Exante Diary

[anna.claire]

Keep looking at old photos of myself and focusing on why I need to do this for myself. I find most days a bit of a struggle, it’s not that I’m starving but the habit of snacking and eating unhealthy foods, or even comfort foods, I find that overwhelming. I’m a real binge eater at times and linking that with comfort eating is an bad bad habit of mine.
So I’m trying to focus on how I will feel if I stick to this vlcd for another day, another week, 2 weeks, a month etc. imagining where I could be if I stick to 800 cals of food a day for that long, how much could I lose. I have to lose if I stick to it, and I have to stay focused. I know some weigh ins will be minuscule (I do lose slowly) but I really want to stick to it and really want to feel confident again.
that’s the main thing really, I’ve lost any confidence I once had and I haven’t had much at times as it is! I want to feel confident in public, seeing friends, seeing family and people I haven’t seen for 2,3, 4 years which is when I’ve put the weight on. Even close friends and family. I have one close friend who I’ve not seen in over a year and I do want to see her but I feel so embarrassed about myself. I’ve told her I’m on a strict diet so hopefully we can make plans soon and it won’t be too bad. She’s lovely, it’s more what goes on in my brain. Trying to stay focused one day at a time, one pound at a time.
need to keep going!

made myself a little weight loss tracker, made it summer themed as want to look and feel better by June. That’s my first main goal with a holiday mid June to Portugal after not being abroad for 4 years. Hopefully will help me to see the weight loss adding up even if only small losses.

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 12

I have been in work this morning, rather than WFH, so been a change to be in the office and kept me away from the kitchen

Left the office at 2pm so just had my first food (shake) of the day at around 2.30pm, also having a glass of water and a coffee. Didn’t drink loads of water in work as the toilets are the other side of the building but had a couple of glasses this morning and will have a couple more this afternoon.

** exante mint chocolate shake
** exante red currant porridge
** chicken 74 cals, 2 Babybel light 84 cals, kvarg protein yogurt 81 cals

 

[Jo1989]

Sounds like you’re really getting in the zone especially managing the diet in a different environment. How are you feeling? Positive?

 

[anna.claire]

Sounds like you’re really getting in the zone especially managing the diet in a different environment. How are you feeling? Positive?

I am feeling positive overall, I still get the niggly feelings of wanting to go off plan. But I think there will always be an element of that, in need to suppress it or at least stay well in control of it. I think that’s a major thing for me, being in control and making these choices for myself.
Overall positive I’m making better choices, hopefully losing weight. But also need to remember it’s ok if I maintain some weeks or just have a really small loss. It all adds up, dripping tap and all that…

 

[Jo1989]

I am feeling positive overall, I still get the niggly feelings of wanting to go off plan. But I think there will always be an element of that, in need to suppress it or at least stay well in control of it. I think that’s a major thing for me, being in control and making these choices for myself.
Overall positive I’m making better choices, hopefully losing weight. But also need to remember it’s ok if I maintain some weeks or just have a really small loss. It all adds up, dripping tap and all that…

Yeah I saw something online about focussing on process, not results ie we can control what we choose to do but not the results our bodies produce. Working progress to accept that though!

 

[anna.claire]

I’m definitely at the point where I don’t feel hungry particularly, but I do constantly think about food or when my next calorie intake will be. I’ve always been like that but i read you can change habits in 21+ days so maybe if I still to plan for 3 weeks it will help. The last few days I’ve found having an exante shake, an exante porridge and then a 200-(max)400 cals meal has been working for me. I’ve not really been having a meal as such just high protein foods such as chicken, or protein yoghurts etc. more like snacks. But it’s keeping me going and keeping me within 800 cals a day and with exante I’m allowed to have a combination of healthy foods and the exante packs.

I am in work again today for a few hours so hoping that keeps me distracted for at least part of the day. I’ll take a bottle of water with me and hopefully drink a bit more water today again.

not really feeling much of a loss this week, don’t feel much different, but generally feel more in control and surely if I’m massively cutting my calorie intake it’s got to work eventually! I will persevere, weigh day is officially Friday so still a bit more time.

