Thread: Coming back to SW from a VLCD Please read and help if you can?

Well where do I start! I have struggled with my weight all my life and have tried most diets over my adult life! I am 47 this year and determind to get back to my goal of 11stone!

In 2000 I joined weight watchers at around 17 stone I got to goal of 9st 10 and maintained this for around 5 years! Following a bad breakup of my marriage I turned to food and put on weight over a few years until I was weighted even more than I did when I started at WW. I started diets over the next 6 years and when I got remarried in 2006 I was around a size 18. I then was in a happy place and did not diet much but really knew that I need to lose weight as I was really struggling with my self esteem.

In 2011 after lots of starting WW and SW I decided I need to really do something about my weight! I had just found out I was going to be a Nan for the first time and did not want to my grandchild to have a fat unfit Nan!I started back at dieting in Oct 11 at WW but found that I was using my points for unhealthy foods, I swapped to SW and lost 3.5 stone.

I then saw the adverts for Pauline Quirk who had lost all her weight on LL and looked into that! I am quite an impatient person and the rep did not get back to me so I looked up CWP and the consultant got back to me quickly and I decided that I would do that! I started on 18th Jan 2012 and stayed on SS for 6 weeks before going onto SS+ I came off the CWP on 1st May after geting to my own personal goal of 11 10lb I wanted to be in a size 12 and was really pleased to have got there!

I keep this weight off by myself just healthy eating and seemed to maintain this within a range of 11st 10lb and 12st 2lb, I think I got comfortable that I was maintaining it and before I knew it, it was December and I though oh well I am really going to enjoy this Christmas and eat lots and lots! The result was that my jeans were becoming too tight and I decided after having to buy a size 14 dress to wear NYE that I was going to go back to CWP on 2nd Jan!

I have been on Cambridge Diet since Jan 2nd this year and have got to 11stone 5lb which I am really happy with! However realistically I know that I need to sort out my issues with food and start to eat normal food again! I know that I need to be a member of SW for the rest of my life as I struggle to maintain my weight!

So my plan is this week after getting weighed yesterday at 11 stone 5lb is to gradually introduce some healthy carbs and food this week and to go to a slimming world class next Thursday. I know that I will probably put on weight due to coming off a VLCD but I know that I can lose this again once back on SW.

I look forward to getting to know you all and hope that you can help me with my last few pounds to lose and help me stay at a healthy weight!

I look forward to reading some of your diaries! I have one currently on CD forum on here but I will probably need to move this or start a new one on here!

Is there anyone else on here who has come off a VLCD and then done SW if there is I would really like to hear from you as to how it was for you?

Theresa x

I've dabbled with Cambridge (my friend is a consultant) but I find it really mucks my body up

I've done plenty of eating plans over the years (as most of us have) but find sw the most normal one

Sorry I cant help with your question but didnt want you to have no replies and if this bumps up the page you might get someone to see it who can help

I assume you may put a bit on to start with (no more than a couple of pound probably) but your body will adapt and just keep the thought in your head that you're eating, can still go out and eat and be normal

Well done on your losses so far. I have lost 5 stone and still have 1 and a half - 2 to go but after 18 weeks on CD I'm really starting to miss food, so I too was thinking about coming off the plan and joining slimming world. I'm still very motivated and probably could say on Cambridge until goal however I'm just scared ill get so bored that ill start eating crazily again. I also want to introduce the gym but can't really do that on the little calories I'm having at the minute.

Very excited to see how you get on

GOOD LUCK

Lynne - 70.5lbs down 25lbs to go...

Originally Posted by jen3

I've dabbled with Cambridge (my friend is a consultant) but I find it really mucks my body up

I've done plenty of eating plans over the years (as most of us have) but find sw the most normal one

Sorry I cant help with your question but didnt want you to have no replies and if this bumps up the page you might get someone to see it who can help

I assume you may put a bit on to start with (no more than a couple of pound probably) but your body will adapt and just keep the thought in your head that you're eating, can still go out and eat and be normal

Thanks Jen for your post! Yes I am thinking will put on a bit but will level its self out! First day today with no products and feel ok little light headed not ure why have even and drunk lots of fluids!

