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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Brand new shiny VLCD thread...LighterLife, Cambridge etc

773 replies

Cheesyslice · 24/01/2014 13:24

New thread as the old one is now bursting at the seams.

Thanks
OP posts:
TalcumPowder · 09/09/2014 11:05

My start weight was 15.10 at 5ft 6. 11 stone will put me at the top end of a healthy BMI, but I would like to go lower.

Alizonne sounds very strange indeed to me - and shriekingly expensive - but then, I never saw myself doing Cambridge either. Still, it's very clarifying to have normal food taken out of the equation entirely, and makes me realise things about my relationship with food.

rovercat · 09/09/2014 12:56

Not sure Talcumpowder, I thought to begin with maybe it was doing Cambridge that kicked it off but now I look back I think it had been grumbling for a couple of years at least although I never put 2 and 2 together as I only had very mild symptoms. I think gallbladders can flare up as a result of being overweight and then losing it rapidly so I was in a no win situation really as I would never sick to a diet where you only get 1-2 pounds a week loss. I know they work for some people but I'm far to impatient!!

squirrelweasel · 10/09/2014 12:03

Day three and I'm feeling positive. Just really disappointed that I don't like any of the meals/soups desperately trying to swap them on the slim and save site. If not will resort to ebay. I guess I'm going to try and do this with just shakes/bars. The shakes are really filling though so it's not so bad.

squirrelweasel · 11/09/2014 15:37

Day 4 and I'm still going. Decided to change to 3 meal packs and 2 boiled eggs because the meals and soups are absolutely disgusting and I need to eat something savoury once a day I'm a vegetarian so it's just eggs but they tasted amazing. How is everyone else doing?

LouiseBourgeois · 11/09/2014 20:23

Have name changed. Lost another four pounds on Cambridge this week, which I was very pleased by, because it was a difficult week. If I lose two pounds next week, I will cross a significant personal weight marker, and in six pounds' time, I will hit three stone lost in total.

Squirrel, you sound as if you are doing great. When are you planning to check your losses?

squirrelweasel · 12/09/2014 19:08

Day five here and still going strong. Done lots of walking today and have even got husband on board! Going to weigh on Monday when I can get to boots as I don't have a scales. How is everyone else getting on?

LouiseBourgeois · 12/09/2014 23:19

I was away for a work conference and heroically stuck to black coffee when everyone else was attacking biscuits, the lunch buffet and the conference dinner. At breakfast, I had yet more black coffee while looking daggers at the people ordering pancakes, drinking juice, and putting on endless rounds of toast... I try to tell myself that no one is going to ban toast, that all that food will still be there after I've reached my target, and can be eaten in moderation. Grr.

tootsweets · 14/09/2014 20:57

Just completed my first week on lighter life. According to my home scales I have lost 6.5lbs. SmileSmile

Louloubelle1978 · 27/09/2014 23:04

Hi everyone! Hope this thread could be revived as I spent the last few days reading it and the last two threads also and found it very informative!

I have just finished the 4th day of doing Slim and Save (4 packs a day with veggie allowance), and finding it good so far - I'm enjoying the meals, and because I was on a Ketogenic diet prior to starting, I was already in Ketosis so have found the transition relatively painless (not like how it was when I first went into ketosis!)

How is everyone getting on?

lavendersun · 08/10/2014 05:56

Wish me luck everyone - I am trying Cambridge, have never been on a diet in my life before but have gained weight (illness and hormones to reduce a fibroid) and I am really unhappy with it.

I am a complete foodie, we love lovely food so it is going to be very very hard, I really hope that I can stand it for 6-8 weeks, if I do I hope I will have lost enough to fit back into my clothes.

Trouble is I will still be cooking all the lovely food for everyone else weeps, I might hang my jeans on the front of the fridge.

Rusticated · 08/10/2014 22:22

You can do it, Lavender. I'm foodie too, but have lost just over three stone on Cambridge. The first two or three days are awful, but you hit ketosis and become a lot less hungry. Drink lots of water and experiment until you find products that don't make you gag. The big loss in week one is very motivating. You could easily lose two stone in eight weeks.

lavendersun · 09/10/2014 07:00

Thanks Rusticated - it was easier than I thought because I was in lectures all day. I managed three shakes - I think they are disgusting which doesn't help (supposed to have four because I am 5ft 8 but I couldn't face another one).

I think I will do it until 23/10 initially, not long but I would really struggle at half term, might switch to no carbs for half term and see how I get on.

2 stone would be more than I need to lose so that is good to hear.

My husband works away which makes it easier but I don't like the fact that I can't eat with my daughter who now has to to eat alone, but it isn't for long I suppose.

I take my hat off to all you dedicated dieters - it is very hard!

Rusticated · 09/10/2014 11:50

Try the soups instead? I couldn't stomach the shakes or porridges at all, but found some of the soups - oriental chilli in particular, followed by mushroom - a lot more palatable, especially if covered with a lot of freshly-ground black pepper. And the peanut and yoghurt bars aren't bad, and usefully portable if you're in and out of lectures.

I make a point of having a bowl of soup with my toddler, too - I don't want him to eat alone, or see me scurrying off with sachets in a secretive manner.

JesterJaffacake · 12/10/2014 21:34

marking place so I can find thread again, after reading it for inspiration Grin Grin

Pishedorf · 14/10/2014 18:34

Day 2 here. I tried in August but my DD was admitted to hospital and it's been a rough time. Now things have calmed I'm ready to focus.

Does anyone else get pins and needles in their arms and feet when on a VLCD?

