Total Solution My Exante Diary - Need to lose 12 stone!

[latinainglesa]

Hello!

I am a long-time, tried everything dieter, and this is yet another attempt at getting myself down to a healthy weight.

I currently weigh in the region of 23st, I will be having my first proper weigh-in on Friday when I start Exante.

I've done CD before, 4 years ago to the day, stuck to it for 6 weeks and lost 2 1/2 stone.

What else can I tell you about me? I have two kidlets, DD is 5 and DS will be 1 next month .

Luckily I have a very supportive hubby, which is why I'm waiting until Friday to start, as he'll be off then for a week, so can support me through the first few days of hell before ketosis hits (I remember that so well with CD!).

I have ordered some Ketostix, and my Exante starter pack arrives tomorrow. Can't wait to start now, and looking forward to trying out all the flavours.

Anyone else out there have a ridiculous amount of weight to lose like me?

 

[latinainglesa]

Ok, so tomorrow is the big day! I knew that I would never manage to have carb free days before I started, in fact I knew that I was going to binge, and I did I had 7 pain au chocolat and 6 Creme Eggs within the space of an hour...so ashamed.

However, I'm determined to be positive, yes it will take me a bit longer to get into ketosis, but I will get there! A friend suggested that I buy an outfit in a smaller size to hang on my wardrobe. I have lots of smaller jeans in the loft, so hubby is going to get those down for me tomorrow, and I just ordered a really nice simple long sleeved t-shirt from Next in a size 24. I am currently a 28 on the top but I didn't want it to be too easy! Lol

Something I'm not sure how to deal with is my 5 year old daughter. She's old enough to see what I'm doing, and I've tried to explain the diet to her in terms that she will understand. I've told her that it's like medicine for me, to make me fit and healthy. I am very careful to never use words like fat, thin, skinny, pretty around her. I am focussing on health and fitness. Bless her, she said to me that she would like me to be able to go on rides at Legoland with her, so that has to be a goal for me...to be able to go to Legoland and go on all the rides

I'm going to stay off the bars until I'm in ketosis, as I don't want to slow it down even further, so will start with a shake in the morning, please wish me luck and strength!

 

[Quirkygirl]

Morning.

GOOD LUCK on this journey. It sounds to me like you have your head screwed on and know what the pitfalls are.

i commend your attitude with your daughter, I am the same with mine. I've always been fiercely protective on them regarding body image etc. I've never even owned a set of scales in the house, until 4 weeks ago. I have said I'm on a diet I never usually do, and told them that a belly this big, isn't healthy for women my age and that I'm getting rid of it. It's tough, but I'm sure you will make the right choice for you both. After all mams rule.x

keep updating your diary and have a happy Easter.x

 

[disocoDR]

My order should arrive on Tuesday so planning on starting on Wednesday morning, however I have a few packs left over from a failed attempt at CD so I am tempted to start on Monday as it's the 1st of April. Anyway just thought I would say hi as I am starting roughly the same time as you so will be reading your posts to keep me motivated.

 

[jael001]

Ok, so tomorrow is the big day! I knew that I would never manage to have carb free days before I started, in fact I knew that I was going to binge, and I did I had 7 pain au chocolat and 6 Creme Eggs within the space of an hour...so ashamed.

However, I'm determined to be positive, yes it will take me a bit longer to get into ketosis, but I will get there! A friend suggested that I buy an outfit in a smaller size to hang on my wardrobe. I have lots of smaller jeans in the loft, so hubby is going to get those down for me tomorrow, and I just ordered a really nice simple long sleeved t-shirt from Next in a size 24. I am currently a 28 on the top but I didn't want it to be too easy! Lol

Something I'm not sure how to deal with is my 5 year old daughter. She's old enough to see what I'm doing, and I've tried to explain the diet to her in terms that she will understand. I've told her that it's like medicine for me, to make me fit and healthy. I am very careful to never use words like fat, thin, skinny, pretty around her. I am focussing on health and fitness. Bless her, she said to me that she would like me to be able to go on rides at Legoland with her, so that has to be a goal for me...to be able to go to Legoland and go on all the rides

I'm going to stay off the bars until I'm in ketosis, as I don't want to slow it down even further, so will start with a shake in the morning, please wish me luck and strength!

Good luck, you sound like you have it all in hand, I'm sure you're going to do brilliantly and you'll be in that new top pretty quickly.

 

[latinainglesa]

Thanks everyone for the replies I'm not sure what to do as hubby woke up this morning and was throwing up, and I feel really nauseous and have a terrible tummy ache.It could be a bug, or it could be all the rubbish I ate yesterday! Have only had water so far today. Might wait and see how I feel in an hour or so!

