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Hi all I've done Cambridge in the past and I wasn't allowed bars for the first 2 weeks and then only 1 a day due to higher carb content. I started Exante yesterday and the 4 week pack I bought had bars and shakes and soup, so I had one of each yesterday. Today I had two bars and plan to have a...

No, sorry. It has citric acid in which will mess up ketosis. I think it has calories in as well. You can get the water flavourings from Exante or maybe try black tea and coffee? Or just force water down until you get used to it!! I also struggle at first with water but after a few days I get...

Hello! Yes I can't believe the difference in price, I paid about 70% more for Cambridge!! They always have special offers on too. I have a lot to lose; 12 stone; so it isnt a quick fix or short term thing. On Cambridge previously I lose 4 stone but put it all back on and a lot more, that was...

Hi Caz! I started today too. I've done Cambridge a few years ago but Exante is cheaper and I like that it doesn't have the same sweeteners in. I avoid going out for meals on these diets but if you can't avoid it then have some protein like chicken or fish along with plain vegetables or salad...

Hi there! I started Exante today after considering it for about a month. During that time I looked at their site regularly and noticed that their deals and offers change daily. The cheapest I saw Total Solution for was £30 for 4 weeks shakes and bars (their mix you can't choose). The next day...

Hello I am really struggling with the diet today; and reading these posts is helping so much! I thought that writing might help as well. I did Cambridge Diet a few years ago and only lasted a couple of weeks on it; but my Mom was inspired seeing me try it and ended up losing 6 stone on it...

It depends on what you eat. If you have no carbs then it might not take as long. Atkins friendly meals shouldn't take you out of Ketosis.

Hello :) I have done pretty much every diet there is and never had as much success with any as I have with Slimming World. I previously lost 3 stone on the diet a few years ago; but have put it all back on (and more :(). I am starting fresh from today. One of the challenges I had with...

Hi - it's been a while since I did CD and I called a new CDC as I've moved house. I want to start next week. She's told me that because my BMI is so high I can't do SS, but I have to do a plan with 2 pints of milk and 4 shakes a day. I can't find this one on the website; is it a real plan...

Cadbury's mini rolls are 6 syns each, which isn't too bad for a treat

They must have been on the website or something, as someone mentioned them this week at our meeting as well!

If you get the Del Monte Duo icecreams they are 2 syns each and GORGEOUS, they are frozen yoghurt covered in raspberry smoothie.

My first one took my waist, chest, arm, thigh... and then did it every time I lost a stone. My current one just did my waist. To be honest I'm not that fussed about loads of measurements, just knowing one will be nice :)

Sorry just realised you said you had some chicken to take with you! I would be tempted to just have a shake when I got home rather than mess about with gloopy frozen moose!

Why don't you take your shaker and a bottle of water and make up a shake while you're out? Or take some hot water in a thermos and add soup powder to it? Or even just take a few bits of chicken and have a shake when you get home? Freezing them means they lose their nutritional content and...

I do too, what I've started doing is not having my first shake until 11-12 and then having my second one around 3-4, then when I'm driving home at 5 I'm less tempted to stop and buy food. I find that I can cope with not having anything in the morning as that's my busiest time!

I would build up to 1000 plan 3 weeks before, and then eat a lot more the week before. Your CDC should be able to tell you better advice though! My Dad runs marathons and he starts training and changes his eating habits 6 weeks before, he trains a lot (4 nights a week then going up to 5...

Hi – I know everyone is different but I wanted to see if you guys thought it was possible to be in Ketosis after about 36 hours on the diet? I had something that would definitely kick me out on Monday evening (I won’t say what because it will make you all want the same!!), and then yesterday I...

Welcome back and good luck! x

You can have gold spot breath spray

I only have choc tetra's because I like them and because they're quick and easy and mean no washing up! I am also trying to stop associating food with enjoyment and instead make my brain realise I eat to live, I shouldn't live to eat, so treating CD like 'medicine' is helping this.

The official answer from Cambridge is 'no way, never been allowed and never will be'. The reality is that it probably won't affect your weight loss, but I heard somewhere that it might make you hungry.

