Struggling with foundation, Thinking of joining you

PurpleButterfly

16lb to go!
Hey guys

I'm really struggling on the LL foundation program for a number of reasons. I know what these reasons are and partly it's because I'm feeling emotional, but I feel this is being exacerbated by the diet: I just seem to get tired really quickly, and my hormones being all over the place can't help because that's when I get emotional normally. I'm on the point of giving up with it, but I really really don't want to do that so I'm speaking to my LL counsellor tonight about joining LLL as I decided I only want to lose one more stone anyway and I'm hoping that LLL will balance out the bad side of LL for me.

Anyway I don't know what the point of this was but I just wanted to post and say hi I guess.
 
I felt just like you did at one point during abstinence and decided to go onto RTM sooner than I'd planned. It's actually my biggest regret as I really REALLY struggled to get the last bit off. Plus, I found when I started eating again my energy levels plummeted as did my mood. We're all different but if you can keep your ketosis 'high' going as long as possible you won't regret it I'm sure.
We'll all be here to support you whatever your decision xx
 
That's the thing: I keep lapsing, spending a couple of days getting back into ketosis, lapsing again, and repeating.

I am not giving up and going onto RTM, I just want to lose this last stone on the lite program, so having a small low carb meal a day and milk in my tea!
 
Another member of the board did what you're thinking of doing, because she found she was lapsing on LL... She went into LLL and after about 2 weeks it fell apart. (admittedly she found a healthy eating plan that suited her for the long term.)

In the end, the psychological place where you are now, is probably not entirely ready for the Lite plan, after a long time on abstinence, your brain may very much become over excited by what you're 'allowed now' and keep pushing that boundary within the 2 week period. ESPECIALLY coupled with the fact that you've admitted that you keep lapsing on a few-day basis.
Maybe somewhere deep down, you feel you're ready to come off the plan. Like I said to the lady I mentioned above, are you losing weight now for numerical reasons to say you've reached a certain 'number', or are you truly satisfying your own needs? I think you're probably happy with your looks, you're probably more confident, and the need to keep losing on such a strict basis perhaps now isn't what you feel you need anymore. Mmmm?

I suggest, if you still want to reach that magic number on the scales lose another 7 or so lbs (keep on the LL plan for another 2 weeks, and before you reach for a food item that you keep lapsing with, SCREAM AT YOURSELF: ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT OF THIS!) and then when you have half a stone to go, switch to LLL plan... Treat it as a longer version of RTM, not as another diet, the new additions will come in good time.

If however, after some soul searching you are happy with what you have achieved, maybe it's time to start RTM properly. I started my RTM (12 week program) with about a stone and a half to go until my 'goal' but I'm glad I did so. I learned a lot about healthy eating, and then when I was ready and the "food excitement" had definitely worn off, I started the LLL plan and couldn't be happier. :)

That's what I would do anyway... :)
 
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Some interesting thoughts there Minerva and I will take them on board.. My initial thoughts as follows:
With what you said about that lady, that's great and definitely worth considering. But the beauty of being human is that we're all individuals and what works for some may not work for others. We will never know until we try. I do know the reasons why I am lapsing. Knowing the reasons does not mean I am being very effective at counteracting/changing them! But I believe that LLL may help with some of them.

I'm definitely not losing for numerical reasons. If I was, then I'd have about another 3 stone to lose. For me, I still feel I need to lose about a stone which would take me to about the middle of the overweight category (I'm at the top end of it at the moment). Although I'm way off being "normal" weight, I'm bordering on size 12 at the moment. I'd like to be a regular size 12 in most places I go. I don't think my head could cope with me being skinnier than that at the moment.
 
I'm glad you know where you stand and know exactly where you are going! I'm happy that you've explored the reasons for lapsing and are dealing with it in a constructive way; by starting Lite. You deserve UBER kudos! :D

Getting your head around a little bit of food will be very exciting because you won't be breaking rules anymore! I made a chart for myself and put it on my kitchen wall with quantities and things I was allowed - that way I don't stray from them.

And I do agree, in some way being some 'perfect number' weight isn't always the best thing. The most important thing is to be comfortable with yourself, and a size 12 is the best size to be in my opinion! I read your post on another board about stretching that comfortable zone of being too skinny? I can relate, I've been overweight all my life, and suddenly I see things on myself, I don't recognise my own arms and hands anymore. I just keep staring and almost am in a state of constant surprise that these ... hands move when I want them to. It is a scary territory, especially when it all happens so quickly.

If you need any support at all on LLL feel free to shout out here on this board or PM me. :)
 
I had a chat with my LLC and she said to persevere with the foundation even if I'm lapsing, for the sake of staying with the group rather than switching, and just do my best and get through it. The cynical side of me says that this is because she gets more money if I do foundation.

She also said that she really thinks I should lose enough weight to be "normal" on bmi, but then I think well I'm already getting into the bigger size 12s so with another stone gone I don't think I'll need to lose more than that.. She also said that it would be sensible to lose only one stone more so that I'm comfortable with my size and get used to it, and then do management. I could return if I wanted to and lose the rest, to be in the normal bmi range.

