Who knows you're on Cambridge and what kind of a reaction do you get?

[CountryBumpkin]

I'm probably in quite a unique situation, as my life is like a little bubble. I live alone, I work from home and, having only just moved to the area and not had the money to get out to meet people, I don't really see anyone. In fact, the only social interaction I have is once a month with my CDC and once a week with my neighbour. Consequently barely anyone I know is aware of the fact I'm on the diet. My mum and brother know (though they live 205 and 400 miles away respectively, so they've not actually seen any progress). My best friend lives 240 miles away so, again, although she knows, she's not seen any change. Other than that, I've kept it a secret, so I've not really received any judgement. However, that also means no one has noticed any change, so there's no positive reaction either. Just me plodding on! I did have a Skype conversation with my boss the other week and he said "You look... well", with a loaded pause as if he wanted to say "thinner" but doesn't know me well enough to say it and doesn't want to run the risk of a law suit. He could have been talking about my tan though, as all this outdoor exercise has slowly upgraded me from Casper to Morticia Addams.

I just wondered how vocal you all are about your diet. Does your family know? I'm assuming the people you live with do! Friends? Colleagues? Is everyone supportive or do you ever get reservations from people? Have opinions changed over time when they've seen the diet be successful for you?

 

[froggylegs]

My son knows as he lives with me when he isn't at uni and he is very supportive. My sister is the one who told me her friend was doing it because she had gained 2 and a half stone recently and suggested it might be k for me, that was what made me start researching it.

Four other people know, all "friends". They have not been exactly supportive, refer to it as a starvation diet, not a proper diet, none of them seem pleased I am on it and doing so well despite all of them knowing just how much my weight gain as affecting me

So I decided I will not give them any more updates. Its not worth the hassle and it upsets me when they react the way they have.

i have a family do coming up a week tomorrow which is going to be a real problem, I absolutely dont want ANY of them to know (other than the sister who already knows about it) so I am going to have to eat. I am probably going to claim a dodgy tummy and try and get a plain chicken breast and some veggies.

 

[northernlight84]

I've only told people in the last few months to be honest, I think in the first 3 months, only my husband knew!


Now I've told quite a few people, as I can take whatever criticism they give me as I know that it works for me. In the early days I didn't want any negativity about it. T be honest, I haven't had many people say anything negative about the plan, but I think that's because I'm SS+ so they still see me eating if that makes sense?

Now I just keep getting told to not lose too much weight and to be careful!

 

[froggylegs]

God i hate it when people say that to me! Its my body. I would never dream of telling anyone else my unsolicited opinion about their weight

a few years ago I had a series of really debilitating kidney infections and was in hospital for weeks. I ended up skin and bone, looked awful, but it wasnt through choice, it was because i had been so ill. I quickly put weight back on once I was better.

Now people are saying to me "ooh dont go back to looking like you did then, you looked dreadful, you be careful"

It drives me MAD!!! I was ILL, it wasnt choice to go so thin!!

Sorry, in rant mode there!

 

[northernlight84]

Lol, I know what you mean though. What makes me laugh is I'm still overweight .... It's not as though I'm skin and bone! A well, better than having people tell me to lose weight!

 

[froggylegs]

Yes, that's true!

 

[CF18]

I've kept it from everyone but my wife and my doctor. My brother and parents have noticed that I'm losing weight, but oddly enough none of them have asked me what I'm doing. My coworkers see me "eating" soup, and I don't think any of them have noticed the weight loss yet.

It's funny - I'm not ashamed at all of this diet, but I do anticipate mostly negative reactions to it. If I was getting lap band surgery, though, I'm sure everyone would be positive. Isn't that odd? Take the same number of calories that make people cringe, add in a surgical procedure, and suddenly they are happy for you.

 

[*Cupcake*]

The only people who know are my immediate family who share my home, and whose support is invaluable, my gp, and my CWPC. I'm not comfortable in talking about it tbh, which is weird seeing as now it is showing more, people are asking if I've lost weight!

I'm curious if I'll ever be 'open' about it, and feel confident to discuss the plan. I'd like to think one day I will, but if not, then I'm happy with that.

 

[tennisfan1986]

Just my consultant!

