Total Solution Sam is back on it and determined! - Exante attempt # 476 :)

[Sleek_Chick]

Good luck getting back on track, Sam. Glad to hear your mum is making good progress x

 

[lynneonextante]

Hi Sam.

Welcome back. I've been faffing about all the time you've been away and have gained significantly. I'm pleased to see you back - you really should still hang about even if you do go off track because it helps limit the damage. I.m pleased to hear you're getting a treadmill. Walking is one of the best exercises to do. I have a fit bit and it is good to see how many steps you've done and how far you've gone! Yesterday I joined a scheme where you can actually earn gift vouchers or cash for the amount of exercise you do. I didn't read everything properly but I imagine you have to do a lot of walking to earn much! I hope your OH does feel better after losing weight and that you can then start to walk outside. It must be very difficult for you both. Also, good to hear that your mum is feeling better.

I'm off to Turkey for 2 weeks tomorrow but am hoping to keep up with diaries while I'm away. Will expect you to still be here when I get back! I'll get home on 11th September, will be going to visit my mum on 12th September, back from there on 15th September and having a proper restart on Monday 15th September. So I'll be joining you then. By then I'll expect you to have had a significant loss and very definitely to STILL BE HERE!

Good luck Sam. You deserve to do well.

 

[MsJMC]

hi Sam I'm back here too , but I'm doing Cambridge , its been a while hasn't it , think I'm ready to dust myself down now .... all we can do is put ourselves back on VLCD .... so here we both are again . come on , lets show them haha

 

[Samprand]

Hi everyone! Well, long story short (and without wanting to go in to too much graphic detail) for some unknown reason I've had a HORRIFICALLY upset stomach last night and today. Don't know whether it was a 24 hour bug or my IBS flaring up or whatever, but needless to say I have fallen off the wagon today by eating due to feeling poorly. Weak excuse I know. But whether it's a coincidence or not, my stomach has settled a lot now. So, tomorrow is another day. I'm now working 12 hour shifts for the next 3 days followed by a 6 hour shift on Saturday, with a day off on Sunday, so I should be kept busy and get through the first few days without realising it - that's the plan anyway :whoopass:

Hi Sam. I think the exercising is so important in helping stay on track. Well done on the 10 miles. I usually put a taped programme on & keep going till its finished.

Good luck this week x

Thanks hun, I noticed my bum was aching yesterday though, and still a bit today, don't think the seat is soft enough but then to be fair, I've got an awful lot of weight pushing down on to it lol I will keep going though. I've got a lot of weight-related programmes recorded (I particularly like watching Obese: A Year to Save My Life - it makes me emotional!) x

Good morning. I've restarted too, just going into my week 2

But, feeling pretty positive and motivated to get to goal this time :fingerscrossed: we can but try xx

Hey well done, keep it up! Are you feeling slimmer yet? x

Good luck getting back on track, Sam. Glad to hear your mum is making good progress x

Thank you Your stats are looking good! x

Hi Sam.

Welcome back. I've been faffing about all the time you've been away and have gained significantly. I'm pleased to see you back - you really should still hang about even if you do go off track because it helps limit the damage. I.m pleased to hear you're getting a treadmill. Walking is one of the best exercises to do. I have a fit bit and it is good to see how many steps you've done and how far you've gone! Yesterday I joined a scheme where you can actually earn gift vouchers or cash for the amount of exercise you do. I didn't read everything properly but I imagine you have to do a lot of walking to earn much! I hope your OH does feel better after losing weight and that you can then start to walk outside. It must be very difficult for you both. Also, good to hear that your mum is feeling better.

I'm off to Turkey for 2 weeks tomorrow but am hoping to keep up with diaries while I'm away. Will expect you to still be here when I get back! I'll get home on 11th September, will be going to visit my mum on 12th September, back from there on 15th September and having a proper restart on Monday 15th September. So I'll be joining you then. By then I'll expect you to have had a significant loss and very definitely to STILL BE HERE!

Good luck Sam. You deserve to do well.