It depends on your CDC as they can charge what they want, but I think most people charge around £7-8

Drinking alcohol on this diet could kill you. Remember that next time you are tempted to cheat the same way!

Haha I weigh myself before i get in the shower, so nothing. When I went to get weighed at my CDC's the first time I wore leggings and a top, so now I don't want to go in jeans which are heavier! I was 2lb more than I'd told her I was so I told her it might be my clothes and she said 'ok but...

When people try and tell me that the diet is a bad idea I ask them ‘why can’t you support me in something that I really want to do?’ You will feel like rubbish for the first 3 days, it is the hardest time, after that you will start to feel much much better I promise. I would urge anyone...

Drink a pint of water and ask myself 'do I want that biscuit more than I want to be thin?'

You MUST eat a lot of carbs to be able to drink or else you could die, especially if you're drinking so much. At the moment your liver isn't protected at all. I would have a couple of days of eating. You will probably get drunk faster than you used to as you're smaller and your body will be...

My friend took her form to be signed, a couple of days later she went to pick it up and they told her that it would be a £30 fee. She told them she was refusing to pay it and demanded they gave her the form back as it was her property and she needed it to take to another doctor. The...

No, if you're in ketosis you will lose weight, the chicken won't make a huge difference (unless you eat loads!!!). If you eat the other stuff you might gain/have smaller loss because you'll drop ketosis

Could do, you might be tricking yourself into thinking you're hungry because you want the stuff we usually crave when it's totm. Go clothes shopping tomorrow to take your mind off it :D

Embrace the headaches and tiredness and tell yourself it's just prep for the KETOHIGH! xx

Also it looks from your sig like it's your TOTM? Maybe that's making you a bit bloated?

Are you doing SS? Maybe try an add a meal week to boost you back up

I got some ketostix for 3 quid from Amazon.

Take away the S and the Y and you'll realise why it was ****'d out ;) Good luck and have fun with your fam! :)

If you want to stay in Ketosis then have plain chicken and white fish and salad leaves at the BBQ. If you can cope with a gain/smaller loss and getting back into ketosis, then do it, but just think, if you can resist this time you can resist again and again and again until you're thin :)...

I went to see my Doc about losing weight and she sent me to my local hospital to see about the gastric bypass. I don't qualify as I don't have any medical conditions other than being super morbidly obese (I thought that was a good qualifier but apparently not!). However they did set me a...

I would email them! I bet they get loads more complaints about CDC's than compliments.

I only have tetras and I lost 14lb the first week I did it last time

I've restarted today after a while off CD (put on everything I lost and more :eek:). I'm with a new CDC and she has told me because my BMI is over 50 I can't start SS. I pretty much said I wouldn't do a higher plan because I may as well just do WW's if I'm going to eat - I DON'T LOSE WEIGHT...

Well done; you're so strong! If you carry on with the diet straight away you'll be much happier in the long run :)

No way, it's full of sugar and citric acid and other demon stuff. The only active ingredients are paracetamol (which you can just swallow) and a decongestant. You could get some Olbas Oil on a tissue to sniff, or one of those Vicks vapour sticks you stuff up your nose instead. It's so horrid...

I'm sorry, but if you'd already done it for a week why were you surprised? You're told at your first session how much it costs :/. It's around £37-£40 a week depending on your CDC; and that is a proper bargin for me!!! I could spend that on a night out before I started CDC; with drinks and a...

Well done. Your losses so far are so inspirational. In an ideal world, I would lose as much as you want to lose too, though I can't see it ever happening. Seeing results like yours make it seem more possible though :)

Thanks :) It was thin crust and I didn't eat all of the edge bits, but still think it MUST have knocked me out, though I feel fine today and full of energy. I weighed myself on my scales and I've stayed the same, but they are always wrong (they're very old and not electric!) so I don't trust...

Nope, you should still get them. Ask your CDC :) They're supposed to stock everything I think.

Don't think it matters really. I do remember seeing a documentory about anorexia websites, and it mentioned they say to drink ice water because it takes more energy (therefore more fat) to burn!!!!! So maybe you're right Sam!!! I doubt very much that it makes any difference at all though, as...

