Is anyone doing/done the Cambridge Diet?

I'm the anti-VLCD member here ?. Like nearly all diet plans, you're very likely to put the weight back on but in CD's case, you'll screw up your metabolism as well.

I wish you all the best with it but please do your research on embarking on this diet to make absolutely sure it's right for you and not just because you think it's easier than other diets.

Thanks, im actually starting to have second thoughts about it after reading bits about hair loss lol. Also if im honest with myself i really dont think ill be able to "not eat". I think ill probably buy some WW meals and just not have anything inbetween unless its fruit. Thanks for replying ?

If I may be blunt YL, I've tried every diet going (apart from VLCDs, I'm not that insane ?) and nothing works long term. In fact, every diet failure makes you feel even worse and it gets harder and harder each time. Added to that is that every diet is a marketing machine, competing against each other. Results should speak for themselves and if they really were a wonder cure for obesity, then everyone would be thin. Everyone knows the theory on how to lose weight, it's just really annoying that it's so bloody difficult!

If you are determined to lose the weight then you need to change your ways. Not liking cooking, weighing and measuring means that you will put the weight back on. Not exercising will mean that you will put the weight back on.

What you really need to do is look past the quick fix and find your real motivation i.e. something that will drive you past the superficial cosmetics of the whole thing. For me it was a combination of factors but mainly seeing my best mate spiral into morbid obesity and the thought that in the next decade I'll be carrying him into church in a box. The way I was gaining weight I was well on that road too.

Undertaking a VLCD is a pretty radical lifestyle change so why not channel the effort you could put into making that change into the wider aspects of your health?

Hi my friend did this diet and although she lost weight she couldn't stand it long term. It completely took over her life, she couldn't have friends over for dinner, go out to eat or go for a drink. When she came off it she put the weight back on so now is doing weight watchers and is much happy and still losing weight.

Thank you everyone, ive decided not to do it ? ?

Baron, while I fully understand your dislike of VLCDs, your constant banging on about how 'insane' someone is to take it on is beginning to cheese me off a little.

You might feel someone who embarks on a VLCD is/was insane, but do you know how desperate someone might have been to go on one in the first place?

Give it a rest will you? Please?

?

I'm doing a VLCD (no lectures please). Started last Friday, yeah, it is very hard work but after 25 years of being very overweight (I have around 7 stones to lose and suffer from painful joints due to the amount of weight I'm carrying), I thought I'd try the W8 diet. Similar to CD and LL. So far I've lost 11lbs in weight and the pain in my hip has eased considerably. Have a look on the W8 website (I'm nothing to do with them before anybody jumps on the bandwagon), there are different levels of the diet that you can follow, I'm doing rapid, ie 12 weeks of shakes, but I can have a sensible low fat meal after 4 weeks (to reintroduce food). Another one is a meal right from the beginning, why not take a look if you are that adamant about losing weight quickly? I started WW at the end of Feb and lost just over a stone in 3 months which isn't bad going, but actually booking my wedding for summer 2009 has made me more determined that I want to get slimmer for my big day! And 11lbs down makes me feel that I'm on the right road. A personal friend of mine has lost nearly 8 stones with LL in 6 months and she looks fantastic, she is still on some sort of maintenance plan but eats proper meals and has the occasional day of 'food packs' when she notices the odd pound or two creeping back on! As far as I can see, I'm probably getting more nutrients in my food packs every day than if I was eating the crap that I used to eat! Good luck with whatever you decide to do x

Fair enough, but it's an opinion and I encouraged the OP to do her own research rather than listen to me. Insane was harsh though, so I apologise.

And in the interests of fairness, I think this article is very well balanced

https://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/lighter_life_diet.htm

I promise it's not Rickrolling ?

Some other useful articles here (mainly using references from studies or from reputable sources):

VLCD's & Meal Replacements - A critical look

WIN - Publication - Very-Low-Calorie Diets

From the Cleveland Clinic: Very Low-Calorie Diets

I'm also doing a VLCD, in the second week and must say that I feel so much better (pain in joints wise) as I do alot of exercise and found that my knees, hips etc were suffering as well as the unbearable breathlessness. Now I am pretty much pain free, unless the cat gets under my feet and I trip over!! ?

Its not easy going and I can understand that for a lot of people it is pretty impossible to understand why we would put ourselves through this but I had really reached the end of the line a couple of weeks ago. I was at my heaviest despite months of eating nothing but fruit, veg and grilled meat with wholemeal bread/rice/pasta and eating of small plates (without second helpings) and visiting the gym at every opportunity, the scales and tape measure just wouldn't budge in the right direction. For the sake of my sanity I decided to go on this diet which is very hard going but to have such fantastic results in a week is spurring me on. Once the bulk of the weight is shifted I think it will be alot easier to maintain doing what I was doing before.

If anyone else has embarked on such a diet and needs a support buddy then please get in touch, I know I need all the help I can get.

Amee

x

Amee https://www.minimins.com/cambridge-diet-forum/ is a really good site for support!

Thanks RuthG, that will be really helpful. I'm actually doing Lipotrim but its all along the same lines so at least they will be handy when things get tough.

Amee

x

There is a lipotrim forum on there too

https://www.minimins.com/lipotrim-forum/

Hope that helps!

oh brilliant, that's great hun, thank you! ?

I found weight loss with SW slow too but lost nearly 2st on it (size 12-14 to size 8-10). It didn't go on overnight and won't come off overnight. You have to be very overweight to go on one of those milkshake diets - I don't think they let you in if you're not heavy enough.

RuthG - how are you getting on? Not seen you about for a while.

Yeah, you do have to be very overweight to be permitted to start them, they are very strict with it! The Lipotrim can only be done through Pharmacy supervision or through a doctor/specialist.

I'm still at almost 2 stone lost, but the last 6 weeks have been a nightmare with my back injury and my gallbladder problems too. I'm having a camera down my throat on monday, so hopefully I'll be able to crack on with it properly after that!