Initial reactions to Cambridge Sole Source

Pete&Jo

Member
Hi all,

I'm Pete and I'm currently typing this at the end of day 3 on the Sole Source plan. My girlfriend Jo and I started on Saturday and I thought I would post to introduce myself and tell everyone about my experience so far.

So I'm starting at 22St 3lbs officially although we were weighed a week before we started as we met Laura our CDC not long after a food shop (didn't want to waste too much food before embarking on our bonkers weight loss experience) so am a bit concerned it might not look like I've dropped as much as I have in a week. Never mind!

We started Cambridge after a friend of mine started Lighter Life about 8 weeks ago and has lost over 4 stone. I was sceptical when he started but when you see the changes in front of your eyes it's hard to ignore it and having done some research we decided to give Cambridge a go seeing how it seemed to offer more variety for less £££ against LL. The LL counselling would have been good but we just couldn't afford it.

But anyway having had a week to mentally prepare myself to get cracking Saturday we bit the bullet and said goodbye to solid food (for a while). I've always loved ready brek (usually with half a bag of sugar) so was looking forward to the porridge option to start my Cambridge experience when I awoke Saturday morning. I'm getting shivers now just thinking about it. My girlfriend made hers first and it was far too runny so when I attempted mine I knew to make it a bit thicker but I wasn't expecting it to taste so thoroughly disgusting. I've read quite a few peoples comments on it here which makes me feel like I'm not over-reacting. I certainly didn't throw up but I can understand how people might. So by the end of forcing my breakfast down me I was definitely wondering whether I was doing the right thing. I now have 6 porridge packs waiting to be exchanged asap!

I then went to my friends house to help him with some DIY. He's also the guy on LL so knew I would be in the right place for help and advice etc. Fortunately things got better starting with the butterscotch and later with the chocolate packs. The advice of chucking in an Ice Cube was certainly a good one from my buddy and was feeling a bit more positive about it all. Also assembling kitchen cabinets took my mind off things a little and helped distract me from the lack of proper food.

In the evening we joined a group of friends bowling which again was a great distraction until I started noticing the adverts for the cafe burgers, hot dogs & chips etc. Started to get hungry for my spicy tomato soup which I was really looking forward to as I love tomato cup-a-soups anyway. After moaning about how hungry I was for about an hour and claiming it was effecting my bowling skills I abruptly told my LL mate to F off after he tried to tell me to stop moaning as I was only making it worse (none to tactfully I might add). Having stormed off like a bratty teenager for a cigarette I returned apologised and eventually got back home for my soup. This kind of topped the night off as it really wasn't what I had been hoping for. So I went to bed Saturday feeling very very tired & grumpy.

Woke up feeling refreshed and enthusiastic again though on Sunday and we headed to Lakeside Shopping Centre. Primary reason for the visit was that I had found IKEA selling electric milk frothers for 99p on Google shopping and had been told they were very handy for mixing up some of the food packs. So we bought 4! Then went and wandered around the rest of the place primarily looking for something to occupy my mind. Somehow I ended up with nothing (nearly bought a puzzle) and Jo ended up with 3 pairs of shoes?!?!?!

Now, another reason we started the diet this week was because I've taken a week off. Just to have a break from work till Christmas. However what I hadn't thought about was the potential for me being bored at home all week climbing the walls thing about fast food. Today has opened my eyes to the amount of food porn on TV. I was looking forward to a week of chillaxing on the sofa in front of the box and now I'm scared to put it on in case another burger ad comes on.

Needless to say that today has probably been the toughest so far and I'm hoping that things are going to get easier soon. If anyone has any ideas on how I can keep sane this week as the playstation & TV are not doing it. I'm stuck in the flat all week on my own and need something to completely occupy me for a few days that won't cost a fortune!

Highlight of the diet so far: Hot Chocolate pack tastes pretty good!

Low Point of the diet so far: Walking past the chippy to get to the post box this afternoon. Nearly cried at the smell but resisted the temptation.