I think when I have a wobble I find it hard to admit it so I just go off for a while, probably embarrassed and ashamed if I'm honest. Looking forward to the treadmill coming, should be here on Thursday so am looking forward to using it. I have decided that on days when my knee is sore and/or I've been on my feet all day at work that I will decide at the time whether to use it on those days. I know that my knee is going to be sore now and then anyway, and that losing weight will help with that, but at the same time I don't want to push it. Will see how it goes That scheme sounds brilliant! Partner's weights arrived today, ****** some of them are soooo heavy and they're only 21lbs (the biggest ones) so a stone and a half, I picked it up and thought no wonder my knee hurts holding up 12 times that amount! Was a relief to put it back down so I can imagine the relief my poor little knee will feel when I lose some weight lol Have a lovely time in Turkey, you'll do great on the restart. I will be here when you get back I promise x

hi Sam I'm back here too , but I'm doing Cambridge , its been a while hasn't it , think I'm ready to dust myself down now .... all we can do is put ourselves back on VLCD .... so here we both are again . come on , lets show them haha

This time next year, we'll all be size 8's! x

 

[MsJMC]

Deep breathing sam come any negative thoughts , outride them and Distraction will win this battle , lots of you tubing , as I said Laurence Brown may be for Cambridge but it will work with any diet just listen and watch .... we have been battling for many years with gains so we know the more we can keep away from the negative thoughts that make us crash every time, we need to have a very quick DISTRACTION .
Plan the foods out and strap yourself in , its going to be a Rollercoaster ride

 

[Sleek_Chick]

Thank you, Sam. I hope you feel better soon - your health comes first xxx

 

[Samprand]

Deep breathing sam come any negative thoughts , outride them and Distraction will win this battle , lots of you tubing , as I said Laurence Brown may be for Cambridge but it will work with any diet just listen and watch .... we have been battling for many years with gains so we know the more we can keep away from the negative thoughts that make us crash every time, we need to have a very quick DISTRACTION .
Plan the foods out and strap yourself in , its going to be a Rollercoaster ride

Thank you, Sam. I hope you feel better soon - your health comes first xxx

Thanks for the replies Feeling much better today. Work was absolutely mental, didn't stop all day and didn't get a chance to eat anything either - not even my packs, which I know isn't ideal on vlcd but it was out of my control. It could have been worse, at least I didn't scoff the gammon and chips that was being served for lunch lol Only managed about 2 litres water and 2 cups of tea throughout the day which isn't too bad but could be better. Stopped at Tesco on my way home to get some bits for my partner - including Toffee Crisp chocolate bars on offer :17729: AND HALF PRICE PRINGLESSSSS :cry: - and yet I managed to walk away with nothing for myself. How I did it, I don't really know, because I had almost convinced myself that I should get some and that I 'deserved a treat' lol That's logic!

Yes I think distraction definitely helps, and there's no better distraction than a manic shift, I'm starting to think I might be able to actually do this thing :innocent0002:

Treadmill should arrive tomorrow, will give it a blast when I get home. My partner has said that his goal is to eventually "travel the distance of a marathon in one go", and I said "...you what? Do you realise that's over 26 miles? (or whatever it is)" He said "oh, didn't realise it was that far. Doesn't matter, I could do that"

Yes, Andrew. Because you're THAT much of an athlete lol Don't get me wrong, I'd encourage him to do whatever he wanted to do and I'd support him all the way, but these ideas of his tend to pass rather quickly lol but we'll see

So... until tomorrow my fellow VLCD-ers! xx

 

[Sleek_Chick]

Glad you are feeling much better, Sam. Well done on avoiding temptations - I absolutely love Pringles; they remind me so much of Christmas.

I bet you're excited about your new treadmill; I have a bike, but I think I would have preferred a treadmill. I enjoy walking, so I guess the treadmill seems less of a chore. Hope you have another good day! xx

 

[Samprand]

Glad you are feeling much better, Sam. Well done on avoiding temptations - I absolutely love Pringles; they remind me so much of Christmas.

I bet you're excited about your new treadmill; I have a bike, but I think I would have preferred a treadmill. I enjoy walking, so I guess the treadmill seems less of a chore. Hope you have another good day! xx

Hey, how are you getting on?

They were salt and vinegar Pringles too, they're the best flavour Tubs of sweets make me think of Christmas, some residents' families give staff tubs of chocolate which get left in the staff room for us all to share, I'm seriously having to avoid eye contact lol

Treadmill is awesome! A lot bigger than I expected it to be, it's a right beast! I can plug my mp4 player in to it and listen to the music as it has its own speakers, snazzy! Andy had to get his brother over to help put it together, apparently it weighs almost as much as he does ha! It's 16 stone Had a quick go on it when I got home from yet another manic 12 hour shift, walked about half a mile, so I'm going to guess that I've probably walked about 6 miles total over the course of today and yesterday, maybe more but I'd rather underestimate and do a bit extra for my walking/cycling challenge, it's all for my benefit anyway. I wasn't going to include any walking done at work originally but have now decided that since I'm at work 5/6 days a week, most of the time working 12 hour shifts, 1000 miles would be a loooong distance to cover if I only included walking/cycling from my rare days off lol

Didn't get a chance to have a lunch break again so have just eaten for the first time today, got 1 more pack to go which I'll have in a minute - vanilla shake, nom! - but have had at least 2.5 litres of water and am still sipping as I go, and I drink throughout the night too as I get a dry mouth so my fluid intake is definitely improving.

