Tips for before you start LL

[louale]

Hi All,

There are a few of us starting in Jan 09, and I thought it might be a good idea to get some tips on things that we might be doing now to prepare ourselves for the jouney ahead.

Emz suggested making a book with our reasons for wanting to lose the weight, start photo and pictures of clothes we'd love to wear. This is a great idea and something I plan to do.

Does anyone have any other tips/advice on what has helped them and what we might do to prepare ourselves? It would be great to hear any tips you might have.

Thanks,
Louale x

[EmVeg]

After my panic last night I have also decided to start thinking about how to deal with big occasion situations - and to think how we want to go about the people around us.

I for one always stop doing things because of what others say, so I am preparing myself to ignore them!

[hannahwil2002]

Hi both,

Your LLC will take a 'before' pic for you, but I also took one for my own record. Stick it to the fridge or mirror to remind you not to be tempted.

I also have a pair of jeans as my visual and physical target. They cost me a fortune from my skinny days and I know as soon as I fit back into them that I'm at my target weight!

My last day before starting, I tucked into all my favourite foods. Some advise against this to avoid a huge carb withdrawl, but I haven't suffered with any and it made my last day of 'eating' very enjoyable!

If you live alone, I'd suggest making sure you get through all your food. My fridge is now completely empty apart from a jar of gherkins! lol, so nothing to tempt me!

Good luck!

Hx

[caz789]

Buy yourself a good blender - makes the shakes thick and frothy! Good luck for Jan!

[Blonde Logic]

Hi there

I am going to ask a mod to Stiky this, as this question comes up an awful lot!

I feel those who have weeks to wait before starting LL have a very good advantage to those that decide to do it on the spur and slip straight into a group.

This is a pretty hardcore way of dieting - its not for sissy's. It can be either the most difficult diet you can possibly choose to do - or, if you let it - it can be the easiest. It requires a great deal of committment and determination. A strong will helps but I do not feel is essential.

I had about 7 or 8 weeks to wait, and I spent that time doing more mental work then I have ever done in my life.

The things that worked for me - that allowed me to follow the diet 100% without a single lapse - and to loose nearly 10 stone in MONTHS (not years - but MONTHS!!) was to get my head wrapped three times around what I was embarking on.

IT was scary as hell thinking about giving up food!!!

I started paying attention to food more consciously then ever before and started viusualising myself on the diet. I visualized every possible situation. Home/family, work, pub nites, club nites, holidays, illness, job nites out, family gatherings, a day out shopping, being around others who eat, etc. whatever - every situation I thought about I visualised how it would be on the diet. There is NO situation you cannot do this diet on. To say there is is merely an excuse really. It can be done, as long as you are prepared for any eventuality.

I also began to visualise myself at goal. ANd for the first time ever, I realllllly saw me. And I began to feel I was connecting with the me that was buried under 10 stone of fat....the me who was unreachable for 25 years. The me that I thought had died. That was exciting. Words cannot express!

I then started thinking about two sayings:

1. In it, to win it.

2. Failure is not an option. Zero-Tolerance to failure.

Those became a mantra that I repeated a lot to myself.

And I also started to - no this is where you might think I am crackers - but I swear to god this was effective - I started to have conversations with myself, out loud, in the mirror staring me straight in the eye. Wow. If anyone has read my stream of consciousness thread they may remember the breakthroughs I made using that method. When I started to recognise my old self - it was all the motivation I needed to get her out. There simply was NO STOPPING ME. And thus, my determination was born. And, I rescued myself.

There are also the obvious things you can do - start cutting back on carbs as much as possible, and if you start drinking water now, you will be used to it at a more gradual pace.

Read this forum as much as you can. Read everyones experiences. Ask questions. Share Their triumphs, their defeats, their joy and sorrow. Their stories are ALL inspirational, and ever single person here has one.

Be open and honest with yourself - be sure you understand who and why you are doing this diet. If you are doing it for someone else - save your money and do a cheaper diet. You have to be doing this for YOU.

Make your family aware of all of the things you will need from them, before you start. Get a committment from them for their support. THIS IS IMPORTANT! My husbands acceptance of my need to do this, and his support was invaluable. And be sure to thank them when you get to goal, for they sacrifice things too in many different ways, and it is also a big change for them to see their loved one change so dramatically so quickly.

