TS AAM Struggling!

[fizzyfluff]

I'm on wk 6 and have decided to aamw, but I'm kinda struggling to have a meal and still have 3 packs. Last night I felt like a greedy cow having my bar after my dinner, and to be honest I felt uncomfortably full, something which Would have been the aim for every meal before going on exante.

Don't think I ate too much, had a reasonable sized bowl of bolenese with lettuce leaves to make wraps with, so no carbs per say.

Can someone explain the science behind aam and still having 3 packs, cos I'm really considering just packing it for breakfast and lunch and the having a meal for dinner.

Feel really bloated today as well!

Start 14'7. WI1, -11. WI2, -4. WI3, -2. WI4, -1.5. WI5, -2.

 

[Princess_Ames]

I don't do AAMW. I just eat a little bit of protein occasionally when mood takes me. Hasn't affected my losses at all.

I would struggle to have 3 packs and then a meal too so you aren't alone!

 

[Crims]

snap, I only do two packs and a meal. High protein, no carb. I guess this is WS, but my own version.

 

[fizzyfluff]

But even on ws are we not supposed to have 3 packs??

Start 14'7. WI1, -11. WI2, -4. WI3, -2. WI4, -1.5. WI5, -2.

 

[Starlight]

Yes, on WS you still need to have the 3 packs. Youre only having 400 kcals of high protein food so you need the packs same as usual for nutrients etc

Dont be tempted to skip to 2 - its not worth it

Maybe its just me but Ive never seen how its so hard to have 3 packs, I dont mean this in a critical way before I get jumped on but IMO the packs are no more filling than having a milky coffee or a glass of milk. Even having 3 packs plus a meal its a hell of a lot less than we all managed to eat pre Exante

 

[determinator]

yep starlight is totally right , you still need your 3 packs as 2 packs and the AAM meal will not be nutritionally complete with all the vitamins and minerals you need . I dont think I would have aproble having a pack for brekkie , one for lunch a meal for tea and a bar in the evening , but thats me !!!!
You really should try to have all 3 packs , its the way this diet is designed to work

 

[Starlight]

Personally Id cut back on the food intake if anything. Before we did this diet we might not have been getting the nutrients but we were getting plenty 'fuel' to run on. Were not on this. I geniunely dont see how one shake is so hard to have, if youre going to do such a regimented diet as this it has to be done properly. Also Minimins, cannot be seen to condone people doing this diet their own way, which could encourage other people to do the same. Weve already had people on here saying they only 'need' one or 2 shakes a day. Someone on here called this an all or nothing diet - thats so true, and if youre doing it, do it properly.

IMO my health is too important to risk for the sake of a 200kcal shake. How are we going to cope post Exante if we cant manage 3 shakes and 400 kcals of food?

 

[determinator]

well said starlight , and I wouldnt like to tell people anything I ate or did food wise before this diet was ok to do as it worked for me before ... errrm I certainly wasnt healthy before !!! Surely we are all here for the same reason , that the way we ate before was unhealthy !!

 

[fizzyfluff]

My eating before was most certainly not healthy; wrong choices and large portions made a very fat fizzy!

And that's what I'm hoping to rectify by doing this diet, because it is only a short term thing (even though I've just ordered my 3rd month).

I'm trying to ensure that I've 'managed' all those bad habits that got me to being obese in the first place.

I've worked really hard to avoid those tea room tasties, to keep driving past the drive thrus and to not sit with a big box of something and a bottle of wine in the evening. My routine would have consisted of grazing on unhealthy stuff all day till I slept.

So that's why I went with this diet, three times a day, no snacks, no choices. So please understand why I'm concerned and questioning the reasons behind the obligated 'snack' pack.

I'm not trying to be awkward or 'win' quicker, I'm trying to understand the science behind the recommendation.

Start 14'7. WI 1-4: -18.5. WI5, -2.

 

[Starlight]

My eating before was most certainly not healthy; wrong choices and large portions made a very fat fizzy!

And that's what I'm hoping to rectify by doing this diet, because it is only a short term thing (even though I've just ordered my 3rd month).

I'm trying to ensure that I've 'managed' all those bad habits that got me to being obese in the first place.

