Cambridge/Atkins alternation?

[poogatch]

I posted this in the cambridge section but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask you lot as well

Hi guys, just wondered if anyone had ever tried/heard of/thought of alternating a VLCD like cambridge and atkins.

From the limited knowledge I have I think both run off the idea of losing weight through ketosis (with atkins weight loss slightly slower due to not being a VLCD at the same time?)

I just wonderd if altnerating between the 2 every x amount of weeks was dangerous/a bad idea. I can cope with SS but I think it would be so much easier and more enjoyable if you had a stint on atkins to look forward to every so often?

Just looking for ideas/knowledgable peoples thoughts on the matter

 

[Sarah_P]

Hi, I can't say I am knowledgable on the subject, but I would have thought that the change from VLCD to Atkins and back again would mess with your metabolism?? But I might be wrong.

I combine the two successfully, so could you do this with the Cambridge 810 plan?

 

[Hellraiser]

Funnily enough I have been contemplating the same idea, personally I think it would work, two weeks seems like the maximum amount of time I could stand living on shakes, I do however think that you would lose far less on the Atkins part of the diet, but at least you wouldnt come out of ketosis, I have just switched from the LL diet to Atkins and I have lost 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks. And going onto the Atkins after living on shakes for 2 weeks is a dream. If you do decide to give it a try I would love it if you could post on here to let us know how you get on.

 

[emma&alex]

yeah, ive kinda been doing this. well, i started off doing ss, did that for 3 weeks, then went on a chicken rampage.
i don't bother weighing the chicken, and i eat quite a lot of it throughout the day, and maybe having one shake or soup instead of the 3.
i know its all upside down and id not tell my cdc, but its made me feel better about the whole diet, and upto this week ive lost every wi. this week i had a sts, but im not too fussed as havent done any exercise and had a day off, and also weighed myself on different scales to normal and theyre always different to my cdcs.

i know someone will probably come along and give reasons why it shouldnt be done, but im happy.

i say give it a shot, if it doesn't work for you, then just go back to the original plan.

 

[Jim]

There are quite a few people mixing it around here as far as I know, and doing it successfully as well.

 

[poogatch]

Thanks for the replies, if any of these people mixing it you speak of could get in touch with me or post here with more specific details of what they do and the kinds of losses they see that would be great

 

[furrysmudge]

poogatch fab weight losses love xx

 

[Tange]

I would say portion control is your main issue with that way of doing it. If you keep it in control it should be okay I guess.

 

[Sarah_P]

I do two thirds of my day on packs. Breakfast and lunch normally. Then I have an Atkins style evening meal. You can see the kind of things I eat on the "what we are eating" thread.

I have lost on average a stone a month doing this and am very happy with the results.

Hope that helps.

 

[poogatch]

Well I've orderd the book will arrive saturday, enough time to read and get some shopping in for next week and see what happens!!

Any tips/advice? I'm not sure what difference the fact im firmly in ketosis makes to what I should do food choice wise? I do know after having an ss+ day in preperation for introducing food that my stomach is now tiny, one tuna salad from last night had me feeling like I was going to explode until mid day today!!

 

[Sarah_P]

I had this after total abstainance and to be honest, as I only eat one meal a day still, I still find I can't eat huge amounts.

Do as Jim always recommends, which is eat until you are full and then stop.

And eat lots of green leafy veggies!

 

[MissAma]

Not alternating (I would presume 1/2 shakes a day makes it too many carbs to be properly combining them) but will be doing Atkins for the last part of my journey after I'm done with the SS in a few weeks and then maintenance on Atkins. I'm a bit worried about the transition personally but I'm sure it will be fine afterall.

I'll be keeping an eye on your thread to see how you are going. Good luck!

 

[Sarah_P]

Not alternating (I would presume 1/2 shakes a day makes it too many carbs to be properly combining them) but will be doing Atkins for the last part of my journey after I'm done with the SS in a few weeks and then maintenance on Atkins. I'm a bit worried about the transition personally but I'm sure it will be fine afterall.

I'll be keeping an eye on your thread to see how you are going. Good luck!

The carbs are higher than induction, however by combining I stay in ketosis, am losing an average of 3.5lbs per week and it's certainly working for me. I am losing pretty much the same as I was in abstainance.

My net carbs are around 50g per day, which is still a low carb count.