Let’s do this - restart 27/04/19 💃🏼

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

Well hello everyone! Guess who’s back... back again!

Yes, I have ventured into the land of dieting once more after a lovely couple of months off. My health is finally getting back on track after getting my kidney surgery in November (hopefully no more infections now) and I’m praying 2019 will go smoother for me health wise!

I have managed to maintain my weight loss from when I did Cambridge last summer (woohooo!) just by being more aware of my portions and not eating everything in sight, which goes to show that all of the weight doesn’t automatically pile back on when you stop a VLCD and you can maintain most of the loss (except the water weight) on higher calories!

But I’m ready now to get another stone or two off and to get myself to a healthy BMI range. Because I’m on immunosuppressants and still not 100% healthy, I’ll be doing mostly Step 3 but I’ve decided to do a few days of Step 2 first just to kick start things while I’m feeling motivated! I also want to view this more as a lifestyle for the time being and if I have a meal out or a special occasion, I won’t beat myself up for going off plan. Over the last few months I’ve learned more than ever that we are what we do CONSISTENTLY and the odd treat here and there really has no negative effect on the whole, as long as we make the effort the rest of the time.

Hope to see some familiar faces around here again - skydragon, CMcG and Rolo, anyone of you still here?!

Happy new year anyway everyone and best of luck to those starting their journeys today, I imagine there will be some new people joining in with it being the first Monday in 2019! The first week is always the worst but we can do it Xxx

 

[skydragon]

happy new year to you as well, glad to hear that you are ticking along and your health is getting there.
I’m still here mainly doing a hybrid step 3/4 / calorie counting. Have had a rather large spike over Xmas so today was day 1 back to healthy. Managed pretty well which I’m pleased about, so a couple of weeks of what can only be described as gorging and on the allotted day I got straight back on it. Good luck with your journey x

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

happy new year to you as well, glad to hear that you are ticking along and your health is getting there.
I’m still here mainly doing a hybrid step 3/4 / calorie counting. Have had a rather large spike over Xmas so today was day 1 back to healthy. Managed pretty well which I’m pleased about, so a couple of weeks of what can only be described as gorging and on the allotted day I got straight back on it. Good luck with your journey x

Wooo good morning Jen, I’m delighted to see you are still hanging around here and well done to you for keeping most of your loss off! You did fantastic to maintain up until Christmas and as you know yourself a lot of what you have just put on is probably a combination of food and water weight that you’ll have off again in no time at all! Sometimes we just need those weeks of letting ourselves eat whatever we want and it’s only once a year!

The first few days are always the hardest but at least we have one day down. I woke up starving this morning at 4am haha but other than that so far so good. I’m going to do 4 products per day for just 4-5 days for a bit of a reset and then I’ll add in a 400 cal meal with 3 products. I love the structure of Cambridge even though I know I could lose the same with 1000 calories worth of any food!

How high did you get your maintenance calories to before Christmas? I was very surprised that I was able to eat roughly around 2000 (I didn’t weigh anything but just loosely kept track in my mind the odd time) and no gain despite the small bit of glycogen weight at the beginning.

Good luck today! Xxx

 

[skydragon]

I didn’t really find out as I only really got to 10 10 in December so I was staying 1000/ 1200 cals to combat the meals out. Which worked well until the 23rd. I think I’m nearer 1500 but I’m going to start going up 100 cals at a time once I get back into the tens. So I ll be able to find out exactly what is overeating for me
X

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

I didn’t really find out as I only really got to 10 10 in December so I was staying 1000/ 1200 cals to combat the meals out. Which worked well until the 23rd. I think I’m nearer 1500 but I’m going to start going up 100 cals at a time once I get back into the tens. So I ll be able to find out exactly what is overeating for me
X

Sounds like a great plan and I’ll definitely be upping cals too before goal weight. When I get to 11 stone 10 (healthy BMI for my height) I’m going to go to 1200-1400 I think. I think the reason I maintained was not staying with very low cals for too long and when I noticed the whole binge-restrict cycle was starting, I immediately stopped and just aimed for maintenance for the time being. How did you get on yesterday? Xx

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

Day 3 is upon us already and the scales are moving in the right direction...

