New start, new me - FlicG’s Diary

[FlicG]

Hello!

So, I’ve been on Minimins before - successfully loosing 4 stone on the Cambridge diet back in 2014. That was pre-wedding and pre-babies!

I was pretty focussed during the first 12 weeks of the Cambridge diet, sticking to three products and occasionally having a low carb meal. What I loved about it was that it was as close to going “cold turkey” on my addiction as you can do with food, and I thought I’d done a lot of work with my emotional/binge eating disorder, but it turns out that I could talk the talk, but didn’t do the real hard work behind it.

Since doing the Cambridge diet, I’ve joined slimming world about 6 times, lost and regained the same couple of stone a few times and I’m EXHAUSTED by it all, by feeling like this.

My plan with Exante is to stick with three products per day for as long as I can face it/before I have a function where I have to eat, up to 12 weeks. My plan is to move to a keto diet after then for longer term maintenance and to get back to eating “real” food again…I’m hoping sticking with keto should help me with the binge eating.

I’m a bit of a planner, so I’ve not actually started yet! My four week pack arrived yesterday, but I’m starting on Monday. I can’t get my head around starting midweek, so I’m just trying to eat a more balanced, lower carb diet before then.

Slightly dreading standing on the scales as then I’ll know just how out of control my weight has gotten, but at least I can start to set targets and plan.

If you’ve managed to read this far, then well done - expect more ramblings to come!

 

[AliGal]

Welcome back. That sounds like a good plan. I look forward to reading your ramblings!

 

[AliGal]

I definitely find eating higher protein keeps me from bingeing. The binges I've had in the last 8 months have been because I bought a bag of donuts or some other food stuff like biscuits or sweet sugary chocolates I know will compel me if I bring them into the house.

I recommend joining a weekly challenge thread if there's one on Exante - or maybe @boofle's Easter Challenge. You can also join The Waist Thread - tracking waist inches lost, and if you have (or had) 50lbs or more to lose, the Team 50 Christmas 2022 challenge (links in my signature).

If you feel week or have a headache, use a DIY electrolyte drink Try KFC's recipe - https://www.ketofitnessclub.com/blogs/drinks/electrolyte-drink?_pos=1&_sid=0673dd6e4&_ss=r (I don't always use the vinegar) or dietdoctor - https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/electrolyte-elixir-drink These help with fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches & mood changes. Beware bought electrolyte drinks as many have sugar too.

How is it going for you?

 

[fatehonoranek1]

thank you

 

[FlicG]

I definitely find eating higher protein keeps me from bingeing. The binges I've had in the last 8 months have been because I bought a bag of donuts or some other food stuff like biscuits or sweet sugary chocolates I know will compel me if I bring them into the house.

I recommend joining a weekly challenge thread if there's one on Exante - or maybe @boofle's Easter Challenge. You can also join The Waist Thread - tracking waist inches lost, and if you have (or had) 50lbs or more to lose, the Team 50 Christmas 2022 challenge (links in my signature).

If you feel week or have a headache, use a DIY electrolyte drink Try KFC's recipe - https://www.ketofitnessclub.com/blogs/drinks/electrolyte-drink?_pos=1&_sid=0673dd6e4&_ss=r (I don't always use the vinegar) or dietdoctor - https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/electrolyte-elixir-drink These help with fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches & mood changes. Beware bought electrolyte drinks as many have sugar too.

How is it going for you?

Thanks so much for this Ali - I’ll be checking out the electrolyte drink. I’ve got everything ready to start on Monday, I think!

 

[FlicG]

So, I’m ready for tomorrow I think!
Not sure if having a week to prepare has been good or not, as there’s also been a lot of self sabotaging with what I’ve eaten. Things I’ve bought in preparation are:
- keto sticks: so that I can check whether I’m in ketosis (I’m hoping that if I’m in a position where I think I’m going to give up, I can use one of these to see where I am.)
- rechargeable electric blender. At the moment with work, I don’t have access to a kitchen. I work three days a week, so I thought this might be handy to get the shakes blitzed up nicely! Will report back on how I go with it.
For Christmas, my brother in law bought me a soda stream, I love a fizzy drink, so I think this will be great for keeping those evening cravings at bay. I also bought the flavour enhancer multipack from Exante with my four week pack, so hopefully this will help too.
Xx

 

[mich3113]

