
Dinner: 1 x Exante Thai Chicken Soup (really nice, better than Mushroom soup)
Snack: Apple & 1/2 Orange
Water: 10 x 250ml cups

So Day 1 and Day 2 have gone well. I haven't really felt hungry since I have tried to eat something ever 2 - 3 hours. This is something I learned from my CS diet. I can't let my body go hungry and go into starvation mode otherwise it will start keeping stores of fat.

I have also aimed to drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. So far, so good.

What is my goal this week? Well, I would LOVE to get down to 12st at the end of this week. If I see 11 stone something on the scales, I think I will faint! I don't remember ever being 11 stone something. To reach that weight band would be amazing...

12st is a real psychological barrier for me. I think everyone has a weight which they struggle to get under. For me, it's 12st. My last memory of being 12st was when I was 18 years old and I could fit nicely into a size 14 pair of jeans. So I haven't been 12st for about 10 years! :sigh:

Work is going to be busy this week. I work in Finance and it is our company's year end next week. Hopefully I will be too busy to think about food!

I am looking forward to losing a lot of weight this week! :character00115:

I would like to thank Sarah_P for answering all my questions on Exante. You have done so well, Sarah. I hope I will be just as successful as you on Exante! :thankyou:

I'm so ready to lose this weight!!!
Once and for all....

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Love Lisa

 

[mathswiz]

I am going to try and do 3 packs tomorrow and not eat the CS bar. I think I can do it!

Planning Day 3 to go something like this:

Breakfast: 1/3 Choc Orange Exante Bar
Mid-Morning Snack: 1/3 Choc Orange Exante Bar
Lunch: 1 x Exante Banana Shake
Mid-Afternoon Snack: 1/3 Choc Orange Exante Bar
Dinner: 1 x Exante Tomato Soup
Snack: Fruit

I'm going to try and split my Exante bar in 3 (it's big enough!) so I can eat little and often throughout the day.

I hope it works!

 

[flumpy]

You can have 4 packs on the total solution which makes it 800 cals. I notice you are having fruit which I'm not sure is included on Total or are you doing your own version? Good luck with it and well done on the loss on CS! x

 

[Sarah_P]

Glad to hear that you are enjoying the products Lisa and that you have found a plan that works for you.

One thing I like to do different is that I like to get hungry, as I feel I can recognise real hunger now. Before I thought I was hungry or thought it's time to eat, where as now I know when I am truly hungry and that's when I eat. But we are all different, so you do what works for you.

Good luck with cutting out the CS bar today and as Flumpy says, you can do 4 packs on total.

 

[mathswiz]

Hi Girls, thanks for your messages!

Flumpy - I know that you can have 4 packs per day but I got the promotional pack with 21 items in it so can only have 3 Exante packs each day if I am doing the diet for a week. This is the reason why I substituted one pack with a CS bar in the first 2 days. I don't think fruit is allowed but it can't affect my weight loss THAT much right?!! I make sure I don't eat high sugar fruits like pineapple, kiwi fruit etc. I mainly just eat apples, oranges and blueberries etc. Hopefully this should be ok?!

Sarah - I know what you mean about wanting to feel hungry. I used to eat, eat and eat all the time. I thought hunger was just a case of not feeling full (full like your stomach is going to explode!) but when I started Celebrity Slim I did feel hunger at times during the first few days. It felt nice in a strange way! I know I can do 4 packs a day, but I'm thinking that my weight loss will be more significant on 3 packs?! I actually felt kind of full yesterday when I had the CS bar as well as 3 Exante packs. I think the trick is to space your packs out throughout the day so you can eat little and often. You can boost your metabolism throughout the day as well.

 

[mathswiz]

I just ordered another 2 promotional packs and 4 Toffee & Raisin bars! This week is going well so far, so I might try and stick to Exante for another 2 weeks after this. I want to take advantage of the promo pack @ £36 for 21 items whilst it's still on! I believe the normal price is about £50 so I might as well save myself some money!

I think I am definitely in ketosis (can't test because I am on TOTM), because my hands and feet feel like blocks of ice! My breath smells like death right now as well.