Mint choc is mmmmmmm lovely. Mushroom soup is my favourite. They are all a creamy texture but I wouldn't really say they were that creamy tasting. I add pepper to them to make them a bit more interesting. The cranberry bar is lovely as is the choc orange and the toffee one. I love the choc...

You can have porridges, soups, shakes, tetras from day 1 Bars, water flavouring and mix a mousse from day 15 Some CDC have different rules however - some let you have the bars from day 1, some from 3, some from day 8.... The reason you can't have everything at day one is that the chewy bars...

The above are all right, but I find that the method for the tomato soup works well for all of the soups. I turn my kettle off just before it clicks itself off, and mix the powder in a mug with a bit of water until it's a paste, then add the rest of the water while I stir it. Never tried...

I am so upset :( Last week was my first week and I lost 14lb. My WI is on Thursday night. On Saturday I was really bored and fed up, and angry and annoyed with myself and with other stuff... but anyway, I ended up eating half a pizza. I got straight back on the diet and have actually not been...

My family are very supportive as my Mom and cousin have both had great losses on Cambridge. However, I did Lighter Life a couple of years ago (but only stuck to it for 3 weeks!) and my Mom was REALLY against it then, she said it was ridiculous. It wasn't until one of her mates did it and lost...

Ooo Tink, that's an awesome loss, and has made me quite excited! Whenever I diet I lose it pretty quickly, as I've got so much to lose I suppose. I hope I have those kind of losses!!!

It takes about 3 days for most people to get into 'ketosis'. Ketosis is the chemical state that stops you from feeling hungry on this diet. So for the first 3 days, most people feel hungry. They also might feel tired, as ketosis is the reason you can do with so few calories and not collapse...

Average is 1 stone a month, but most people lost more in their first month (I lost a stone in my first week!). You have 3 meals a day that are made up of milkshakes and soups and bars. You also have to drink at least 4 pints of water.

I just had a frozen chocolate tetra and ohhh my god it was even nicer than ice cream! Has anyone ever tried it with the strawberry ones? How do they taste?

What a total idiot! Some people are so dense. He was probably neglected by his parents and is in bad debt but works for minimum wage and has to insult others to make himself feel better about the fact that he can't get a girlfriend due to his god awful BO!

Yep, the CDC get a recommended price but they can charge what they want. Some add on more if they visit you at home, some are just greedy! Can't believe the one who charges £2.50 for bars!! But I guess if it works it's worth it.

You can have herbs and spices etc, but officially you aren't allowed anything else. However I don't think it does a huge amount of damage, as my mate always buys readymade low fat chicken tikka pieces to have as her chicken. I tell her off time and time again for it, but she's lost 3 stone in...

HURRAH! Well done you!!! I hope I lose 5lb next week!!!!!

If I was in your situation I'd do weight watchers until you're allowed to do CD again. The losses are slower, but they're still losses. Poor you :(

Haha Tasha. I also invested in some sugar free breath spray, but it doesn't seem to last for long :(. My CDC said if I was desperate I could use sugar free gum and spit it out once my mouth feels fresher, but I know that would make me hungry!!!

My old CDC charged £1.70 for the sachets and £1.90 for the bars and tetras. My current one charges £1.80 whatever you have. It works out about £38 a week for me. If you're over 5'8 or a man you have to have more meals so it costs more. Most CDC's charge around these prices. I would say it...

Maybe try 810? So you have a meal to look forward to. I am the same as you, this is my 2nd CD restart and I did LL for a couple of weeks as well. This time my circumstances are better - I live alone now and miles from a shop, I work long hours and I have no social life as I've just moved to a...

I have a dry mouth all the time too, and it helps me to drink more water! I read somewhere it's one of the side effects of the diet. I carry a little tub of vaseline everywhere and a bottle of water. I don't have the flavourings or tea and coffee. I have had a cold lately which I blamed it...

That's awesome well done! And thanks for the heads up, I am off to boots!

Hello! I had my first WI last night, and my CDC told me I am her biggest loser :D I lost 14lb, 2 inches off my hips and 2 inches off my chest!!!!! In a WEEK! I am gobsmacked :)

Tea doesn't count towards your daily liquid intake. You have to drink at least 4 pints of WATER a day on CD. Sorry :( TBH I don't understand how people struggle with the water, there must be something wrong with me, but I have a dry mouth the whole time I am on CD. I drink at least 3...