Brassrubbing · 14/10/2014 21:34

Pishedorf, I remember you from back then. (NC since, can't remember what I was called then.) Sorry to hear about your daughter, and hope she is recovered. Good luck with it. If it's any encouragement, I'm nearly three and a half stone down since July.

Pishedorf · 16/10/2014 00:05

Hi brass. Yes she's a lot better thankyiu. No

Pishedorf · 16/10/2014 00:08

Dammit pressed enter too soon!

Anyway. Day 3, in ketosis with my stinky breath haha!

3.5 stone is amazing well done. I kept thinking today about where I will be in the future. I did 4 stones in 3.5 months once. I need to lose 5.5 stones to get back to that I can do that by march I think. I'm looking forward to having more energy and feeling like I can move about after DD instead of being a bit lumbering elephant.

Pishedorf · 16/10/2014 20:15

Day 4, feeling good!

TiffanyAtBreakfast · 28/10/2014 10:08

How is everyone doing today?

I'm on day 2 of Exante and feeling more awake and perky this morning than I have in months. Must be the lack of junk food consumption!

Really want to stick at this with no lapses right until Christmas when I'll have a few days off (obviously!).

Will be difficult to resist food at the fireworks we're going to on Sunday, will have to take a bar with me for when everyone is having unhealthy things!

tb · 23/11/2014 20:05

Forgot that I'd posted on here.

Nice to see so many people doing so well.

I got stuck a little while ago, and also got very bunged up some time after taking Tramadol due to a painful root canal and no dentist appts for 3 weeks. I ended up having to go to the gp and get something like Movicol - but called Transpeg here in France. It worked eventually, but getting bunged up has started to be a bit of a problem. It happened with Cambridge sole source, too.

DH started the diet a little while ago and has lost 11kgs and is now in double figures.

I've lost 28.6 kg, and still have 5 to go to get below 100 Blush but, 2 years ago my BMI was 50 and is now 39.

I put on the weight initially after a car accident that broke a spine in my neck and damaged my thyroid gland. Umpteen years and 10 stone later, I got a diagnosis of an underactive thyroid.

2 years ago I went to an obesity clinic and came out the same weight as they decided that my thyroid was overtreated because my TSH was low.

A thing that I've found is that, unless I've just been prescribed millions of units of vit D, or I take a daily supplement, then I just don't lose weight.

When I went to see my endocrinologist in September, she didn't recognise me, and couldn't get over it. Despite being really pleased at my weight loss, she told me that if I'd asked her permission to go on the diet, she would have said 'no'.

Had a follow up day in hospital at the beginning of the month, and I weighed nearly 30kg less than when I was there. At the medical I said that I had been shocked that they hadn't told my specialist they'd changed my treatment. The doctor told me that I was hyperthyroid because my TSH was so low. When I countered that with the fact that research in the US has shown that people having treatement with thyroxin always have much lower levels of TSH than people who have never had a problem, she agreed with me. Grrrrr!!

I had my treatment reduced in September, and my vit D levels were just below normal, but not low enough to have a supplement. My weight seemed to stick, so I started with some vit D tablets from Lidl and I've continued to lose.

According to a book on thyroid problems, vit D levels and supplements are all geared to the protection of the skeleton, and take no account of the amount needed for proper thyroid function.

I got a shock today when I did a new weight loss ticker on the S&S forum. I still have 96 lbs to lose, 40kg doesn't seem nearly so much!

Just had 3 sachets today, and then had a mushroom, bacon and cheese omelette. Waiting for a new order and have run out of meals, mainly shakes and porridges left, so trying to use up what's left in a logical way until the new order arrives Tues/Weds.

sueofwestford · 04/12/2014 13:34

Hi I am on day two of my VLCD diet. I have done it before and love the fast weight loss & how good I feel on it. This time I am looking to do it alone this time (lighterlife before) I need to find a cheap supply & was hoping to find support on line.

Is there anyone out there doing a VLCD diet?

SoonToBeMrsB · 15/12/2014 13:07

Hi everyone, I just ordered a week's worth of VLCD products and they are due to arrive tomorrow so I'll be starting on Wednesday. It seems crazy to start so close to Christmas but I'm getting absolutely nowhere with Weight Watchers due to my binges and I need to shift 2st just to get the surgery on my leg that I need, never mind the 2st after that just to get to a healthy weight. I'm nervous, I've tried Cambridge and Exante once each and didn't make it past the first day because I gave in to the headaches and hunger but I need to do this, I'm just getting fatter and fatter Sad

bendyruler · 15/12/2014 17:07

Hi soonto and Sue, how are you getting on sue? I ordered a weeks worth yesterday but I still had a few packs left from when I did this before back in June so am on my third day. I am doing slim and save which one are you doing? I lost 2 stone in the summer and have managed to keep it off I just need to lose another 1.5 stone now so that I'm in my healthy bmi. It seems harder the second time round maybe because it's so cold and gloomy outside I think it's easier in the summer

sueofwestford · 15/12/2014 17:09

Hi soon to be Mrs B I am impressed you are starting now .I did too I started on the 3rd December and have lost 13lb .I wanted to lose 10kg by Chris tmas and am well on target having lost 6 kg .I am doing 3 packs a day using up old stock. I plan to have 3 careful days off over Christmas then I have another 3 weeks before I go to Aus hopefully a size 12.
I started before xmas as I new i would make things worse if I carried on eating.My two tips are get past day 3 and its easier & dont take the first bite/taste .Good luck