Anyway I had a good chat with my mum and stuff and I feel better. I'm going to give it another chance with foundation I think, and to take LLC's advice and be a bit gentler with myself about it if I do lapse. I'd just got to the point where I felt worn down in all ways - physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, etc etc so today I'd just spent the whole day crying. Just couldn't face lectures or anything. I did lapse pretty badly, I didn't even bother with packs. But tomorrow I will do packs, and I'm getting treatment from my brother which hopefully will help with balancing hormones and stuff.

Anyway I'm rambling, I'll stop. But suffice to say I'm in a better place I think, and tomorrow's another day.
 
please let us know what you decide, as you say everyone is different and you can listern to the pros and cons of LLL and only you can decide, but whatever the outcome you know there are people on here who will just listern
 
Hi PB, sorry to hear that you have been feeling down. I know I am not on LL, but as we have communicated over on the other board, I wanted to reply.

As you know, I am doing an Exante plan that's much the same as LL Lite. I moved to this as it suited my lifestyle much better and also because I am active and needed a few more cals.

I have now done 4 weeks on this plan and have lost 16lbs during that time, so if you do decide that LL Lite is right for you, you can feel confident that you should still lose at a good rate.

Good on you for deciding to give foundation another shot. Good luck with it and I hope you are feeling more cheerful today.
 
Ok well yesterday and today I really tried to get back on track but it really isn't/wasn't working. I kept lapsing despite the best intentions, I feel that for this last stone my body is really starting to need some food, and mentally I am not strong enough to counteract that. So I've decided that if my LLC won't allow me to move to LLL (with no real specified reason), then I will just follow the LLL plan but stay with my foundation group. I am also going to start an exercise course of three times a week, as part of a study at uni I plan to do, and doing the LLL plan will mean that I can do this I hope. It just feels 'right' for me.
I will do it for a day or 2, make sure it is working for me and keeping me on track, then speak to my LLC and hopefully persuade her to let me move to LLL formally, or at least let me quietly stay with my foundation group but only buy 3 packs a day and do one meal without telling the others..

Anyway I've got a good idea of which foods are ok from this board but would appreciate some guidance. I had a courgette, mushroom and garlic omelette tonight, flipping delicious (about 1tsp sour cream in the omelette and about 15g mature cheese on top).

Can anyone give me some guidance on how much dairy allowed per day, and how much protein? 200g of chicken or quorn I remember someone saying - is that fish as well? And how many eggs are allowed?

Also, apart from peas sweetcorn and carrots, any veg to steer clear of? I presume sweet potato is off but I know people have talked about swede being ok?
 
Hi, hope this will help...
2 medium eggs, or 150g lean red meat or mince,or 200g lean pork, or 200g lean white meat, or 200g white fish, or 150g oily fish, or 200g quorn, or 225g plain cottage cheese, or 150g paneer, or 150g lentils.
PLUS
1/2 pint skimmed or 1%fat milk or 1/3 pint unsweetened soya milk or 50g low fat soft cheese or 25g reduced fat hard cheese.
PLUS
well the veg list is huge and I'm not a very fast typist ! You ARE allowed carrots though, vegetables can be a cereal bowl full (14-18cm diameter) of a mixture.
 
Oh thank you so much! :D That's such a big help. I have large eggs oops but that's ok I'll have one at a time from now on, plus something else from the list of protein.. Didn't know we could have red meat of any sort, yay! And yay for carrots.
I'm curious why they restrict the fats though, as I'd have thought with it being low carb it wouldn't matter. Buuut anyway, that's so great.
And are we allowed any butter?
 
I assume because some of those fats can act negatively on your ketosis... sort of burns instead of your own fat burning.
The lady above is correct in the information; but she did miss out the fats section which I find is not good to skip!

Fats and Oils choices (1 of the following)
1 Tsp of butter
2 tsp of spread: vegetable, soya or olive
2 tsp of oil (olive, sunflower , rapeseed or any other)
2 tsp of reduced fat mayonnaise
3 tsp of reduced-calorie dressing
3 tsp single cream, soured cream, creme fraiche


Vegetables included in LLLite are:
Artichokes, Asparagus, Aubergine, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage (any type), Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chicory, Courgette, Cress, Cucumber, Endive, Fennel, Gherkin, Green Beans (French/Runner), Green Pepper (not sure why only GREEN, I do have reds/yellows and it's fine), Kale, Leek, Mangetout, Marrow, Mushroom, Okra, Onion, Pak-choi, Radish, Salad leaves (any), Spinach, Spring Greens, Spring Onion, Swede, Swiss Chard, Tomato (inc. Puree and passata), Turnip, Watercress.

When buying the Passata, go for the Nepolina carton, it lists ingredients as 100% tomato. Look carefully for these because many passatas have added sugar, salt and what-not.

:)
 
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