Scottie's Exante Journey - Phase 2!

[Bananadrama]

Well done scotminx! I can't wait to see how well you do tomorrow!! About the exercise...exate say to go easy for the first couple of weeks to let your body adjust and then just increase it as you want to. I find that if I take my daughter for a mile walk in her pushchair (a slow walk)the next day I lose an extra pound!!!! Just take it easy and your limits will work themselves out xx

 

[scotminx]

Well done scotminx! I can't wait to see how well you do tomorrow!! About the exercise...exate say to go easy for the first couple of weeks to let your body adjust and then just increase it as you want to. I find that if I take my daughter for a mile walk in her pushchair (a slow walk)the next day I lose an extra pound!!!! Just take it easy and your limits will work themselves out xx

I'm excited about the WI tomorrow too! Will be straight on MM after jumping off the scales to update me thinks lol .

Thanks for the advice re exercise - a bit of walking to help shift the scales sounds fab. You're right though - probably need a bit more time to adjust and will take things more slowly from now on!

Roll on tomorrow

 

[scotminx]

:wave_cry: Well... After all the excitement about the first week WI I got up this morning and according the scales I was up a pound from yesterday . However, I was 100% yesterday so I think this must have been a normal fluctuation. Was also a bit *ahem* backed up which has now resolved itself (sorry tmi) so I hope that pound is now gone down the loo .

Lesson for me is that daily weighing probably isn't helpful as I'm likely to get disheartened when the losses slow down. Every couple of days maybe, and certainly need to stay away from the scales for a few days before official WI!

Anyhoo, regardless of the above - I LOST 7.5lbs THIS WEEK!!!! I have never lost that much on a conventional diet before in such a short space of time (this is my first proper VLCD) and I'm so pleased. Day 8 of ketosis also feels so much better. Every day seems to get a little easier...

Onwards and dowards

 

[Bananadrama]

WELL DONE!!!!!!! That's fantastic!!!!!! Ahhh so pleased for you! I bet now you're feeling dead motivated eh!!
I try not to weight everyday once I'm back in the swing of things...I do weigh for the first couple of days as I need to know that I'm losing but once I've done that, I don't weigh until my day. So I now won't weigh until Saturday, it's better to do it like that as you have such a nice surprise at the end of the week! Just think if you hadn't weighed yourself you would have been even happier at 7.5lbs off! IT'S FANTASTIC!!!
Here's to your 2nd week, stay strong and you'll more than likely have lost nearly a stone by this time next week if not more
xx

 

[scotminx]

WELL DONE!!!!!!! That's fantastic!!!!!! Ahhh so pleased for you! I bet now you're feeling dead motivated eh!!
I try not to weight everyday once I'm back in the swing of things...I do weigh for the first couple of days as I need to know that I'm losing but once I've done that, I don't weigh until my day. So I now won't weigh until Saturday, it's better to do it like that as you have such a nice surprise at the end of the week! Just think if you hadn't weighed yourself you would have been even happier at 7.5lbs off! IT'S FANTASTIC!!!
Here's to your 2nd week, stay strong and you'll more than likely have lost nearly a stone by this time next week if not more
xx

Awww thanks BB! Your message has just cheered me up as I've been in a bit of a funk this afternoon...

I was of course very happy with the loss, but I was battling some major psychological food cravings and had all sorts of thoughts in my head ("this is too extreme for long periods, calorie counting would be so much easier and would fit better with your lifestyle, a baked potato with salad would be so nice and good for you" etc) BUT I've powered through and went for a walk to clear my head. Feeling positive again - I need a VLCD to give me a boost and to take the temptation of food out of the equation - I just need to remember that it's not for forever, only for maybe 6 months tops until I reach goal and then I'll feel amazing and can get on with my life... Phew! Sorry am rambling now... Off to have a read through some other posts to stoke my motivation fires

 

[Bananadrama]

Awww thanks BB! Your message has just cheered me up as I've been in a bit of a funk this afternoon...

I was of course very happy with the loss, but I was battling some major psychological food cravings and had all sorts of thoughts in my head ("this is too extreme for long periods, calorie counting would be so much easier and would fit better with your lifestyle, a baked potato with salad would be so nice and good for you" etc) BUT I've powered through and went for a walk to clear my head. Feeling positive again - I need a VLCD to give me a boost and to take the temptation of food out of the equation - I just need to remember that it's not for forever, only for maybe 6 months tops until I reach goal and then I'll feel amazing and can get on with my life... Phew! Sorry am rambling now... Off to have a read through some other posts to stoke my motivation fires

Hey, that's exactly what I do! Just remember that it's only for a small amount of time in your whole life and if you do it just for this few weeks it will change your life massively and hopefully forever!!! Oh, and you won't need to do it for 6 months, no way!

