Time to succeed!

[Whelpling]

So! I'm starting Exante as soon as my first pack arrives. I'm a little nervous about how I'll feel not eating, but I really, REALLY want to drop this weight. I've always been overweight, but an untreated hypothyroid condition for a couple of years made it creep up. I'm hoping that Exante will not only help me lose the initial bulk of my weight, but also break an unhealthy relationship with food (I mostly eat when I want something nice-tasting in my mouth, rather than when I'm hungry!)

Has anyone else who's on medication for hypothyroid (Eltroxin 50 mcg) done Exante successfully?

My goal weight is 130lbs and at the moment I sit at 241lbs.

Wish me luck!

 

[carrieclaus]

Welcome and good luck xxx

 

[kaz1979]

Good luck xx

 

[Whelpling]

Thank you, ladies!

I've been sitting here waiting for my delivery all morning - nothing yet! My order tracking says it's been shipped from the UK (to Ireland) and that I should be in receipt by Thursday. Fingers crossed!

 

[Hoping]

Ooh I hope it comes asap and you can get started!

Exante is definitely teaching me a lot about my relationship with food. I didn't think it would but I hey ho! I am learning that I need to start finding other ways to cope with my emotions and the reasons that I eat.

Wishing you the best of luck.

x

 

[Whelpling]

Got it! I'll be starting on Monday, since there's a pre-arranged BBQ I have to go to tomorrow, and doing my first day at a BBQ probably wouldn't be that great of an idea!

 

[Darcy15]

Welcome and good luck!

 

[Whelpling]

Okay, I started!

Yesterday I had a chocolate shake, thai chicken soup and a raising and nuts bar. I drank ~3 litres or water, and I had one cup of black coffee (with 2 table sweeteners) and 2 cups of Marigold vegetable bouillon.

This morning I had a strawberry shake and I'm drinking a bouillon at the moment, so that I can stave off having lunch until mid-afternoon (tomato soup, probably!).

Since most of my "hunger" is psychological - and more about putting nice things in my mouth than about needing energy, the bouillon is a lifesaver. It's helping a lot. Any idea what the recommended maximum is? I mean, I can't see myself having more than 2-3 cups in a day (16 cals per cup) really, but if those 2-3 cals are going to stave off ketosis I'll cut them.

Oh, I have my ketostix ready to go too, but I'm not going to bother wasting any for a couple of days!

 

[Whelpling]

My partner's friend is over. They're eating chinese food. Right here. In this room. I had my last mealpack of the day about 5 hours ago.

OAKJDHOKFJHAOJGOFIUQGODBFJKALDSF.

That is all.

 

[lynneonextante]

Oh dear - I had to stand next to an open tin of chocolates today and give a talk about someone who was leaving. These things are sent to try us! Welcome and well done so far.

 

[Whelpling]

Thanks Lynne!

So if I have coffee and buillon, but no food, does that still count as a 100% day?

 

[BeeBeeSee]

Thanks Lynne!

So if I have coffee and buillon, but no food, does that still count as a 100% day?

I'd use the bouillon as a fall back if you can, rather than something you have routinely as part of your day. Don't forget it's extra salt as well and it's not the calories I'd worry about, it's more the extra salt and carbs so perhaps try and cut down so you don't get too used to having it all the time?

Other than that, sure it's a 100% day, black coffee is on the list of things you can have no probs.

You'll find a routine that works for you. Do you like peppermint tea? That's a nice refreshing alternative as well.

Also, don't rely too much on ketostix, they are about as reliable as the weather forecast, at the end of the day if you stick to the plan, you'll be in ketosis and will see the weight go down.

 

[Whelpling]

Thanks a mill, Bee!

I will cut down on the bouillon. I have coffee and peppermint tea, so the peppermint can take over.

Turns out I really like black, unsweetened coffee. WHY have I been drinking it white with 2 for all my life?!! lol!

Day 3 now. I had a bar for breakfast this morning. I hadn't eaten for about 16 hours, because I was silly yesterday and in my eagerness to try all the Exante flavours I'd finished my meal packs by about 5pm. Not doing that again! The upshot was that the choc-orange bar this morning was just about the most amazing thing I've ever put in my mouth! Hah!

I'm watching my partner make his lunch right now... ham & cheese sarnie. I'm good with having my tomato & basil soup though. And then a banana shake for dinner later on. Aside from the bouillon, I've been 100% for the last 2 days, and planning to be today, too. If I can get through watching those two each chinese last night I can get through anything! Hah!

