Cambridge/Exante/Slimfast 2021

[YourWurstNightmare]

New thread combining all the VLC shake diets: Cambridge, Exante, Lighterlife, Slimfast, etc. Everyone is welcome.

If you have any underlying health conditions, please check with your GP first (as I did).

I'm doing Slimfast (two shakes and one healthy meal a day). I use the premade shakes, because I actually like them! They are currently on sale here: www.amazon.co.uk/SlimFast-Replacement-Shake-Chunky-Chocolate/dp/B010PM6XO4/?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I noticed Amazon is selling Lighterlife products now, too, if that helps anyone: www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/DCB0D716-63B4-4265-8862-CF4AEEE9FEF9?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

My goals:

• Get two stone off quickly, then swap to less restrictive healthy/calorie controlled eating.
• Do 30 minutes of exercise (walking, jogging, lifting weights, whatever) a day.

Would love to share tips and motivate each other as we go!

love the easter bunny outfit - it that going to be the uniform for the thread

@MyVisionsComeFromSoup I can't believe your ortho! I definitely had my fixed retainer fitted as soon as the braces came off. Oh well, as you said, make the most of the removable!

And I agree about the outfit: we'll send it round so we can all use it in our 'after' photos.

10st 6 still here losinf inches

@lockdownrainbow If you're still losing inches it sounds like you're on the right track.

I've somehow lost 3 lbs which means I'm currently at 21 lbs down, 7 lbs to go. Quite a difference from 8 weeks ago. I've mostly had 2 lb/week loses. It really does add up! The most important thing is to keep going.

Good luck to everyone weighing in today!

Great job wurst 😃

@YourWurstNightmare- way hey you are getting there. You should be rather proud and excited to see a glimmer at the end of the tunnel :-) I have about 15 to go - I have lost 1 kilo and 1/2 this week - which is slower than my average but at least it's still down.... inches are coming off too - or at least they are off my tummy - 4 if I am being generous, 3 if not..... nowhere else particularly. Can't say anyone has really noticed yet - but people do say I am looking "well" (whatever that means!).

Completely agree that its just a matter of gritting your teeth and getting on with it....

Good luck all - hope you are managing to keep going one way or the other

3/4 of a pound off this week - looks like I was eating more chocolate than I realised . But also TOTM atm might explain the chocolate which will have had an effect. Fingers crossed for next week to be a decent loss.

But, still building muscle, and still losing inches - my size 14 jeans are getting noticeably looser round the waist, not enough that I can go and buy some size 12s, but well on the way . I also need to remeasure myself for new bras, trying to decide if I soldier on with the ones I have (as I can easily get away with not wearing one at home) which are digging in in weird places cos they really don't fit any more!

@MyVisionsComeFromSoup - sounds great - well done. Am rather envious in fact - I have a pair of size 14 jeans that are my target .... can do the button-up but can't manage the zip...Hmmm next week perhaps :)

Great loss, @CJDoxon, especially around the waist!

Nearly a size 12, @MyVisionsComeFromSoup!! So exciting!

All the talk about clothes had me pulling out clothes I haven't worn for 18 months and washing up a couple of outfits I should be able to start wearing soon. I will still have to lose more to fit into my jeans and smaller items, but this will be a great boost.

For everyone else, keep going and progress will come.

@YourWurstNightmare - go for it - I completely agree good to dig out old clothes as an incentive ..... my jeans are my target - in the beginning I couldn't even imagine fitting into them so now feeling as if it's a strong possibility.

take care all

Count me in please.

Today was day 1 of Cambridge for me.

I'm aiming to do 45 days to reset some bad habits that are creeping in.

@GranolaHolmes Welcome! 45 days is definitely doable. Hopefully your first week goes smoothly.

Hi, everyone! Im feeling very inspired after reading the comments.
I started the slim fast plan last week and its going well so far.
Im trying to lose weight so i can fit back into my jeans and dont have to live in my lockdown leggings anymore.

I think i weight roughly around 14 stone but I dont have reliable scales to weight my self at home - can anyone recommend some?

Thanks for having me.

Day 1 was tolerable but I didn't sleep too well last night.

I've been crafty though and started on Saturday so I'm hopefully through the worst of it before I have to work on Thursday.

To PP, Any of the digital scales are pretty reliable I have found.