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 13

Going ok, was tested at work with biscuits being out and shoved in my face.

also my mother in laws birthday this weekend and I’ve just found out a meal has been booked for the weekend. I have just looked at the menu and there’s a salad with chicken for 588 calories, or salad with steak for 584 calories. So will have one of those hopefully and just one 200 cal exante pack that day. Hopefully I’ll be ok if it’s a sort of planned unplanned day - I was hoping really to have no eating out plans until April ideally to be well into the plan.

so far had several coffees and a couple of glasses of water. Will have some more water this afternoon. Think I’ll have an exante burst soon.

** exante cinnamon porridge pot
** chicken 174 cals
** protein yogurt 83 cals
** 2 Babybel light 84 cals

more food than exante packs today but less than 700 cals on food so I’ll take that for day 13

 

[anna.claire]

Last day today before week 2 weigh in, not expecting much but need to remind myself not to be disheartened. I’m in control and that’s something to be celebrated. i lost 7 pounds in week 1 so can’t expect that every week, I’m a slow loser and the scales will even out. But if I persevere I will stay in control and lose small amounts.

I think going in to week 3 I should up my walking a bit, some days I get my 10,000 steps but only if I make a massive effort especially when WFH. So I think getting 10,000 in every day or at least say 5/7 days a week could help. That might be more doable now the weather is slowly turning spring like.
i did used to go to an exercise class so maybe if I continue on plan and increase in confidence I could go back 1-2 days a week.

All thoughts as I approach the end of week 2 and and look to week 3, week 4 and beyond… I can stick to 800 cals, I can do it.

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 14

Coffees, water and exante burst so far today. Feeling a little bloated, probably all the drinks I’m consuming but if it controls the calorie intake…needs must

cinema tonight so telling myself there will be no snacks for me!

** exante banoffee shake
** exante original porridge pot
** 2 Babybel light 82 cals
** tuna salad 213 cals

 

[Jo1989]

I’m with you on increasing steps! But agreed it’s best to get through the first couple of hard weeks before trying to change more habits. I hope you’re enjoying the cinema with no snacks!

 

[anna.claire]

Hi @Jo1989
Really enjoyed the film so felt like a treat with no snacks needed

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 15

And week 2 weigh day! Looks like a loss of 2.5lb this week. Of course I’d like more, who wouldn’t want to lose quickly. But I’m trying to manage this around my life. So 9.5 ish pounds in 2 weeks/14 days is nothing to scoff off! It’s certainly more than when I was in SW, it took me about 6 weeks to lose 7 pounds. So onwards and downwards, on to day 16!
added the loss to my little tracker I made.

 

[Jo1989]

Congrats on your weigh in! Seems great to me and you must be motivated.

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 16

Felt a bit rubbish the last 24 hours. Will keep going!

 

[Jo1989]

Do keep going!! I recognise the feeling low and wondering if it’s worth it, and talking myself into thinking I feel **** because of the lack of food, and when I restart eating food, I do of course immediately feel better from the high of the food but I just end up going back to where I was and feeling miserable. Maybe for now just think of one day at a time.

 

[anna.claire]

DAY 17

definitely found the last 24 hours tricky! I think it’s boredom now. And today have a planned off plan day, well meal. That’s what I need to remember I can just have one meal out in a restaurant with family, it doesn’t need to ruin the whole plan and I don’t need to come home and continue eating!

i need to remember that one meal, or one day doesn’t ruin all efforts and that as long as I get straight back on it all will be fine by next week on the scales.

 

[Jo1989]

Resonating with your post - any off meals at all completely throw me and make me feel I can have the whole day / weekend / forever off! Try and think of the meal as still on plan and just go low carb - you’ll be so glad you stuck at it tomorrow.

 

[anna.claire]

Hi @Jo1989 absolutely, I’ve looked at the menu and know they do a chicken, salmon or steak salad so probably the best low calorie choice. But when everyone else is sat with a Sunday dinner I’ll probably be envious!

just need to remember that one day will not affect my whole week, I will not continue the off plan eating into another day. Straight back on it.

 

[Jo1989]

You’ve got to do what feels right at the time but from experience, just try not to keep eating tonight! Look forward to seeing how you get on

 

[anna.claire]

So it didn’t go well but didn’t go awful. But what I can say is that one of the children in the family (only 4 so harmless and will try not to take it to heart, I know she didn’t mean it to be nasty) said ‘have you got a big bum?’ - so that means 100% back on plan tomorrow!

but the positive of the day is we went for an almost 1.5 hour walk before the meal. So at least I moved today!