So, I’m ready for tomorrow I think!
Not sure if having a week to prepare has been good or not, as there’s also been a lot of self sabotaging with what I’ve eaten. Things I’ve bought in preparation are:
- keto sticks: so that I can check whether I’m in ketosis (I’m hoping that if I’m in a position where I think I’m going to give up, I can use one of these to see where I am.)
- rechargeable electric blender. At the moment with work, I don’t have access to a kitchen. I work three days a week, so I thought this might be handy to get the shakes blitzed up nicely! Will report back on how I go with it.
For Christmas, my brother in law bought me a soda stream, I love a fizzy drink, so I think this will be great for keeping those evening cravings at bay. I also bought the flavour enhancer multipack from Exante with my four week pack, so hopefully this will help too.
Xx

I love fizzy drinks too the only water I drink is fizzy water.. good idea to add the flavour enhancers to it! ... coke zero is keeping me going at the mo as a treat... I have ordered some mock tails too .. can't wait to try them out.for the weekends when hubby is having a beer..

Good luck for tomorrow!

 

[amee1981]

I love fizzy drinks too the only water I drink is fizzy water.. good idea to add the flavour enhancers to it! ... coke zero is keeping me going at the mo as a treat... I have ordered some mock tails too .. can't wait to try them out.for the weekends when hubby is having a

So, I’m ready for tomorrow I think!
Not sure if having a week to prepare has been good or not, as there’s also been a lot of self sabotaging with what I’ve eaten. Things I’ve bought in preparation are:
- keto sticks: so that I can check whether I’m in ketosis (I’m hoping that if I’m in a position where I think I’m going to give up, I can use one of these to see where I am.)
- rechargeable electric blender. At the moment with work, I don’t have access to a kitchen. I work three days a week, so I thought this might be handy to get the shakes blitzed up nicely! Will report back on how I go with it.
For Christmas, my brother in law bought me a soda stream, I love a fizzy drink, so I think this will be great for keeping those evening cravings at bay. I also bought the flavour enhancer multipack from Exante with my four week pack, so hopefully this will help too.
Xx

I'm starting tomorrow too! Nervous to weigh in but at least its a number I'll never see again. Onwards and downwards

 

[mich3113]

I'm starting tomorrow too! Nervous to weigh in but at least its a number I'll never see again. Onwards and downwards

Good luck Amee, I'm looking at it's just one day at a time, and one day closer to the goal... must get my self a calandar to start marking off the days too ... that would be encouraging also I think.....

Have a great first day tomorrow, and drink lots and lots of water

 

[FlicG]

Morning!
So, I stood on the scales (I was going to do it last night, but forgot!)

18st 7lb start weight.

the first stone has come and gone twice in the last year, so I’m hopeful that the first week is a good loss. I’ve got up, had a cup of ginger tea and I’m ready for the day.

I packed my work bag last night, but my eldest has a cough, so nursery won’t let her in. Negative LFTs at the moment though, so I think it’s just a cold. This means I’ll be working from home today so I’ll need to really flex the willpower muscles -
I was hoping that my first two days would be at work with no access to food other than my sachets which would make thing easier, but I guess we’re doing it the hard way round!

 

[FlicG]

I'm starting tomorrow too! Nervous to weigh in but at least its a number I'll never see again. Onwards and downwards

Good luck for today Amee! Have you got your own diary yet? I found posting so helpful last time I did this, way back in 2014, so planning on daily posts as much as possible!

 

[amee1981]

Good luck for today Amee! Have you got your own diary yet? I found posting so helpful last time I did this, way back in 2014, so planning on daily posts as much as possible!

No, I'd not started a diary. Will look into it now x

 

[FlicG]

Today has been a NIGHTMARE!

I had some tea in the morning and water, with 1/2 of my first shake just before 10am - I had salted caramel, which didn’t taste particularly salty, but it was fine.
Took my daughter for a PCR test because nursery won’t accept negative LFTs. On the way back, I ran into the shop to get milk, and the car wouldn’t start when I came out! We spent 3 hours sat in the carpark waiting for a tow before the car inexplicably started, and all the crazy warning lights it was displaying previously turned off! It’s my FIL’s car as my husband has ours, which made it doubly bad! The garage thinks it might be a problem with the electrics as it’s a common fault with that model!

Anyway, by the time we got home, it was just gone 3pm and as it was just a quick trip out, I didn’t take anything with me, other than water. So, I had the cranberry and dark chocolate layer bar with a decaf black coffee on my return and some more water. Managed dinner time for my girls without picking at any food and had the other 1/2 sachet just before their bedtime because I’ll be a bit later with dinner tonight.

Despite the car disaster, I have been on plan today. My evening will consist of lots of fizzy water with the cranberry water enhancer which is pretty nice so far!

Hope you’ve all had better Mondays than mine!
xx

 

[mich3113]

Today has been a NIGHTMARE!