 

[jael001]

Oh no, that doesnt sound good. Yeah leave it a little while, maybe have a black tea or something to settle your tummy and then see how you feel. I dont usually have my first pack of the day til about 10.00 or 11.00 anyway.

 

[latinainglesa]

Oh no, that doesnt sound good. Yeah leave it a little while, maybe have a black tea or something to settle your tummy and then see how you feel. I dont usually have my first pack of the day til about 10.00 or 11.00 anyway.

Thank you, I feel a bit nauseous but again, could be my massive binge from yesterday! Do you know whether I can have the new Twinings double mint tea? I think it's peppermit tea with extra peppermint oil?

If not then can I have Sunshine Earl Grey? Possibly not as I think it has citrus!

Thanks for all your help. x

 

[jael001]

Yeah I would think the mint tea will be fine, I can't imagine there's much peppermint oil in a teabag, as long as it's leaves and not flowers or fruit you'll be fine. Not sure about the Earl Grey, check the ingredients but normal Earl Grey is fine. I've been buying the Green Tea with Mint which is lovely.

Hope the nausea passes soon.

 

[latinainglesa]

Yeah I would think the mint tea will be fine, I can't imagine there's much peppermint oil in a teabag, as long as it's leaves and not flowers or fruit you'll be fine. Not sure about the Earl Grey, check the ingredients but normal Earl Grey is fine. I've been buying the Green Tea with Mint which is lovely.

Hope the nausea passes soon.

Thanks

I'm feeling a bit better, nausea has passed but tummy ache still coming in waves, I spoke to my sister and she thinks that the food from yesterday is not digesting properly and just sitting there (sorry, gross!).

I'm just drinking the mint tea now, and then will have a shake in about half an hour or so!

 

[jael001]

The tea should help settle your stomach a bit, peppermint tea is good for that. Hope you feel better after.

I just had my vanilla shake with a spoonful of coffee in it, gorgeous

Not sure what flavour shake you're planning on having, but you can use the mint tea mixed with a shake, particularly the chocolate one. You can either make it a like a mint hot chocolate (make the mint tea with boiling water and then use that as the liquid to make up your shake) or make it with cold water (I use 2 teabags to make it stronger in cold water) and then mix it up like that. That way you're getting extra mint tea for your tummy.

 

[latinainglesa]

The tea should help settle your stomach a bit, peppermint tea is good for that. Hope you feel better after.

I just had my vanilla shake with a spoonful of coffee in it, gorgeous

Not sure what flavour shake you're planning on having, but you can use the mint tea mixed with a shake, particularly the chocolate one. You can either make it a like a mint hot chocolate (make the mint tea with boiling water and then use that as the liquid to make up your shake) or make it with cold water (I use 2 teabags to make it stronger in cold water) and then mix it up like that. That way you're getting extra mint tea for your tummy.

Definitely fancy trying the mint tea in a shake! When I was on Cambridge I lived on the mint choc shakes

I've just had a chocolate shake, wanted to taste them all plain first though. I liked the choc one, not too sweet!

 

[jael001]

Yeah I only really like the chocolate and vanilla ones. The strawberry and banana ones aren't revolting but they're a bit too artificial for my taste. And I dont like the vanilla on it's own, only with coffee.

I sometimes make the chocolate one into a pudding, just put in a bowl and stir in small amounts of water until it's a nice thick paste and eat with a spoon. It's stopped me craving chocolate too much.

 

[latinainglesa]

Ooh pudding sounds good!Well hubby and I both definitely had a nasty bug, we had the shivers and then the sweats, and neither of us could stomach anything. I'm still feeling delicate today, but much better! I only had the one shake yesterday but drank loads of water.This morning I tried the vanilla shake and really enjoyed it, I think I will love it with coffee! Going to try a soup for lunch.I don't like the feeling left in my mouth after the shakes, , it's almost greasy? Might have to start brushing my teeth after each shake lol.I'm not feeling hungry for now, maybe because of the bug? Not complaining though!

 

[jael001]

I used to get that weird feeling on my teeth when I was doing Lighter Life but haven't noticed it with the Exante stuff. Maybe if you use a little more water it's not as thick and then maybe it wont have that effect? Or maybe it's the way you mix it up? I mainly use 250ml of water and a shaker with a wire ball in it these days for my shakes. The soup I make with a stick blender and use 400ml of water as otherwise I find it too thick.

 

[latinainglesa]

I have been using the shaker with the wire ball (I order the 1 week starter pack which included it), but have been making them pretty thick!

