Cambridge Diet, Lighter Life, Slim&Save - VLCD'ers gather over here!

[SconeInSixtySeconds]

Welcome one and all to The New Thread !

Results for me on Slim and Save 10 weeks = 42 pounds!

:o

Week 11 is looking rubbish for me, but I have been (and continue to be actually) poorly.

Come and make yourselves comfy...

Evening all

stressedmum I'm not sure, sorry. Hopefully someone who knows will be along soon.

Has anyone else turned into a bit of a, erm, feeder on this diet?! I seem to be making loads of cakes (never really baked before and I've made three of the buggers in the past two weeks) and also making DH & DS lots of special stuff they're loving it but not quite sure why I'm doing it?!

It's what anorexics do.

I am a massive feeder (in general, was when fat, am when on this diet.) Baking for the office! It feels so good to do something I love, make other people happy but be in control.

I did have an eating disorder Milly - binging and over eating. I am working through those issues and this diet has changed me more mentally than physically, in a really positive way.

stressedmum I do LLrather than SnS, bit you should have as many packs as they tell you to. That is because the packs are formulated to give you 100% of your daily nutrients when combined. Eating less than that won't help you lose any more weight and it will have a seriously detrimental effect on your life.

Errr, yeah, thanks Milly Well aware of that, the reason I asked the question is because I don't suffer from an eating disorder. Anyway...

Summer I'm guess I'm doing it for the same reasons - I now know I won't eat a large quantity of raw cake mix lick the spoon clean, baking is something I actually enjoy rather than know I'm going feel horrible about afterwards because I ate too much. I'm much more in control now.

Cheesy I mentioned it as you asked why you were doing it. It is something anorexics and people with disordered eating do instead of eating the food themselves, they cook and make all the lovely foods and then give them to others. Psychologists see it a lot at eating disorder clinics. Patients make this wonderful food for others whilst always never eating it themselves and going hungry. Its said they get a vicarious joy and a sense of superiority from watching others indulge whilst starving themselves.
You said you don't suffer from an eating disorder but doing very low cal diets and starving the body does put you at risk of disordered eating and yo yo dieting as most people who do these diets do eventually put all the weight back on whilst lining the pockets of Companys who prey on the self esteem issues of women who are overweight.

When I was on Cambridge I cooked and baked constantly, loads of new recipes that I had no idea what they tasted like, I was almost obsessed as soon as I started to eat food again I lost interest and cooked and baked nothing apart from the usual feeding the family. I think it's quite normal when doing something like this.

Milly, I do this vlcd and I don't have an eating disorder however you could say that I had to do this plan because my disordered eating caused me to be overweight. My eating was disordered long before I ever did a vlcd. If everyone had so called normal eating patterns no one would be overweight.

And tbh, it's not only the vlcd companies that prey on the self esteem issues of overweight women, every diet company does the same. It would be nice if everyone just ate something natural and healthy when they were hungry and stopped when full but obviously our self esteem issues stop us overweight women from doing that...

Milly - either go and a) educate yourself about VLCDs or b) Get off our thread. Thanks.

Another reason I am enjoying baking is that I am slowly re-gaining my healthy love of food. Rather than buying a load of processed junk and stuffing it into my mouth, I am learning how wonderful food can be again.

I do tend to put the bowl straight into the washing up to avoid temptation!

Another 3lbs down this week, total 33lbs. Still a way to go, but I'm feeling great and making a real effort with hair and make up and things. Plus, something romantic is possibly starting to happen with a man I know. I know I wouldn't have had the confidence to flirt before!

Bore off Milly. Please. Thanks. Not even sure why you're on here. There's plenty of other threads do go and stir shit on, I'll point you in the direction of a few if you like.

Anyway, back to the reason we're here...

Summer, 33lbs?! That is brilliant. I bet you feel amazing. Have you looked at before and after pics? Keep us updated on the man situation...exciting stuff!

I'm also enjoying healthy food again rather than grabbing whatever was easy / fast / convenient. I made a really nice LL chicken curry tonight - dead easy and it was really tasty. Lovely with a huge side of veggies. DH has left a peshwari naan in the fridge bastard which I would have pigged out on previously.

