Which diet should I do ? stressed & confused.

[paul1978]

Hi

I have posted this message on the WeightWatchers forum, but have decided to put it here too, to get thoughts from people on the CD diet. Dont take much notice of the ticker at the bottom of the message as it is wrong, hasnt been updated for ages. I am feeling a bit deflated lately. I lost 7 stones on The Cambridge Diet, and have had to stop due to not having enough money for it (no matter how many times I have juggled our budget around!) Then I have been doing it on and off, still agonising over whether I can do it or not and at the same time going chocolate-mad (even worse than before I started Cambridge) I put on about 2 stone. Now, I still cannot afford Cambridge so Ive decided to give WeightWatchers a go. Ive lost 2.5 stones with WW before but it takes sooo long, I find it depressing. I was losing 5 lbs a week on CD, whilst average weight loss was 2lbs last time I did WW. The internal argument I keep having with myself (should I do weightwatchers or CD (Because I think to me, not paying off a bit of my debt may be worth it if it means I lose weight quickly and get healthier to my goal, as Im not sure Ive got the patience for WW at the mo, as Im Best Man at a wedding coming up and wont be able to get down to my desired weight with WW by then.) Oh, Im confused and stressed. Please help. What would you do in my place ?

 

[Starlight]

You do realise that on WW everyone will tell you to give WW another go and on here everyone will tell you to give CD another go, dont you :giggle:

 

[ApplySomePressure]

Hi,
You need to weigh up what's going to work for you. If you don't feel like you can stick to CD just now and would rather the flexibility then WW might be better but it will be a much slower loss.

I didn't think I could afford CD either but when I added up the money I spend on food, a coffee and cake in starbucks every week, all the diet coke I bought, the odd takeaway, a bottle of wine in front of the tv once or twice a week, a few drinks in a pub sometimes, and all the crisps and chocolate you don't even think about, I'm actually saving money on CD! Have hardly stepped inside a shop.

 

[paul1978]

You do realise that on WW everyone will tell you to give WW another go and on here everyone will tell you to give CD another go, dont you :giggle:

I thought that afterwards But I was hoping to get some unbiased comments, which luckily, I have.

Applysomepressure - Whilst I was reading your message, I was thinking "nope, dont have that, nope nor that ... " until it came to the chocolate. At the minute, Im probably spending more a week on choc than a weeks CD would cost, If I am honest with myself.

 

[ApplySomePressure]

Thats it isn't it, all the little things you buy add up! I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you. If you don't mind me asking when is the wedding and how much had you hoped to lose by then?

 

[paul1978]

Its my mates wedding, not mine, Im the best man. Its not until October, but the fitting for the suits is in around July.

Another reason for me wanting to lose weight quickly, is because Im going to be a Dad anytime soon. Due date for birth 6 April, but midwife said babys ready to come anytime . Wanna lose more weight to be able to play with her.

 

[lillypop]

Well, I would always go for CD over WW, but that's just my own personal opinion. Nothing worked for me other than CD because I wanted quick results and I had an unhealthy relationship with food. You have to do what's best for you in the long run.

 

[Sarah Lou]

CD vs WW

Be honest and draw yourself up a budget planner.. write down what you spend and do a comparison.. its amazing what you forget you spend.. or just have a look at your bank statements and see how much you spent in the supermarket..hope that helps.. good luck with the baby

 

[MrsDannyDyer]

How much do u spend on ww? I bet you actually spend more but its just not all in one go. Ive done both, and at least with CD u pay it in one go, and yeah u feel a dent in ur wallet. But with ww buying all the food u need over a week, and the weekly fee soon adds up too. like u i considered going back to ww, but when i did got back, it was way more and like u say it takes forever to get a few pounds off. I lost 22lbs with ww but it took 3/4 months. Good luck with whatever u decide to do

 

[wannabslim]

On top of the money issues already discussed - I'd suggest you think about whether, if you decided to go for CD, you could actually stick to it 100%. 'Cos if you're gonna do it, you need to be totally focussed and give up the chocolate.