Looking forward to my faucial weigh in in SW next Thursday to see how do!I aveccome so far from a size 22 to 12 to put this all ack on and not get to goal!

I was trying to remember my starting weight back in Oct 11 I think it was 18 stone 11lb which would make me 7 stone 5lb loss so far!

Tanks again for your post x

Originally Posted by LMS

Well done on your losses so far. I have lost 5 stone and still have 1 and a half - 2 to go but after 18 weeks on CD I'm really starting to miss food, so I too was thinking about coming off the plan and joining slimming world. I'm still very motivated and probably could say on Cambridge until goal however I'm just scared ill get so bored that ill start eating crazily again. I also want to introduce the gym but can't really do that on the little calories I'm having at the minute.

Very excited to see how you get on

GOOD LUCK

Lynne - 70.5lbs down 25lbs to go...

Hi Lynne, thanks for your post x well done on your 5,stone that's fantastic you will loss the rest and get to goal you have come too far not too! I know what you mean about missing food! I was going to do the steps but left it too late! To be honest the two consultants that I had did not really seem to fully understand the steps which put me ff a bit too! I am sure there are some fab ones I jut did not seem to have one! I m looking forward to doing SW and losing the last bit and maintaining! Would be fab if you do choose this route to buddy up! I have wanted to go to the gm but on CD did not have the energy so looking forward to the to tone up ( really need to!)

Good luck let me know if you do swap x x

I did Cambridge for a couple of months last year when I put on a bit of weight.
I hated the diet but the weight loss was great the the side affects weren't after coming off Cambridge I was still losing my hair two months later not good.
I returned to slimming world and the 1st week I did put on a pound but after that I started losing again.
I am about to return to slimming world this week as once again I have put more weigh on and I am the biggest I have ever been
I know it's going to take time to loss the weight but there is no quick fix for this so I am going to do it the healthy way and still have a social life and enjoy my weight loss journey all the way .

Good luck with you sw journey x

Hey Theresa Im exactly the same as you have been doing CD for what feels like ages but not sticking to it. Lost stone and a half last April to June and then went on hol and put some back on!!! Anyway im starting today my SW journey and am terrified of piling weight on after hardly eating anything during the last year after CD messed my head up so much.

Anyway im subscribing and wanna wish you luck................hopefully we can spur each other on xx

Hi there!

Firstly congratulations to you all on your fantastic weight-losses! The VLCDs are terrific for getting the pounds off quickly, but hard to stick to in the long term. I started out last October doing the New You Plan, which is a Total Food Replacement diet, using 3-4 products per day. You can choose from shakes, soups, bars and meals. Like the other TFR diets the object is to get you into ketosis and burn your own body fat. I lost three and a half stone on that diet, but was finding that I was starting to miss 'real' food and realised that I really needed to learn to handle food properly, as I couldn't stay on the VLCD forever. So I joined SW on 21st January. I didn't go 'full throttle' at first, just very gradually introduced fruit and a little carbohydrate. Gradually I managed to build up to 'full-steam ahead' in about a month. I haven't gained, in fact I have lost a further10 pounds with SW already and I am now eating loads!

SW is definitely the best option there is for moving back into eating 'real' food without going out of control. I feel that SW gives me a map to help me navigate my way through the minefield of food options out there and has given me lots of confidence that I can learn to manage my eating in the long -term!

Good luck on your weight-loss journey
XX

Originally Posted by Gallifreya

Hi there!

