CAMBRIDGE DIET CLUB ....... THREAD 3

[catsmother]

As the old one was getting rather large.

Feel free to post this weeks good and bad news, frustrations, tips, feelings etc.

My dd will be 6 in May so is getting a little bit too knowing now.

Luciemule - I think you have to work out what are your low points in the day. I have always been fine in the morning and so don't have my first shake until lunchtime. For me the worse time is definitely 3pm-6pm - always has been, even when eating 'normally'. So I have a shake/bar then, one coke zero, loads of black coffees and even more water. Then I have my last shake anytime after 8pm but evenings are not the big problem for me. On a Friday and Saturday I save 2 packs for the evening to make it slightly more 'exciting' and weekend-y. But I'm sure everyone has very different habits!

thanks Moonshine - you sound exactly like me time-wise - I find afternoons and tea times the hardest. I thought evenings would be the hardest (I used to have a bowl of cereal most nights!)but actually I'm fine then. Might give your idea a go and stuff myself on water/redbush tea and shakes around 5pm!!!

My DD is 5 and very switched on to the fact that I'm not eating food with them. However once I explained that my heart wasn't as healthy because mummy had eaten too many unhealthy things (she understands about healthy eating to make your heart work properly) she was fine. She even waves her finger at me when I go to pick her left overs!

I found it so hard not reaching for the kids leftovers at first, and when cooking, it was almost instinctive to just put it in my mouth lol.

I start my packs at lunchtime, i'm a soup addict at the moment, I have a soup at lunchtime, then another at around 6pm ish, then either a bar or a sweet pack made into a mousse after the kids are in bed, feels like my evening treat then.

Hi everyone.
Got weighed this morning and i lost 7lb.
I was so surprised.
That means i've now lost 27lbs in about 5 weeks!!!

Still got loads to lose, but i'm sticking with it.

CDC said i should have done add a meal week, but i don't want to, so she said that if having the snacks that i have works for me, then just continue with what i'm doing.

She didn't say anything to me about carrots being carby, so i don't know about that.
I do eat loads more celery than carrots though.

Congratulations to you both Fussy & Moonshine.

My week 9 weigh in this morning was nowhere near as impressive ...... it was only 2lbs again this week, for the 2nd week running.

Am feeling quite disheartened because let's face it, we're all on this very boring and expensive diet for the primary reason that it's a fast loss (compared to most other diets) and we want to get slim quick because we're fed up of being overweight (for years for most of us). Having tried WW No Count before where you can eat what you want from a limited but real selection of food, I know that I lost around 2lbs a week doing that ..... so feel somewhat "conned" IYWIM.

My counsellor has pointed out that as you get nearer target the loss slows, which I realise, and has also encouraged me again to drink more water. This is something I really struggle with, even with the added falavourings (and I don't like tea or coffee). She recommends 4 litres a day ...... has anyone else managed this much ? I find it difficult to drink even 2 extra litres (on top of my drinks) but will give it a go again for another week. Think I'd feel happy, at this stage, with 4lbs loss a week, but if I'm going to "stick" at 2lbs, I may as well do WW No Count.

I've now lost 2 stones 7lbs in 9 weeks ...... guess that is still "good" compared to a normal diet though. I haven't measured myself all over for a few weeks, but do keep checking my waist, and I've lost 7 inches from that.

Forgot to say, I want to lose another 1.5 stones to be where I want to be. At 2lbs a week that would take me 10 weeks, which I know isn't really very long, but another 10 weeks of shakes is rather a depressing thought. Now if I could do it in 5 or 6 that would be different ....

I've been inspired to do this after reading your stories here and having a friend whose mum did this and lost 4 stone. I have about 4 stone to lose, if I'm honest, and I've tried lots but nothing seems to work. My relationship with food is very bad and has been pretty much all of my life.

I've emailed the counsellor in my area but have a few questions. How much does this cost? I know lighterlife is about £65 per week. Is this cheaper? How do you feel on it? Is it doable when you're cooking for others?

Well done Catsmother - even if the loss isn't showing well on the scales, I bet you've lost inches

I drink a minimum of 4 litres, at the moment i'm managing about 6 because i'm really thirsty for some reason. The say the more you drink, the more you shrink..

Hi, Jumping In.

I pay £32.50 a week, for 3 meals a day (shakes, soups & bars (from your 2nd week)). You can also buy big pots of citrus & berry flavourings fro your water which are £6 each but last for absolutely ages, and something called Mix a Mousse, which you can use to turn the shakes into a dessert, which, I think was £2.90 or so.

I've been told that Lighter Life is more or less the same thing but for double the price you get concentrated counselling - and meetings too, I think. Personally, I didn't think I needed that - and would have found it awkward with a toddler. There are lots of forums for Cambridge, (to share advice, tips, experiences) plus, of course, the support thread here !