I've done Cambridge before and had negative reactions so decided to keep it to myself this time. I live alone and work in the community. I have a shake for breakfast on my own at home, tetra or bar for lunch in the work's car so again no one knows. When I get home I have my 810 dinner on my own and a shake before bed, again on my own. Because I'm doing 810 I can still socialise with friends/family when I want or need to and tweak my 810 meal so I can eat out or have a takeaway with friends or family but still follow the diet pretty closely. I've let everyone know I'm trying to eat healthier and low carb so that they don't think I'm weird always eating chicken salads lol

I much prefer no one knowing because I don't get all their stupid comments and opinions. No one noticed any weight loss until recently and as I've lost just over 2 stone I decided to always cut 2 stone off how much weight I've lost when people ask. So right now I've actually lost 2st5lb but I tell people I've lost 5lb. I'll keep this up through my weight loss journey. This is because I don't want anyone suspecting I might be doing a "drastic" diet because of rapid weight loss. I don't know if I'll ever own up; I'll see how I feel!

 

[Nataley]

Everyone knows the ins and outs of my life! I put it on Facebook (close friends and family only on mine) and got really negative feedback. Everyone called it a "fad diet" or "starvation diet" and i was told I'd get gallstones etc. I take it on the chin and ill hopefully let the weight loss an the fact that I'm alive despite the diet, prove my point!

Funnily enough, when my ladies at work see me drinking the shakes (I'm a midwife), they're all really positive about it and ask loads of questions and say they might consider the diet to lose their baby weight!


I will become the person I am in my head!!!

Eating is cheating ;-)

 

[tennisfan1986]

Nataley, I'm a midwife too! Where do you work? x

 

[Chlo]

I tell people I am on Cambridge, but as far as everyone else is concerned I have a small meal at home in the evenings... when really I don't . It is just a bit odd telling people you don't eat at all, so a little porkie doesn't harm. Family and close friends know I am SS, but as it works they are supportive.

 

[RachelJane]

I'm pretty open about it, but I do usually put a bit of 'spin' on it e.g. 'it's a gp approved diet where a trained consultant monitors you' - which is true. Stops people worrying that you're on some fad thing and about to kill yourself

Surprisingly I've found that the first question most people have asked is 'how much does it cost?' At first I said 'about £40 a week' and that got a totally shocked and negative reaction. Now I just enthuse about the free meetings with my consultant, free weigh ins, free advice and meal plans - oh and about £2 for each meal replacement which is saving me a fortune on cooking and buying snacks and takeaways!

 

[CountryBumpkin]

You're quite the publicist! It'd never occurred to me to sell that angle! I definitely spend less than I did when I was eating, but I'm worried that once I return to normal food my grocery bill will be even higher - not because I want to buy more junk, but because I want to cook more and experiment more and find more healthy ways to satiate my hunger.

Thank goodness for supportive family members.

Nataley, the daft thing is you can get gallstones from being fat anyway, so how is lose weight really going to make it that much more likely?! I'll never understand people's obsessions with telling other people how they should look, and how they should look after their bodies.

 

[Nataley]

Tennisfan1986, I work in the community in Birmingham now after 7 years on delivery suite/ante/postnatal wards. I find the "normal" hours helps loads with this diet. I can plan my meals better and just grab my shakes on the go!

What about you? Where are you based? X


I will become the person I am in my head!!!

Eating is cheating ;-)

 

[Lychco]

My husband, our son who lives about 5 minutes away - but not our daughter, who lives abroad with her hubby and our two grandchildren.
Haven't told her as want it to be a surprise when we go over next time (probably not until January, sadly ) - so that helps spur me on.
Not my work colleagues - have been known to take sweeties from the tin when it comes round, pop them in my mouth then nip to the loo and spit them out- just so won't have to say am dieting.
Don't want the questioning and then the comments if "admit" am doing Cambridge.Crazy, isn't it.
Also not told my lovely Mum - as she would worry I was starving myself.
Why are so many of us so reticent about this ?? And why are so many of our nearest and dearest so negative ?

 

[froggylegs]

I think a lot of it is down to ignorance and closed minds.

The ironic thing is, I dont think I have ever taken is so many healthy vitamins and minerals in my life and I would bet my house I am eating a hell of a lot better, nutrition wise, than those who criticise it.

 

[northernlight84]

I'm home visiting this family this weekend....I had to tell my mum what I was doing as think she thought I had some kind of eating disorder as I was losing weight quickly!

 

[BettyOnSea]

I've found the biggest reaction is to me giving up drinking! My friends would rather I was fat than lose their weekend boozing buddy. Time for some new friends i feel!

 

[northernlight84]

Lol, my friends are used to me not drinking now I think.....it freaked them out a lot to start with!