In all honesty I haven't really felt hungry either today or yesterday. If I pay attention to how I actually feel, right now my stomach feels relatively full. It's probably all the water and the fact that I'm now having my packs so close together, but whatever, it's working. I've felt tempted (clearly ) but not enough to start scoffing. I think being at work is helping in that respect, it's obviously not ideal to not get a chance to stop for lunch but either way it seems to be working.

Feels good to have day 2 under my belt - finally x

 

[MsJMC]

Hey Sam , so treadmill is here , I did have a manual one , the sound used to put me off , I had a plug for an mp3 player on mine some years ago but it ened up like that add where you hang clothes on I think the noise put me off using it . How much was it ? hey you can always get the dogs on it lol
so day 3 for you Sam whoop whoop . come xmas we should have something to wear than sheets as dresses lol

 

[Samprand]

Hey Sam , so treadmill is here , I did have a manual one , the sound used to put me off , I had a plug for an mp3 player on mine some years ago but it ened up like that add where you hang clothes on I think the noise put me off using it . How much was it ? hey you can always get the dogs on it lol
so day 3 for you Sam whoop whoop . come xmas we should have something to wear than sheets as dresses lol

I had a manual one too, years ago, they are quite loud. The motorised one we have now isn't silent but it's much quieter, it cost 450 and I'm determined to get my money's worth out of it! According to Andy, Prince (one of the collies) got on it and did about 20 steps, then sat down while it was still moving and ended up falling off the back of it lol He's such a dopey dog sometimes.

How are you getting on?

Yep day 3 done and dusted wooooooop!!! Have had my packs (including 1 on an actual lunch break... I'd forgotten what they were like!), about 3.5 litres water, and have added 2.5 miles to my distance challenge from yet another mad shift, I can't be certain on the distance but I figure being on my feet for 12 hours walking around a 28-bedroomed residential home, I must have clocked up at least that amount.

My sister lives in Germany and I was planning to travel over to see her at the end of November, but that has now moved forward to mid-October, I think the flight is the 13th. On the bright side, the weather shouldn't be totally freezing in Germany in October as opposed to late November when it starts to get quite cold, so travelling should be safer etc. On the down side though, that means I've got a month less to lose some weight so I'm not huffing and puffing through 10 days with my sister...

...and also less time to make sure I'm small enough to get the plane seat belt around my belly I won't be on plan AT ALL while I'm there lol But I won't go completely mad either and undo everything I would have done up to that point.

When I last went to visit, I think I was around 16st and thought the pictures we took at the time were awful, so in an ideal world I'd like to be 16st or below by the time I go. Whether or not that will happen, I don't know, I probably won't lose that much that quickly but I'll do my best lol Hopefully the lbs will start to drop quite quickly from tomorrow onwards as ketosis should be kicking in, I'll test myself in the morning.

Speaking of ketosis, I haven't got to the past-hunger-pangs bit as I haven't actually felt hungry since day 1, and I haven't got the dreaded 'death-breath' that ketosis brings lol So that makes me think that I haven't entered ketosis yet, but then I think I must have - or be close to it - because you can't be a fat bird like me going from eating so much to such little restricted nutrition without it having some effect, surely?!

Popped in to Tesco on the way home again today, the Pringles were still on offer :cry: but I walked right past them. Although admittedly, I was a lot more tempted this time. I just about made it past the crisps when I happened to walk past some baguettes. Oh. My. Gawd. I never knew I liked bread so much lol Managed to just walk away, although I must admit that I had 90% convinced myself to "get a baguette and eat it, then go back and get Pringles too, and re-start tomorrow".

