Total Solution Post-Christmas, Post Birthday -- the excuses are running out. A fresh start on Exante

Hi Everybody. It's good to be back on the forums.

As an ex-LighterLifer who spectacularly fell off the wagon to the tune of three stones, I'm hoping for a new me in the new year and a fresh start with Exante. Some of you will remember from my previous posts that I'm a guy in my twenties with Cerebral Palsy. For obvious reasons, I'm not very 'active' in a sports sense, but do need to lose weight to maximise the mobility that I do have.

I found that with living in London and haemorrhaging money on rent, I also couldn't keep up with LighterLife from a financial point of view. So, I was very excited to discover Exante, which as most of us know, is quite a bit cheaper.
I've ordered and had my first bumper pack delivered, and got started this morning. I weighed in at 16st 8lbs, and am hoping to see a big loss next week. I've found (from my extensive dieting history) that I have a will of iron for a good few weeks (let's say up to 10) and then something absolutely tiny will tip me off the bandwagon with disastrous results.

On LighterLife, I got down from 16st 10lbs to about 13st 10lbs in about 12 weeks, but as I am quite small framed, my ideal weight is actually round about 11st -- I still had a fair way to go. I'm hoping I can do it this time, with support from everyone on here.... It really does help. I'm currently off work recovering from fractures after a fall, so I have 8 weeks to sit around and watch the weight come off (hopefully).

I just have a couple of questions:

1. Does anybody on Total Solution bother with the food/milk as instructed on the Low Calorie Week?
2. How do I get a weight loss ticker set up?
3. When others have posted on my thread and I want to provide an update do I reply to last post? Or do I do something different?

Thanks to all, and keep losing!
James

Hi James, and welcome!

Good for you, wanting to tackle the weight

For a ticker I use Graphical Tickers and Trackers: Weight Loss, Trying To Conceive, Pregnancy... - follow the instructions, pretty easy

I personally don't do the food week - probably best to do it, but I just know it would be my downfall

To reply in your thread, two choices - post reply for a generic post, or reply with quote to respond to a particular poster.

....hope this helps

Morning James, welcome back to the world of weight loss. You will definitely get lots of support on here. There are some interesting diaries for you to read that will help pass the day if you get bored.
I wont be doing the food week but if the weight loss starts slowing down significantly I possible will try it as it may help boost the metabolism. I did LL too but like you found it so expensive. The main thing is you have done it in the past so you can again. There are quite a few of us on here that are in it for the long haul & its encouraging to read how people are progressing. The forum is also useful for reading everyone coping strategies for days when they are struggling.
Hope you like the packs & your recovery from those fractures goes well .

Day 1 DONE!

Well that's day one of diet done and dusted. I have to say that I'm finding the Exante packs much more palatable than those on LighterLife, but perhaps this'll change as I get to sample more of them? I'm feeling fine, but but did find yesterday that I was enormously thirsty. When I was on LighterLife, I always made a point of drinking loads of water, but I found that I almost couldn't keep up with how thirsty I was yesterday.

Does anybody know how quickly the body can go into ketosis, especially if it has been there before? I felt as if I were already in ketosis late last night, as I had the usual vile taste in my mouth -- but I thought that this couldn't have been correct?

Best wishes to all.

James

Well done on completing day 1.
I think it usually takes about 3 days James, that's how its been for me now & when I was on LL. Have you started to get any headaches x

Well done James - the first few days are the hardest, so keep going!

Oh Hello, Ketosis!

Hi All,

Well here we are on day three of Exante! Feeling ghastly but drinking plenty in the hope that it'll pass. Pretty sure I'm in ketosis now as I have a foul taste in my mouth -- I just have to keep going as next week's weigh-in seems ages away.
How is everyone else doing?

Best to all,
James.

Ah that joyous metallic taste - I have the joys of that next week when I'm back on it (stupid norovirus ruining my run)

Good luck!

Well done James!

Hi James. Just noticed your diary. Good luck on your journey and welcome to the forum.

Exante Works!

Hi Everybody.

I do hope you're all well. I started Exante last Wednesday morning and to be honest I felt awful for the first few days. I felt as if I were really coming down with something. But now, all that has passed, and I couldn't wait any longer, so have weighed myself today, a few hours earlier than I ought to have done.

To say I'm delighted is an understatement. Okay, I get the fact that in the first week, most of it is water weight, but this is the kick start I needed. I only hope it continues. I am now 15st. 12lbs. When I started I was 16st. 8lbs. This means I've lost 10 lbs. in a week.

Hope everyone else is having good losses. Onwards and upwards to next week. I just wanted to ask if anyone else is constantly thirsty on Exante?

Best wishes,
James

Well done on your week 1 losses James. Hope that's given you the motivation to carry on as you are!

10lbs - yay!!!!!!!

Well done James, that's an excellent 1st week loss. In regards to thirst, I find that the body gets used to the increase in water & seems to want more. Hope your day goes well tomorrow.

Slight panic! (And big disappointment)

Hi everybody.

Just a quick post looking for some advice. And some calming responses

Right. So. I'm a weigh-myself-every-day kind of chap, and I was stunned and APPALLED to see my weight increase after my initial loss. I know my second week isn't up yet, but this is more than mildly disconcerting, especially as I always had good losses on my second week in LL. I am drinking water practically by the gallon, and I feel I've stalled. Is this normal? HELP!!

All the best
James

ciguena46 said:

Hi everybody.

Just a quick post looking for some advice. And some calming responses

Right. So. I'm a weigh-myself-every-day kind of chap, and I was stunned and APPALLED to see my weight increase after my initial loss. I know my second week isn't up yet, but this is more than mildly disconcerting, especially as I always had good losses on my second week in LL. I am drinking water practically by the gallon, and I feel I've stalled. Is this normal? HELP!!

All the best
James

Click to expand...

.....and breathe

Stop panicking - right now!

Weight naturally fluctuates - physiological fact, whatever you have eaten or drunk.

Stop weighing every day or you'll make yourself crazy

Weigh once a week, preferably at the same time of day.

If you follow the plan, the weight will come off

Darcy15 said:

.....and breathe

Stop panicking - right now!

Weight naturally fluctuates - physiological fact, whatever you have eaten or drunk.

Stop weighing every day or you'll make yourself crazy

Weigh once a week, preferably at the same time of day.

If you follow the plan, the weight will come off

Click to expand...

Thanks, Darcy. How are you getting on? Have you had any hiccups?

I agree James. Get rid of those scales if you can. I take the batteries out of mine once the weekly WI is done. Lots of people get disheartened with the fluctuations & it can be difficult to deal with. Some people can deal with it ok. Good luck what ever you decide but this diet does work so keep going .

ciguena46 said:

Thanks, Darcy. How are you getting on? Have you had any hiccups?

Click to expand...

I'm doing great thanks James

33 days of TS and no hiccups - and I've lost 24lbs

Away from the scales...

Well, there's to be no weigh in this week because I am away from the scales, although I have found this to be quite liberating. Happily munching away on my packs -- although I do find the bars VILE now.... I would rather have had more shakes.

I know I'm losing because my body is changing, but I did find it initially alarming that the weight is coming off in different places than it did with LL. I suppose it'll all even out in in the end.

How's everybody else doing?

Best,
James