Do-able ?? Yes, of course it is, or they'd be out of business. It is hard though, not from being hungry (I can say hand on heart I've never felt hungry) but from being bored. Eating is so often a social activity, even at home with your family and you are of course excluded from that while doing this. I find it best to go and do something else while everyone else is eating rather than sit there watching them. Similarly, as we all know to our cost, eating is also a very emotional thing ..... I know I "treat" myself with food for example, and not being able to do so is hard.

I want to lose a total of 4 stone too. Have lost 2 stone 7 lbs in 9 weeks, so hopefully the end is near(ish).

Have a read through this thread - and CD threads 1 & 2 further down the board. This will give you a good idea of people's experiences and thoughts on the diet.

Hiya everyone

I've got my soups and shakes (actually had them in the cupboard for about 2 weeks ).. I'm just trying to get my head in the right place to get started

Any tips on how to get thru those first few days of feeling like shite reheated and wanting to give up?

helppppppppppp!!

Hi SCP - I gradually cut out more and more carbs so that in the end all I was having in the days before was either a slice of bread at lunch or a bowl of cereal. Then your stomach will have already shrunk quite a lot and you'll feel less hungry. I drink lots of water and red bush tea ('cause it's caffine free) as to start with I had cramping due to not drinking enough water and also the high concentration of minerals/vitamins. I still cramps sometimes but just drink a quick glass of water and it kind of 'dilutes' the feeling.

Hiya can I ask some Cambridge Diet questions?

I've lost 4 stone on the Lighter Life programme, have had a months break and decided to try the Cambridge diet for that last 2 stone!

Do you only have 3 meals on the Cambridge diet?

Do you have to go to pick up your meals weekly?

Do you get weighed?

I tried their website but it's pretty dire.

Thanks for any advice....

Hiya,

You have 3 packs a day on Cambridge unless you are above 5'8 then you have four. Counsellors vary on how often they see you and whether they weigh you or not I think, I see my counsellor once a week to pick up packs and get on the scales, but I think some counsellors will give you up to a months packs in advance if, say, you lived quite a distance away and didn't want to travel weekly.

Well done on losing 4 stones with LL, that's fantastic!

Hi RedTartanLass - You get weighed weekly (and measured - waist, thigh,arm,hips,bust/chest). Not sure if it's the same with all counsellors but most make you pick up the packs weekly.
If you are under 5ft8" you have 3 shakes a day (or bars after the 2nd week)and 4 a day if your taller or a man. You do that for 4 weeks on the sole source preogramme, then add a meal week before going back to the 4 week plan again (if you haven't reached your target). Then you go into a stabilisation and maintenance stage.

Hi Bendigo - tried to wait until lunch time for first shake yesterday, as you suggested, but by teatime I was starving and felt very weak! So I think I'll go for midmorning, then lunch, then tea. Got my weigh in this morning so I'm a bit worried that I'll have not lost much due to the nibbling over the weekend but my body shape is really changing so it's good to be able to see some change. How are you doing with it?

Hiya Lucie,

I was never one much for brekkie before Cambridge so I don't really notice i'm not having anything in the morning to be honest, you will find as the time goes on you can go longer and longer without having a pack. Yesterday I totally forgot to have one at lunchtime and didn't have my first one until 5.30pm!! I got so caught up in doing other stuff I didn't notice.

Well I weighed this morning and lost another 4lbs which i'm pleased with as it was add a meal week and I didn't 'feel' like i'd lost a huge amount for some reason, so 4lbs was a nice surprise. My totals so far are:

Week 1 - 7lbs
Week 2 - 6lbs
Week 3 - 8lbs
Week 4 - 5lbs
Week 5 - 4lbs

Total in 5 weeks - 30lbs!!!! Thats 2 stones, 2lbs, i'm ecstatic!

So i'm 35 days in, haven't cheated once and now I have no desire to do so anymore which is a great feeling, I cook DH's and the kids tea and it doesn't bother me anymore.

This is a great diet if you can get through the first few weeks and stick with it, the rewards are far outweighing the downfalls!

Good luck with your weigh in today Lucie, are you excited?

Hi all

Sorry I have been away.................fell off the wagon big time for 2 days. had a bad weekend........went to London on sat for the day by train and just couldnt drink enough to keep me going so just felt crap.

That was the end of that and the pacman syndrome kicked in. Tried to convince myself that I could go healthy eating and GI etc but no...it just wont work for me so back on Cambridge today. Hope the withdrawal is less painful after only 2 days of naughtiness. Anybody else done this ? How was it ?

Weight has more or less stayed the same and I am glugging the water. I usually manage about 5 litres per day.

You are all doing so well....................I am back for encouragement!