Firstly congratulations to you all on your fantastic weight-losses! The VLCDs are terrific for getting the pounds off quickly, but hard to stick to in the long term. I started out last October doing the New You Plan, which is a Total Food Replacement diet, using 3-4 products per day. You can choose from shakes, soups, bars and meals. Like the other TFR diets the object is to get you into ketosis and burn your own body fat. I lost three and a half stone on that diet, but was finding that I was starting to miss 'real' food and realised that I really needed to learn to handle food properly, as I couldn't stay on the VLCD forever. So I joined SW on 21st January. I didn't go 'full throttle' at first, just very gradually introduced fruit and a little carbohydrate. Gradually I managed to build up to 'full-steam ahead' in about a month. I haven't gained, in fact I have lost a further10 pounds with SW already and I am now eating loads!

SW is definitely the best option there is for moving back into eating 'real' food without going out of control. I feel that SW gives me a map to help me navigate my way through the minefield of food options out there and has given me lots of confidence that I can learn to manage my eating in the long -term!

Good luck on your weight-loss journey
XX

This is great im sooooo excited now...........................cant believe i can eat grains and potato without feeling guilty..............gonna take some getting used to though!!

Originally Posted by sammielou87

I did Cambridge for a couple of months last year when I put on a bit of weight.
I hated the diet but the weight loss was great the the side affects weren't after coming off Cambridge I was still losing my hair two months later not good.
I returned to slimming world and the 1st week I did put on a pound but after that I started losing again.
I am about to return to slimming world this week as once again I have put more weigh on and I am the biggest I have ever been
I know it's going to take time to loss the weight but there is no quick fix for this so I am going to do it the healthy way and still have a social life and enjoy my weight loss journey all the way .

Good luck with you sw journey x

Hi Sammielou, thanks for your post! I am sorry to hear that you had some hair loss on the CD. I have really thick hair but have noticed that it has got thinner but still is thick, Bless you I think if I was losing my hair I would have come off of it, bless you. Thanks for info that you only put on a 1lb that has made me feel so much better! I know we are all different but its still something to go by!

Good lucki on your return to SW this week as you say slow and healthy is the right way for you! I am so looking forward to haivng an alcholic drink not had one since new years eve!

Take care x x

Originally Posted by MissieCB

Hey Theresa Im exactly the same as you have been doing CD for what feels like ages but not sticking to it. Lost stone and a half last April to June and then went on hol and put some back on!!! Anyway im starting today my SW journey and am terrified of piling weight on after hardly eating anything during the last year after CD messed my head up so much.

Anyway im subscribing and wanna wish you luck................hopefully we can spur each other on xx

Hi Missie, thanks for your post its good to know I am not the only CD person going onto SW!! I like you am worried about piling the weight on but I suppose we have to eat real food at some point so we gotta take the bull by the horns and do it!

I am really hoping we can spur each other on! do you have a diary? let me know where it is if you do and we can spur each other on! You dont have that much too lose and it will come off before you know it!

Take Care X x

Hey chick so were in this together right? I havent got a diary and not really great with words else I would start one!!!

So just had my egg salad and im stuffed................hate the feeling of being full! Thats the only thing i liked about the shakes x

I did a VLCD a few years back to slim down for a holiday I was going to in The States. It worked. I lost about 2 stone and got down to the lowest I had been for a long time (something like 10st) (when I look back at the pictures I can't believe I actually thought I was fat enough to diet in the first place).

However I went about it all wrong and instead of gradually introducing real food back into my diet I just got off the plane on American soil and went for it. For the first two days of the holiday I was so ill with stomach cramps that I actually couldn't get out of bed.

By the time I returned to the UK none of the clothes I had packed for the holiday fitted me. I had to travel home in a pair of my hubbies (now ex) trackie bottoms and a t-shirt we bought out there for my sister (who was much larger than I was).

Still it was a lesson learned. No more VLCD for me.

This is how I feel I know it works but seriously it's not really long term.......having said that ill prob be moaning and wanting to go back on it if this doesn't work!!!!

Hi there. S W really is a healthy eating plan for life not a diet, and one thats sustainable for life. You can eat normal food, as much as you want of fruit and veg, eat till youre full. You can have carbs and protein, and little treats every day. I know you can keep to S W for life because I have been a target member for 16 months now. You can soooooooooooooo do this. Just keep bobbing on here for support.