Has anyone tried the Cambridge Diet?...

[Gogopops]

Just met up with a friend who has lost an amazing 3 stone on the Cambridge diet since October. Apparently the diet consists of shakes, porridge and bars and you have access to a 'nutritional consultant'. It is expensive, costing about £40 per week. But would it be worth it?

I've put on so much weight recently as I've started the menopause and eating cream eggs and have lost all motivation to diet.
Anyone tried it?
I'm thinking if I was paying £40 a week I would have to stick to it!!

My mum did that when I was a kid. Seems a bit wierd and unatural looking back. Couldn't you put the £40 towards a personal trainer instead. Seems more healthy. But what do I know?!

You could buy lots of lovely fresh and healthy food with that £40.

You can't stay on shakes etc for ever- at some point you have to be responsible for eating healthily- and maybe doing more exercise?

sorry- just really against those kind of artificial foods.

I have. I lost 6 stone in 6 months, 2 years ago. Yes it's hard, but once you get into the swing of it it becomes a habit.

I know it's probably not the most healthy way of losing weight, but for me personally, at 17st the thought of losing 1-2 lb a week and taking forever to reach my target was just too depressing.

Since finishing the Cambridge diet, I've managed to keep the weight off by eating a normal, healthy diet. I had plenty of negative comments while doing the diet, claiming as soon as I started eating normally I'd pile the weight back on. As far as I'm concerned, if you do any diet, then go back to eating the way you did before, then the weight will go back on.

Cambridge diet enabled me to "wipe the slate clean" as far as my weight was concerned, and learn to eat properly.

i've tried it and failed it many times. Might be because i had the wrong person selling it to me. She was overweight and i know her personally so she confided in me she can't stop overeating (from stress). I lost faith really but that was down to my willpower and needing to be inspired! I couldnt put trust in her.
Lighterlife is the same meal packs but with meeting up sessions weekly that include group counselling..it was that that did it for me. I would do it again if need be. I need more than just the sachets alone. As i'd made the commitment to the group i couldnt break it plus had to wee on a stick each week to show to the counsellor. That stopped me from cheating.. but that's just me..if i had the wilpower i'd do CD again. LL is horrendously expensive (though you get what you pay for in my view)

have been advised to try cognitive behaviour therapy. If i that worked and i could do it alone, and have that willpower, i'd do CD again, as would have a different mindset (but find someone new to go with!)
Was incredibly hungry the first week then it became bearable. Didn't like how the sachet powders coated my teeth..seemed to set really hard, could never get teeth very clean. Bad constipation another drawback..though these things wouldnt stop me doing it again as the weight loss is so quick..that's the incentive to keep going

I know a couple of people who have done it. Two lost lots of weight quickly but put it all back on again when they stopped. They didn't think about changing their habits so it was inevitable.
Two are perpetual binge/dieters and use it for that (both size ten).
All of them have used the ready made shakes which are less 'chalky'.

I know one friend who did it for 3 months and got down to her ideal weight, went back to eating and put it all back on in another 3 months.

Another friend did it to loose 3 stone and then does it now and again to compensate for a period of over eating - say after Christmas.

The second friend has learnt what the first friend didn't - I think a lot of it is down to how good the counsellor is.

why not go for something like Weight Watchers? you can do it online. You can eat what you like as long as you keep within your daily points.

I agree with cabbageroses - better to retrain your entire diet and learn what is a healthy amount of food than to eat 'special' smoothies and cereal bars and then go back to bad habits when it is over.

I lost 4 stone on the Dukan Diet. I had struggled with my weight for years, but this one really worked for me.

Since I did it, my Mum, Mother in Law, Neighbour and Husband have all lost weight on it.

My husband has lost a stone in 3 weeks.

You can find treads about it on here.

Using these kind of meal replacements is just abdicating responsibility for your eating. They are not especially healthy either- although they contain the necessary minerals and vitamins they aren't real food.

Just eat 3 sensible low calarie meals a day.

This month's Zest magazine has lots of examples of menus, for different types of people's lifestyles.

Thanks everyone. I particularly like the sound of the Dukan diet and I've just ordered the book on Amazon after reading the great reviews. I also bought the Shred DVD a couple of months ago and will take it out of its wrapping have a go at it tonight!
I thought the Cambridge diet sounded a bit dodgy and just wanted someone to re-affirm that.

i wish people would stop this"just eat three healthy meals a day and take regular excercise" speel....obviously we are all adults and have all tried that and not done too well. i think instead of putting a downer on "Faddy diets" the people doing it should be applauded for at least trying, spending their own money trying and not draining the NHS. the old saying "if you cant say anything nice......." should apply

shrinking - this thread is 18 months old!