Losing weight...how careless. ;) Diary and weigh-in thread!

[RedRevolver]

So I decided to start a thread because although I was due to start today, Interlink are not delivering until tomorrow. Still though, me and my boyfriend went to the cinema yesterday at Gateshead's Metrocentre where there is a large, drive-thru Krispy Kreme...and yes we got a strawberry and cream doughnut...and maybe a hot one fresh off the counter too...

Anyway, didn't eat the S&C last night but was getting a little sad as I promised my boyfriend it. now I get to eat it, so I win! Sort of. Kind of glad I'm surviving on not too much at the moment. Am about to apply for a volunteer job in the middle of newcastle City Centre though and am a bit worried, particularly if I have to restart after going home for my birthday (it's also my mum's birthday the day before...and Father's day the day after!). I really can't wait to be doing more with my time, it's really depressing being overweight, unemployed and having no definable skills. Haha.

I can't wait to start though - might do a reccy down at the Tesco and see if I can get any Dr. Pepper or Cherry Coke *ero. Or normal, at a push, but I don't like normal.

 

[lynneonextante]

Good luck. I find that I actually feel more healthy and better about myself when I'm on exante. It's probably because I'm not eating any junk food and all the vitamins and minerals in the exante meals - oh and of course the weight loss. It does help having 17lb less to carry around. I'm sure you'll feel much better and more focussed if you start doing voluntary work - it will also be good for your CV - and are on exante. A further bonus is that being on exante is cheaper than buying regular food!

 

[RedRevolver]

Thanks Lynne.

Day 1 has gone quite well. I enjoyed all the products, maybe after Day 23 it won't hit the same spot. I agree with getting all my nutrients and minerals, I'm sure it'll make me feel better. I actually really enjoyed the tomato and basil soup, and it does seem the T&B soup has gained a consensus for being the worst product on the Exante menu so...it can only get better, surely?

 

[lynneonextante]

I add garlic, pepper and herbs to the tomato and basil soups.

 

[smidge87]

Well done for getting through day 1 - looking forward to seeing your progress! I'm on the 'against tomato soup' team so glad you enjoyed it!

 

[RedRevolver]

Banana shake was really nice, just like regular milkshake tbh. I think I've got an ear infection which is really bad news as I've not yet managed to get registered with a doctor's surgery yet and don't know where (if any exist) the minor A&E is around here. D:

I hope it goes down on it's own, but I got an infection last year which managed to give me conjunctivitis and a course of antibiotics and it was all pretty horrible. I don't want to get ill right now! Aargh.

 

[lynneonextante]

Hi. I like the banana shake tooand had one for breakfast. It is probably my favourite although I like them all and so sometimes change my mind about which one I like best. I've just had a Tesco ultra slim chocolate bar for lunch and again they are very nice although I prefer the exante ones. (most people on here seem to like the tesco ones best.) Sorry to hear about your ear infection. I hope it gets better soon. Have you sorted out doing voluntary work yet?

 

[RedRevolver]

no, not yet, been really ill the past few days...

Speaking of which...I don't know if I'll be able to follow the TS plan. I felt incredibly sick the first few days, and felt better but still quite sick after incorporating some kind of meal (and because we've got no food in the house really, apart from my packs and a few tins of beans/bread wasn't much) so I don't know what to do. It might be my intake of water, I don't think I'm drinking enough but I've never been one to drink a lot of water, (well, tap water, and that's all I can afford - and on our water rates, it'd be rude not to!)

I want to lose this weight because I don't see myself as feeling great about myself, at least to the point where I can fix the things that I've kind of ruined for the time being, and feel really content with the shape of my life and the people in it. It's just the health aspects to this, I almost collapsed I was so dizzy and couldn't walk, plus my back seems to hurt even more (but that could be because I've spent like twice as much time in bed than I already do, feeling tired and sick).

So there's my rant, any advice on what I should do next would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to snack on pork rinds again (very fatty, but no carbs so...)...

 

[RedRevolver]

I think I'm definitely constipated and the only meal I particularly have been enjoying have been the bars. The rest - particularly the soups - are not disgusting (well, actually, I thought the porridge oats were quite gross but that might be the way I prepared them), they taste really nicebut they make me feel weird after I eat them and I don't want to do anything. Can going into ketosis sometimes be painful?

I hope I am losing weight...

 

[lynneonextante]

You must drink enough water to avoid constipation. Also, I add a tsp of psyllium husk to my shakes or porridge if I think I'm getting constipated. The worst side affect I've had is felling very cold when I'm in ketosis. I was also very tired at first and just went to bed early and had plenty of sleep. At least you're not hungry if you're sleeping. It does actually work out cheaper than eating regular food if you stick to 100%. I know it is hard but after a while I felt healthier than I did before going on exante - probably because I no longe have at least 2 glasses of wine every night! (Although I do miss my wine..... )

 

[RedRevolver]

Had a tough time with this to be honest - and think it's the lack of chewing something. This has lead me to think perhaps, as much as I don't think it's massively superior taste-wise, S&S might be better for now - particularly with their range of bars. I think I could end up stuck with more packs again that I dislike and end up going off plan a lot on that too...maybe I'm not cut out for it? Milkshakes and bars are fine though, I just hated the porridge when I tried it (stuck together, and tasted far, far too sweet for porridge) and it makes me wonder how well Exante can do them, plus I don't think the milkshakes and bars are inferior, I just dislike certain members trying to dissuade everyone from being on Exante, when I don't think S&S is going to really knock most people off their feet (at least comparably).

Anyway, I'm ranting now. I've still lost over a stone and not really committed to it, so I'd like to commit for a month but think having a bit of pasta or curry would be more palatable than the soups (the vegetable soup reminds me of something that grosses me out, but I can't remember what it was!) which are okay but not something I look forward too, and keeping substituting them for bars, which I know I shouldn't but I'd prefer a bar and a glass of water to...something that tastes overwhelmingly like artificial cabbage?

Something positive though: I've learnt how to do kettlebell swings pretty well, and am enjoying them. Found some great websites for exercise equipment with interest free credit plans, so me and my boyfriend are thinking about getting a treadmill or something capable of a decent cardio workout (and honestly, because of my social anxiety, if I'm ever gonna start jogging/running it's in the privacy of my own home!)

I'm also 21 now...hurrah...I still wish I didn't feel constantly bullied by the media and the 'great' general public though.

 

[lynneonextante]

Well done on losing a stone! Which are you following - exante or S%S? I didn't quite understand your post.