I'm really not the most determined person in the world but to be honest I think a lot of that is because of my weight. If I can do this I think it will change everything. I've got some ambitions in life that my weight stops me from doing and I'm hoping that losing the weight will give me the determination to really change my life for the better.

As you can already tell... I go a bit overboard on typing of forums so I apologise if you nearly nodded off reading my Cambridge Memoirs. Maybe I should start a blog? Never done one before though...

Oh any hints on jazzing up my posts that don't involve butterflies and other girly things? ;-) Also can't add an avatar either if the powers that be could sort that as well I'd appreciate it!

Thanks for reading and I look forward to reading your responses and getting to know everyone.
 
Pete , welcome to CD.
It was seeing the weight fall off a work colleague that sent me in this direction. Had never considered anything so radical before.
If you want it badly enough, you can do it.
A blog would be fab and will help you get through the bad days.
Sharing the whole CD experience via posts has really helped me get to this point.
Their will be the really boring times and the times of great temptation, but you have years ahead of you to indulge on a healthier basis, with treats in between. Oh listen to me, i sound like i have already re-educated myself.
I feel so good now, just 10lbs-14lbs away from my goal weight and do not have a single regret. It is all worth it.
Avatars etc. are all available when you reach about 50 posts. One way to build up those posts is to post on the word game threads throughout the whole of Minimins.
Good luck to you on the CD diet. You won't regret it.:)
 
Hiya Pete and Jo and welcome - well at least you've got each other to support at home. No food around you shouldn't have and no cooking!

Porridge is a bit like marmite - you either love it or hate it! Make sure you swap it for something you do like with your CDC and you may also find your taste buds change and what you liked one week you won't the next and vice versa! Plenty of water is the key too - so get glugging!

As for not watching TV or playstation ... well there's obviously minis!! otherwise what about a nice long walk?? swim?? housework for Jo???!!!!! (brownie points gained then!) good book .....
 
Welcome Pete and Jo, all i can say is that the diet will get easier the 1st week is the worst, as for not likeing porridge, your tastes will change over the time while your on cd but try all the flavours as you will be suprised which you like. My fave is making the toffee and walnut with hot water for a bed time drink mix it with the hand blender and its realy thick and creamy a bit like horlicks others to try hot are choc mint, banana, vanilla, butterscotch well as I say try them all.

good luck in your weight loss journey and just watch the lbs melt away.xxx
 
Have a read of Icemoose's blog for inspiration - or Mindless's diary.
They have both done amazingly well and have kept the weight in check too.

Some of the arcade games are incredibly addictive and will keep your hands occupied so you can't get the food to your mouth even if you had it in the flat - another tip - don't have any food in the flat!
 
Hi Pete&Jo, welcome to minimins and the world of cd'ing!! It is the best diet i have every done (and i've done a few!) as you are already experiencing, the 1st week is the hardest but once you realise you can do without food you will be flying!! the site has been my distraction from day1 and don't know what i would've done without it.
The best tip i got from here was to make my shakes with a smaller amount of water and 10-12 ice cubes whizzed in a good sturdy blender to make something which resembles and tastes like a thickshake especially the vanilla flavour! love it! it's great you have each other for support!
good luck with your first week and many weeks to come!!

xx
 
:welcome:

Welcome Pete & Jo Well done for getting this far, that is already an achievement!

You have already got some excellent advice.

I think how you are feeling is very common and it takes awhile to get your head around not eating but after a week or so it becomes the norm...ketosis does help and you should be going into it today if not before.

Be sure to take some before photos now and your body measurements as these help to show you monthly how well you are doing.

Set yourself mini goals that are achievable in the short term as they provide incentive and motivation and reward yourselves with non food treats.

It is great that you have each other for support and of course you have here now as well.

Looking forward to seeing how you both get on...

Here is a link to help you put up a weight tracker.
http://www.minimins.com/tutorials/19172-how-setup-weight-loss-ticker-tickerfactory-com.html
And also this is a link below that will help you make your way around.

http://www.minimins.com/introductions/46674-minis-guided-tour-minimins.html

If you need any help be sure to ask.