I didn't have soup at lunchtime in the end as I felt really really yucky, so just wanted to chug a shake down and go back to sleep! I tried the strawberry shake and found it to be much 'thinner' than the choc or vanilla. It was quite nice, not a very strong flavour. I'm dreading the banana one as I don't tend to like banana flavoured things, but will have that tomorrow.

I've found that I feel extra nauseous after the shakes, maybe because I'm downing them almost in one! Hopefully the soup will be better as I will have to eat it slowly.

Thanks for the stick blender tip, will use that to mix it up with

I'm finding myself quite hungry now, but keep telling myself that I could be in ketosis as soon as Monday, and am ok with feeling hunger.

 

[latinainglesa]

I was soooo hungry this afternoon! Have had some headaches too, but Paracetamol knocked those on the head.

Had the Thai Chicken soup for dinner, it was really tasty, but the texture is really odd, it coats your mouth in a weird way. I put more hot water in and that helped a bit. It's weird eating something savoury that has the texture of a shake! Nice to have something hot though.

Hubby got me some Coke Zero and some more mint tea, so having a can now, and will have the tea in the morning.

One thing that I'm so so sad about, is that I am having to stop breastfeeding my baby boy although I should point out that he's almost a year old lol. He will be one on 21st April. I have been thinking about stopping for a while now, but just can't say no when he wants it as it's so precious!

However, he is definitely beginning to lose interest now, and I've heard that it's dangerous for them while you are in ketosis (or at best, there is uncertainty) so it seems like a good time to stop.

He also has formula, has been having it from the start, at first just one bottle and the rest me...but now he has 3 bottles and I'm just comfort.

I just know that as we don't want any more, these are the last days that I will ever breastfeed, and I love it so much :cry:

Oh well, it's much more important that he has a healthy Mummy around for many years to come, so I will have to remember that when I'm having a wobble! I don't want to have given up breastfeeding for nothing!!!

 

[latinainglesa]

I'm addicted to this diary already! Lol

I have been thinking about what I will achieve this year as long as I stick to this diet, in order to keep me motivated

Summer holiday at end of July= Could have lost 4-5 stone by then! (Around the 18/19st mark)
Family reunion in August = Could have lost 4-5 stone by then! (Around the 18/19st mark)
My 37th birthday in September = Could have lost 6-7 stone by then! (Around the 17/16st mark)
Going away with hubby for his 40th in early December = Could have lost 8-9 stone by then! (Around the 15/14st mark)

Wow that makes me feel so excited and so determined to stick to it! Those are quite ambitious amounts that I've predicted, but they do say an average of a stone a month, and I'm hoping to lose more than that in the first month.

I still haven't decided what to do about the AAM week, I am seeing my GP on Tuesday so will ask him what he thinks. He used to be quite overweight himself and lost it all with Atkins, so I know that he is clued up about ketosis.

He has offered me a gastric band on a number of occasions, but there is no way on earth!! Lol

I think what I would like to do, is have an AAM week every 12 weeks, I will see how I feel. I also have this holiday at the end of July, so need to think about how to handle that. It's with family and ILs and part of me says just do meal replacement, and the other part of me says go off plan but not crazy (they are all quite healthy eaters, so we wouldn't be going mad anyway). Another idea would be to do the AAM week then, but the calories are so few, that it wouldn't make it much easier. I suppose I could just go low carb, and have lots of protein and a little veg/salad? Hmmm well I have plenty of time to think about it.

I'm just a bit scared as last time I was doing so well and then I went on holiday, planning to stay on plan and it all went out of the window as I felt so deprived compared to everyone else! I don't want to force myself to stay on plan if it's going to make me rebel against it in the long run.

 

[jael001]

I breastfed my daughter til she was 11 months old, she pretty much weaned herself off by then and she had ALL her teeth and was biting me, so at that point I decided enough was enough. We never used formula, she just went onto normal milk. But you definitely shouldn't breastfeed while doing a VLCD, you're not getting enough calories etc to sustain you if you do. Officially you should only be doing the final step of the diet (Simple Solution) if you're breastfeeding, but since you're not doing it exclusively, if you do want to carry on you should probably do Working Solution. It's up to you though, but your health is important, dont let it suffer needlessly.

Re your holiday, you could definitely do it as a low carb/high protein week. It's a holiday, I personally wouldn't stay on packs while I was away, you've got to enjoy your holiday too, but that's me.

 

[latinainglesa]

Good morning and happy easter everyone!

I tested this morning and according to the Ketostix, I am in ketosis already! I'm really pleased as today is only day 3! Maybe my tummy bug helped? Lol.

Am feeling really really nauseous after each 'meal' despite drinking loads of water I had half a bar this morning and have been nauseous ever since. I'm dreading eating the second half. Anyone have any tips? I had peppermint tea but that didn't help.