Starting LLT this week

[ickle pand]

Hello!

I'm just away to start Lighter Life Total. I've got my first meeting tomorrow night to pick up my packs and get started. I'm a bit nervous but excited too.

My husband is going to do it with me, but he's still got to get his medical sorted out etc, so he'll be a bit behind me.

Any tips or tricks anyone wants to share for the first week?

 

[Davey1984]

Hello!

I'm just away to start Lighter Life Total. I've got my first meeting tomorrow night to pick up my packs and get started. I'm a bit nervous but excited too.

My husband is going to do it with me, but he's still got to get his medical sorted out etc, so he'll be a bit behind me.

Any tips or tricks anyone wants to share for the first week?

Hiya and welcome to the forum

My main advice is not to give up, despite how difficult it may seem in the first few days, just keep working at it and keep telling yourself why you are doing this in the first place.

I would also advise u take the first week easy and don't do too much too soon, remember that the first week is your detox week and your body will be changing its supply stores so will feel very strange, but this is normal and perseverance is needed.

Also remember that food is not forbidden forever, u r just choosing to have a break from it for a while to get your head clear and examine your relationship with food.

Also ensure you drink plenty of water too, not drinking enough can have a very detrimental effect.

Have an open mind when it comes to the taste of the packs and remember we are all so used to the sweet, sugary, high carb, high fat taste in foods, and our taste buds need to become accustom to the taste of the packs which is pure nutritional goodness.

This is some of the amazing advice given to me by all the supportive LighterLifers on this fantastic forum, I'm still very new to this and as you will see from my earlier posts I had a massive wobble in my first week but so happy to say I'm bk on track.

Always remember the following saying:

"if you do as you've always done, your always get, what you've always got."

Good luck to you and your hubby.

xxx

 

[Trim T]

I'd just like to echo the post above, also try low carbing for a few days before you start, that way your body will already be on it's way to ketosis, and it makes the first week so much easier.

And Dave, welcome back, it's great to see that you're back on track (and sharing your experiences).

Good Luck to you both

 

[Davey1984]

I'd just like to echo the post above, also try low carbing for a few days before you start, that way your body will already be on it's way to ketosis, and it makes the first week so much easier.

And Dave, welcome back, it's great to see that you're back on track (and sharing your experiences).

Good Luck to you both

Thanks Hun, first counselling session tonight - will let you all know how it goes.

I may start a diary xxx

 

[Trim T]

A diary is a great idea, especially if the time spent doing that will distract you from food, I hope the session goes well.

 

[Spanglymum]

Good luck, ickle pand! You can do this!

 

[zombiegirl]

Good luck ickle pand! Keep checking in so we can see how you are getting on.

 

[ickle pand]

Thanks for all the support

I'm a little bit miffed at my husband because he's only just booked his medical so now he won't be starting until the 14th so I'll be well ahead of him. He'd better not eat junk food in front of me in the meantime lol!

 

[zombiegirl]

It can be a really good idea to cut down on carbs and particularly junk before you start LLT as it makes the transition into the diet easier. Perhaps your husband could be doing this which will help him when he starts and help you out too?

 

[bluesunflower]

Thanks for all the support

I'm a little bit miffed at my husband because he's only just booked his medical so now he won't be starting until the 14th so I'll be well ahead of him. He'd better not eat junk food in front of me in the meantime lol!

Men tend to have bigger losses anyway, so it's good that you're getting a head start

Good luck to you both!!

 

[ickle pand]

Well I had my first session last night. I found it really motivating. I had planned to have fish and chips as a "last meal" but I came away from there really not wanting them. I'm just away to have my first foodpack - porridge. I hope I like it!

The LLC is have the 3 of us who started last night come in on Sunday to see how we're getting on since the first 3/4 days are the hardest and to hand in our order for next week. I'm really excited but still nervous too

 

[ickle pand]

Ok I don't like the porridge lol! I ate it all but I think I'll be swapping those packs on Sunday now

 

[nzmegs]

Don't give up on the food packs too quickly. They can take a while to get used to. With porridge you need to blend it until smooth and then heat it. I also add around one tablespoon of vanilla shake to it to sweeten it up. Of course this means your shake later in the day will be slightly smaller - no big deal.

it helped for me to think of the food as a means to an end. I tried not to compare it to real food. I just ate what was put in front of me regardless for the first couple of weeks. then I discovered what my tastes, likes and dislikes were.

Good luck with the rest of the day.

 

[ickle pand]

I might try that with the shake to make it bit tastier. I bought vanilla and banana shakes so they'd both probably help.

I just added boiled water to the porridge and left it for a few mins, like it says you can do in the book. I'll try making it in the microwave tomorrow and see if that helps.

 

[Problemchild]

you've just got to keep messing with the packs until you find what works for you.

I love the porridge, but I found the microwave to be a bit hit and miss....... 5 seconds too long and you have a brick.

I always mix mix with the water in a pan and then heat gentle on the stove as it thickens up. Adding shakes is a great idea too.

Don't give up too quickly on the foodpacks, the shepheards pie made me sick and I swapped the all but I realise in a few weeks I may become hooked to it!

I'm just about finishing week two, the people on here and the advice has been invaluable.

Come back lots and share your thoughts, good or bad.......

Good Luck!

 

[weasey]

There will be packs that you like and packs which yiu don't. Personally I hate the porridge and in my first week I got 7 and had to eat it every day as that's all I had! Best bet is to try all of the packs. My favourite is the vanilla shake hand blended with hot coffee to make. latte - yum! Don't shake anything with hot liquid though - it explodes!

 

[ickle pand]

I've got 7 porridge too but we're seeing our LLC on Sunday to see how we're getting on and she says she'll let us swap anything we really don't like.

I've just had a chicken soup which wasn't too bad. It was a bit grainy though, I wonder if that's because I just stirred it with a spoon. It's a shame the meal packs don't come as liquids that you can add hot/cold water too, because they'd be much easier to make at work.

I'm feeling a bit shaky at the moment but not that hungry which is the main thing. I'm going to buy some peppermint tea on the way home from work because just having water is boring lol!

 

[ickle pand]

Ok I'm now on Day 5. Things are getting a bit easier everyday I had a few wobbles on Friday and Saturday and got very emotional but I stuck to the plan (thanks to some great pep talks from my husband). I'm proud of myself for sticking to something instead of giving up at the first hurdle like I normally do.

I realised over the weekend how much I eat when I'm bored or lonely. I was taking it easy in front of the telly because my muscles were aching and the weather was horrible and I really wanted crisps or doritos, even though I wasn't hungry. I'm also thinking that a lot of the emotions were things that I might normally stuff down with food rather than dealing with them.

I've started knitting again, lots of friends have had babies recently so this gives me a good excuse and it also gives me something to do with my hands when I'm watching telly etc.

 

[Problemchild]

It sounds like you have some good coping mechanisms in place for those times you would ordinarily reach for the crisps and biscuits....

I am a comfort eater and it has taken my starting LLT to really understand that. I also am beinging to understand the difference between genuine hunger and 'head hunger'.

I read something on here which my husband repeats back to me when I'm having a wobble "If HUNGER isn't the problem then FOOD isn't the answer".

Good luck, can't wait to hear news of your weigh in!

 

[ickle pand]

I've read that too and it really resonates with me. I keep saying it to myself. I've had a bad year and have comfort eaten to deal with it and used the bad year as an excuse to overeat and I'm quite angry with myself for it. It hasn't helped at all, its just made my problems worse in fact.

I'll be posting on here as soon as I get home on Wednesday night!