Day 1: 12 stone 12
Day 2: 12 stone 10
Day 3: 12 stone 7.5

Total loss of 4.5 in 2 days and even though I know it’s just mostly water, it’s given me a nice boost as it’s the lowest weight I’ve been in a few years. I stuck to 4 products per day Mon + Tues and will do that for another couple of days. Then on Friday or Saturday I will add in a small meal with 3 products! The headache and general low carb flu has hit me a bit today too but it’s bearable so far and I will take some paracetamol if it gets worse!

Delighted to see my BMI has gone to 25.9 given that last summer when I started it was 30.8! It’s been a slow process but I’m getting there eventually

How is everyone getting on?

Also does anyone know if it’s possible to move this thread to the Cambridge diary section instead of here in the 100% section? Xx

 

[skydragon]

In the support section there is a move thread thread the admins will do it for you x

 

[Rolo2018]

Day 3 is upon us already and the scales are moving in the right direction...

Day 1: 12 stone 12
Day 2: 12 stone 10
Day 3: 12 stone 7.5

Total loss of 4.5 in 2 days and even though I know it’s just mostly water, it’s given me a nice boost as it’s the lowest weight I’ve been in a few years. I stuck to 4 products per day Mon + Tues and will do that for another couple of days. Then on Friday or Saturday I will add in a small meal with 3 products! The headache and general low carb flu has hit me a bit today too but it’s bearable so far and I will take some paracetamol if it gets worse!

Delighted to see my BMI has gone to 25.9 given that last summer when I started it was 30.8! It’s been a slow process but I’m getting there eventually

How is everyone getting on?

Also does anyone know if it’s possible to move this thread to the Cambridge diary section instead of here in the 100% section? Xx

Hi Cambridge,

So glad you are back and on track with your health! Seeing your posts have made my day!

I do Exante now as my nearest consultant quit cd. I got down to 12st 13 and put 7 lbs on over Christmas which I am delighted to say have now gone again and I am back to 12st 13 today after a week back on plan.

2 stone to lose totally motivated to lose it by the end of March! Looking forward to your updates xx

 

[slushy]

hi cd

just thought id pop over and say hi

youre doing brilliantly ... so impressed you managed to maintain since summer

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

Hi Cambridge,

So glad you are back and on track with your health! Seeing your posts have made my day!

I do Exante now as my nearest consultant quit cd. I got down to 12st 13 and put 7 lbs on over Christmas which I am delighted to say have now gone again and I am back to 12st 13 today after a week back on plan.

2 stone to lose totally motivated to lose it by the end of March! Looking forward to your updates xx

Yayyy it’s so good to hear from you Rolo, I’m delighted that you are still hanging around on this forum! Big well done to you on your continued success and amazing that you’ve already lost the Christmas gain! It must have been so great to see those 12s after all of your hard work! Have you had to buy yourself a new wardrobe yet hehe? You will have the rest of it off before you know it.

How are you finding Exante overall? Do you miss having a consultant? From what I remember you weren’t too impressed with your one anyway. I am still mixing some Exante things in with Cambridge because I love their lemon crunch bars and lemon cheesecake shake, and I have a big box of stuff leftover from when I ordered last year! I definitely don’t need a consultant because she doesn’t motivate me at all but my main reason for not switching completely is because I do love loads of the Cambridge products

Best of luck today! Xxx

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

hi cd

just thought id pop over and say hi

youre doing brilliantly ... so impressed you managed to maintain since summer

Thank you so much slushy! Hope you are getting on ok today - you have almost a week down already woohoo! Xxx

 

[Rolo2018]

Yayyy it’s so good to hear from you Rolo, I’m delighted that you are still hanging around on this forum! Big well done to you on your continued success and amazing that you’ve already lost the Christmas gain! It must have been so great to see those 12s after all of your hard work! Have you had to buy yourself a new wardrobe yet hehe? You will have the rest of it off before you know it.

How are you finding Exante overall? Do you miss having a consultant? From what I remember you weren’t too impressed with your one anyway. I am still mixing some Exante things in with Cambridge because I love their lemon crunch bars and lemon cheesecake shake, and I have a big box of stuff leftover from when I ordered last year! I definitely don’t need a consultant because she doesn’t motivate me at all but my main reason for not switching completely is because I do love loads of the Cambridge products

Best of luck today! Xxx

Hello you!,

Thank you, I must admit I am so much happier since loosing the weight and glad to see the back of my Christmas gain too.