I had some tea in the morning and water, with 1/2 of my first shake just before 10am - I had salted caramel, which didn’t taste particularly salty, but it was fine.
Took my daughter for a PCR test because nursery won’t accept negative LFTs. On the way back, I ran into the shop to get milk, and the car wouldn’t start when I came out! We spent 3 hours sat in the carpark waiting for a tow before the car inexplicably started, and all the crazy warning lights it was displaying previously turned off! It’s my FIL’s car as my husband has ours, which made it doubly bad! The garage thinks it might be a problem with the electrics as it’s a common fault with that model!

Anyway, by the time we got home, it was just gone 3pm and as it was just a quick trip out, I didn’t take anything with me, other than water. So, I had the cranberry and dark chocolate layer bar with a decaf black coffee on my return and some more water. Managed dinner time for my girls without picking at any food and had the other 1/2 sachet just before their bedtime because I’ll be a bit later with dinner tonight.

Despite the car disaster, I have been on plan today. My evening will consist of lots of fizzy water with the cranberry water enhancer which is pretty nice so far!

Hope you’ve all had better Mondays than mine!
xx

Wow quite the day!! Well done you with all that stress and hungar, I would have found incredibly difficult to stick to plan..

I can't drink any water in the evening.. or I'll get no sleep running to the loo all night..

 

[FlicG]

Slightly regretted drinking lots of water last night, but it stopped me going to the larder for snacks.

Yesterday was:
B: Salted Caramel 1/2 Shake
L: (very late, like 3.30pm by the time i got home from the car debacle) Cranberry and dark choc bar, which was ok.
S: Other 1/2 of the salted caramel shake before kids bedtime because OH was due back late and I thought this would carry me through!
D: Chicken and leek soup. Need to work out if its possible to get these to taste ok. I think the main thing is not making them super hot (from memory it's about denaturing the vitamins or something?)

I have a lot more sweet options than savoury which is fine - last time i did a shake diet, i found that I went off the savoury ones quite quickly.

You might have also noticed that i'm going for 3 products, not 4/3 and a 200cal meal. Doing this last time, it was all about 3 products and getting into ketosis was key - some people have said that 4 products is trickier to get into ketosis, and I don't want to have a meal just yet. The point of doing this diet is for me to get some headspace away from food for a bit. I can do all or nothing, its when there's the grey that I start cheating myself. I'm going to use this time on the shakes to get myself in the right zone. My plan is to do this for around 12 weeks if I can, and then see where I am. From yesterday's weigh in, I have around 6 stone to loose to get to a reasonable BMI and also to a weight i've been before which I think would be sustainable...after 12 weeks I might do the 3 and a 200cal meal and see how I go, not sure just yet!

How are you all doing? Day 2 wise, I have a banging headache today, and i'm weeing A LOT, but first week is tough, so we'll see what happens on next Monday's weigh in.

xx

 

[amee1981]

Slightly regretted drinking lots of water last night, but it stopped me going to the larder for snacks.

Yesterday was:
B: Salted Caramel 1/2 Shake
L: (very late, like 3.30pm by the time i got home from the car debacle) Cranberry and dark choc bar, which was ok.
S: Other 1/2 of the salted caramel shake before kids bedtime because OH was due back late and I thought this would carry me through!
D: Chicken and leek soup. Need to work out if its possible to get these to taste ok. I think the main thing is not making them super hot (from memory it's about denaturing the vitamins or something?)

I have a lot more sweet options than savoury which is fine - last time i did a shake diet, i found that I went off the savoury ones quite quickly.

You might have also noticed that i'm going for 3 products, not 4/3 and a 200cal meal. Doing this last time, it was all about 3 products and getting into ketosis was key - some people have said that 4 products is trickier to get into ketosis, and I don't want to have a meal just yet. The point of doing this diet is for me to get some headspace away from food for a bit. I can do all or nothing, its when there's the grey that I start cheating myself. I'm going to use this time on the shakes to get myself in the right zone. My plan is to do this for around 12 weeks if I can, and then see where I am. From yesterday's weigh in, I have around 6 stone to loose to get to a reasonable BMI and also to a weight i've been before which I think would be sustainable...after 12 weeks I might do the 3 and a 200cal meal and see how I go, not sure just yet!

How are you all doing? Day 2 wise, I have a banging headache today, and i'm weeing A LOT, but first week is tough, so we'll see what happens on next Monday's weigh in.

xx

Like you I'm needing the headspace away from food. If only my 7 year old could cook for herself this process would be so much easier!
In light of the car debacle you did brilliantly to stay on plan.
I also went off savoury packs pretty quickly but that was with a different provider, wondering if I should try exantes range on my next order as I've been sooo cold!
Interesting what you say about the 3 packs being better for ketosis! Will have to monitor results and see if this might be a better option for me too. I used to prefer to just have the 3 packs but am so much bigger now, worried that I might need the 4th pack to stay functioning... was going to say healthy but that's a big ask when my health is rubbish anyway!