I had to tell that part of my brain to shut up pretty quickly :devilangel:

 

[MsJMC]

Sam that's how powerful the mind is , its how we deal with it, I have noticed this more so as each time I do this diet, but yes bread is tempting , you have your trip to Germany oct 13th , push now to get what you can done , who knows the mind set by that time as just now the mind set has not had 21 days of this diet when it does , you may carry on while in Germany ..... see we are given ourselves all of different thoughts , its early days now , we both are battling our thoughts we know we are not hungry , its an addiction we are breaking . like AA group , we have found food very addictive because of what it does as we eat makes us feel good but only for short time .... I gave up smoking but find this harder .
Made me laugh there about the dog on treadmill lol
Lets keep popping the packs / bars and keep going .

 

[Samprand]

Sam that's how powerful the mind is , its how we deal with it, I have noticed this more so as each time I do this diet, but yes bread is tempting , you have your trip to Germany oct 13th , push now to get what you can done , who knows the mind set by that time as just now the mind set has not had 21 days of this diet when it does , you may carry on while in Germany ..... see we are given ourselves all of different thoughts , its early days now , we both are battling our thoughts we know we are not hungry , its an addiction we are breaking . like AA group , we have found food very addictive because of what it does as we eat makes us feel good but only for short time .... I gave up smoking but find this harder .
Made me laugh there about the dog on treadmill lol
Lets keep popping the packs / bars and keep going .

I'm so glad I didn't get the bread and Pringles in the end, even though at the time I wanted them badly! So much of vlcd is mental. I'm going at this full pelt until Germany, I'm terrified the seat belt won't fit around me lol Yeah they say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit, so I'm 4 days in, 17 days to go I don't think that most people understand the addictive-ness of food, but it can totally be as addictive as any other substance.

Soooo, day 4 over. How much does everyone drink on this diet? I drink a few mouthfuls of water whenever I realise my mouth is dry, but today I've had at least 5 litres of water, that seems like far too much?

Did 2 miles on the treadmill today and another 5.5 on the bike, taking me to 26 miles total - the length of a marathon!! - and experienced my first ever, genuine, exercise-induced drip of sweat rolling down my forehead. Sounds disgusting, and it sort of was, but I've never had that before, never made my body work hard, which is undoubtedly part of the reason I hit 19 and a half stone. So for those reasons, it was a nice milestone (still rank though lol)

My knee is aching a little bit but I figure that I'm going to have to just push through that until it starts to ease, because I know that if I stop exercising I won't get back in to it, and I need to exercise anyway to get to a point where my knee doesn't ache. Oh the irony.

I forgot how much this diet makes you pee round the clock! I was up at 5am in the bathroom, so my half-asleep brain told me that I should test myself for ketosis to save time when I get up at 6.20am to get ready for work. So - the 5am pee showed that I was between the 2nd and 3rd ketosis-pink shade. Then when I got up to get ready for work, I forgot I'd already tested myself so did it again lol Which showed that I was only slightly in ketosis as I was only on the 1st pink shade. So I tried to clarify when I got home from work this afternoon, and the stick showed that I was between the 3rd and 4th pink shade. Sooooo yeah. I don't really know why it's stronger at some times and not others. But either way, I'm apparently in ketosis which is great!

I realised today that I was actually 18st 10lbs when starting Exante this time, so have adjusted my stats.

Debating now how often I should weigh - should I go for the standard weekly? Or would fortnightly be better in case I happen to have a week with a small loss as the rate starts to slow down?

Decisions, decisions xx

 

[MsJMC]

Yes your in K Sam ! Do you have a strange taste in your mouth and teeth feel odd , I think you are anyway .With the weigh in, only you will know what to do , I'm leaving mine as I just cant stand it .... I have been ruled by numbers but for others it helps . How do you feel about it right now ?
Suns out sam , ive had no sleep feel horrid went to bed at 11pm and no sleep mind very active .
think of it like this sam , while on the plane think ok I don't want to go into anyones space meaning when we sit down in a seat we over hang , also the isle of the plan you feel you bum is brushing the person sitting down as you move along lol I hate this , and I dread the belt I panic before I go on the plane its enough to make us slim these thoughts , bring on the pain , I will NOT gain .... lol
Yes very very powerful the mind when it wants us to grab junk , ho my god I hate that feeling !!!
The water I usaly drink a lot , so I'm getting enough but unsure how much I drink as in the night I also have a glass of water too . I really don't want to measure my water but I know I have 8 glasses .
Sam , your on a Roll use it well ! treadmill is doing wonders for you too !

