I really want to show you guys that there are different methods for everyone when it comes to weight loss or just getting healthier.
One the weight loss methods that helped me out dramatically in the past was a VLCD.
Now for those of you who aren't familiar with those 4 letters, they stand for Very Low Calorie Diet.
VLCD's have their stick and for the most part many people view them as controversial due to the restricted amount of calories you take in (around 600-700 a day) however correctly followed, VLCD's are actually not as bad as one may think and a lot of them actually require sign off from your GP before you can start.
I decided that I wanted to let you guys who are may be curious about VLCD's look into what they consist of and how they work, so when I saw that Exante were looking for bloggers, I contacted them and they kindly sent me over a weeks supply (21 packs) of Exante products as well as an Exante shaker to review.
What They Say
"Exante offers a range of meal replacement based diet programmes which utilise a mixture of soups, shakes, bars, porridge and ready meals to provide 100% of your Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals.
The diet creates a daily calorie deficit, which after 3-4 days puts the dieter in a metabolic state called Ketosis where the body uses fat stores to produce energy. When fat is burned rapidly a by-product called ketones is produced and the person is said to be in ketosis."
Ketosis is what makes the weight loss so rapid in comparison to other diets/eating plans.
My Experience
I decided to follow the Total Solution plan having 3 Exante products a day.
I immediately went for the shakes, I'm all about the sweet things in life, so the shakes were ideal for me and they came in the most delicious of flavours including: Toffee Caramel, Mint Choc and Vanilla. Loved everything about the shakes, they were filling and very delicious, perfect for me!
Mixing was super easy and very fast, I just followed the directions on the packet adding water to my shaker and then pouring in the shake powder. I have learnt that sweetener tablets are acceptable and will not slow down weight loss with VLCD's so I added a few in as I find the shakes aren't that palatable (in my opinion) without the sweetener, I then gave it a good ol' shake and drank!
The soups were a bit of a miss for me as I'm not a savoury kinda girl, I found I didn't finish them all but they were flavourful, sometimes a lil powdery for my liking, the mushroom wasn't my fav, the vegetable was...ok.
The bars - I was given two Red Berry bars which were really nice!
Normally bars for VLCD's are an acquired taste, I can imagine this not sitting well with everyone at first but they grown on you.
These bars are very dense but great for sugar hit, they also help you with your water intake, I found myself having a bar with water due to the density.
The one thing that really impressed me about Exante was their ready meals, this is something I am not familiar with. Normally VLCD do not allow meals (if they do this is a low calorie, high protein meal that you create yourself, Exante have the Working and Simple Solution if you wish to add food) but Exante offer low calorie ready meal packs.
I was sent the Mushroom Risotto, Spaghetti Bolognese and a few packs of Porridge, unfortunately the Mushroom Risotto bag burst during delivery so I can't comment on it but the Spag Bol was pleasantly surprisingly, easy to prepare and very filling, I added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce for flavour but to be honest it didn't really need it. The porridge was lovely, for someone who isn't a porridge lover, I really enjoyed the porridge, it was light and creamy but filling!
My Thoughts and The Weight In
I drank a shed load of water on the diet as this is recommended not only to help with weight loss but replace the water you would normally get whilst eating ordinary food. I was constantly running to the loo due to a full bladder (TMI - sorry!) to the point I was getting annoyed with myself but this is something common with all VLCD's.
The food was great and I really enjoyed the packs especially the shakes, it was satisfying knowing that I was taking in nutrition without feeling dumpy or guilty about what I was having.
Diets like this however do really reveal how food is EVERYWHERE!
This may seem like a silly thing to say but you begin to realise how many food programmes are on TV, how many food adverts you see around, how food is just everywhere you look!
This makes diets like Exant mind over matter.
I found the first two days pretty difficult, not due to hunger so much but because I was constantly thinking about all the food I could have. Once the third day past and I built up a routine it got easier.
But you guys want to know the real deal, how much I lost!
When I started I weighed in at: 67.4kg (10 stone 8lbs)
When I ended I weighed in at: 64.8kg (10 stone 2lbs)
A loss of 6lbs in 5 days isn't too shabby at all!
I can definitely say Exante DOES work and it works well!
The weight does come off, however the real task comes with keeping the weight off.
I can say that a week and a few days after the diet I have already put back on 4lbs...bummer!
Exante is great for removing excess weight if you have the determination and you're in the right mind set, however unless you put in your research and really implement healthy eating it is highly likely that you will put weight back on.
This isn't Exante's fault at all as they are a weight loss company, designed to help you lose weight, not essentially keep the weight off.
All in all I was very impressed with the Exante Diet, the weight dropped off and the packets were tastier than I expected however I do not think I could stay on a VLCD long term anymore, my mindset has changed from when I was 17 stone.
Whilst VLCD's have helped me drop from 17 stone to around mid 10's, I don't think I could use these to complete my weight loss journey.
If you would like to find out more about the Exante Diet, or purchase packs feel free to check out their website: Exante Diet
Have you ever tried a VLCD?
What do you think about the idea of VLCD's?
This post does not contain affiliate links.