What I did to motivate me too is to list every weigh in day on a piece of paper and next to it average 4lbs a week loss ( thats roughly what exante say you will do on TS) and write down what weight I'll be at each week! To see it written down is unbelieveable!! it might not help you but I knwo it helps me and 14-9 copied and said it worked too Worth a go!!! That way, you'll know exactly how many weeks you need to be on exante before you hit goal!! x

 

[Sparkle_x]

WOOHOO 7.5lbs! Thats over half a stone go you x

 

[jinty]

Well done scotminx that is a fantastic loss. You should feel very proud of yourself. xx

 

[scotminx]

Thanks Sparkle and Jinty

Hey, that's exactly what I do! Just remember that it's only for a small amount of time in your whole life and if you do it just for this few weeks it will change your life massively and hopefully forever!!! Oh, and you won't need to do it for 6 months, no way!

What I did to motivate me too is to list every weigh in day on a piece of paper and next to it average 4lbs a week loss ( thats roughly what exante say you will do on TS) and write down what weight I'll be at each week! To see it written down is unbelieveable!! it might not help you but I knwo it helps me and 14-9 copied and said it worked too Worth a go!!! That way, you'll know exactly how many weeks you need to be on exante before you hit goal!! x

Sounds like a great idea BB. I guessed at 6 months to allow for a short break for my holiday, etc but you're right - it needn't be quite that long as that would be me budgeting for a whole load of setbacks! Am off to work out some dates now... Thanks again everyone for all your support (((hugs))) xx

 

[scotminx]

Well another 100% WS day for me. OH made a nice WS dinner for us both of baked cod and green veggies. It was lush... I find it hilarious that I now think of white fish and veg as a "treat", whereas on a conventional diet I would have seen that as quite a hardcore dinner.

I think I'm learning a lot about my relationship with food which is great (e.g. when I tend to get psychological cravings and how I clearly don't need to eat to solve my problems!) and I've also just realised today that this (9 days) is probably the longest I've ever gone in my life without a slice of bread!!! I was a carb monster, sometimes eating 6 slices a day even on WW (I was still within my points allowance!). Loving exante today even though I have a bit of a headache again and some funky leg cramps going on - think I need to drink some more water...

Really hoping for a good week 2 loss, and have managed to refrain from peeking thus far!

 

[scotminx]

Day 10...

I can't quite believe I've made it this far . Today has been hard though... Doing TS as I've had quite a few WS days in a row now and want to get a good loss this week. I've had loads of cravings and thoughts about shoving food in my mouth. I am such an emotional eater and TOTM is upon me . Have resisted so far though... Will be hanging about on here for a bit to stop me from raiding the kitchen... x

 

[LastEverDiet]

Hi Scotminx
Just popped by to catch up on your diary and let you know you're doing great! I'm definitely an emotional eater too and have found it really interesting to spot the times I have a craving for food, as I know on this diet that I'm not really hungry, its just my annoying brain! I bought a book called the Beck Diet Solution which is really helpful, has loads of helpful things you can tell yourself when things get hard... its like my bible now!
Keep up the good work
LED x

 

[scotminx]

Hi Scotminx
Just popped by to catch up on your diary and let you know you're doing great! I'm definitely an emotional eater too and have found it really interesting to spot the times I have a craving for food, as I know on this diet that I'm not really hungry, its just my annoying brain! I bought a book called the Beck Diet Solution which is really helpful, has loads of helpful things you can tell yourself when things get hard... its like my bible now!
Keep up the good work
LED x

Thanks LED - so glad you reminded me about the Beck book - I bought it a couple of years ago but it's buried at the back of the bookcase. I'll go dig it out now and have another read. Think I could be doing with some support in challenging negative thoughts, etc! x

 

[LastEverDiet]

I'm the same - had it for a couple of years but it never really clicked before - now I have all sorts of things written on little cards and its finally sinking in!
Good luck thinking thin!

 

[Bananadrama]

Excuse me for butting in but what's this Beck book and do I need to invest?!?!? lol

 

[scotminx]

Excuse me for butting in but what's this Beck book and do I need to invest?!?!? lol

Not a problem at all BB . I'm sure it's mentioned in a few places around here (is there maybe even a sub-forum on it) but it's the Beck Diet Solution book and it's pretty cheap on Amazon, etc. It's based on cognitive behavioural methods to help you modify your thinking and change your relationship with food for the better. Like I said, mine was all dusty so I can't really vouch for it in terms of success, but lots of mins seem to swear by it which is a good enough recommendation for me! You don't need to be following any particular plan with the book, it's more about unhelpful thinking patterns, etc...

