Drastic action- Exante

traceyb68

Has anyone else tried the Exante TS plan? I took the decision to take drastic measures. I have no self control and thinking that pre prepared food would help control the calories. Has anyone got success stories using the plan they can share or did they struggle.

KatieJane83

I just googled this and it lists itself as a VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) Plan of 600 cal/day!!! No no no no no, is the proper answer to this. You should not be starving yourself in order to lose weight, it's unsustainable, you will learn NOTHING about controlling your own portions and planning your own meals, and there is a very high likelihood that you will regain all the lost weight back + some, once you stop the diet plan. Not to mention, VLCDs should not be attempted unless prescribed and monitored by a physician.

ericaconti

I've never heard of it. It's just prepackaged food delivered to your house?

If so, I have a thought and a personal connection. Thought: why not prepare foods at home on Sunday (or a day that works for you), weight it out and freeze it? Home cooked "prepackaged" meals would probably be cheaper, taste better, and have less sodium. Personal connection: This wouldn't work me; I'd eat the prepackaged meals, but if I was still hungry, I'd end up eating some crap I had around my house. In order to lose weight and keep it off (over 140+ pounds) I had to learn to get a healthy relationship with food. Something like this would not have kept me going long term.

Whatever you choose, I hope you find lasting success!

jembenefit

Hi I'm a newbie here and using mfp to try and stay accountable
I'm a teacher and thought I could use the summer holidays to kick start my diet, having a shake for breakfast and lunch, then a normal dinner. Also drinking lots of water!
I appreciate the it may not be the healthiest option and I'm making sure I'm aware of my body and aide effects.

Traceyb68, how are you getting on?

angelwowings23

600 calories every day will do nothing but cause long-term damage to your metabolism, if you stick to it. If you want to maybe take a more drastic approach, alternate day fasting may be something that would interest you. One day you fast and eat 500 calories or less. The next day, you eat what you want...within reason. You alternate these plans each day of the week. I love it, and a lot of people have had great success with it. The 500 calorie days may be hard to adjust to for you at first (as you said you have no self control), but then on your normal days...you don't need to limit yourself too crazily so it ends up giving you that caloric freedom to have a treat here and there.

Alluminati

You will learn, OP, that doing "drastic" things to lose weight is unsustainable (sometimes even dangerous) in the long run. No bueno.

padgrn

Way to motivate and support, guys. Well done.

singingflutelady

padgrn wrote: »

Way to motivate and support, guys. Well done.

Yes because supporting people doing dangerous and unhealthy things is the way to go.

goldthistime

padgrn wrote: »

Way to motivate and support, guys. Well done.

VLCDs shouldn't be supported.

Sabine_Stroehm

You're frustrated. I get it. I have to ask: what happens after the 2, 4, 6 weeks or whatever? How will you LEARN self control once you go off this VERY low calorie plan? The key to all of this is learning how to eat for a lifetime.

Another question: do you live alone?

Emu2908

I've just completed my first week on Exante! My plan is once the weight is off to keep upping the calories until my weight maintains then I know what I should be eating! The calculators for calories don't work for me!
Anyone else done well on this?

padgrn

I've completed two weeks on Exante, it worked really well and I've lost a nice chunk from the large amount I have to lose. Here's the thing - if you have a LOT to lose, then you have to consider that maybe there's a middle ground.

On the one hand, you have to learn better eating habits - of course you do, using something like Exante because you have a few pounds or a stone to drop would be ludicrous. On the other hand, getting some of a large amount of excess weight out of the way makes you feel better, and can create a positive springboard. After those two weeks, I've joined this site, and I'm counting calories and seeing what works and what doesn't. I'm learning a better relationship with food and I'll keep doing that for a while to make sure I can maintain this new weight. Then I will have another couple of weeks on Exante, to help with shifting the sheer volume of weight I need to shift.

So far, it's going well, and I see no reason to think that it shouldn't continue to do so. I already feel a hundred times better, and more energetic. My mood has improved, and I'm more focused. I've achieved 2lb of weight loss in my first week of calorie counting and it all makes sense because it's just basic arithmetic. Now I just need to remain vigilant, keep identifying the difference between craving and hunger and work at it. Doesn't mean I can't give myself a little leg-up from time to time.

I'm absolutely committed to losing all this weight, and getting a running start has helped with that. I have an old and painful leg injury that is being exacerbated by the excess weight, and the sooner I can take the pressure off that injury the sooner I'll be able to get more exercise - I'm looking forward to that.

On the other hand, I'll tell you what doesn't help - people with bad attitudes thinking they can scold or judge you out of your deciding to improve your situation. Just because we're fat people, doesn't mean we're idiots. Hell, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'll die from using Exante for a couple of weeks at a time, or put the weight on again. Tell you what, if I do, you're welcome to come and do the "told you so" dance on my grave.

So, OP... go for it. Do what works for you.

Therealobi1

padgrn wrote: »

Way to motivate and support, guys. Well done.

I know how selfish of them all. Right

Therealobi1

padgrn wrote: »

I've completed two weeks on Exante, it worked really well and I've lost a nice chunk from the large amount I have to lose. Here's the thing - if you have a LOT to lose, then you have to consider that maybe there's a middle ground.

On the one hand, you have to learn better eating habits - of course you do, using something like Exante because you have a few pounds or a stone to drop would be ludicrous. On the other hand, getting some of a large amount of excess weight out of the way makes you feel better, and can create a positive springboard. After those two weeks, I've joined this site, and I'm counting calories and seeing what works and what doesn't. I'm learning a better relationship with food and I'll keep doing that for a while to make sure I can maintain this new weight. Then I will have another couple of weeks on Exante, to help with shifting the sheer volume of weight I need to shift.

So far, it's going well, and I see no reason to think that it shouldn't continue to do so. I already feel a hundred times better, and more energetic. My mood has improved, and I'm more focused. I've achieved 2lb of weight loss in my first week of calorie counting and it all makes sense because it's just basic arithmetic. Now I just need to remain vigilant, keep identifying the difference between craving and hunger and work at it. Doesn't mean I can't give myself a little leg-up from time to time.

I'm absolutely committed to losing all this weight, and getting a running start has helped with that. I have an old and painful leg injury that is being exacerbated by the excess weight, and the sooner I can take the pressure off that injury the sooner I'll be able to get more exercise - I'm looking forward to that.

On the other hand, I'll tell you what doesn't help - people with bad attitudes thinking they can scold or judge you out of your deciding to improve your situation. Just because we're fat people, doesn't mean we're idiots. Hell, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'll die from using Exante for a couple of weeks at a time, or put the weight on again. Tell you what, if I do, you're welcome to come and do the "told you so" dance on my grave.

So, OP... go for it. Do what works for you.

You know you can lose the same amount without it. Is that what is upsetting you?

padgrn

Therealobi1 wrote: »

You know you can lose the same amount without it. Is that what is upsetting you?

I'm not upset, I feel great!

cathipa

@padgrn -
At one time most of us here were fat (pretty judgemental of you to think we are just mean inherently healthy people) and only until someone said something that clicked (may have been harsh but reality is a *kitten*) did we realize they were right and VLCD don't work.

OP read the success stories and see what they did. Most if not all chose a reasonable calorie goal, weighed their food, pre-planned and had patience.
What ever direction you decide to go best of luck!