 

[FlicG]

I could have written that myself Amee - I did Cambridge back in 2014 and the only savoury one I liked in the end was a bolognese one. I basically lived off rice pudding!
I think because of the success last time with 3, I’m going to give it a go. The reason it changed was because it was a recommendation following a review that 600 has to be monitored by a health professional - so I’ve told my GP friend that I’m doing it. If I have a hungry day, I might do 4 packs, and I have ketosticks so I can check.

My two are 1 and 3 so a long way off solo cooking unfortunately! They don’t eat dinner with us anyway, and during the week, mostly have breakfast at nursery when I’m at work. I think I can hide the fact I’m doing Meal Replacements during the week, and then get creative at the weekend. I really want my girls to have a good attitude to food/healthy eating/balanced diet.

 

[amee1981]

I vowed I would do my utmost for my daughter not to have the same issues with food I do. Saving grace for her is she doesn't have my genes... I adopted her with my husband when she was 1 but it's just us gals now.

I have Lipoedema, a genetic fat disorder, which can only be treated with surgery. My consultation has been delayed so rather than have further setbacks I decided to do this and when my girl tried to pinch my shake just now I said it was special medicine to help me before I see the man who will fix with my legs. Thankfully she didn't ask anymore questions other than why was I having medicine with ice

Might have to get myself some ketosticks!

 

[FlicG]

Sounds like you’re handling doing it around your daughter perfectly. It’s so hard with children isn’t it? I remember my mum being on a diet nearly my whole childhood, and sitting me down at 12 to say I was getting a bit chubby, which destroyed me at the time!

Yesterday was a good day on plan, though I felt really hungry most of the day (probably because it was a work day, so I had to try and focus on that.)

B: 1/2 vanilla shake mixed with coffee (this was good!)
L: salted caramel bar - it was ok, but a bit bland.
S: Other 1/2 vanilla shake made with very cold water (tasted like melted ice cream!)
D: Red Bean Chilli (this was really nice!) I added a couple of drops of green Tabasco (checked the ingredients and I think it will be ok.)

I drank lots of tea, coffee, fruit tea, water, fizzy water with water enhancer. I did a lot of weeing, but negotiated children’s lunch and dinner without touching it. So often their leftovers make it into my mouth - that’s what I love about a shake diet - because there’s a clear black and white, it’s easy to not eat any food.

Wednesday is a day off for me, usually I would go food shopping/cafe/park, but without a car, we’re stuck at home, which isn’t a bad thing as I don’t have the temptation of nipping into somewhere for a quick snack. I have attempted a walk as it’s a gorgeous frosty sunny morning here, but my girls were having none of it! Will attempt later, but take the pram so we might get a bit further.

Hope you’re all having good weeks. Nearly halfway through! xx

 

[mich3113]

Sounds like you’re handling doing it around your daughter perfectly. It’s so hard with children isn’t it? I remember my mum being on a diet nearly my whole childhood, and sitting me down at 12 to say I was getting a bit chubby, which destroyed me at the time!

Yesterday was a good day on plan, though I felt really hungry most of the day (probably because it was a work day, so I had to try and focus on that.)

B: 1/2 vanilla shake mixed with coffee (this was good!)
L: salted caramel bar - it was ok, but a bit bland.
S: Other 1/2 vanilla shake made with very cold water (tasted like melted ice cream!)
D: Red Bean Chilli (this was really nice!) I added a couple of drops of green Tabasco (checked the ingredients and I think it will be ok.)

I drank lots of tea, coffee, fruit tea, water, fizzy water with water enhancer. I did a lot of weeing, but negotiated children’s lunch and dinner without touching it. So often their leftovers make it into my mouth - that’s what I love about a shake diet - because there’s a clear black and white, it’s easy to not eat any food.

Wednesday is a day off for me, usually I would go food shopping/cafe/park, but without a car, we’re stuck at home, which isn’t a bad thing as I don’t have the temptation of nipping into somewhere for a quick snack. I have attempted a walk as it’s a gorgeous frosty sunny morning here, but my girls were having none of it! Will attempt later, but take the pram so we might get a bit further.

Hope you’re all having good weeks. Nearly halfway through! xx

Ah the leftovers.. same here , I don't like food going to waste... I make sure to dump the leftover straight away now