Thinking About Switching

[pandorasinbox]

Hi guys!

I'm on LL at the moment and I'm thinking about jumping on the CD bandwagon. Although LL is working great for me, I'm not enjoying the group therapy sessions much. I've always been a big believer in working through my demons as much as I can on my own and I feel under pressure from the group, LLC and the weekly cost to attend the group sessions, which are just not for me. I'm also not keen on some of the teachings that go with in LL and I frequently find in group that I am the only one who doesn't have any self-confidence issues - I just want to lose weight to be healthy. There's nothing wrong with my attitude towards myself!

With CD are the therapy sessions mandatory? Are they factored in to your weekly cost or do you pay extra? I know they're one-to-one rather than group as with LL, but would like the option to only go to the sessions when I feel I need extra help.

 

[spangles]

it depends on your CDC, but i don't think may offer therapy at all - just support with the diet.

C'mon over!

 

[pandorasinbox]

I jumped ship!

Meeting with my CDC on Sunday and starting SS on Tuesday once my Lighter Life packs run out. Will go to my LL meeting on Monday and say goodbye to the girls and explain to my counsellor why I'm leaving.

 

[poppygreendog]

I did LL first and jumped to CD for exactly the same reasons as you, I just wasn't comfortable with the whole 'sharing' stuff (not knocking it just not for me!). Good luck! you will find you've much more variety on CD - PGD x

 

[Surfhunny]

That's exactly why I chose CD in the first place. My friend had been doing LL for a couple of months and had told me about the therapy group. It sounds like my idea of hell. Particularly as I have no underlying traumas or reasons for being fat other than I like food and have picked up some terrible habits. My friend felt under pressure to find something that triggered her weight gain when like me there wasn't anything as such.

I'm not one for sharing in group situations. Even at SW I wasn't comfortable doing that. I'm happy with how I get things done on CD, if I've got any problems I'll talk to my CDC if I don't we just have a chat I get weighed get my shakes and go.

Hope you find CD works for you x

 

[pandorasinbox]

The counselling seemed to be working for everyone else in the group, but every week we seemed to be discussing an issue I didn't have and I really wasn't comfortable with "writing a letter to my body" or any of that sort of thing. I also wasn't very comfortable by my LLC's reaction when I commented how supportive colleagues had been and how many people had said "I couldn't do it" - I looked on this as a compliment of my willpower, but my LLC said otherwise. I didn't see the point in telling me it wasn't a compliment: if I'd taken it positively even if it wasn't then surely that's a good thing?

I have food issues, but they are mostly linked to over consumption because I like the taste more than they're psychological. There are definitely a few "conditioned" issues, but I've been working through those successfully on my own anyway.

CD SS seems pretty identical to what I've been doing on LLT so will just keep that up until I hit my 5 stone total loss. I'm then thinking about doing another diet (Diet Chef) to lose the last 1.5stone more slowly to allow my skin to catch up with my weight loss a little bit, to get used to eating food again and, most importantly, to learn portion control. I've been a hefty girl all my life - portion control is one of my big issues as I've always eaten appropriate portion sizes for a big girl, not a 10.5 stone girl!

 

[Illa]

too bad such things don't exist in Belgium, I would love to do therapy along with the diet now I'm stuck with doing it by myself good luck on your switch.

 

[spangles]

I plan to get to BMI 30 with SS, and then carry on as far as I get using diet chef too. I'd do it now, but I have a need for speeeeeeeed!

 

[fatbegone]

I am doing lighter life..have done for 3 weeks..but am changing from friday as CD is half the price and seems so much better.

Good luck

 

[girlygirl1]

My two cents' worth - I think that, of all the currently available VLCDs, Cambridge is by far the best. Most CDCs will make time to discuss your food issues and problems as part of the service they offer. The packs are tasty and made in the UK (not at the Bariatrix factory in France, and then sold under many different names). When I did Cambridge my CDC was just lovely and nothing was too much trouble.

Others have remarked that the LL 'counselling' did not benefit them very much - it does some, of course - and it has been stated often on this site that the cost of LL is prohibitive. I could NEVER have afforded LL. It would have been out of the question. In recent days there have been many posts commenting on the fact that LL have just increased costs, quite considerably. I am wondering if, sooner or later, only well-off middle class slimmers will be able to use their programmes.

I repeat, so as not to offend any passionate LL-er, this is just my opinion. Most dieters want and need a good, reliable, workable VLCD that has a long track record of success and good customer service. And they want all of this at a reasonably affordable price.

Good luck pandora, on the rest of your journey. BTW I am still smiling at 'writing a letter to your body'. Priceless! It sounds like the worst American-style psychobabble. Another LL expression - 'crooked thinking' springs to mind.

I have often wondered - are LL counsellors fully-trained psychotherapists? Are they qualified to deliver Cognitive Behavioural Therapy? Or is it legal to offer such therapy and treatment without a recognised qualification?

All the best. I always think that if a person can survive (and succeed at) a VLCD, they can tackle just about anything! My personal, long-term maintenance tip - go low carb. Even low GI sets-off my carb cravings. Stick to low carb and you will succeed.

