Week 13 - 810 week - my CDC says 'don't bother'.

spangles

Bouncy Castle
So, as per the title really. I'm doing week 12 of SS at the moment, and then i should step up to 810 next week. But my CDC said 810 week is just there if she's worried i have an eating disorder, to give her an excuse for making me eat, but that since i seem fine there's no need.

i know that's wrong, but does she have a point?

i don't particularly want to eat food, but i have about eight months or so of this to do in total, and i'm worried that without occasional conventional food on the 13th weeks, that i might be risking ill health. I'm also counting on a week of more calories boosting my weightloss in the week after (my losses are on the low side quite often).

Lastly, i wanted to know if anyone who was finding ss easy, found it much harder to come back to after 810 week.

anyway, she's happy for me to do it, though as i was leaving she referred to it as my 'week off'.

just wondered what y'all thought and whether your CDC had said anything similar.
 
Ooh - this is difficult.

I know exactly what you mean re food. A little may accidently lead to a lot!

However, you are going to have to trust yourself, and get used to making better choices long term.

Have you thought about doing SS+ for a week for the small boost. You can 'test' your will power with food, and if you struggle, eliminate the food altogether and do SS as per your cdc.

If you're worried, I would (which is what I did as I was worried about the same slippery slope) plan a meal, as simple as possible. I.e tin of tuna and 6-8slices of cucumber.
Making your meal extremely prescriptive will mean:
- you won't really miss food when you go back to SS
- the meal feels more like medicine (like the shakes)
- your not allowing yourself FOOD just one small combination which mentally might help you conpartmentalise it, so you'll be much less likely to fall off the wagon
 
My CDC said the same thing, im now going onto my 15th week of ss, at first I was abit disheartening as I'd have like to go up the steps and b eating "normally" by Xmas, instead I'm staying on ss until after Xmas and just having days off when i have occasions I can't get back once iv finished, i.e anniversary.. Xmas party.. Xmas day,
Anyway I wish u all theluck and trust in urself and u/me get thru the steps ok xx
 
I think you should definitely do it, its there for a reason and I'm sure its not just to check if you have an eating disorder? (How on earth would that be a good test)
Anyway, agree with JLK, if you're worried about the eating aspect go for choices that don't particularly inspire you and you'll be less likely to over eat. For example I'm much less likely to have an extra courgette (yuk) than a few extra mushrooms (yum).
You've stuck to this diet to the letter so far, keep sticking lady!! x
 
Isn't it also part of the government guidelines in whats deemed 'safe' that you should increase your calories every 12 weeks. When I was doing lighterlife they said you have a 'milk week' so you add milk to foodpacks or drink so much each day, to increase calories and carbs a small amount -but doesnt knock you off track as it not as much as eating proper food.
maybe you could do something similar to add more calories without having to eat much 'real food'.
 
yeah, i have my meals very boringly planned out. 2x chicken breast with broccolli, 2x prawns with cucumber, 3x mushroom omelette. May or may not have my milk allowance (and if i do i'll have it as plain, low fat yoghurt).

i was quite confident that i would be fine, but CDC would clearly prefer me not to do it, and i wonder why.

tho like you say, violetta, our five min meetings would be a truly RUBBISH diagnostic test for an eating disorder.




Claudia - do you have much to lose, still?
 
spangles said:
yeah, i have my meals very boringly planned out. 2x chicken breast with broccolli, 2x prawns with cucumber, 3x mushroom omelette. May or may not have my milk allowance (and if i do i'll have it as plain, low fat yoghurt).

i was quite confident that i would be fine, but CDC would clearly prefer me not to do it, and i wonder why.

tho like you say, violetta, our five min meetings would be a truly RUBBISH diagnostic test for an eating disorder.

Claudia - do you have much to lose, still?

I still have another good two stone to lose, if I get there before Xmas I will demand to go up the steps x
 
I still have another good two stone to lose, if I get there before Xmas I will demand to go up the steps x

i think you *have* to step up at 1 stone over BMI 25, but really, if you want to step up earlier it's your choice! you're def not sposed to SS to goal if your goal is below that.
 
i think you *have* to step up at 1 stone over BMI 25, but really, if you want to step up earlier it's your choice! you're def not sposed to SS to goal if your goal is below that.