I have read comments about the shakes being bland etc. I actually quite like them, knowing that they don't contain the nasty chemicals that other shakes contain. The CS shakes were lovely! I now think about what awful chemicals they must put into the shakes to make them taste so damn good?!

Day 3 is going well so far. I have decided to have 1/2 Exante bar for breakfast, then a shake, then finish my 1/2 bar, then have a soup for dinner.

 

[sherby]

Well done hun and good luck.xx

Apples and oranges are high carb aren't they though?

 

[Sarah_P]

Sounds like you are doing well Lisa. Good on you!

When I did total, I only used 3 packs and I used to have half a shake pack (made with the water for a full one) at breakfast, half at lunch, soup at dinner time and then the bar in the evening. That's because I was a real evening snack person.

When I moved to the Working Solution, I then went to having full packs for brekkie and lunch. The shake packs are fine if you split them and are a bit like the consistency of nesquik.

I like the fact that they have less chemicals. I have IBS and chemicals in processed things can really upset it, but the Exante packs don't seem to affect it, thankfully.

 

[mathswiz]

Well done hun and good luck.xx

Apples and oranges are high carb aren't they though?

Hi Sherby,

I found the following carb info on Apples & Oranges online. Do you think that is high carb?

Per 100g:
Apples, raw, without skin - 12.76 grams
Oranges, raw, all commercial varieties - 11.75 grams

The thing is I don't want to stop eating fruit cos I like it and it's good for me! When I was on CS (which is a low carb diet) I was allowed to eat apples and oranges so I thought I'd be ok doing this on Exante.

Well, I guess I will know if it has any adverse effects when I weigh in on Friday!

Hopefully not, cos I am determined to lose weight this week!!

Hope you're having a good weekend!

Love Lisa

 

[mathswiz]

Sounds like you are doing well Lisa. Good on you!

When I did total, I only used 3 packs and I used to have half a shake pack (made with the water for a full one) at breakfast, half at lunch, soup at dinner time and then the bar in the evening. That's because I was a real evening snack person.

When I moved to the Working Solution, I then went to having full packs for brekkie and lunch. The shake packs are fine if you split them and are a bit like the consistency of nesquik.

I like the fact that they have less chemicals. I have IBS and chemicals in processed things can really upset it, but the Exante packs don't seem to affect it, thankfully.

I just had the banana shake, Sarah, and I know why it is your favourite now! It's lovely and creamy and has a hint of banana flavouring. I liked the strawberry one as well. Actually the chocolate was lovely too...tasted like dark chocolate which I love!

I have found that my stomach isn't bloated while using Exante products. On some days while using CS, my stomach would get bloated.

I'm not really an evening snack person. I can stop eating at 6pm! I like to eat during the day really, so it's important for me to split my packs up throughout the day so I don't get hungry.

Today is Day 3 and it has not been as hard as I imagined! I thought it was going to be really difficult cutting out solid food but so far, it hasn't been.

I can't wait to get weighed on Friday to see how much I have lost!!!

 

[mathswiz]

Today is Day 4 of my Exante week.

Day 3 went well. I managed to survive on 3 packs. Although I felt a slight pain on my side when I woke up this morning. I don't know whether that is related to the VLCD? But it only lasted a few seconds and is gone now.

I am feeling slimmer by the day. I really like this feeling! Hope it shows on the scales on Friday.

Work will be very busy this week. Have to be careful not to fall into the trap of comfort eating.

Can't believe I made it to Day 4...and soon Day 5, Day 6, Day 7 and then my weigh in! 3 days down, 4 to go!

 

[Sarah_P]

A huge well done Lisa. You are doing really well. I am sure you will see a difference on the scales this week! I should think you are well and truly in ketosis now.

 

[mathswiz]

Thanks for the support, Sarah!

Day 4 is successfully over! Managed to stick to 3 packs again. I LOVE the mushroom soup! It's so lovely! Might try tomatoe soup tomorrow.

4 days down, 3 to go! Woohoo!!!

This is easier than I thought!

