Thinking of starting Cambridge!!

[jlt]

Hi everyone

I'm pretty new here just been looking about so far! I've been trying to do SW for quite a while and have failed miserably!! Only lost 7lb max and it fluctuates constantly!

I've been seriously thinking about trying Cambridge but I'm worried I won't manage it! I found SW really hard even though there was foods I could have in unlimited amounts. I was still hungry and craved other foods that had got me to this point in the first place!

My main worry is that I will still be hungry and have no energy when doing Cambridge! I've been quite ill for almost a year now with a huge side effect being that I'm constantly tired and headachey! I'm worried it will make it worse! However, part of me thinks that my illness is contributed to by my weight and that losing the weight will help overall!!

I guess what I'm trying to find out is:
- if it gets easier when doing this diet?
- is it worth cutting out food completely?
- do people feel less energetic/tired when doing it?
- does the cost of CD work out the same/less/more than food shopping?

and any other general advice!!

I'm 5ft 11 and 17st 0lb

Looking to reach around 12st!!

Thank you !!

 

[lancsgirl]

Hi I'm on week2 of cd and I was 17st 10 when I started I've lost 15.7 lb , we are a family of 4.5 and my shopping was usually about £100 a week then take sways and crap onto and wine bill! So maybe more like £150! It's now £45-50 a week so it's slot cheaper and cd aswell still comes in under the £100! I can't tell you to do cd but what I can tell you is I've never felt better I've only been doing it for 2 weeks! First week was hard but I'm now in my third week and I can't believe how much energy I have, I'm also 5ft 11 and have 4 pack a day and I'm not starving , sometimes a tad hungry and crave foods but I just glug the water and I feel fine xxxx hope what ever you decide you haves. Good journey!

 

[jlt]

Wow so you've lost over 1stone in 2 weeks! Thats the kind of results that motivates me into doing it! Your advice has been so helpful thank you! I really am leaning towards trying it, I guess we will always be apprehensive before trying something new!!

 

[nikkinack]

I am on week 2 and lost 6lbs last week, which I am chuffed to bits about!

Agreed that the first week, especially days 3 and 4 are hard, but you can do it! There is also ss+ which allows you to add a light meal.

I have been to ww, slimfast, and tried to do it alone, with no luck. Cd really is great and I have loads of energy now. So long as you eat your packs and drink your water, you can't go wrong!

Agreed with the money thing too, I think I am defo saving money, and time with regards to being on this. One small trip to the supermarket a week for food for DH and DSS and we're all good!

Good luck with the decision! In all honesty with the support of the fab girls on here, it is also easier!

 

[Setas]

I'm on week 20 and have lost 6 stone 9. I have found the losses great - yes the first 2 weeks were hard, but I kept busy and soon after got my energy back and since then food has just not been an issue for me (I know I have had it very easy compared with some) but I can honestly say I have not been tempted at all.

So for me yes it has got (and keeps getting) easier.
For me its worth cutting out food completely - i just don't think about food at all - which is great (even though cook for the littlies and hubby), whereas on other diets I was always working out what I could eat next, how I could get away with eating more/less etc. The hardest week for me so far was my add a meal week as I actually had to think about what to buy, what to cook etc.

Was tired for the first 2 weeks but it soon picked up after that, and of course as the weight goes down everything gets easier.

If I was honest and added in all my snacks, choc binges etc etc then CD is way cheaper - but it does seem a lot when i pay it out each week just for me.

I think its a great diet and really worth a go - if you are prepared to do it 100% you will have great results - but that takes focus and if you can't stick to it it can be an expensive way of getting very demoralised.

 

[kellymarie3488]

Hey i agree with what the others have said. I am on week 6 and have lost 2 stone (starting weight 14.8). it was hard at first i will admit but now im flying wouldnt eat a choccy cake if u paid me .

Good luck with what you choose.

 

[jlt]

Thank you so much for all your replies!! Theyre very helpful! I think I will speak to my doctor first and see what he says but it seems like such a good idea. I feel the same with the food diets, I always end up cheating and eating more/less etc!

 

[jlt]

Has anyone had problems with bad breath? How bad is it? I just spoke to my mum about doing the diet and she doesn't seem to keen! She said the bad breath would be horrendous (someone from her work did it) and if I lost the weight that fast it would just pile back on.. Not what I wanted to hear!

 

[Bethuk1]

Yep there's no denying it your breath will stink. I keep my mint mouth spray with me at all times! I'm just about coming into my 4th week and I feel so much slimmer and I have so much motivation to stick at it. My family gave me the whole lecture on this diet which they have absolutely no clue about but they've all gone quiet now that I'm over a stone lighter and still alive....you do what you want to do don't listen to other people! Besides what have you got to loose? You could either find that this diet is perfect for you or find out it's not for you...simple!

 

[determinator]

hey hun , you will find a lot of people are negative about this kind of diet .. as they know so little about them !! Researh shows that the same percentage of people regain weight after doing a 'normal ' diet such as SW as they do with a VLCD like CD , simple fact is if you dont change your eating habits from before dieting , you will regain , it makes no difference how you lost the weight !
Bad breath isnt great but you can use breath spray or listerine strips ( I get mine on e bay )
I also find we spend less money on food when I am on CD ... I did SW for 6 months when I had to come off CD for an operation and I spent far more on all that healthy food !!!#
and I find CD much easier as there are no food choices so I cant make the wrong ones , once the first few weeks are over it flys by and the weight flys off !!!

I hope your doctor knows their facts about VLCD's ... I have found 2 extremes ... a few of my GPs and my consultant thought it was great and are very positive about the diet , and a few ( who know little about it ) are very negative .... whatever their view the simple fatc is being very overweight in the long term is far more detrimental to health that a short term VLCD .

Good luck with deciding what is best for you xxx

 

[jlt]

Hey thanks for the advice both of you!

I still need to see the doctor! I'm hoping he is positive because it may help my mum to change her mind. As I've had stomach problems for a while if he suggests it might help then she might be more positive towards the idea.

I don't really care what other people think and I am quite strong willed. I know I would manage this diet and I definetly feel it would suit me better due to the elimination of food etc. I really want to prove all the critics wrong!

My main problem is that I still live at home and only work p/t at sainsburys when I'm not at college. I don't pay board or for my food at home because I don't earn enough to afford it on top of my all my car bills/phonebill/gym that I pay myself. Btw this has never been an issue and my parents are 100% happy to pay for my food until I have a job etc. They would rather I studied for a good qualification for a job etc.. anyway I get sidetracked!!

I asked her if she could use my percentage of the shopping bill (which is around £60 a week) to pay for CD. I explained that it would be around £40 so she would actually be saving money as she wouldn't be buying any food for me at all. She basically said no and if I wanted to do it I would have to raise the money myself. I know she has said this because she knows I can't afford it and therefore won't be able to manage to do the diet.

I think I may have to save for a while before I start the diet. I really want to be able to do it as it seems like such a good option for me. I have also looked at diets like biggest loser which have 2 shakes a day plus food which may be more affordable for me as I would have to pay out less for the shakes and still get food from home. I presume the losses on the shakes+food diets aren't as big?

Thanks for all the replies!! I'm continuing with SW right now until I manage to either persuade my mum otherwise or manage to get enough money! The thing that annoys me is that if I didn't have stupid credit cards to pay off I would be able to afford it

Sorry if I sound like a moan!!

xxxxxxx

 

[jlt]

I have however, attempted to prepare myself for when I manage to start the diet by drinking the recommended water and doing red days so I am consuming more protein!! I hope this may help! EE days were a disaster for me