I have bought a few new outfits but not going mad as I am going to loose the last two stone by March. I have saved some money to have a splurge when I get to goal which I am super excited about?

I don’t miss my cd consultant one bit, I do miss the strawberry and berry smoothie though! I think Exante is actually more filling but maybe because I add more water as the shakes are sweeter than cd. I also prefer the Exante bars I feel so naughty when I eat them it’s like having something you’re not supposed too!

I also love the lemon bars and lemon cheesecake shake too!

So how are you? and how is your week going? Xx

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

5 days down and wow it feels great to be back on track! This week I had three step 1B days at 800 cals, one Step 2 day and one day with 3 products + a 500 cal meal (1100 total so we’ll say Step 3 and a half haha). My step switching is a bit all over the place but it has always been what works for me as I’m really trying to push away from that ‘all or nothing’ mentality and listen to my body more. My consultant has said that she does the same herself and changes day to day. This has resulted in.... 6.5 pounds off in just 5 days I’ve not been exercising at all but I’ve naturally just been quite active throughout the day trying to get close to 10K steps.

I’m so delighted with that and it’s keeping me motivated to see the 11s are less than half a stone away! It has been a long time since I’ve seen them LOL.

From now on I will be doing 3 products per day plus a meal varying between 200-400 cals, so a mix of Step 2 and 3. When I get to 11 stone 10, which is a healthy BMI for me, I’ll increase to 1200 calories and go from there.

How are you all getting on? Have a lovely weekend everyone xxx

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

Hello you!,

Thank you, I must admit I am so much happier since loosing the weight and glad to see the back of my Christmas gain too.

I have bought a few new outfits but not going mad as I am going to loose the last two stone by March. I have saved some money to have a splurge when I get to goal which I am super excited about?

I don’t miss my cd consultant one bit, I do miss the strawberry and berry smoothie though! I think Exante is actually more filling but maybe because I add more water as the shakes are sweeter than cd. I also prefer the Exante bars I feel so naughty when I eat them it’s like having something you’re not supposed too!

I also love the lemon bars and lemon cheesecake shake too!

So how are you? and how is your week going? Xx

Happy Saturday Rolo!

It’s brilliant to hear that you are so much happier since losing the weight because really that’s what it’s all about isn’t it?! Ooh it will be so nice for you to have a big shopping trip when you get to your goal, I will be doing the same. Do you have more energy too?

Oh I really must try more some Exante bars for variety as it’s nice to mix things up a bit. What ones would you recommend? I notice that they often have issues with stock on the website. I find their shakes really creamy and more milky than the Cambridge ones but I haven’t tried many flavours.

I’m getting on really well thank you, 6.5 pounds off in the my first 5 days back on track so I’m thrilled. I just did 3 days at Step 1 for a kick start and now I’m doing a mix of Step 2 and 3. It’s not worth risking my health even if the losses will be a bit slower! I’m just 10 pounds from a healthy BMI so that’s also very exciting.

Hope you are getting on well and have a lovely weekend! Xxx

 

[slushy]

hi cd

i think being flexible with your steps is a really great idea. i am also an all or nothing person and last time i did a vlcd i was absolutely fine doing sole source ( as it was then called) , lost the weight, then failed as soon as i went onto add a meal as i couldnt control myself . im seriously thinking about some hypnosis or proper counselling. i generally eat a really healthy diet but struggle with portion control, dont stop when i feel full or perhaps dont even recognise that im full, and when i eat unhealthy i then binge as my mind says ' well i dont do this very often ..supersize me'

anyway tghis is your diary not mine so ill just say well done on your 6.5lbs which is probably more by now and thanks for giving me food for thought ...ouch ..poor choice of words lol

 

[Rolo2018]

Happy Saturday Rolo!

It’s brilliant to hear that you are so much happier since losing the weight because really that’s what it’s all about isn’t it?! Ooh it will be so nice for you to have a big shopping trip when you get to your goal, I will be doing the same. Do you have more energy too?

Oh I really must try more some Exante bars for variety as it’s nice to mix things up a bit. What ones would you recommend? I notice that they often have issues with stock on the website. I find their shakes really creamy and more milky than the Cambridge ones but I haven’t tried many flavours.