Where's this info come from ? I remember someone else saying that once but never found out if it was official CD guidelines or just 'a good idea'. I've moved to step 2 anyway, just wondered... :)
 
I was told that a BMI of 25 meant moving up the steps. Or one stone from goal, whichever applied. I think this is to protect your metabolism and also to begin serious preparation for maintenance. There will be a very sound reason for it, you may be sure of that, or Cambridge would not make it a part of their guidelines.

Fear of food is not an intended outcome of any VLCD! lol.

You're doing so well Spangles; your dedication and motivation are establised, and both remain high. Good luck with the rest!
 
you know - i think i've just assumed that because you're definitely not allowed to start SS or SS+ unless you're BMI plus 1 stone. doesn't apply to me, cos my goal is well above BMI 25 anyway.
 
I do as u well know lol
I can't get into my brain that if I eat more calories I'll lose less weight.
But for some reason ur body doesn't even register the extra meal and puts it straight in your furnace(metabolism) and u lose more weight lol
 
i would definitely do the week up, because it's likely to boost your losses afterwards.
also, to help you realise you can have food without going crazy.
 
i am facing the same thing this week. I was going to add the meal, but I don't feel "strong" enough to do it yet. I think it may lead to me wanting more than I should have. If I could control what I eat, I wouldn't be in the shape I am in the first place! It is just easier for me to do without the food for now, until i feel it won't tempt me too much.
good luck.
 
Sorry to say your cdc is soooooo wrong to say this, the add a meal week is there due to nice guidelines and also to boost your metabolism not to do with eating disorder wtf??, until recently cd used to have an add a meal week every 5th week. It's there for a reason and I would do it, You're not coming off the diet to do 810 just adding a wee bit more. Good luck with 810 week.:)
 
Page 10 of this document from The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence states that a VLCD should not be followed for more than 12 weeks continuously.
The CD website also states:
Guidance to Consultants - Ideally your customer should move down the Steps to their chosen programme, spending at least one week to each Step. If they wish to follow a VLCD programme (Step1 below 800kcal), they may do so for a maximum of 12 weeks at a time. After the 12th week the customer should move up to 810kcal (Step2), for at least 1 week. If they still have weight to lose and their BMI is suitable, they may resume a VLCD programme for a further 12 weeks.
 
When I first read this thread I wasn't sure what would be the best thing. But On the whole I think it would be a good idea to do the 810 week. But it's up to you. I don't always follow rules I must say. But it definitely says in the book maximum for SS is 12 weeks. And I absolutely agree with what Sapphire says about having food and not going crazy.
 
I think you should do it,as Im sure i read somewhere in the cd book that you cant contnue ss for more than 12 weeks without doing this week,I was really worried the first time I added food in but it was fine and i went back to ss quite easily it was all a routine.You are such a determined person with this diet I honestly cant see anything getting in your way to goal.Just treat it as being the diet and if you feel you are losing control around the food then maybe reconsider.I eat everything i have i know im on 810 but some days i ss+ I have porridge, a bar I make my packs into mousses I very rarely have a shake as a shake.I know i have a problem with food but I never go raiding the fridge after as I know i have to stick to what the diet says or i wont lose weight. Im sure you will be fine.....hey and well done for getting as far as your 13th week now that deserves one massive pat on the back xx
 
Thanks girls - I pretty much already knew i would do it (810 week) and I was confident about it - but it's funny how one person's reaction can make you doubt yourself.

I'll just add it to the list marked "CDCs say the funniest things".
 
I think if you still happy and going strong then soldier on Spangles :) There was a man who was registered with my branch who was SS for almost a whole year before he introduced food.

I am personally in my 16th week (17 on Saturday) and have stuck to SS the whole time. My counsellor said to carry on for as long as I can so I am going to carry on with SS until I get a bit closer to my goal.

I just find that SS works so well for me, it is easy, all planned out and I do not have to plan anything or weigh out food (I will leave these fun things things for a bit longer).

Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinions and the advice is based on guidelines set for millions of people even though everyone reacts differently to different things and our bodies are all completely different. For me personally...I am pushing on...still feeling happy, healthy and motivated :D

Trust your own instincts and what your body is telling you x
 
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