 

[Samprand]

Yes your in K Sam ! Do you have a strange taste in your mouth and teeth feel odd , I think you are anyway .With the weigh in, only you will know what to do , I'm leaving mine as I just cant stand it .... I have been ruled by numbers but for others it helps . How do you feel about it right now ?
Suns out sam , ive had no sleep feel horrid went to bed at 11pm and no sleep mind very active .
think of it like this sam , while on the plane think ok I don't want to go into anyones space meaning when we sit down in a seat we over hang , also the isle of the plan you feel you bum is brushing the person sitting down as you move along lol I hate this , and I dread the belt I panic before I go on the plane its enough to make us slim these thoughts , bring on the pain , I will NOT gain .... lol
Yes very very powerful the mind when it wants us to grab junk , ho my god I hate that feeling !!!
The water I usaly drink a lot , so I'm getting enough but unsure how much I drink as in the night I also have a glass of water too . I really don't want to measure my water but I know I have 8 glasses .
Sam , your on a Roll use it well ! treadmill is doing wonders for you too !

Didn't have a metallic taste or anything, I didn't really feel ill or anything either, just slightly hungry now and then. With weighing, I'm thinking every 2 weeks or maybe even monthly? I don't want my weight loss to be all about the numbers, even though I know they do count, I just don't want it to be my main focus so I don't get obsessive lol What's on your mind hun? Oh god I don't want my lard arse spilling out into the plane aisle lol As long as you're not thirsty, surely you must be drinking enough? That's how I look at it

Not sure if I'm still on the ketosis wagon or not thanks to scoffing a piece of Andy's late night snack - the toast got me! Dammit, I knew bread would be my downfall It was the smell, soooo good and the melted butter mmmmmmm it makes my mouth water lol Tested for ketosis this morning and the pink was a lighter shade, only between the first and second box, so unsure if I'm still in ketosis or not. Either way, I won't let this turn in to a big thing, and won't let it derail everything I've worked for so far.

Almost drank 1.5 litres so far today, had a lie-in until 9am, whoopee-do lol I wanted to have a long lie-in but obviously my body had other ideas. I only woke up to pee once during the night, as opposed to my normal 3 or 4 times, so I think my bladder must be getting used to holding more, combined with the fact that I slept so much deeper than usual last night - it must be because of the exercise Speaking of exercise, I've done 1.5 miles on the treadmill so far today, mostly walking but I did about 3 or 4 minutes of light jogging too. Doesn't sound like much but when you're literally twice the weight you should be, I felt it was quite an achievement. So I'm all hot and sweaty as I type this but I sort of like it?! I've read about gym-type-people who love the feeling of being hot and sweaty because it makes them feel as though they've achieved something, they've earned that sweat from making their body work hard. I'm starting to understand that (I think!)

Going to have a shepherd's pie now (I love the taste), and since it's Sunday, I'm also going to have 3 florets of cauliflower (low carb) and a small piece of chicken breast (no carb) - I will think of it as my Sunday 'roast'

 

[Lois]

Hiya Sam, bread's my downfall too. Especially freshly baked crusty bread, my lads laugh at me sniffing it xx

 

[Samprand]

Hiya Sam, bread's my downfall too. Especially freshly baked crusty bread, my lads laugh at me sniffing it xx

The smell is almost as addictive as the taste

My partner ate a piece of chocolate cake yesterday so I thought I'd sniff it to get a 'real-food-fix', all I could smell was the cardboard packaging, highly disappointing lol When I was on Exante the first time round (forever ago) my sense of smell seemed to change. I remember sniffing chips but only being able to smell butter which was really weird because they'd been nowhere near any butter. I can also remember smelling an overly potent sweet smell from my partner's mouth after I'd kissed him, turns out he'd had some gummy bears a few hours beforehand but I had to move away from him as I just couldn't stand the smell. But in a way I think the weird smell thing helps as it makes foods I could be craving smell weird so I don't want them any more.

How are you doing? x

 

[Lois]

Hi Sam, I'm doing good thanks, feeling pretty motivated and good at the moment. Hope it lasts!

Yes, another smell I love is Cadbury Dairy Milk. That one is banned from my house when I'm dieting. They can have Galaxy, Thorntons, whatever they want but NO CDM! That always sets my cravings off.

Hope you had a lovely weekend and find the week an easy one xx

 

[Darcy15]

Welcome back

I'm on yet another attempt too

 

[MsJMC]

hi sam , not been on in a few days , so tired and with mia starting secondary school , ho yes toast , the smell is heaven lol Like the icion on the treadmill lol
I have been feeling tired a lot , I have to go now but i'll buzz you ok