Should I save?

[EveryRose]

I'm going to do the Cambridge Diet but at the moment our funds are quite low and we can't afford to fork out £35 a week.

I have to buy normal food still anyway as I have 4 children and a DP to feed LOL.

I wouldn't alone consume £35 a week...I don't think?

Thinking about it, I probably do...sorry just thinking out loud

 

[festivalfairy]

ud be surprised hun i have saved a few pennies by being on the diet!!! Slimfast is more expensive as ive done that but im sure you could save up like a months worth and start and while your on it start saving for next month???? xxxxx

 

[misscheeky]

I thought about this and my answer is i would def eat 35pounds worth of food if you include takeaway etc there is only me, bf and one child in our house. we noticed a huge saving once i started now bf doesnt have as many takeaways etc i enjoy cooking more weird i know!! i tend to make batches of stuff and freeze aswell cuz bf has dinner at work so. I think you should start and look at the shopping bil, see if there is anywhere you could cut back, look out for special offers and that

 

[jackietrew]

i know it seems a lot, i can barely afford it! but think of it this way, when you've done it think how much money you'll save in the future not buying crap and junk food etc. thats how im thinking of it lol xxxx good look hunny

 

[EveryRose]

Just been talking with DP. We have to give £255 back to Tax Credits a month for a year (due to the RM losing the form in the post grrr) so I will have to wait until May 2009 before I can start CD when the repayments stop

I will have to continue SlimFast or just calorie count until then I guess.

Put me on a bit of a downer but hey.

 

[jackietrew]

aww hun dont worry, who knows you may have lost enough not to have to go on cd next year! you can still come here and we'll all support you whatever you choose to do! xxxxx

 

[GaynorEm]

Is there anyway you can slash your payments to Tax Credits? Tell them you cannot afford that amount and pay what you can afford. They will proably tell you they won't take smaller payments but they do. I was meant to pay £70 a month...I told them I couldn't afford that so I wouldn't be paying that (particularly as it one their fault I was over paid) and I paid £25 a month until the amount was cleared.

Or...is there anyway you can Ebay yourself to some funds for CD or get a part time job.
To be honest, you have to ask yourself is it worth £35 a week to be slim?

Good luck with whatever you decide, we are backing you all the way. X x

 

[EveryRose]

No we want to pay back the money quickly, don't want it to drag on really.

I can't get a job no, my youngest is only 12mths old and I also have a 3yr old daughter. DP works til late evenings so I couldn't even get an evening job.

It is worth £35 to be slim yes, but right at this moment it's not going to be unfortunatly

 

[jackietrew]

ah well get all of it payed off, have fun spending time with your little ones and then tackle cd next year! xxxx

 

[Sez]

Why not try to go the Atkins route? That way you could eat what the family does as far as protein goes, you'd be in ketosis which is fat burning and hopefully the weight would start to fall off.

There is an Atkins section on Minis where I am sure you would get some knowledgeable advice!

Good luck on whatever route you take & remember we are here for you.

xx

 

[klee]

Everyone else seems to be paying a lot less than i do, ive been to 2 different cdc and have both charged £52.50 (4 packs a day) does anyone else pay this amount?

 

[jackietrew]

im having 4 a day too, and yeah i pay roughly what you are think its normal. but i got loads of the tetra bricks and she did say they were more expensive than the shakes xxx

 

[festivalfairy]

I got a mixture of everything and i paid £38 and he said thats the flat fee for whatever you take x

 

[klee]

im not sure if its to do with where u live? im in london and most things are more expensive here lol!

 

[Starlight]

If you stick to Calorie counting or move to SW or WW etc you could easily lose 67lbs by May 09 and not need to go to CD at all

 

[festivalfairy]

Maybe??? But arent the prices like the same everywhere??

 

[klee]

i wud have thought so, not sure y tho

 

[karenO]

Apparently the prices are at the discretion of your CDC

With regards to the OP, good luck whatever you decide to do but i can say hand on heart that personally i easily ate as much and probably much more than the cost of my CDC per week. Maybe you could try & keep a tally for a couple of weeks of everything you eat, just to see for yourself. Added to the fact that my DP is now eating less kack (even though he says he's not - and losing weight too as a side effect of my diet lol) and we've had no takeaway food in the house since i started, i'd say are outgoings on food are less than if i was eating like i was before.

Having said all that, maybe, as previously suggested, Atkins might be the way forward for you?

 

[sassey50kg]

I am not sure why you cant just calorie count or some other diet/exercise.

CD is not the only diet that works.
I would be very worried that you feel you have to wait a whole year before you tackle your weight.

Walking and healthier eating are free, think about the food you do eat (maybe write a food diary) and how much exercise you do. Then decide how you can make small changes and in a years time you may be at target (and it also be a healthier and cheaper more sustainable method).

Having spoken to my CDC about how many people drop out after 2 weeks of CD, the number is very high (and I have a great CDC) and I would hate for you to wait a year and then find the diet isnt for you.

It is a very hard diet to stick to, I live with my BF, but have no children and I feel so selfish doing this diet as I have to turn down so many social/family occasions, or if I do go I feel like I am not part of the group as I am not eating or drinking, and this isnt me just being silly, the diet makes other people very uncomfortable.

I also think it is un-healthy to do this diet in front of children, I understand that for most people it really is a last resort (me too after suffering from eating disorders for the last 10yrs). But if you can find another approach to losing weight, Please DO IT!

 

[Starlight]

Wow sassey very well said. This is something I actually discussed at the weekend, at the Glasgow meet how it breaks my heart seeing people struggle and think theyre failing because they cant stick to SS.

CD is a great diet but as you said its NOT the only diet that works, I hate seeing people struggling week after week, month after month with CD where actually had they admitted it wasnt for them they could have lost several stones on an alternative diet, in the same time frame.