Hiya I forgot my soup for work today, I had a milkshake at 7am but won't be home until 7pm, so really want something to eat between. Would I be ok to have an Atkins bar from Boots, as a one off?? I'm doing SS. Thanks

Have you spoken to your doctor about it? If you do a lot of exercise and watch your calories and are not seeing any improvement it might be horemonal or something?? I do an exercise DVD 4 times a week while on CD and it just gives me more energy.

Haha, I have a bit of a buzz going on myself today, I'm on day 4. Still got a stinking cold though, which is stopping me from skipping down the street at the mo!

My CDC charges £1.80 for whatever you have. My Mom's charges £1.75 for sachets and £1.95 for bars and tetras. £2 does seem expensive to me, but do you go to her or does she come to you? If she comes to you she might add a bit on for her travel costs and time.

Cambridge Weight Plan: How to become a Counsellor? This explains it all. Edit: oh sorry, I reread it, they've changed it! A while ago it said you had to have been on CD for at least 2 weeks and you had to have a BMI under 28. It does, however say this: To apply for a Cambridge Weight...

Your average weight loss per week so far is 5lb, that's pretty good ;)

I've just restarted CD, I did it for 2 weeks before and then had a lot of problems with family etc and couldn't face the diet. Now I'm in a much better place and really positive about losing weight. I got weighed on Monday evening by my CDC and was 22st 11lb (ARRRHHHH!!!). It was more than I...

Go to your doctors and ask for an ECG. My aunt started to faint when she was about 30, and for 2 years she was put on brain medication which did nothing. Turned out she had a very common and simple heart defect, which is nothing to worry about at all if treated. It's genetic, so now all of my...

Argh! I have absolutely no will power or commitment to anything!!!! I did my first week on CD really well, I stuck to it 100%, had 3 ltrs or water a day, lost 11lb. I was really happy and felt good about myself and proud. Then it all went wrong when I had a bad day on Monday and ordered a...

Plus size clothes always sell well. Maybe go to Evans and hunt through the sales racks for stuff reduced to a fiver, I bet it will sell for more than that on ebay!

Hello! You can often bulk buy things on ebay to resell as individual auctions. I used to do this, for example I got 10 belly bars for £2 which I sold for £1 each, and £20 lipglosses for £10 which I resold for £2 each. Also, if you have books or DVDs you can often make more money selling them...

Get some angora wool from a craft shop and wrap a bit of it around the underside of your ring. The texture of it helps the ring to stick to your finger, and also of course it makes the ring tighter because there's something between your finger and the ring. If you get a light colour and only use...

Caroline! I want that black dress!!!!! Do you know when you'd get chance to post them after the auction? I'm going to a party on Friday and it is exactly what i'm looking for. I bid on it anyway so will keep an eye on it tonight and if I win will pay this evening.

Have you considered surgery to get rid of the skin? I read somewhere that if your BMI was over 40 and you get to a healthy weight then you qualify for it on the NHS. Or if the skin is causing sores or discomfort. It's worth asking your doctor anyway, if you feel comfortable with that route.

My friend met a girl on the Guardian Dating website. I know a few who met on Match too.

Exactly the same - I haven't had a period for years because of implant, and then today I came on. It was an unpleasent surprise and now I feel ROUGH! I'd forgotten how horrid periods are!

Hiya I live alone and also work from home, so understand exactly what you mean. I used to go out most evenings to the pub or out for food, and lately I sit around watching TV or cleaning (!) instead. Last year I did a VLCD and didn't go out at all, but this time I am going to just tell...

You are such a good friend that if we were on a sinking ship and there was only one life jacket.... I'd miss you heaps and think of you often.

Hi Charley I know what you mean, I'm sitting around, home alone on a Friday night. Scared to go out with my mates because I don't really feel like it when I can't drink or eat. I'm avoiding social situations slightly, but still keeping to family occasions. Well done you on serving all...

A lot of men do!

