Exante Diet day 12!

I really can’t believe I am on day 12 already. It’s been hard work in some respects but then in another way the time has flown.

I have struggled some days. I have been hungry or had issues with the loo!! I know TMI!! 😂 But each stumbling block has been overcome by drinking water or a cup of Bovril.

Bovril is amazing!!! I discovered it on Saturday when I went to watch a football match with my hubby. Up until then I had improvised with stock cubes. On Exante, as well as your water intake and 100ml of skimmed milk you can have 1 cup of stock per day.

Bovril is a beef extract drink. It has some magic ingredients because it sorted me out on Saturday as I was feeling weak and shaky. It is good for replacing some salts in your body which can be depleted by drinking too much water…I think that’s the science behind it anyway!!

The other thing that is helping is peppermint tea. It is said to have appetite suppressing qualities. I’m not sure about that but it certainly helps getting your water intake up in a more interesting way!!

I am a bit worried about weighing in. I know week 2 is common for rubbish losses as your body adjusts to the plan. I know there is no way on 800 – 1000 cals a day I can put weight on though so I just need to accept it for what it will be. Check back on Thursday and go to the Exante page on my blog for the weigh in result!

Today’s lunch!!

Warning boring food pic ALERT…

Spanish chicken and salad

Recipe…

4 chicken breast – tin of chopped tomatoes – 12 baby tomatoes – 1 red and 1 green sweet pepper – 1 red onion – 1 small courgette

1 tsp paprika – 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika – 1tsp oregano – 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes – chicken stick cube

Method – dissolve stock cube in boiling water. Place chicken in oven proof dish, chop and add vegetables to the dish. Add tomatoes to the stock then add spices. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.

Bake for 20 – 25 mins at 180C

Avoiding Emotional Eating! Today’s experience!

I am an emotional eater.. I eat when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m stressed, when I’m upset – you get the idea. The only time I don’t eat is when I’m grieving and I would prefer that not to be a part of my life just so I get over my unhealthy habits!!

As I am trying really hard to eat better and lose weight. I need to learn how to avoid the emotional eating nightmare of eating to ease my emotions, but then feeling absolutely wracked with guilt, that I beat myself up for hours to then quell my guilt once more with food because really by then, it’s in for a penny – in for a pound.

I have done some research into emotional eating and as straight forward as it all seems I don’t feel that for me the common suggestions of going for a walk, writing in a journal or distracting myself will work. It seems to trivialise how deep rooted emotional eating is.

Food for me is soothing. It is a joy and as yet I haven’t found anything that matches it. You may find this something you can relate to or something quite ridiculous – if it’s the latter then be grateful you are not trapped like so many people are.

Today at work I had a few stressful moments which would usually send me straight to the canteen for comfort food like a chip butty or the shop to buy sweet treats to reward myself for dealing with my job!

I mean it’s even called comfort food – and boy does it do it’s job.

So to stop me running to the nearest shop, I did something I have never done at work before. Instead of ordering a chip butty with a chocolate bar….

I ate a salad!

I know crazy right!! The thing is I had taken a soup for lunch and although I really wanted something to make me feel warm and fuzzy I just couldn’t do it. I knew that the feeling of guilt, regret and sadness would be ten times more after eating crappy food than the feeling of stress I was currently feeling.

I was mindful and I honestly believe it’s linked with the meditation I have been doing. I recognised my feelings – I still wanted to eat them but I’m sure recognising them is the first step!!

I know there will be days when the emotional eating takes over. I actually think it’s quite normal – I’m only human after all. The key is to not let it be anything more than that once in a while .

The problem is – I then have to learn how to forgive myself when I do completely lose it! But that’s a whole new blog post!!!

Helen xx

Diet Day 5 – 5lbs off!!

Breakfast!

I am super chuffed to bits!!! I have had a couple of Ropey days when things haven’t been great. I have felt really bloated so I was sure I hadn’t lost anything. I’m not supposed to be weighing until Thursday but I had a sneaky look and I have lost 5 lbs!!!!

I suffer with IBS and my stomach has been in knots for the last couple of days. Nothing too bad but not comfortable either. I have stuck to plan but couldn’t weigh my food yesterday as I ate out. I chose wisely and ordered a veg stir fry with chicken. It said it came with rice but I though I’d just leave that as extra carbs are a no go thing just yet.

Everything was fine and then my meal came. It literally had everything mixed together on the plate, more like a risotto!!! I was gutted!! Now bearing in mind this is still better than the usual hot beef and onion sandwich and chips that I have – I was disappointed with myself.

I picked out the chicken and veggies as best I could and then left about half. I was actually really full so leaving some was easy. I drank peppermint tea and a glass of tap water.

By the evening I couldn’t stomach anymore water….and I hadn’t actually had enough that day. I drank diluted no sugar added squash instead and although not ideal I’m looking at the positive that it was fluids and anything is better than being dehydrated!!!!

Today is a better day. Maple and pecan bar for brekkie. Butternut squash soup for lunch. Chicken and salad for tea with a 3rd pack later on. So far so good!!

On it!!! Diet day 3 – it’s all about mindset!

Believe me when I say I haven’t got to day 3 on any diet or eating plan for a loooong time!

It’s definitely all about mindset. I am determined and feel positive that I can do this.

There have been tons of time when I have said right I’m starting today and by lunch have thought, oh sod it! And then eaten something really unhealthy.

Or I have managed a day and when I haven’t woken up at my target weight the next day have given up and gone back to over eating!

When I write it down it sounds ridiculous. I suppose it is but having a weight problem is hard. It’s hard mentally and physically.

For me – food is my comfort, my pleasure, it is what I have always done to praise myself or when I have felt really sad – which struggling with depression has been quite a lot!!

I know I need to start dealing with my emotional eating so will be looking into that more but for now I’m riding the determination train!!

My breakfast today!!! Not attractive! Lol it’s supposed to be lemon pancake but it stuck a bit 😂 – it tasted really nice so that’s the main thing! Will definitely buy them again!!

Check out http://www.exantediet.com to see what it’s all about.

I haven’t killed anyone -yet!

I have started to diet. Today is day 1 and despite a few close calls I haven’t physically harmed anyone…..the day is not quite over though so there’s still time!

I have decided to kick start my weight loss with Exante – a meal replacement type diet.

So the idea is you have shakes, soups, bars for 3 meals with a 200 cal meal from a set foods list – mainly protein and veg. You also have to drink tons of water.

http://www.exantediet.com – here’s the website.

Today I had a toffee shake for brekkie, cherries and berries shake for lunch.

I have been at work today (my proper job) and it’s been tough. I resisted my usual chip butty for lunch, the delicious cake brought in by a colleague and all of the biscuits that seem to appear!!

Tea was chicken and broccoli with a chocolate coconut bar. I am now ready for bed!

I mean – what else am I going to do!

I know a lot of you will frown at a meal replacement type diet and yep I get it… it’s not really solving the habits that got me here. The thing is I’ve done this type of diet before and for me removing food from the equation and being so super strict works. Granted it makes me grumpier than hell but it works!!

My plan is to do this meal replacement thing for a while and then to re-introduce food. I am not sure how long for. I think it depends on a few things – money being one of them as although not mega expensive it’s still an outlay I haven’t really planned for.

I have enough for about a week before I will need to order more so we will see how I am doing. I will definitely keep you updated and will link my blog posts together so you can keep track of my progress!

Please pray for my family – I can sense they are in for a rough time 😂😂 Only joking.