Sticking to a Diet & Resisting Temptation: Our In-house Nutritionist Answers Your Questions

Hello everyone!

My name is Sophie and I am exante’s in–house Registered Associate Nutritionist. My background involves running nutrition and lifestyle structured education courses and workshops for people with Type 2 Diabetes and those at risk of developing it.

exante's in-house nutritionist Sophie

exante’s in-house nutritionist, Sophie Elwood

Starting (and sticking to) your exante diet journey can be a bit overwhelming. So that’s why, as part of our 11th birthday celebration, this blog post will be dipping into some very important topics to support you through the challenges youf face in your exante journey. We’re going to focus on some of the main themes we see expressed in our exante community: weight loss expectations, anxiety while dieting and staying positive whilst dieting.

But first…

On behalf of the whole exante team, we’d like to thank you, our wonderful customers, for joining us on this empowering journey. Without sounding too much like a broken Coldplay record, nobody said it was easy! Without your determination and resilience, we wouldn’t be doing what we do today.

What to expect on a very low-calorie diet

Very low-calorie diets, known as VLCDs, can be an effective solution for rapid, short term weight loss and are often considered for helping people with obesity manage health conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes.

Whilst VLCDs can provide health benefits for people who need to lose weight, they can also come with some uncomfortable side effects like headaches, dizziness, constipation and diarrhea [1].

VLCDs are very difficult to follow and are not meant for long-term weight management. Instead, they should be used as part of a broader plan.

If you want to follow a VLCD with exante, it can be a great idea to start with the exante 800 plan for 2 to 4 weeks, and then gradually start to reintroduce food by following the exante 1200 plan. It’s not always easy to understand the types of foods we should be eating alongside exante’s diet plans, so, you can find guidance on healthy food ideas here.

No-one was created equal. Each person has their own unique daily challenges, VLCDs may not suit everyone’s lifestyle. That’s why exante has an array of diet plans to choose from. You can pick and choose to meet your individual preferences and needs.

Becky has lost 6 stone using the exante 800 plan

How to stick to a calorie-controlled diet

Occasional slips along your exante weight loss journey are completely understandable, but it certainly does not mean you’re a failure and you should not feel ashamed. Remind yourself of your goals and remind yourself of why you decided to embark on this journey. Be sure to celebrate what you have achieved and be proud of your progress.

Some people find it helpful to keep a food diary, there are many downloadable apps where you can record the foods you’ve consumed and track the calories and nutrients. Food diaries can be a strong tool to help us see areas for improvement in our daily routine. They can also help us start a diet plan and stick to it [2].

While keeping a food diary can be beneficial, it can be time consuming to weigh out all your food and it can be difficult to accurately calculate your calories. If you’re following an exante diet, the good news is that all our products are already portioned out for you. All you need to do is select one of our boxed plans, wait for your delivery, then you’re ready to go!

Weight loss expectations

Sometimes reality will not meet your weight loss expectations, which can be incredibly frustrating. One of the most important things to remember when embarking on your exante journey is that your body and your lifestyle is unique.

You may notice that some people seem to lose weight far more quickly than others. No two people are the same. People’s weight and weight loss can be affected by many different factors, such as: change in bowel movements, hormonal changes [3], and water retention [4].

Don’t focus too much on the number on the scales. Recording visible changes and paying attention to how you feel can be powerful ways to measure progress [5].

How to resist temptation

Committing to a calorie-controlled diet plan can take a lot of strength and motivation and due to their restrictive nature, can leave us diving for the biscuit tin in search of something sweet and high energy. Well, we’ve got your back. exante has a wide range of sweet treats, including chocolatey bars and indulgent desserts, to satisfy your cravings. There’s no need to resist temptation!

Understand reasons why you want to eat. Learn the difference between hunger and cravings – do you desire something specific? Sweet? Salty? If so, it’s probably a craving. However, if you’re experiencing more physical symptoms, like tummy rumbling, feeling a bit low in energy, it’s most likely to be hunger [6].

exante Gooey Chocolate Pudding

@la_lore_random

Positive affirmations for weight loss

The psychological connection to weight management is often overlooked. Though there is strong evidence that changing our behaviour can be key to managing our weight [7].

Maintaining a positive mentality throughout any commitment can be easier said than done, especially when it involves radical changes to your lifestyle or routine. It’s normal to feel discouraged and down when things are not going our way, but recognising these emotions and practicing positive thinking techniques can help change our behaviour [8].

Instead of punishing ourselves, or feeling discouraged, here are 4 things we can do:

Keep track – Record things relevant to your weight management: weight, food intake, activity. Also record your thoughts and feelings and try to relate them to your actions.
Adjust thought patterns – Our thoughts and behaviours tend to go hand in hand. The way we think and feel can have a strong impact on our actions – often, the more negative we feel, the less healthful our food choices. Replace your harsh self-criticism with positive weight loss motivation.
Put knowledge into practice – Once you’ve established your areas for improvement, create some solutions and adjust accordingly.
Prevent relapse – Identifying our triggers and knowing how we can avoid them, puts us in a strong position to take action before a relapse can happen. But remember, there’s no need to feel guilty or ashamed of diet slips, as long as we stay calm, allow ourselves the treats now and then, we can soon jump back onto band wagon with no damage done!

References

Megan Edwards

Writer and expert

Megan is a Marketing student at the University of Liverpool. She enjoys travelling, skiing and long walks with her two golden retrievers, Henry and Chester. As a former lifeguard and swimming teacher, Megan loves being in and on the water and has recently started learning to sail and wakeboard. When on dry land, she keeps fit by working out at the gym and is a regular at salsa and yoga classes.