It's An excitinging time -the weeks leading up to your life changing event. Enjoy it - expect the unexpected! Expect tears and laughter, be prepared for some real swings. Its a ride. BUt what a GREAT ride it is. BE OPEN TO CHANGE.

Good luck all you new starters!!!!

YOU CAN DO IT!!!! IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO IT!

XX

[gary girl forever]

Blonde Logic, you insprire me so much. your words are magical!!!

im trying to perpare my self for the termoil that awaits me, i have to admit that at this moment in time i am seriously worried i will last a few days and give in,but then again if i think about it for long enough i know i can do this, i bet that sounds mad!!!!!!!

anyway, my partner isnt really for this, although he says he wants me to do whatever makes me happy, he said tonight that he loves me the way i am, which i do believe which is why i have to do this for me and not for him. he knows that and i know that! my mum has been dead against this from the day i first mentioned it, untill today when she actually asked me more about what the diet intails rather than just telling me that i dont need to loose it and im fine as i am! so im hoping that they are starting to see that im in this for the long haul and for the right reasons, ive made no secret of being scared and nervous about it, the idea of no food makes me want to cry but im hoping by the time its january i will have there full support to get through this!

im worried for christmas and the amount of food and sweets that will be around, i am determind to not gain between now and my start date, i have so much to do this to do this for, and in a way im glad of these few weeks i have before i start to metally prepare myself, the carb withdrawal and food cravings i can deal with, but getting myself to love myself again, thats what is going to be hard!!

[louale]

Hi All,

Thanks for some great tips and advice, I will be treating myself to a good blender in the Christmas sales.

Blond Logic - Thank you so much for the long list of tips and advice that you have given, you must surely be fed up of hearing this by now, but you are truely an inspiration!

Thanks again everyone, some great advice for us all.

Louale x

[lillypop]

Well, I am a CD'er (similar) but I did do a tips thing on my blog and it might help, it might not, but here it is:

1. Make sure you take a picture of yourself, front view, back view, both sides, on the day you start your Cambridge Diet Journey.

2. Take pictures every 4 weeks as above so that you can see yourself getting slimmer, and make them into a photo journal. I have printed mine off and have in a photo album so that when I am feeling hungry etc. I keep looking at it!

3. Get measured!! If you dont want your CDC to measure you, then do it yourself! You might not think it's a great idea at first but when you have small losses, it's so amazing when you have lost inches off your waist instead!! Do this every 4 weeks!

4. Subscribe to Lighterlife Magazine. I do this online so that I get a discount. I find this magazine really motivational and similar to Cambridge Diet and I love when it comes through the post. Also buy the Cambridge Diet Magazine from your CDC. Reading the stories and tips will really help you through your journey!

5. Buy yourself something for every stone you lose. I have bought jewerly, all kinds of things and it's wonderful and exciting to buy stuff when you lose another stone!

6. When you first start CD, buy a piece of clothing that you want to get into, that is a few sizes lower than what you are and hang it somewhere where you will see it everyday, I have a lovely top that is in a size 14 that I would like to get into and it really helps me!

7. Go to charity shops and buy clothes that are one size lower than one you are, I have trousers that are size 22, 20, 18, 16. I am currently a size 22, but I started a size 32/34 and had trousers that were 28, 26 and 24 that I now cant wear because they are too big!

8. Sell your 'fat' clothes on eBay! Honestly, it is so much fun and you will make some money for your 'new slimmer' clothes! I've sold quite a few things now from Evans that have gone for nearly what I paid for them new! People go crazy bidding for clothes on eBay!

9. If you dont like eBay, then, get rid of your fat clothes from your wardrobe, and take them to a charity shop. Not only are you doing something for the greater good, but you will feel so wonderful with a wardrope that is now free from clothes that are too big for you!

10. Keep one pair of fat trousers and one fat top. I have a size 32/34 of both and I look at them all the time. I used to be too tight for these, and they are a reminder that I never want to be able to fit into them again!

11. Moisturise your skin! I use bio-oil on a daily basis, for my skin, as I do not want to have too much saggy skin, but remember, to use it every single day and dont forget about it! It really does help!

12. I use Lush products for my hair, it has thinned a little since being on the diet but nothing to worry about, they do some lovely hair conditioners that you leave on and they are really wonderful. Make sure to look after your hair while you are on this diet.