How is everyone else getting on?

Day 4 here, I find it harder when I'm at home, as I only work 3 days a week. If I can get through the weekend I think I'll be okay.

I'm on exante and liking the ready meals, especially shepherds pie and mushroom risotto. They really make me feel like I'm having a meal. Liking the porridge too.

I'm now on day 3..yesterday was the worst day I didn't remember it being that bad before!! Feel better today and u know in a few more days I'll feel great, it's just getting there! I have 32lbs to lose and an hoping next Wednesday will give me a half decent loss.

mycatoscar I find being at home hardest too. I'm fine when I'm at work because I don't have any distractions, nor do I have cupboards and a fridge full of tempting goodies. What is exante? Is it the same principle as LL?

stressedmum Once you're back in ketosis the bastard hunger pangs will disappear. Hang in there!

I went to a board lunch meeting today...sandwiches, sub rolls, wraps BLOODY EVERYWHERE. Resisted though, had a peppermint tea and then had a LL asparagus soup when I got back to my desk. Fun.

Exante is an online vlcd, similar to Cambridge/lighter life but with no meetings and no weekly counsellor visits. I've done Cambridge before and simply don't have the time or inclination to have to go a middle man/woman so it suits me perfectly.

Now at end of day 4 and feel okay, headache has gone and have been having lots of water.

Ok cheesy will not comment again. Not sure why this came up on my threads I follow anyway. Didn't mean to offend just added my opinion ad an ex dieter. Sorry to offend and hope you all succeed with your goals.

Evening...how is everyone's weekend? I've found a way to make a half decent LL lite curry which I'm dead chuffed with. Had one tonight with a load of veg and it was lovely.

Fourth weigh in on Monday, hoping to have shifted 4lbs which will be a stone off. Fingers crossed.

Well nearly at the end of week 1. It is day 6 here in the mycat household. My clothes don't feel any looser yet so am hoping for a result on the scales come Tuesday morning!

I don't feel overly hungry anymore so must be in ketosis. Will need to order on Thursday for another 2 weeks worth for me and dh as we are running out of packs we like that came in the 28 day pack. We'll be paying a bit more next time but getting what we actually want but it's been useful to try lots of different packs.

Is there anyone doing exante who would like some red bean chilli, pasta carbonara or mushroom risotto packs?

Hiya all hope u dont mind me joining it I started sns yesterday was jst wondering if any body else on here was doing that this 1 :)

Hi Gillian, I think it's very similar to exante? Good luck with it, how long have you done so far ?

D'oh saw you started yesterday lol. Good luck with your first week

Thank u so far so good have a little bit of a headach 2day hoping it will pass soon ?? how long does it seem 2 take people b4 u stop feeling so hunger? x

[Smile]

Gillian- probably about 4 days till ketosis kicks in and you stop feeling rubbish - hang in there! Plenty of water, paracetamol or similar for headaches, and in my case lots of early nights.

I'm on week 9 officially, and 20 lbs down - I've had some wobbles and some planned time off (although we're supposed to do a week of food every so often aren't we? Must check that out actually), so am having a fresh start from now. Which means getting back into ketosis .

But, i'm now fitting into jeans a size smaller than in September (actually I couldn't fit into them then so had resorted to elastic waistbanded skirts ) AND I bought a winter jacket in a size smaller than I thought it was as well (it was on the wrong sized hanger, which I didn't discover till I'd taken it home and was cutting off the tags). So overall, it's going well.

oh, I'm doing S&S as it was cheaper than all the others .

Well It was a choice between sns and cambridge so I thought I would give this 1 a try and c how I go :) x

midnight When do you do a week of food? Doesn't that kick you out of ketosis? Great news about dress sizes. My clothes fit so much better now. I wear dresses at work and I'm loving not having a big wobbly mummy tummy in them anymore.

Gillian You'll be fine once ketosis kicks in. It took me about five / six days, but two weeks before the bastard hunger pangs stopped. They were awful, you just have to stay strong. It's worth it.

I'm so bloated this evening. Hope all this wind buggers off before weigh in tomorrow [fart emoticon]