Step 1 Sole Source + 4 stones lighter for summer, here we go!

[Selphie]

Hello everybody!
This is my first time trying the Cambridge diet, but I'm not stranger to dieting. I've had success with Weight Watchers before, but I've always stopped going to meetings for various reasons and have gained it all back and more. I'm hoping I'll have more success with Cambridge. I feel that having the one on one support, weekly weigh ins, an easy, straightforward plan to follow and the quick results will help me see this one through to the end.
I'm teaching in Hong Kong and I go home for summer in 4 months. I want to lose 4 stones in time for summer so I can surprise my mum and also wear nice summer dresses without shame I want to lose another 2 to 3 stone after that, to reach a healthy BMI, but I'm just going to focus on the first 4 months, as that seems more achievable right now!
I started on Sunday and seem to have lost a few pounds already! But I must stop looking at the scales because they can disappoint too. I have to keep focusing on sticking to the plan!
Good luck everybody! I'm excited about starting this journey with you all

 

[Lizwhite29]

Good luck hun. X


Wk 1 -8lb
Wk2 -6lb
Wk3 -3lb
Wk4 -4lb
Wk5 -3lb
Wk6 -3lb
Wk7 -3lb
Wk8 -STS :-(
Wk9 -STS :-( Again
Wk10 -4lb whoop whoop lol
Wk11 -4lb again whoop

 

[Selphie]

Thanks Liz
So I'm going to write a little update on how I've been getting on so far. I started on Sunday after breakfast so I'm now on day 5 and a half, to be exact
Well the last 2 days have been the hardest! I read that there would be symptoms after a couple of days but I was feeling good at first so wasn't expecting it! Yesterday I felt really spacey, dizzy and weak. I think that was when ketosis kicked in. The dizzyness was bad this morning too, everytime I stood up I was dizzy! Then later I noticed an unpleasant taste in my mouth and had a really dry mouth. I kept drinking my water and sucked on a few sugar free mints to cope with that. I've also been really emotional today! I had a little cry at work, and I don't normally get that upset about what I cried about. It could also be that it's my time of the month soon too, but definitely not myself today.
But so far I'm doing ok. I have technically cheated... which I will explain! It was a coworkers birthday on Tuesday, so there was cake. I was told I had to have a piece, so I had a very small piece and had 1 less shake as compensation. The next day, however was less excusable, I had a good handful of banana chips, 1 marshmallow and 1 chocolate finger! I work in a school so there's always sweets being handed around. I have put my foot down today though and ignored a giant box of ferrero rochers that were put on the table right in front of me! I've told everyone I'm on a diet now and told them not to offer me things anymore. Hopefully it will get easier to resist the temptation now. Other that those cheats though, I have found it pretty easy to stick to the plan apart from feeling hungry and craving food every now and then, overall it's not been too hard.
I've heard the Cambridge plan is hardest in the first 2 weeks once ketosis kicks in. I found it easy the first 3 days but hard the last 2. So I'm hoping that after about another week it will be plain sailing to the finish line. I have my first weigh in tomorrow, so hopefully I will get a decent result for my suffering haha and that will definitely give me a motivation boost! I'm on my way now so I just gotta keep focused on the goal.

 

[poko]

Hi Selphie,

I know the feeling of sweets and chocolates floating around the work place - I'm a midwife so there's always a box or five about the place. By some miracle I've avoided them although if it was ferrero roches that might have been a different story!

I'm day 10 today and finding it fine. My problem is keeping busy on a day off..

Good luck with your weigh in tomorrow. I'm sure a sweet and banana chip can't have made too much of a difference. Keep us updated!

