One week in on Exante Total Solutions.

[mathew]

Hi Mathew here
I have been on Exante total solutions for a week, had my first week weigh in today and have lost a whole stone! Gone from 16st 13lb to 15st 13lb. Have been having 1 shake, 1 soup and 1 bar a day and about 4 litres of water.
Wondering how others find this diet and kinda weight loss to be expected weekly on average.

 

[minirog]

AWESOME!!!! That's amazing! Are the packs tasty or just bearable?

 

[Magggie]

Yes, it seems to be about right for a man
if you have a strenuous job, you may want to do the working solutions instead as you could feel weaker, as you naturally have more muscle than women.
but well done!

 

[dezzie1082]

Wow Mathew,

fantastic start to your journey....you must be absolutely thrilled.
I might be wrong.....if i am....i am sure someone else will let you know....but i think you are supposed to be on four packs as a man.
Still only one bar a day though.

Shaz x

 

[Miss Demeanour]

AWESOME!!!! That's amazing! Are the packs tasty or just bearable?

It is indeed quite spectacular, but not unusual in a fella. Mathew, you are *meant* to be on 4 packs a day to keep yourself going, though. However I'm the last person who's going to tell you what you should or shouldn't be doing. I just don't want you to keel over. Your losses will slow substantially from here onwards.

And it's down to personal taste as to how most peeps feel about the packs TBH. there's a broad range of experience between 'tasty' and 'just bearable', I think most people's feelings run between the two. There's usually the odd flavour that some people can't get on with, but interestingly, the dislikes don't seem to be universal.

Some people have been doing this for months and come back for more, other people don't make it past the first day. If you remember that it's meant to be a nutrient delivery system and not a tasty thing in itself (for it was tasty things that got us here in the first place), you may be pleasantly surprised. Expect the worst, an' all that.

 

[justgina]

Well done Mathew, that is impressive. Re the 4 packs thing, whilst that is recommended on the Cambridge plan where each pack is only around 135 calories, there is nothing stated on the Exante total solution plan that a man should have 4 packs of around 200 cals each. It does, however , give you the choice of 3-4 packs so I think its a matter of seeing how you feel. As a man you may find that 4 packs are more suitable for you or you may prefer the Working Solution where you also have a small amount of low cal/low carb food. As I said, I think you should see how you feel and adjust accordingly.

Good luck on your quest, and as a failed maintainer, could I remind you that this is the easy bit of the journey..................sorry, lol.

 

[justgina]

AWESOME!!!! That's amazing! Are the packs tasty or just bearable?

I wouldn't choose them given a choice but I find them to be the most palatable of the VLCD packs I've tasted so far.

 

[Myr]

Welcome to here Mathew

Looking forward to sharing your journey.

Guidelines state that on a VLCD a male loses on average 1-2 stone per month and a female average 1 stone. The first week will always generally be greater due to the amount of water along with the glycogen held within and it is this that is lost rather than any body fat.

Love Myr xxx

 

[Quak]

Well done Mathew, great loss first week but it will slow, do not get disheartened though, it will carry on coming off, if you know what I mean.

And I like them all lol

Bren xx

 

[mathew]

Thanks everyone for your welcome and advice
I put on 3 1/2 stone last year as my partner was diagnosed with cancer and i just ate and ate and ate some more out of stress (in full remission now) Always been a bit overweight so decided to be drastic. Was going to join lighter life but £70 a week and tired in was a bit steep, found exante and thought i would try it. Only reason I had the confidence in the meal replacement diet is a woman in work did lighter life last year and lost five stone and has kept it all off.
To answer about the meal packs, I like all the milkshakes, not to sweet or artifical tasting, not keen on any of the soups but I don't like soup much, can't stand the chicken but rest are ok and the cereal bars are really nice.
I guess I must be in that ketosis state as after about the third day I have not been hungry at all, and am starting to have to eat/drink meals even though I don't really fancy eating (I do understand that I must have all 3 a day) I defo wouldn't want 4 a day, would rather burn off the extra calories. I have masses of energy, can't sit still for long, keep needing to do things and feel in a great mood.
I do understand that I am at the beginning of this journey and that it will probably get harder as it interfers in day to day life!!! But I am quite a stubborn bugger and am determined to stick it out and hit my target of 11st 10lb. I know that the weight loss will slow down after this week, but so chuffed with the stone off, am down 2 notches on my belt and my belly has shrunk. I am aiming to get off 3-4lb a week but any loss I guess is a bonus!
Anyways thats me, hope everyone is well and getting thinner

 

[Miss Demeanour]

What a splendid post. I'm glad you're feeling so positive about it. Hooray for being a stubborn bugger!

There is no shame in gaining weight when under such a stressful time, after all you've had more important things to deal with at that moment. However I'm so pleased your partner's in remission, and you can now take the opportunity to look after yourself a bit now.

The novelty will wear off soonish though, and you'll then need this site more than ever!

Good luck.

 

[Magggie]

Hee hee Mathew
shes right
glad to see you on here

LL does have the advantage of some excellent counselling, maybe your friend at work could inform you of what they teach them?

 

[Jeep]

Well done on your first week's loss - sadly you cannot really expect that each week. With regards to the food packs - they are much nicer than the Lipotrim ones, I managed to lose 78lbs on that diet but am really struggling with any kind of TFR at the moment and thought that Exante might make me get back on the wagon.

Good luck with the rest of your journey - you will do amazing.

 

[mathew]

So day 10 almost over with. Still feeling good, have had my shake and soup today, find the soups hard work though!! Gonna have my bar in a bit.
What I really miss is having a nice cold glass of pepsi! Would love a glass of pepsi lol.
Is other peoples sense of smell in regard to food hightened, somebody was drinking a hot chocolate and my mouth was actually watering lol.
Hope everyone is well and has had a good diet day

 

[Myr]

Hello Jools,
Hopefully you'll get into it quite fast - looks like you have a lovely holiday coming up too?

Hello again Mathew,
I have to be honest and say that I really am not bothered by the smells of food or drink apart from a fleeting glance of appreciation.

It is good news to hear that your partner is doing well.

Love Myr xxx

 

[rosie kate]

A few people on here have mentioned that the smell of food is a bit hard to endure...to be honest as I live with my best friend, she's always cooking so I'm kinda used to smelling it and not eating it now. To be honest I'm more affected in the mouth-watering sense by photos and food tv shows (I've been researching recipes for my add-a-meal week...*droool*)

 

[Miss Demeanour]

You're not the only one there. The very clever advertisers spend millions unconsciously tweaking at the appetites of 'normal' people, so the rest of us *really* suffer...

 

[Yambabe]

What I really miss is having a nice cold glass of pepsi! Would love a glass of pepsi lol.

It's not quite the same but you should be OK with a glass of coke zero. Keep it to just the one glass and only a couple of times a week and you should be OK.

Alternatively have a look for flavoured water that doesn't contain citric acid, there are a couple available that have malic acid instead and the odd glass of that should be fine as well.

HTH.

 

[Miss Demeanour]

Quick question - Why only a couple of times a week? You got a decent source for that? Cheers

 

[Magggie]

braver than me
I daren't
gotta be honest, not that bothered about missing coke

now a nice cuppa tea with skimmed milk