Guilty - but it's not to everyone's taste, it is easy money though. There are companies that hire people to do the text messaging (from a computer not your phone) as well, which is a bit less intimidating. There is a forum on Money Saving Experts forums on making money at home...

Everytime I drink a CD mushroom soup it reminds me of a mushroom sauce that you'd pour over chicken and rice. Maybe you could cut up some chicken and mix with a thick mushroom soup?

I'd get the 16. But you could always buy a 14 too, and sell the one that doesn't fit on ebay? Or if it's a nice evening dress you could save it for when you are a size 14 to wear out?

Woohoo!!! I can't WAIT for normal shops. You've lost so much, you've done so well!!

Some CDC seem to charge a registration fee or a fee for coming to your house. Mine doesn't (or I'd use another one!) but I've heard of both happening before. I think most CDC's judge the personality of the person they're talking to and then advise based on that. When I went to my CDC I said...

Oh no Emma, that's rubbish! The weather lately has been so indecisive! Every time I go out I take my sunglasses and my brolly, and usually use them both!! I guess you could maybe take comfort in the fact that your body had to burn some fat to try and warm up??? Hehe. Plus it feels so...

Oh dear :( I hope you feel better soon!!! I know of a few people who have been diagnosed with Swine Flu now, including one girl I sat with and chatted for an hour yesterday morning, who got sick last night. If we get it, can we stick to the SS if we want to?? I don't want a stupid flu to...

Can you get gym membership on precription? I'm off to make a doctors appointment!!!!

Day 6 of 100% SS and feeling AWESOME. Smiley and energetic for the first time in weeks (I've had a rough time lately!). I've deffo got that Friday feeling! Hang in there soontobe!!!

You look awesome. People are generally so worried about how they look, they don't even notice how everyone else is. Perhaps it was because there was a lot of people around, and seeing friends one-on-one they would be more likely to comment. So long as you feel half as good as you look, you've...

And don't let anyone look down on your because of your weight. If anyone did that to me I'd sit on them :P

Whenever you want to eat something think to yourself 'would I enjoy this as much as I'd enjoy being thin?'. That's how I managed on LL in the past and how I plan to manage on CD now. I am a similar weight to you, and just starting this all over again after messing up the first time last year...

Haha it's quite easy to get into, and the company I work for give you a training booklet and there is a forum where you can talk to other girls who work for the same company. It's daunting at first, but most of them are nice enough fella's. About 65% are regulars so you know them and they want...

My CDC said that if I feel I need to eat something extra, have some of the diet first. It will probably fill you up enough to put you off anything else.

It's funny because I bought some senoknot expecting to need them on this diet. When I did LL I went for the first 9 days without 'going' until I took pills. On CD though I've had to go every day so far (on day 5 now), only a little bit and quite watery (sorry!!!) but I expected to have...

Oh, from the CD website; There are several reasons. A good rule of thumb for good health is to drink 4pt (2.25 ltr) of fluid a day whether trying to lose weight or not. If the Cambridge Diet is used as the ‘Sole Source’ of nutrition, this is the minimum for good Health. The reasons for this...

Is there a supermarket close by? They usually have public toilets

I think it's something to do with ketones being expelled when you wee. So if you drink more water you're pushing more out? That's just my own reasoning.

Haha! I vote in the sea, you can have a swim first - good bit of exercise!

I like the lumps it gives me something to chew!!! :D

With the current financial situation it's been hard to find work. I supliment my income by working for an adult chatline. It's something I don't really tell anyone in real life as I'm unsure of the reaction I'd get - but it's just a bit of easy money really. It's nowhere near as awful as...

It's 3lb more than you would have lost if you hadn't been doing the diet :)

I have asked mine if I can see her once every 4 weeks, because I am self-employed and we were struggling to find a time we could both make. We keep in touch by email & phone in-between. I've done Lighter Life before so feel confident enough with not having the 'counselling' aspect of it all...

Hi All I am really pleased with myself and I just wanted to share it with someone else. Yesterday was my 4th day on CD and I had a day off work to spend time with my family. We went to the pub at lunchtime and everyone was eating - except for me with my cup of black tea. There was loads of...