 

[Poppysparkle]

I've done both - first time because I didn't realise how much cheaper CD was!!! I hated the group sessions - I just sat for an hour listening to people, (the same ones usually) going on about themselves and it had no relation to my issues. I also find it difficult to 'feel' something and trace it back to its origins to find out why I act in a certain way, so I struggled a lot of the time in the tasks. I also never did my homework on time at school, so had never read or done the exercises we were given.

I most definitely could not afford LL again. It was £66 a week when I was doing it, and I was only able to pay for it as I had done a lot of overtime. Couldn't do it again after this pregnancy and I was really worried about how I'd afford to do a VLCD until I found Cambridge.

I love my CDC - we've become friends and I know that I can message her anytime with problems, questions or issues. And the packs on CD are so much more convenient as they do the tetras.

I'd chose CD every time!

 

[MinnieMel]

I did LL in 2008 and lost the all weight I had been carrying for 13 years (between 4 and 5 stone). I joined with a friend and I think being obligated to her, kept me going more than the group support.

However, I did have a good group for the most part, and my LLC was well-trained, did have recognised qualifications, was brutally open and honest about her own weight issues, etc. I think I learned a lot from the books, homework, and other members of the group. Some of the activities I skipped -- and the LLC was fine with you not doing anything that "went against your grain". I found the DVDs a bit insipid at times, but there were others in the group who quite liked them.

It was pricy 66 pounds a week, but in addition to the food, counselling sessions, you should have received books, dvds, exercise equipment, mixing cup, etc. Still way more expensive than CD, but very cheap for therapy -- IF the LLC was any good.

I had a friend who went elsewhere and there was no group, no equipment, etc. Her LLC was not following the guidelines at all and should have been reported. She quit before reaching goal -- no surprise there. (She now weighs more than she did before she started LL.)

I did not complete the management programme: my friend was unable to continue (her DH was away and no childcare), the group was not cohesive (sometimes no one but me stayed for a meeting), etc. Even so, I maintained my losses for several months, then stopped working out due to bad weather cancelling my classes (and then never going back) and I had a health scare.

By the autumn of 2010, I decided to try to lose the over 1/2 I'd gained back. I faffed about all fall (yoyoing) and in January 2011, I started on CD. The first CDC I met with was dreadful, and so I tried another. She was (and is) fab.

I managed from Jan. to April (at about 40 pounds a week) to lose all but 1/2 of my regain (and that was with CD810/1000 not a VLCD). However, once I switched to WW to try and lose the last 1/2 stone and then maintain... I started to regain -- it was summer and holidays, etc. I have regained over a stone of the 2011 loss. So, I am back on CD and will see my CDC on Monday (with about 2 stone to lose -- but even with the regain I am over 2 stone less than I was in 2008! )

 

[pandorasinbox]

I officially switched to CD as of today, though won't start my packs until Tuesday when my LL ones run out.

The nice little bit of news was I was weighed when I joined and I've lost 4lbs since I was weighed for LL last Monday and my measurements went really well too! Lost 7cm off my waist, 5 off my bust and 6 off my hips in the past three weeks!

My consultant seems really nice and she even gave me some packs for free to try out on top of the ones I bought for the next two weeks. She was also careful to take into account that I've been on a VLCD for 9 weeks as of Monday so I'll need to have my break in 3 weeks rather than in 12.

 

[Surfhunny]

I officially switched to CD as of today, though won't start my packs until Tuesday when my LL ones run out.

The nice little bit of news was I was weighed when I joined and I've lost 4lbs since I was weighed for LL last Monday and my measurements went really well too! Lost 7cm off my waist, 5 off my bust and 6 off my hips in the past three weeks!

My consultant seems really nice and she even gave me some packs for free to try out on top of the ones I bought for the next two weeks. She was also careful to take into account that I've been on a VLCD for 9 weeks as of Monday so I'll need to have my break in 3 weeks rather than in 12.

Fantastic news, welcome to the 'other' side. Hope you enjoy the cd shakes etcs. Good luck with the rest of your weight loss and congrats on the 4lbs loss

 

[hellee j]

cd to slimming world

I plan to get to BMI 30 with SS, and then carry on as far as I get using diet chef too. I'd do it now, but I have a need for speeeeeeeed!

Hi all am struggling with using this forum as I'm not good with computers. Was wondering if anyone has joined sw straight after doing cd and whether or not it made you have a massive weight gain? Thank you everyone, Hellee j

 

[Bethuk1]

Hi all am struggling with using this forum as I'm not good with computers. Was wondering if anyone has joined sw straight after doing cd and whether or not it made you have a massive weight gain? Thank you everyone, Hellee j

Hi, I joined WW a few months ago when I couldn't afford to do CD any longer and I managed to gain weight steadily for around 3-4 weeks! It put me off going actually as I found it embarrassing but I suppose looking back I probably did get a bit over excited to be free to eat whatever.. I went and overindulged!

I would say just give it ago if your ready to move on from CD

 

[Jayellekay]

Hi all am struggling with using this forum as I'm not good with computers. Was wondering if anyone has joined sw straight after doing cd and whether or not it made you have a massive weight gain? Thank you everyone, Hellee j

I went to SW when I had a break from CD. I maintained my weight, apart from an initial gain of 7lb. I believe this is water/glycogen. In my mind, I exclude my first weeks loss - as that'll primarily be the water/glycogen weight that will go back on - first week of eating.
I think this was a good result - but I guess it depends on your expectations.