 

[Selphie]

So my results are in, drumroll please..... I lost 4.2 pounds!!! Well it wasn't as amazing a loss as I was hoping for, and I have lost similar on weight watchers and slimming world, BUT I have just begun my time of the month, so I know I'm holding at least 2lbs of water weight, and I didn't properly start the diet until Monday, so I guess that's not a bad loss all things considering. I am hoping I can shift more next week though.
I don't really know what step of the program I am following. My counselor has told me to take 3 products and have 1 small meal of lean protein and green or white veggies only. I think that is the SS+ but she said it was called the 3 plus. I'm confused. Anyway, it looks like most people my height are taking 3 products a day, so I am going to do this week alternating between having 2-3 products and 1 meal or just the 3 products. It is just hard to have a product for lunch at work, because I tried this one day last week and all of the Chinese teachers looked shocked at my lunch and were obviously talking about it and some said it's not enough. I just felt really awkward eating it. I told those who asked that it was diet soup and that I'm on a diet. But I'd rather just eat lunch and avoid the judgement and concern/pity! It's not like I'm going to die if I don't eat a big meal every lunch! I stopped eating rice with my lunch a couple of months back and that was hard enough. Every day I'd get stares and "why aren't you eating rice". I'd explain and to those who don't speak English I'd pat my belly, but I still got comments. They're lovely, really, and I'm sure they're just concerned, but they don't know what it's like to have to lose weight. They are all tiny! I don't need constant comments, its hard enough to stick to a diet as it is without people telling you to eat more!
Anyway, so my plan is to keep on trucking this week and hope for a better result next week!

 

[poko]

Hi!

I completely understand where you are coming from in regards to workmates. I caved today and gave in to their "you can't just have that" and "only one won't make a difference". I had a very delicious samosa that I kinda regret but at the same time I enjoyed it! It's mostly vegetables!! (I try to justify!) But I do find it difficult with the "are you not STARVING" and all the other remarks. It IS isolating.

I also lost a similar amount to you my first week which I'm really pleased about as it's double the weekly amount I used to loose when I was doing weight watchers. However when comparing it to the fantastic 10lb first week losses you routinely see here I admit I feel slightly disappointed as I stuck to this 100%. I'm hoping for another 5lb loss this week despite the samosa! I'll find out on Wednesday.

Keep updating and I'll be back on the slim Cambridge track tomorrow!

 

[Selphie]

Hi Poko!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels discouraged by comments from colleagues! I'm going to brave a soup for lunch day tomorrow, and try to think of some witty comebacks to the "aren't you hungry?" I mean, obviously I'm hungry, that comes with the territory of dieting lol! Those comments really don't help, but we just have to try to stop them getting to us and keep focused!

I think you'll be ok with a samosa. As long as you stop at one and stick to the plan most of the time, you'll still lose the weight. I had a little cheat on Saturday too :/ I was doing so well. I went out and drank water and coke zero all night. Then we got to a really nice bar with a band playing and I just really had to have a mojito! So I did, and 1 more. I figured mojitos are pretty good coz its just rum over ice with lime, mint and some sugar. I'd normally have lager which is terrible for weight gain. I think spirits and diet mixers should be ok, if drunk very occasionally.

I'm going to be extra good this week to make up for it I am possibly going away for the weekend as we have a long weekend here in Hong Kong so we're possibly going to Macao or Shenzhen. Also there is a big night out planned :/ This will be a tricky weekend. Well I've got some pre-mixed shakes I can take away with me. I think I may let my hair down a little but I will just have 2 shakes in the daytime. Hopefully that will reduce the damage.

 

[Selphie]

Hey guys!