Dawn

Hi - been to weigh in and lost 3lbs and quite a few cm's off everywhere.
week 1 - 6lbs
week 2 - 2lbs
week 3 - 3lbs

So as long as I lose at least 3 this next week, I'll have lost a stone in 4 weeks. Hopefully though, now I've got a bar for each night, I'll be good and not pick and lose more than 3lbs! Bendigo - you've done so well - I did think it feels like it's starting to get mentally easier after the first few weeks. I guess they were always going to be the hardest as it's such a lifestyle change.

Hi all

I have read the other two threads in the last few weeks and taken the plunge and started on the Cambridge diet yesterday. So far, so good. I hope you girls won?t mind if I join you?

I went to my counsellor (1 hours drive away) last Friday and was then away until Monday night (eating and drinking to excess!), so started yesterday morning. Really surprised me how I don?t feel hungry. From what I have read on the other threads, tomorrow and Friday could be the difficult time, but I am determined enough to get through it (I hope!).

I need to lose 2 stone minimum ? 3 stone would be fantastic. I lost nearly 4 stone last Sept 05 > Feb 06 on Weightwatchers, but then returned to work in June and 2 stone piled on swiftly. What an idiot! I am hoping to change job by this summer that would double my wages and be far far better job, but that would need me to be fit and lean ? so if that isn?t motivation enough I don?t know what is!!

I don?t go back to counsellor until Friday week (bought two weeks worth). Don?t think she is the best from what I have read here. She looked me up and down, trying to weigh me up (I was sitting down) and told me I would need to be on 4 lots a day. She then got me weighed and as I went to sit down again she said ?oh you are 5?4? or so, aren?t you?. I am 5?7.5?. Do you think it is ok for me to be on 4 a day? Will it slow me down big time? I don?t think I would get much support from her if I needed it!

It is 8 weeks to Easter and I have given myself that as a first time scale, to see how I go. I was hoping to post on here when I get weighed or having a bad day (or even good days!), if you don?t mind me joining you.

Hi Rebi,

Well done you for getting going. It could be hard as you go into ketosis in a couple of days time but just make sure you're drinking loads and you should be fine. At your height, you're just under the limit for 4 a day (4 sachets is for 5ft 8" and above or men) but you should perhaps start on 4 and then gradually take it down to three (someone on a thread further down suggested that to someone else). You'll feel better if your counsellor is helpful though but we can support you and swap tips etc so don't worry if there's no other counsellor near you to swap to. I have to say, I'm feeling far more postive today (maybe more so 'cause the sun's shining!) and know I'm not going to pick. My DD keeps telling me to put leftover straight into the brown food buin we have to have in Somerset and I tell you, one whiff of that bin puts me right off eating anything!!! Good luck over the next few days and I found it a lot easier thinking of each meal/sachet separately, rather than thinking "oh my goodness, there's another 4 weeks of this!"

By the way - what job will you be doing that needs you to be fit and lean???

Hi luciemule - thanks for the words of encouragement! You are doing great - I'll be thrilled if I do as well. Yes I thought my councellor's advise was really strange before she knew my height or weight!! I thought she was very cheeky actually and obviously was implying that I was massive!!! Lovely lady!

The job (hope I don't jinx it!) would be the police - 6 months intensive training, including fitness training which will probably kill me. Haven't got it 100% yet - in pool waiting for call, been through all the assessments and test. When I went for medical last June I was two stone lighter and still attending gym 3 times a week. so not sure if I would pass medical now (it was really thorough!). Dont' want to chance it. I am 40 so this would be my last chance of a 'career'.(Gave up career proper when I had my ds 11 years ago!)

Hi Rebi,
I so admire you for the whole police thing -I'm sure you'll do it. The diet will be easier as you'll have a great reason for continuing and not giving up. Your counsellor doesn't sound very nice but you only really need to go and buy the sachets from her and weigh in. Do you have lots of other support from friends and family - do you have a partner? I must admit, the hardest thing is having a DH who's away at the moment. Usually he would say "don't pick at that or something" but when nobody is here, I think it doesn't matter as much. He's always saying he loves me no matter what I look like but I think that's the problem and I do nothing about it! I really needed him to say - actually Luce, you could do with eating a bit less!

Hi Rebi, welcome aboard!! Sorry your counsellor doesn't seem much cop, it's hardly inspiring when all they seem interested in is your wallet. I hope she isn't just saying you should have 4 packs to get more money from you, you are quite close to the 4 pack height though, so maybe we should give her the benefit of the doubt

What a great reason for doing the diet too, just you wait, the weight will fall off you and you'll be patrolling the streets in no time!

Another good weigh in Lucie, you are doing fab! The sunshine is making me all cheery today too.

Awwwww MummyPoppins, don't worry about falling off the wagon, the 2 days wont have done much damage, just draw a line under it and start afresh!

Hope everyone else is having a lovely sunny wednesday!