Oh. I promised myself I wouldn't weight more than once a week too, but I hopped on the scales this morning, and it's down about 5 lbs since 3 days ago. What the heck!!

 

[BeeBeeSee]

That's a really good result already, I'm pleased for you! Yes, I find I do quite like black coffee myself, my treat is to have a white coffee every so often, I guess it's my bouillon
It's good to have something you like as a backup that won't do damage you can fall back on, isn't it. A little lifeline for you. I really like the choc orange bars, ran out of them ages ago and have been on soups and shakes ever since. But will re-order soon.
It can be really hard watching other people eat normal foods but I tend to look at it almost as a medical treatment, being on Exante. Might sound a bit extreme. But I'm doing this for my health and my confidence, so it's my physical and mental health I'm taking care of here. And it's temporary

 

[Whelpling]

No I'm exactly the same Bee. I gave up smoking in January, and the OH and I are hoping to start a family in a couple of years (I'm 30 now). I want to make sure I have a healthy body to grow babies in, and the energy and longevity to give them good lives! So it makes total sense to me to see it as a medical thing. I did sort of want to start bawling a bit when I saw the chicken balls, but I've found a stunning dress that my partner's promised to buy me when I get to goal, so I went and stared at it for a bit and got through!

Doing well today so far. Wasn't massively fussed on the tomato soup, so I'll probably try adding some chilli and garlic next time. Just ate it fast this time! I'm 2 litres of water down already. Onward and upward!

 

[Whelpling]

So this morning the ketostix said I was in ketosis. It's the end of my 4th 100% day, and I'm feeling good. Scales this morning said down 7lbs.

Friday I'm going to a family meal at my in-laws' place, so i'll probably prepare a keto-friendly meal and take that with me. Any tips?

 

[Whelpling]

Okay, so I went with one exante pack this morning - a bar. Then I made the chicken and asparagus from the exante keto-friendly list, which left enough call for one small glass of wine. Everyone else had lasagne and ice cream and chocolates. Was hard resisting, but v. Proud that I stuck precisely to my plan - and felt like I was treating myself anyway. Feeling good now, if tired. Looking forward to weighing Sunday. And starting swimming from Mon.

 

[lynneonextante]

Well done. We don't have to give up on socialising, we just need to be sensible!

 

[Whelpling]

Okay, so it's my first "official" weigh-in! Let me tell you a bit about the rest of the week first.

Every day was a 100% Total Solution day, except for Friday. We had the family meal on Friday, and I wasn't terribly confident in my ability to not have a "meal" while everyone else did. So I had one bar in the morning with a coffee, then skipped lunch and made the keto-friendly chicken & asparagus meal to take with me. That left enough calories for one small glass of wine. Everyone else had chocolates, wine, lasagne and ice-cream... and while it was difficult not having that lovely tasting stuff in my mouth, it did sort of bring home to me how little actual hunger I've ever felt... I wanted that food and it was like a craving. I wanted it because it was nice, not because my body needed it. Hopefully, by the time I'm done with Exante and maintaining, that message will have hit home! Anyway, I ate exactly what I'd planned to, and not an ounce more... and I even gave everyone a cup of my lovely Nescafe Azera coffee

We stayed at my partner's parents' house in the evening. Saturday we went into town for some new bits. I've been looking for a small, black backpack for ages and ages, and I found one in Primark (or Penneys, as it's called over here) of all places. My partner is really good and supportive of me being on Exante, which is an absolutely massive help - but on Saturday I suggested he might like to eat in town. He checked about fifty times if I was sure... then we went to McDonald's. I sat there drinking a coffee and moving my bits and pieces into my new bag, and barely registered that people were eating. Felt like superwoman! Hah!

So, at the end of the first week I weigh in at 231 lbs. That's a 10 lb loss. And I have an awesome new bag!

Oh. And because I'm getting a full compliment of vitamins in Exante, and because I've been filling my spare time with things like face-packs and body lotion and skin routines and such, my skin looks and feels amazing!

Roll on next week. I'm going to start my swimming tomorrow; I will likely alternate it with walking. I live literally around the corner from the Phoenix Park in Dublin, and it's some nice walking ground.

I hope everyone else is doing great!

Gem xxx

 

[lynneonextante]

Hi Gem. Well done. 10lb is brilliant. I bet you feel great!