I'm sorry but I have to have a little vent today. I've been struggling quite a bit and feeling really hungry. Today I just had 3 shakes, no meal, and it has been hard, really hard. For some reason I don't seem to be losing any more weight. I have not cheated apart from having 2 mojitos at the weekend, but as the rest of the time I've been eating less than 600 cals per day, I should still be losing. I have lost 2 inches off my waist, so I guess maybe it will just take a bit of time to show on the scales. I am now on day 10 and in the morning my scales say I've only lost 4lbs and that is the same as I weighed 5 days ago. I was expecting more by now
The other issue I have is that I have 2 big nights out planned this weekend, as we have a Saturday off. Usually we have to work every Saturday morning, so to have a full weekend off is a rare thing. I work as an English teacher in a kindergarten in Hong Kong by the way. So, at the moment the plan is to have a night out tomorrow, including karaoke. Then on Sat the plan is to go to Macau. Now I know I can't just drink coke zero. I just can't. I want to have some fun and let my hair down and I've been looking forward to a night in the casinos in Macau for ages. But I really don't want to let go completly and end up ruining my weight loss to date :/ I don't know what to do! My plan is to just have shakes until the evening then have a healthy meal before going out. Then I will drink spirits with diet coke. Hopefully that will minimize the damage.
Ho hum. I'm not giving up anyway. I've read too many good reviews of this diet, so it has to work, I just need to stick with it. After this weekend I won't drink again until my holiday, and then after the holiday, only on special occasions. It's just hard to cut alcohol out, when I love going out partying with my friends. I work hard so I want to play hard. i don't do it that often, usually only twice a month. I hope that won't stop me losing weight.

 

[Selphie]

Greetings people of the internet!
So my weekend is over. We didn't go to Macau so I've just had 1 night out and apart from drinking 5 cocktails, and having some sweet potato with my evening meal, to protect me from the alcohol, I have stayed on the plan. The day after the night before I had a shake for breakfast and that was it, no cravings for hangover food. I'm feeling proud of myself for sticking to the plan. I know the alcohol wasn't true to plan, but I have made the choice to allow myself to drink on special occasions, because I don't think I could go 6 months without having a night out here and there. I do think that I can go out and have a good time without alcohol and I want to drink less when I go out, than I have in the past. But the idea of not getting drunk for 6 months just seems depressing. So I am going to allow myself only on holidays or special events, like last night. It may slow my weight loss down, but that is fine with me.
I appear to be around 7lbs down now, which is for just under 2 weeks. It's not the 10lb loss I was hoping for, but, It is still on target for the 1 stone a month average, so I am happy with this. I am going to start going to the gym this week also, and continue to alternate between SS and SS+. I've done SS for 3 days this week and it has been very easy on days off but hard at work because I am more aware of my hunger as I am wide awake and bored, so I notice my hunger. Days off my mind is occupied so I don't notice hunger as much. My job is really easy, which is nice, but time can draaaag. But I think I can manage 2 days of SS in the week and I'll do SS at weekends too.
My weigh in is on Monday and I am so excited to see what the results are. I'm hoping I can lose another pound before then so I'm on SS tomorrow and going to the gym and knocking back water a plenty. Hope it works! I'm going to Kyoto, Japan in 3 weeks so I will me having pictures taken with the cherry blossoms. If I can lose another 7lbs for then I know I'll be much happier with the pictures.

 

[Selphie]

I just have to give a little update, I just tried on my coat for the first time in a week. It used to be really tight on me, as in I couldn't lift my arms above my shoulder in it and I was struggling to do up the buttons. But now it feels a perfect, comfortable fit! Now this feels more real because I can see real evidence of weight loss! It's definitely spurring me on to keep going

 

[Selphie]

I lost 5.6lb this week, so that's just under 10lb in 2 weeks Big smile on my face and I feel sure that I can do this. I can't wait to know what it is like to be a healthy weight and to feel good about my body This is so exciting.

 

[gerujool]

Well done S! It's a great feeling the scales going down x

 

[poko]

Big well done! You can definitely do it and will be feeling lots of positive changes soon!

 

[downsfzbk16]

Good luck

 

[Selphie]

Thanks guys I'm starting to notice changes. 3 people at work have said that I look slimmer yesterday, so it must be working I'm super excited. I think I may actually be able to reach my goal with this diet, for the first time! I've never seen myself as a healthy weight. Even at my lowest I was still in the overweight range. I keep dreaming of what it will be like and of all the pretty dresses I can wear

 

[poko]

Getting compliments at work is fab isn't it?! I've had lists this week so feel it must be working although dreading tomorrow and weigh in with my several slip ups the last week. Back to it 100% now though! Glad you're doing so well!