14. Keep a blog! I have kept a blog from day one and it is very useful to read back when you are feeling weak. If you dont want something online, write a journal, it is good to write about your feelings!

15. With the water, get a big jug and fill the whole thing with icecubes and then keep refilling it with your water, so that everytime you pour it into your glass, it's really cold. I find that having fizzy water with the water flavourings is just like having fanta!

[Blonde Logic]

I also took my own extra measurements - like of my arms, thighs, calves, neck, etc., so I could track all those changes too.

I bet you find in this time leading up to it you will start to cut back naturally on your food - just becuase you become uber-aware.

I actually lost weigh, and over christmas too! I went to the info session in November, and by the time I started in January I had lost about 5 or 6 pounds.

I did not have a "last supper". By the penultimate week - I was not eating much - I just couldn;t wait to start LL, and I really felt like Monica on Fridna parents, in the episode when they offered Monical a couple of plates of food and she pushed them away because she was stressed - and both parents looked at each other and said, "She's fianlly full!" lol THats how I felt.

[EmVeg]

What a great way to start as well. I've found I've been more aware of what I'm eating, but not stopped the bad stuff.. But I'm getting that way. Slowly.

I think before I start I am going to try and start to be a little more active.. literallly just walking the dog for a little longer each day because for me I want to be healthy rather than just slimmer. And I want to make the connection in my head that healthy eating by Maintenance and being more active go hand in hand!

Oh - one for you BL. I was told you won't be able to take your food packs to the US as they do not allow any food substances. Did you have any trouble? Or as you are from their origonally will it be different for me????

FINALLY, I spent the last day going through NEGATIVE comments about LL. A lot are people that have never done the diet but know someone who lost the weight and then put it all back on for it. Most claimed that LL let you lose the weight then send you off into the merry world of food and let you gorge. NO WAY. We gorge all by ourself. If we bother with the RTM then this should hardly happen.

Basically what I'm saying is I've read negatives - I understand that this does not work for everyone. This can be extrememly hard for others and ridiculously easy for others. Some are left with lots of loose skin, some are left with a little that reduces in a year or so.

I'm going into this eyes wide open, I'm listening to all sides of the stories. If you go into this with blinkers thinking at the end of the journey (although I really don't think it wver will end!!) you will look like the models in the magazines and every problem you have will disappear of course you are going to be disgruntled. Go into this realising you will not suddenly become perfect.

It's worried me a litte, what some people have said, but I'm not faltering. I still want to do this so much, but I now know not to ask too much of this diet. It can do what it says on the tin.

[somewhere_inside_is_me]

I've told my mum and my best friend, emphasising the "dealing with food issues" side of the 14 week course - they've taken that better than if I'd just said I wasn't eating for months!
My pre-tox is going well - off alcohol and caffeine now, and largely avoiding high GI food - I'm allowing some flexibility around Christmas, but I don't crave any of it.
I love the idea of the target item of clothing, and I know where it is too! Also to dispose of stuff that is too big as I go along - I've kept them before and of course ended up wearing them again!
Communicating with others that understand and won't cast doubt is vital - I think Minimins will be my homepage by January!
S.x

[Blonde Logic]

Oh - one for you BL. I was told you won't be able to take your food packs to the US as they do not allow any food substances. Did you have any trouble? Or as you are from their origonally will it be different for me????
.

SOrry hon - I missed this!

I had no problems at all with the packs, and I had them spread about in all of our suitcases (in case any case was lost, I knew I would have some in the others-thats the only reason we split them up). As they were in all of our cases, there was ample opportunity for the airport to see themin any searches they may have done, and there was no problem. Its not really looked at as "food" per se, as its all dry ingredients, sealed, etc.

You should have no probs.



Sorry for the late reply!

xx

[EmVeg]

Don't worry! I forgot about it anyway!!

Thank youu

[pink orchid]

Hi louale,
I too am starting on Jan 5th. I read somewhere to try avoiding the carb binge just before you start... this will help reduce the withdrawal headaches at the beginning. Also a high carb meal just before you being will mean a slower progression to ketosis- which will reduce your initial loss in the first week. Have you heard anything similar to this?

[pink orchid]

sorry! Just getting the hang of this site... and actually read all of the other replies. lol Thankfully many have advice to offer and there are soeme truly inspirational people who post here. Wishing you all the best of luck in the new year!