Newbie starting today

jael001

Gold Member
Hi all, I've been reading some of the threads on here to get a sense of this diet, I found out about it while looking on the CD section and thought it looked a better solution for me than being tied to official weigh-ins etc.

I ordered my first week's packs last week but I've been down with the flu and today's the first day I'm feeling human again so I decided to start today rather than keep putting it off.

Just had a porridge pack, tastes nice, reminds me of Horlicks, but it was quite runny with lumps. I did it according to the instructions on the pack but any tips on how to make it more porridge-like? Less water?

I also wondered about the shakes, can I make them into a pudding? Basically about 6 years ago I did Lighter Life and lost 5 stone on it, but I'd make my chocolate shakes into puddings by just adding a little water and mixing til it was a thick paste that I ate with a spoon. I found it tastier and easier to eat that way. Can I do the same thing with these shakes?

I'm allergic to walnuts so only ordered the choc & orange bars which is a shame as obviously that limits me a little bit, and not sure about all the soup flavours so only ordered mushroom for now. Towards the end of my LL journey I lived on choc shakes and chicken soup only so I'm sure I can manage without a huge range of stuff. A bit nervous about the carbonara so haven't ordered that one yet, sounds like it's something that you either love or hate.

So a bit about me...if anyone's interested. Last year I turned 40 and decided to stop dieting. I've spent 20 years of my life on one diet or another, obsessing about my weight, either the gain or the loss of it. I decided I'd had enough, that I was obviously not meant to be slim and that I'd just enjoy my life and eat what I want. However, since I made that decision I put on about 4 stone and I'm now almost 18 stone and at 5'4 that's just too much. I had said I would only diet again if it was affecting my health and although I have no specific health issues at the moment (although I did have to have my gallbladder out last year, 40 and fat, the perfect candidate for stones), I went to Paris last week for 3 days and found it so hard to just move around, walking up stairs was almost impossible (I live in a ground floor flat so dont have any of my own) and I'm struggling with small things like being able to put my shoes and socks on, stretching across my huge stomach is getting difficult. So I decided I'd try to lose maybe that 4 stone I put on last year. And I dont want to take a year to do it, hence trying this out. But, now I'm thinking maybe I'll try to go all the way. I got down to a size 12 on LL in 2006 and it was an amazing feeling, even if it only lasted a few months before the weight started creeping back on. So for now I'm not going to set myself a specific goal, I'm just going to see how I get on.
 
Hi Jael! :)

there are lots of threads on the Exante section with recipes for making the packs into 'biscuits' and so on. Also tips for adding things into the packs for a change, like chilli powder, herbs into the soups, coffee into the vanilla shakes to make a latte, cinnamon into the porridge. I only have shakes so am not help on the watery porridge sorry, but there will be a thread on here about that I'm sure :)

you will find plenty of support from us all here! :D

most of us have been battling our weight most of our lives, I guess we all have that in common, so your certainly not alone there! I have been 9st and 15st, and everything in between. This year I have decided no more diets, it's now a lifestyle change kick started by Exante. Once I lose this weight I have set myself plans to maintain and live a different life, and not go back to my old ways, otherwise the weight will come back with it. This time I feel different and have changed for the better.

maybe this is the option for you too. While on this plan, use the time away from food to mentally prepare eating habits for your future and psychologically find yourself and some answers :) exante gives us the start but ultimately we have to continue it, and it can be done! we don't have to live overweight and unhappy, we can be whoever we want to be, who we are inside. best of luck for your journey! xx
 
Thanks so much :)

When I was on LL I used to make the soups into "poppadoms" which I've seen is similar to what others do, basically make into a thick paste, put on baking parchment in the microwave either one large one or smaller spoonfuls and eat that way, I might try that too. I used to do the vanilla and coffee thing too but for now I've just got choc shakes, I didnt get any of the other flavours so we'll see how I get on.

I think time away from food is a good thing. When I "stopped dieting" I expected to have a period where I ate everything in sight and then I'd settle down to a better way of eating, eating what I liked but in moderation, but that never happened, I continued to eat everything in sight, huge amounts of chocolate, crisps, biscuits, and no moderation on anything, so I think this is a good thing for me, as you said.
 
You did so well on LL and iv no doubt you will do well on Exante too. You've done it before you can do it again.

that sounds so much like me! I'd crash diet, lose 5 stone, but always think of the day I came off the diet so I could binge on everything I was deprived of. I always thought I'd then eat healthily, but it didn't happen. I'd gain the weight in no time. But now it feels so different, maybe it's age, or just tiring of the yo-yo lifestyle!

i look forward to following your progress Hun you sound in the right frame of mind to succeed xx
 
Well I've just had my first mushroom soup and I have to say I liked it. I didnt add anything to it, thought I'd try it "straight" first and mixed it up with a stick blender and drank it from a large mug rather than having it in a bowl and yeah, not bad at all. Apart from peeing every 5 minutes, I feel fine, I keep topping up my large glass of water and things are going well. It helps that I'm not working today and I dont have anywhere else to be of course.
 
That's great :)

It really helps when you like and enjoy the products. For me, Vanilla shakes are a dream and I would like to continue drinking these even when I'm off this plan, as a healthy coffee latte in the mornings now and then.

I'm sure you will have a fantastic first week weigh in result! xx
 
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