If you need your choccie fix then WW might be the better option as you can have it within your points. It just depends whether you can handle the smaller losses - but bear in mind they will ONLY be smaller losses compared with CD if you stuck to CD 100% - if you cant do it 100%, then WW at 2lbs a week is pretty good going. Not to be sniffed at IMO. But I do know what you mean - I'd go for 5lbs a week over 2lbs if I had the choice!!

It's a matter of your level of commitment as well as finance. Ultimately, we can advise you on things to consider but the decision you make needs to come from within and be something you are at peace with in yourself, otherwise it won't work.

xxx

 

[Katycakes]

Paul, what stands out to me is that you will not maintain, no matter which diet you choose, until you face your chocolate demons. I identify with this as it's exactly why CD is working for me. Every other diet failed in the end as they all said, yes, have a little bit of chocolate, just a little bit... and there is no such thing as a little bit of chocolate for me. I'd start with one square, feeling like I'd conquered my 'addiction' and wake up 3 months later a few stones heavier with choccy all around my mouth and a heap of wrappers hidden all over the house.

CD took away the food, and so the temptation to binge. Then when I came off for Xmas I fell off the wagon into a binge, and I realized I was never going to get anywhere unless I looked at why that happened. I started a thread on 'emotional eating' on the forum & got a lot of support and read some very wise and sometimes hard-to-take truths, but it focused me. I then read 3 or 4 books on tacking emotional eating/ compulsive eating. I wouldn't say I am 'fixed' by a long chalk but I know my problem and I am up for the challenge of beating it, and I will never give up. And no more binges since Xmas.

So... CD is my advice because it gives you a break from food & gives you time to work through those things & research & get help/support until something starts to click & you begin to make tiny steps forward, away from the comfort of chocolate. (If you are like me, you probably HATE the stuff for what it has done to you, my binges were all about self-punishment & loathing really, even when I imagined they were just because choc tastes nice...) Also, CD bars help me to get a taste of something sweet that I DON'T associate with binges, so I know I will go on buying them probably forever, so I can have a sweet taste every day.

And for me, it has been about seeing that I don't 'need' a choc fix, that life without it is a million times better, brighter, happier. I cannot have 'just a little bit', in the same way an alcoholic cannot have just one whisky. And spending as much on choc as you would on a weeks supply of CD? Well, that was me, too. I know which I'd rather spend my money on.

Good luck Paul, whatever you decide. You'll find lots of support on here for whichever path you choose, but remember, you have to do the hard work - and that's not really the losing-the-weight part, it's the facing the compulsive eating. Good luck - you can do it.

xx

 

[Sarah_V]

My goodness Katycakes, that is soooo close to me too, I have a tear in my eye whilst typing this.. Well done you for facing your demons and letting go of the overeating, you are inspirational.

Pauk, good luck with whatever you choose, have you thought about trying to sole source whilst your partner is in hospital having the baby and the emotion a new little one can bring? Maybe work down the plans and start property once you have all settled.. Just a thought..

 

[Dragonfly]

Good Luck Paul, I agree with CD taking food out of the equation helps to get you back on track. You can do it.

 

[Amyeve]

Hi, ive only been doing CD 2 days so hope you dont mind me giving my 2 pence worth

The time imediately after you have a baby is fantastic...but difficult with a capital D. You will have sleepless nights, family and well wishers turning up every 2 mins, nappies, lots of crying (and thats just you and your partner!) Chocolate addiction aside, all these things will just make SS that much harder, so whats the point of putting yourself through it knowing there is a big chance you wont be able to 100%. You'll also have to look after your partner and cook and make sure she eats well - could you do that and SS at the same time?

i would say do WW for a couple of months. budget and see if realistically you are spending as much as you would on CD - you will probably be surprised.

couple of months or 8 weeks at 2lb a week is still 16lbs. then if you could switch to cd and potentially, at a stone a month you could probably get around 3 stone off before July.

sorry im rubbish at giving advice but thats what i would do