I’m getting on really well thank you, 6.5 pounds off in the my first 5 days back on track so I’m thrilled. I just did 3 days at Step 1 for a kick start and now I’m doing a mix of Step 2 and 3. It’s not worth risking my health even if the losses will be a bit slower! I’m just 10 pounds from a healthy BMI so that’s also very exciting.

Hope you are getting on well and have a lovely weekend! Xxx

Hello you!

Sorry I didn’t get a notification to say you replied! Weekend was good I did 3 products Monday to Friday and 2 products and a 200 cal no carb meal Saturday night then back to 3 products Sunday.

The Exante bars are great! the best are the crunchy ones, lemon, strawberry Jam, chocolate caramel,fruit and toffee or is it toffee and fruit lol. They are bigger than the Cambridge ones and there is no after taste except the chocolate caramel which is a little bit salty but I still love it.

I personally don’t like the texture of the soft bars but everyone is different so worth trying them. I have never had any stock issues think that was last summer before I started I believe there was a program about diabetes and how Exante can help and everyone and his wife bought the products causing a stock problem.

My weigh in is Wednesday morning so fingers crossed I am hoping for 3 off but will have to see I seemed to average around 3/4 a week before Christmas.

I am so happy for you 6.5 in a week is a great weight loss! Well done you!

Yes I do have loads more energy, I go to the gym three lunchtimes a week now and I do 30 minutes cardio and 10 minutes on free weights. I take a long lunch break so I can have a quick shower and back to work it’s really good. I feel really energetic for the rest of the day too. I also walk for 15 minutes on my morning break and then I walk the dog when I get home. Six months ago I walked from the car into work, from my desk to the printer, toilet,canteen then back to the car lol.

I just want to get to 11 stone and then I can ramp up my exercise and do a low carb version of the 5/2 diet or 6/1 whichever I need to maintain! Will use Exante on my low days.

What’s your plans? Xx

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

hi cd

i think being flexible with your steps is a really great idea. i am also an all or nothing person and last time i did a vlcd i was absolutely fine doing sole source ( as it was then called) , lost the weight, then failed as soon as i went onto add a meal as i couldnt control myself . im seriously thinking about some hypnosis or proper counselling. i generally eat a really healthy diet but struggle with portion control, dont stop when i feel full or perhaps dont even recognise that im full, and when i eat unhealthy i then binge as my mind says ' well i dont do this very often ..supersize me'

anyway tghis is your diary not mine so ill just say well done on your 6.5lbs which is probably more by now and thanks for giving me food for thought ...ouch ..poor choice of words lol

Thanks slushy, I can totally relate. In the past I found it so hard to maintain - I was only ever losing weight on some kind of diet or else gaining weight by bingeing once I stopped the diet. It’s very hard to find that happy medium but I’ve slowly been training myself by allowing myself ‘normal’ portions of things that I would usually have felt out of control around. Just because I have 3 biscuits does not mean I’ve ruined things and now need to eat the whole packet lol, or just because I am going out for dinner tonight does not mean I might as well eat everything all day too!

I’ve also found paying more attention to how certain foods make me FEEL has helped a lot too and asking myself more questions around meal times. Ok this entire pizza will be delicious for 15 minutes... but is feeling bloated for a whole day afterwards worth it? Maybe just 2 or 3 slices with some vegetables will make me feel just as satisfied without feeling stuffed or regretful?

Anyway hope my weird insight will be of some help because letting go of that all or nothing is the only thing that has allowed me to maintain so far. Also don’t worry at all about this being my diary, the more of us the merrier

Hope you are getting on well! Xx

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

Hello you!

Sorry I didn’t get a notification to say you replied! Weekend was good I did 3 products Monday to Friday and 2 products and a 200 cal no carb meal Saturday night then back to 3 products Sunday.

The Exante bars are great! the best are the crunchy ones, lemon, strawberry Jam, chocolate caramel,fruit and toffee or is it toffee and fruit lol. They are bigger than the Cambridge ones and there is no after taste except the chocolate caramel which is a little bit salty but I still love it.

I personally don’t like the texture of the soft bars but everyone is different so worth trying them. I have never had any stock issues think that was last summer before I started I believe there was a program about diabetes and how Exante can help and everyone and his wife bought the products causing a stock problem.

My weigh in is Wednesday morning so fingers crossed I am hoping for 3 off but will have to see I seemed to average around 3/4 a week before Christmas.