Love Mini xxx
 
Hello Pete & Jo,
I found your mail very interesting and so funny. Dont worry about going on and on you are only saying what we are thinking and going through. It is nice that you have each other for support, my son and his g/f live wih me and cook delicious smelling meals each night so I have to go lock myself in my room with a candle burning to hide the smells !
I can agree 100% about having the shakes hot, I tried this for the first tim elast night a vanilla one and it was lovely so I will be trying all like that now. Good luck to you both and look forward to your updates.
Sharon
 
Hi all,

Thanks for you responses. I'm going to keep her sweet and tidy up the flat today I think. If she's back from work a bit later tonight maybe light a few candles and run her a bath.

But I really do need something to break the monotony this week. Maybe this site will be enough! But I do really feel like popping out and buying something to entertain me for a couple of days. Usually a new playstation game is enough to occupy me for days but it's that lull just before the run to Christmas when they start releasing loads of brilliant games and there's nothing out now that I really want which is frustrating.

There's a hobbycraft in town which I've wandered around a couple of times before but they have a model section upstairs which I've never ventured into. Might go and check it out and see if they have anything to amuse me.

I thought it would be better to be at home in my first week because people are forever bringing subway and mcdonalds etc back into the office at lunchtime and the msell might have pushed me over the edge. But sitting around bored senseless isn't working too well either.

When I was a kid I used to do so many things I was never bored. I was into horseriding, archery, bike rides. I was in the Boys Brigade, played Clarinet in a Marching Band, then the drum kit in my own little band and now I stay in and play on my computer & watch TV like a lot of kids are doing these days except I'm 25!!!

Need a Eureka moment as to what to do with myself.
 
But I really do need something to break the monotony this week. Maybe this site will be enough! But I do really feel like popping out and buying something to entertain me for a couple of days. Usually a new playstation game is enough to occupy me for days but it's that lull just before the run to Christmas when they start releasing loads of brilliant games and there's nothing out now that I really want which is frustrating.

There's a hobbycraft in town which I've wandered around a couple of times before but they have a model section upstairs which I've never ventured into. Might go and check it out and see if they have anything to amuse me.

When I was a kid I used to do so many things I was never bored. I was into horseriding, archery, bike rides. I was in the Boys Brigade, played Clarinet in a Marching Band, then the drum kit in my own little band and now I stay in and play on my computer & watch TV like a lot of kids are doing these days except I'm 25!!!

Sounds like you use to be quite active and exercise - and now are more sedantary .... how about looking for a hooby/sport either with or withour Jo that will tone you up and keep you occupied. Gyms, swimming pools, all kinds of keep fit classes, kick boxing, salsa dancing, tai chi, judo etc etc etc ......

or if you want to stay at home - some home exercise equipment - or even a Wii fit or Wii boxing/tennis!
 
I pretty much stopped all of these activities in my early teens. As I got older more and more of them fizzled out. I really want to learn to play the saxaphone but I can't afford one. Having had quite a musical childhood I do still really miss playing music.

Especially the Drums but unfortunately you can't really own a drum kit in a first floor flat I think my neighbours would kill me. However I'm getting Guitar Hero: World Tour for the PS3 next month which for those of you who don't know is a computer game where you play as a band rather than just the guitar and you get an electric drum kit as well as guitars and a microphone (see below) so I know I'll be plenty occupied once that arrives.

I'm not a particularly sporty person. I don't even support a football team. I used to enjoy basketball but you can't really join a team until you've lost the weight. I'm not planning on excerising etc until I feel significantly better about myself. I'm a member of fitness first gym already but I hate going because the only thing I'm fit enough to do is walk occasionally jogging for about 2 minutes before it hurts and I go back to walking. I think I'm going to freeze my membership for a few months until I'm eating proper food again by which time I should be excited about seeing what the new body can do.

guitarhero_worldtour_instruments.jpg
 
Have you got a bike?? you could go for a ride or just a brisk walk.
 