 

[mathswiz]

It is nearly 2pm and Day 5 today! I seriously can't believe I have made it this far on Exante Total Solution! My one fear was losing 15 lbs and then losing my willpower on Exante Total Solution...then gaining all the weight back again. It doesn't take much to break my willpower...but I have been surprisingly strong this time round.

I received my 2 Exantes packs today so I might carry on with my favourite items! I was going to try the tomatoe soup today, but really feel like a Thai Chicken (so yummy)! It might mean that I end up with a last few days of items which I haven't tried or not that keen on.....

My stomach feels flatter today. There seems to be less fat on my arms. Could it be that Exante is really working?! Ketosis IS king though....

Work has been super busy! I didn't even have time to think about food yesterday....Exante is convenient though. All I had to do was make a shake, have a bar or make soup in a big mug! Very convenient!

Hoping Day 5 goes well...then Day 6...then Day 7 and then the day of truth!

Almost 5 days down and 2 to go!

 

[sherby]

Hi Lisa

Sorry I didn't respond to your post I didn't see it lol.

If you was on a low carb diet oranges and apples would be classed as having a fairly high carb content but you are not doing a low carb diet so I don't know if it would be a problem. All you can do is keep going as you are and if you have a problem with your losses it could be something you could look at. I don't know how many carbs your shakes etc are? Some people are lucky enough to stay in ketosis whils't having 60g net carbs but some people need to have less. I suppose it is trial and error hun. Just see how you go on.

Good luck anyway.xx

 

[Sarah_P]

You are doing really well Lisa. Day 4 was my worst day, but it sounds like you are sailing through.

I found the products I liked and tended to just buy them. The variety box wasn't around when I started and I have just carried on buying individually. The variety box is great value though!

Keep up the good work and it will be weigh in day before you know it.

 

[mathswiz]

Hi Lisa

Sorry I didn't respond to your post I didn't see it lol.

If you was on a low carb diet oranges and apples would be classed as having a fairly high carb content but you are not doing a low carb diet so I don't know if it would be a problem. All you can do is keep going as you are and if you have a problem with your losses it could be something you could look at. I don't know how many carbs your shakes etc are? Some people are lucky enough to stay in ketosis whils't having 60g net carbs but some people need to have less. I suppose it is trial and error hun. Just see how you go on.

Good luck anyway.xx

Thanks for replying, Sherby.

I think there are about 10g of carbs in the shakes, soups are similar but bars have about 24g of carbs.

Not sure if fruit is allowed, but I guess I will find out on Friday when I weigh in!

I hope not cos I have really tried to stick to Exante otherwise!

How is your diet going this week?

 

[mathswiz]

You are doing really well Lisa. Day 4 was my worst day, but it sounds like you are sailing through.

I found the products I liked and tended to just buy them. The variety box wasn't around when I started and I have just carried on buying individually. The variety box is great value though!

Keep up the good work and it will be weigh in day before you know it.

Thanks Sarah - your support really means a lot to me. :thankyou:

I am finding it a lot easier than I thought! Maybe because ketosis has kicked in so I don't feel hungry? I've been drinking at least 10 glasses of water as well so that might help too.

It's all going well and I feel slimmer too!

I just hope the scales agree with me on Friday!

Day 5 is almost over! Yet another victorious day!

5 days down, 2 to go! Woohoo!!

 

[mathswiz]

FINALLY!!! Today is Day 7! I made it to Day 7!

Tomorrow is weigh-in day. I am confident I will lose weight - just a question of how much really. I am hoping for a nice big number that will reflect my efforts this week!

I also had an evil thought last night! If I lost a lot of weight tomorrow, then I can eat what I want after I weighed in! It was awful! I sat there thinking about all the things I wanted to eat! Then I thought "Why am I doing this to myself again?!" I am rewarding myself with food - again! And I shouldn't! It's bad, bad, bad! And it's one of the things that got me fat in the first place!

Wish me luck on the scales tomorrow!

Love Lisa

 

[flumpy]

Good luck Lisa! I'll come on to see how much you've lost!