I am so happy for you 6.5 in a week is a great weight loss! Well done you!

Yes I do have loads more energy, I go to the gym three lunchtimes a week now and I do 30 minutes cardio and 10 minutes on free weights. I take a long lunch break so I can have a quick shower and back to work it’s really good. I feel really energetic for the rest of the day too. I also walk for 15 minutes on my morning break and then I walk the dog when I get home. Six months ago I walked from the car into work, from my desk to the printer, toilet,canteen then back to the car lol.

I just want to get to 11 stone and then I can ramp up my exercise and do a low carb version of the 5/2 diet or 6/1 whichever I need to maintain! Will use Exante on my low days.

What’s your plans? Xx

Woo that’s amazing, you are smashing it! How did weigh in go this morning?! Hope you are happy and got those 3 pounds that you deserve!

I will definitely order some more Exante things to try out once I have gotten through my current stash - I have loads of my previous orders to get through first though. They are so cheap compared to Cambridge... I guess because it cuts out the consultant trying to make a living from it!

I love the 5/2 or 6/1 idea too. I think the fact that I maintained over the last while without doing a fast day means I can probably luckily get away without needing it, but if I felt my maintenance calories were a bit low then I would absolutely introduce it.

Diet wise, I don’t think I will be low carb/keto as I personally feel better with a moderate carb intake. Even now on Step 3 days I am including a carb portion with dinner. It doesn’t give me cravings at all and I still lose doing so! Maybe I am not even in ketosis but the scales is moving in the right direction so that’s the main thing! I just want to eat healthy, watch my portions sizes, keep carbs at a medium level and live my life haha. We are all so different in terms of the diets that suit us and I think it just takes a bit of trial and error to find our way!

Looking forward to hearing how you got on this morning! xxx

 

[CambridgeDiaries2018]

Day 10 already and things are going very smoothly!

I’m down a total of 8 pounds so far and I feel great. Not going to weigh in again until Monday as things are slowing down now after losing the initial water weight. But hopefully I could be down another couple of pounds after the weekend! I have done mostly step 3 the last few days, allowing a small complex carb portion with my dinner, and I had one low carb step 2 day. I might not be in ketosis from the carbs but I feel good, have no cravings and am losing weight so I don’t really mind either way!

Hope everyone is getting on ok! Xxx

 

[Rolo2018]

Woo that’s amazing, you are smashing it! How did weigh in go this morning?! Hope you are happy and got those 3 pounds that you deserve!

I will definitely order some more Exante things to try out once I have gotten through my current stash - I have loads of my previous orders to get through first though. They are so cheap compared to Cambridge... I guess because it cuts out the consultant trying to make a living from it!

I love the 5/2 or 6/1 idea too. I think the fact that I maintained over the last while without doing a fast day means I can probably luckily get away without needing it, but if I felt my maintenance calories were a bit low then I would absolutely introduce it.

Diet wise, I don’t think I will be low carb/keto as I personally feel better with a moderate carb intake. Even now on Step 3 days I am including a carb portion with dinner. It doesn’t give me cravings at all and I still lose doing so! Maybe I am not even in ketosis but the scales is moving in the right direction so that’s the main thing! I just want to eat healthy, watch my portions sizes, keep carbs at a medium level and live my life haha. We are all so different in terms of the diets that suit us and I think it just takes a bit of trial and error to find our way!

Looking forward to hearing how you got on this morning! xxx

Hi Cambridge,
I slept in this morning I normally get up at 5.15 but didn’t get my lazy butt out of bed until 6am and only had 40 minutes to get shower, dressed, makeup on and dog walked before I left!

I managed to get to work on time but I must admit my hair looked so much better this afternoon after I had been to the gym at lunchtime and actually styled it lol

So I have decided not to weigh in until Saturday and change my weigh day going forward. I don’t work weekends either so will just get into the habit of weighing in every Saturday.

You are doing so well I love how positive and motivated you are! I have never been good with carbs I look at potatoes and bread and put weight on! I remember trying green days on slimming world once years ago and I actually gained weight instead of losing it.

Definitely agree slimming works differently for everyone, you just have to find what works for you and stick to it. Exante is definitely always going to be a part of my diet even when I get to goal I will use it 1 day a week to help with maintenance. I am so much happier and confident with the weight off I will never go back xx