Unfortunately not. Exercise and sport just really isn't for me at the moment. I've got a Gym membership with Fitness First but I'm going to freeze it till the new year I think cause I don't enjoy being there at this weight as I really can't do much. Once I've shed a few stone I'll be in more of a position to get down there and do some damage.

I wish I could afford to buy a Saxaphone as I've always wanted to learn to play after playing the clarinet when I was younger and the Sax being a bit cooler. I'd like to be playing the drums again but living in a first floor flat I think there'd be a few neighbours tearing down the door especially with a Baby and an old lady living downstairs.

I am looking forward to next month though as Guitar Hero: World Tour is out on the PS3 which Jo has pre-ordered for me as an early Christmas Present. For those of you who don't know it's a computer game where up to 4 of you play in a band. There's another version called Rock Band but I've been holding out for this for ages and it's only a month away now. Isn't it sad how a 25 year old lad can be so excited about a bunch of plastic guitars and drums etc? Bring on the trumpets!!!

2607514623_80e7299cae.jpg
GuitarHeroWorldTour.jpg
 
Sorry... Thought the first post hadn't gone through but was being approved by a moderator obviously hence the 2 posts about the same thing.
 
hi pete and jo i started my cd journey 4 and a half weeks ago,the first week is deffo the worst but it does get better.
sticking with it is the hardest thing,but it is worth it.
ive lost 2 stone in those 4 and a half weeks and although ive got a few to go im already feeling tons better even though im walking round like a tramp bcoz my clothes r falling off me lol but thats a good thing right lol.
im from essex *waves to fellow essexite* but live in northants now.
 
Hi all,


In the evening we joined a group of friends bowling which again was a great distraction until I started noticing the adverts for the cafe burgers, hot dogs & chips etc. Started to get hungry for my spicy tomato soup which I was really looking forward to as I love tomato cup-a-soups anyway. After moaning about how hungry I was for about an hour and claiming it was effecting my bowling skills I abruptly told my LL mate to F off after he tried to tell me to stop moaning as I was only making it worse (none to tactfully I might add). Having stormed off like a bratty teenager for a cigarette I returned apologised and eventually got back home for my soup. This kind of topped the night off as it really wasn't what I had been hoping for. So I went to bed Saturday feeling very very tired & grumpy.

Woke up feeling refreshed and enthusiastic again though on Sunday and we headed to Lakeside Shopping Centre. Primary reason for the visit was that I had found IKEA selling electric milk frothers for 99p on Google shopping and had been told they were very handy for mixing up some of the food packs. So we bought 4! Then went and wandered around the rest of the place primarily looking for something to occupy my mind. Somehow I ended up with nothing (nearly bought a puzzle) and Jo ended up with 3 pairs of shoes?!?!?!

Hi this is a super quick post but I bet the bowling was at Festival and also had to say that I'm very near Lakeside :D I'm in Thurrock.

Good to hear from another local Essex member, will comment properly later.
 
Hi Pete and Jo,
I am a porridge lover, however, i tried it after eating nothing on Lipotrim for 14 weeks! anything tastes good after Lipotrim!!

Try it again in about a month, your tastes may have changed.

ice in shakes is an excellent idea and really helps. also, try adding coffee to the vanilla shake for a latte (or take the easy route and get the cappachino flavour!)

I have only been on cd for a week, but did 14 on LT. so far i like the choc tetra packs, choc orange shake, toffee and walnut (taste like walnut), butterscotch shake, orange bars, cranberry bars (although these make you fart for england!!)spicy tomato soup etc, i really dont like the broccoli and cheese soup :sign0137:

as for surviving the first week, i felt so darned horrible i spent it in bed! also if you drink a lot more water than usual, you will spend far more time in the smallest room in the house! ;)

talking of which, get some laxatives now.... catches most of us eventually and makes you feel just rotten!

I lived on this site, in bed and walking the dog. try bejewled in the arcade.

good luck to you both, and if you hang in there long enough, you will be amazed with the results!

Helen
 
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