I've worked really hard to avoid those tea room tasties, to keep driving past the drive thrus and to not sit with a big box of something and a bottle of wine in the evening. My routine would have consisted of grazing on unhealthy stuff all day till I slept.

So that's why I went with this diet, three times a day, no snacks, no choices. So please understand why I'm concerned and questioning the reasons behind the obligated 'snack' pack.

I'm not trying to be awkward or 'win' quicker, I'm trying to understand the science behind the recommendation.

Start 14'7. WI 1-4: -18.5. WI5, -2.

Its purely for the nutrients in the packs, even though youre eating youre eating such a small amount and its not going to have all the necessary things in it. Maybe space your packs out a wee bit more, or have something like a vanilla shake with coffee then its just like having a coffee - not too filling.

Whatever you do though, please do make sure you have all your packs - its not worth making yourself ill

 

[Starlight]

I just don't think it makes sense to eat when you're not hungry.

Ok using that as a baseline when WOULD you eat when youre in ketosis, youre potentially going for days without feeling hungry. If Im in ketosis I can easily go 4/5 days and not be hungry in the slightest.

Dont look on the packs as food - forget hunger... see them as medicine, to be taken 3 times a day, whether you want them or not

 

[LastEverDiet]

Hi Fizzy
I found the same thing during my AAM week and must admit I didn't always get the third pack in
I think my problem was that I've got used to saving one pack for the half hour or so before bed to keep me going overnight - after dinner I'd still be so full I couldnt face it! Next aam week I think I'll make sure I've had my 3 before I eat any food, as it won't be hard to manage them at say 9.30, 1pm and 4pm, and I'm sure I'll still find room for some dinner

 

[fizzyfluff]

I think I have to stress that it wasn't that I wasn't hungry for the 3rd pack but rather I was aware I was comfortably full already.

Again tonight I've aam and am going to wait for a while till I have my bar, but it feels kinda like a reward rather than a need.

Reluctant to have a bar during tea break time, cos that will kick start that bad habit. Will try to stick it in another coffee tomoro and see if that's anybetter.

Having really bad cramps today, think my tummys forgotten how to mange proper food

Start 14'7. WI 1-4: -18.5. WI5, -2.

 

[fizzyfluff]

Oh dear my tummy has mange. Should really learn to type, *manage

Start 14'7. WI 1-4: -18.5. WI5, -2.

 

[Getslimquick]

OK the science behind it all. All the research to date on VLCD suggest they are perfectly safe for 12 weeks. This does not mean they are not safe after 12 weeks, it just means that no-one has researched post 12 weeks.

So Exante advice to add a meal in week 5 is linked to no direct supervision, play safe and minimise risk. Also by adding a meal to the 3 (NOT 2) packets you are beginning the process of learning how to eat 'normally' again. There is another reason to AAM too - many people find the rate of weight loss slows down towards the end, the last few stones.So adding a meal actually stimulates the metabolism and prompts further weight loss.

There is lots of evidence for the latter - just google 'weight loss plateau' - the advice is - make sure you are not eating too much (obvious), exercise more (if you can) OR if your body has adjusted to a VLCD add a meal - that can actually trigger more weight loss by adding a low carb meal.

So whilst I have generally ignored AAM week - eating meals around social events - a bit like WS now I have found adding actually helps me to lose more. It takes about four days to feel the difference (I am not keen on weighing -so I go by my clothes) - so adding a meal helps you to adjust your eating habits, have a protein burst and probably stimulate further weight loss especially as you approach your target.

I hope this helps.
GSQ

 

[lynniep]

Fizzy, I just wanted to say last week I was in the same boat. I wanted to do WS as my AAM week (5) but found after I'd eaten, there was no way I could face a shake or a soup. I felt physically sick. So I didnt. I ended up just following instinct and having a shake, a bar, and a proper meal and occasionally a snack too (like a small piece of cheese or something) in the morning. I'm not disputing that nutritionally this was not the correct thing to do, but for me it felt right and it was only 7 days. I kept up my water intake and I lost 3.5lbs. This week I'm back on TS and to be honest, I'm thinking I should maybe go WS full time as the weight loss has ground to a halt again, but I'm going to stick it out for a bit longer to give it a chance. If I do go WS full time, I will have to try a bit harder to get the correct intake.