I weighed myself and it's worse than I had thought by about 9lbs so I'm well and truly committed now and will need to do the full 45 days to get back to my healthy weight.

1 down 44 to go

Hello @LumpSatAlone - am sure you are not a lump by the way.... On the scales thing I dont think it matters what you get to be honest - they are all pretty much of a muchness. It all depends when you weigh yourself - I can lose a kilo in the five minutes I take to weigh myself, brush my teeth and then get back on the scales again. It's most peculiar. I blamed the scales at first but now am just used to it - as long as the number goes down over a week then am sure you will be OK. Also good as suggested somewhere on this thread to keep a pair of too tight jeans or a too tight something to try on. Amazing how quickly things get looser - and v easy to forget. You might like to take a selfie or two just to remind yourself how far you have come. Fyi I was just over 15 stone at the beginning of Jan and am now (to my amazement) just over 13... am aiming to get down to about 11 1/2 so a while to go. Oh and I havent been perfect (there was a little incident with an elderly aunt and some sticky toffee pudding, and a drunken evening with an old friend etc etc) but nevertheless it does seem to work if you stick to your guns.... Good luck

Thank you @CJDoxon
I am feeling kinda like a lump just now but im determined to lose weight.
Go you losing all that weight! Its Very encouraging to hear!

Welcome @LumpSatAlone! I plan on burning my leggings in a few months so I can relate.

Hope everyone is having a good Monday! 17 weeks until June 21st... could lose some serious poundage by then.

Day 2 was fine yesterday. Another disturbed night sleep though.

It's a peculiar feeling as you go into ketosis over the first week that I can only explain as feeling like I'm burning fuel and it keeps me awake. Anyone else relate?

Hi joining in, good to hear all the weight loss stories..

I'm 13 stone my highest weight ever after these lockdowns. I usually exercise and swim a lot at the local gym and do a school walk up a huge hill.

Anyway I have started getting some protein shakes (I like the Slimfast Vitality raspberry one best so far - a bit of frozen fruit blended in makes it like a cold milkshake)

I'm going to have two a day and instead of snacks a small healthy lunch such as ryvita with cottage cheese and an apple, and a healthy dinner.

And exercise for half an hour each day either walks, or using hand weight at home. Until April when the gym re-opens.

I'm planning on losing 3 stone (gulp)

Best of luck to everyone

Best of luck to you @Orangeblossom1977
My husband is currently only eating one meal a day at lunchtime and to be honest he has lost almost the same amount of weight as I have doing Cambridge (which is very good but also very annoying for me!!). When I finally give up on the shakes think that's going to be the way ahead

Once I get to my goal I plan to go back to intermittent fasting. I find I maintain well with it but struggle to lose weight that way.

I've got to undo a few months of wine and chocolate private picnics first

Stuck at 10st 6 for 3 weeks now
At the start lost 4 pounds
Have now hit a plateau
Have eased off diet just for this week
Still having x2 slimfast shakes a day
Have been eating more calories
Then back on it from Friday

@GranolaHolmes I'm not sure if I've ever had that feeling but I guess that means it's working!

Welcome @Orangeblossom1977! I hit 1.5 stone at 8 weeks so as long you stick to it, 3 stone is definitely achievable.

@lockdownrainbow Ugh, sorry to hear you're still plateauing. Maybe cut down your snack allowance until you start losing again?

I cracked open a diet coke yesterday for the first time since I started and I nearly gagged at how gross it tasted. There was a time when I had several a day! My tastebuds have definitely changed in the past 9 weeks!

Sigh - well it was my own fault. A proper supper last Thursday including gooseberry crumble and custard and too much alcohol and and and ...... back on the wagon the next day but still only lost 1/2 kilo this week compared to my normal 2. Wish I could blame someone other than me. Hope everyone else in better (lesser) shape..... does make me think about the number of crumbles I will not be able to eat in the future .

Aww, still a loss @CJDoxon. Sounds like it was a good meal!

I lost 3 lbs again, BUT I had some kind of 48 hour stomach bug during the week and was running to the loo every 5 minutes. I'm assuming some of the weight loss comes from being dehydrated/clearing out the system.

In total, I'm 24 lbs down, 4 lbs to go to my initial goal of 2 stone.