 

[scotminx]

Well day 11 has so far been a TS day but I'm out with friends tonight who don't know I'm exante-ing. I've said I need to drive to avoid the alcohol issue, but will likely have a WS meal to stay on plan. I'm not quite ready to tell everyone about the VLCD until I'm a bit more confident in my ability to sustain it, but I guess I can say I'm low carbing for my hols ("no carbs before marbs" and all that ). Ach will figure it out and will be reporting back to say that I have not cheated!!!

Right had best go and get ready! Have a lovely friday night folks

 

[scotminx]

Well, I had a lovely night catching up with the girlies last night. I avoided the alcohol by taking the car and sat quite happy with my coke zero while my friends enjoyed some booze (am loving that I'm not hungover this morning!). Dinner was a bit of a challenge as we ordered chinese takeaway. I said I was low carbing and just had 4 small chicken skewers (while secretly trying to scrape off as much sauce as I could). I was pretty terrified that it might knock me out of ketosis as it was so difficult and painful to get into, but thankfully my strips are still showing pink this morning - phew!

I was slightly jealous watching my friends much on noodles, rice, chips, etc particularly given that they are all really slim (their sizes range from a 6 to a 12). However, seeing them all in their nice clothes while I was sat there in an outfit I chose because it fit/did an ok job of hiding bulges but I didn't really like has given me the motivation boost I need to carry on. I'm fed up being the fat friend, I want to rediscover my sense of style and enjoy shopping again - this weight is coming off!

So, today will be a WS day as OH and I are both off work and will be having dinner together. He's doing really well so far (he had a quick peek at the scales and had lost 5lbs) and seems keen to keep going which makes it so much easier for me too - he's a star.

Am off to do a bit of shopping and stock up on WS friendly meals Hope you all have a fab weekend!

 

[Bananadrama]

Well done on the meal I have to say you're a stronger woman than me...I don't think I could have sat there and not eaten much when they were all eating chinese BUT like you said, seeing all of them in their nice slim clothes is enough motivation isn't it! I've also found that when I'm hungry, looking online at clothes is a good way to stop me munching and motivating me at the same time....try it sometime!

Is your O/H doing exante too? WOW if he is..I wish mine would but he's nowhere near even remotely bothered about the fact that he's overweight! lol

Hey, you mentioned that you were the 'fat friend' well at 187lbs, I wouldn't call that a fat friend, it's less than I weigh and I don't feel fat anymore, just carrying a little bit of extra weight!! You're doing so well and I understand about not wanting to tell everyone about the VLCD yet, it's a bit like if you do, you're putting so much more pressure on yourself and it's not something you need to deal with really is it! When people ask me how I'm losingit I just say "hard work and determination" and I'm not bloody lying either!!!! lol

Hope you've had a good weekend

 

[scotminx]

Well done on the meal I have to say you're a stronger woman than me...I don't think I could have sat there and not eaten much when they were all eating chinese BUT like you said, seeing all of them in their nice slim clothes is enough motivation isn't it! I've also found that when I'm hungry, looking online at clothes is a good way to stop me munching and motivating me at the same time....try it sometime!

Is your O/H doing exante too? WOW if he is..I wish mine would but he's nowhere near even remotely bothered about the fact that he's overweight! lol

Hey, you mentioned that you were the 'fat friend' well at 187lbs, I wouldn't call that a fat friend, it's less than I weigh and I don't feel fat anymore, just carrying a little bit of extra weight!! You're doing so well and I understand about not wanting to tell everyone about the VLCD yet, it's a bit like if you do, you're putting so much more pressure on yourself and it's not something you need to deal with really is it! When people ask me how I'm losingit I just say "hard work and determination" and I'm not bloody lying either!!!! lol

Hope you've had a good weekend

Thanks BB - I'll definitely try some online clothes browsing to take my mind off food. It will be good to start planning what my skinny self will be wearing in the not too distant future!

I didn't mean to cause any offence with the "fat friend" comment - it's just the way I feel when I'm out with a group of friends who have always been thin. I was also much larger a few years ago (18st 2lbs at my heaviest and I'm only 5ft 3 so I was a big girl then) and think I probably haven't shook the psychological baggage from that yet... Don't get me wrong, I feel much much better, but I think my view of myself is probably still a bit distorted. I'm working on it

Yes, my OH is doing exante WS too. He's been soooo supportive as he isn't really carrying much excess weight but he thought it would help me (which it has!) and he'd lose some pounds along the way. We're making a WS meal for tea tonight (oven baked chicken, veg and a little peppercorn sauce - can't wait - yum!). It's so much easier given that we're eating the same things. It would be tough going if he was chowing down on all my faves...

I like the "hard work and determination" comment BB and might use it myself because you're right - it's absolutely true! And yeah, I just don't want the extra pressure or all the concern about the safety, etc of the diet even if it is well meaning. If anyone is asking at the moment I'm just telling them that I've been cutting back on carbs and cutting out treats.

Hope you're doing ok this weekend - will have a wee check in on your diary soon xx