 

[Selphie]

Well I've not done too great this week. I stayed the same at weigh in yesterday. I know why it happened though, but it's still frustrating. I had a trip to Shenzhen for 2 nights and, despite bringing tetra packs, I still gained weight. I had lost 4 lb before I left on Sat. But Monday evening when I got weighed I had gained the 4 lb back What I ate in Shenzhen was 5 cocktails, 2 handfuls of almonds, 2 bowls of fruit, 2 ice creams, milk in 3 coffees, a baked sweet potato and a kfc. I didn't think that'd be enough to make me gain 4 lbs when I'd stuck to SS all week and had Cambridge shakes the rest of the time, but, apparently it is enough.
Oh well, onwards and upwards. I have 2.5 days until I leave for Beijing and Japan. So I am being strict with myself from now until then, and hopefully I can maintain my weight loss over the holiday. I am very concerned though, because on a 2 day holiday I regained 4lb so what could happen on a 10 day holiday? I could regain all of it! Well I will just have to be careful not to snack. My plan is to have 2 meals and 2 products a day. But I might try just having 1 product. I guess, if I do gain weight, I know that I can lose it again in a week or 2 by sticking to the plan and I have no more holidays planned for 3 months so I can stay in the zone and potentially lose 3 stone after this holiday.
Just gotta stay positive!
Oh I forgot to mention that even though I stayed the same weight I lost 1cm off everywhere and 2cms off my thighs, so my body is getting smaller, even if I'm not losing weight. I gotta stay positive and stay on it!

 

[Carrie39]

Woo hoo!! Well done . Yes the clothes keep me motivated!

 

[Selphie]

Somehow this evening I've regained 5lb I havn't exactly stuck to plan the last few days, but 5 pounds!? It's been really hard to get back into plan after my 3 day break because I've been off work, so out of routine. Today I have products for breakfast and lunch but also a tin of sardines and 4 crackers with lunch, and out and about I had a bubble tea, and some sushi, so I forgoed the shake for dinner. I even went to the gym, but I've still gained from going off plan. This is really frustrating. I can't do plan for 10 days starting on Saturday as I'm on holiday. I feel like I'm going to come back heavier than I started It really sucks that weight goes on so quickly after a few bad food choices. But that's what happens so I have to accept that if I want to lose weight and stay that weight, I just can't eat these foods that make me gain weight. I have to stick to the plan and then find a way to maintain my weight after I reach goal.
I have little choice over the holiday though as I'm on a tour with all meals included. I am taking bars with me so I can have 2 a day and 2 meals, but I can see myself ditching that idea and just eating holiday food. But I don't want to regain all I've lost, so I need to think about what I'm going to eat.

 

[Selphie]

Hi everybody! Hop you are all doing well. I've been away for a while because I've been on my holibobs to Beijing and Japan! I had an amazing time, but I decided to just eat "normal" food for the holiday because I didn't want to be the awkward friend and I wanted to try real Chinese and Japanese foods. So I did, and so I'm not too upset about my 3.4lb gain, in fact I thought it would be much worse. I had a little wobble after my weekend away in my previous post, but I got back on track before my holiday to Beijing/Japan so I lost a little by then. So it sort of balanced out.
I am struggling to get back into the mindset now though. I've been back 3 days and I've been finishing Japanese snacks that I brought back and eating some other snacks the other teachers at my school have brought back from their holidays. I have been having the shakes for my main meals though, so I'm sort of half following the plan, just with extra junk on top :/ I also had a McDonalds yesterday!! That's not great. No excuse for that! I think I'm still in holiday mode so I've gotta get back into focus. I need a kick up the bum!