Anyone doing or done DIET CHEF?
- Thread starter Heaven can wait
- Start date
Like a few others, I've joined the forum after reading this thread (looking for real, objective reviews of DC). The posts have prompted me to order my first 5 week hamper (thanks for the discount code!).
This is the first time I've ever bought into any diet programme, as I have some issues with the contents of meal replacement products and the "public humilation" ethos behind weight-loss clubs just isn't my scene.... that's not meant to sound critical of the approach, I think this does work exceptionally well for some, it's just not for me.
Diet programmes, such as Celebrity Slim and Slimfast (and many more it seems) are based largely on milkshake meal replacements. I can't have milk and hate chocolate... so the shakes and bars are out. I also have my doubts about the effectiveness of just replacing a meal with something distinctly snacky and still having to calorie count any remaining meals anyway (I just can't be bothered with the obsessive weighing & measuring). These plans also seem very expensive for what you get.
I lost a stone last year under my own steam by limiting fats, carbs and eating large, healthy lunches and little or no food after 4pm (if I was hungry I'd have low fat fish & steamed veg). It worked really well for a few weeks and the weight came off, but I stuck at a stone. I took a bit of time off it, then we moved office base and I lost access to a greengrocer to buy my healthy lunches. The weight didn't go back on immediately, and even after 3 weeks of holiday followed by Christmas I hadn't gained any... but since new year I've regained what I lost plus another 3lb or so.
I can't do what I did a year ago because of being isolated in a business park and often not having time to take a proper lunch break, so I've been considering DC for a week or so, and after finding this site with some very positive (and independent) reviews, have decided to give it a try. Though it seems expensive, it's not as bad as it sounds when I consider the £3 I can spend on a sandwich at lunchtime (from a shop that refuses to offer anything appealing but healthy).
I've chosen a wide range of meals, so if I hate one, I'm not stuck with loads. What seems good is that it looks to be quite low in carbs, so I plan to NOT add any carbs to the meals. I'm also thinking of swapping my meals around, so eating the larger meal at lunchtime and having the soup and perhaps the snack or fruit at teatime.
I would like to lose 4 stone, and have a mini target of getting as much as is healthy off before a holiday in a month. I'm hoping that I could be well on my way to my ultimate goal by the end of the year.
For those, like me, who can't have milk.... I make porridge with water, so there's enough there for me to choose from.... as long as I can retrain myself to start eating breakfast!
This is the first time I've ever bought into any diet programme, as I have some issues with the contents of meal replacement products and the "public humilation" ethos behind weight-loss clubs just isn't my scene.... that's not meant to sound critical of the approach, I think this does work exceptionally well for some, it's just not for me.
Diet programmes, such as Celebrity Slim and Slimfast (and many more it seems) are based largely on milkshake meal replacements. I can't have milk and hate chocolate... so the shakes and bars are out. I also have my doubts about the effectiveness of just replacing a meal with something distinctly snacky and still having to calorie count any remaining meals anyway (I just can't be bothered with the obsessive weighing & measuring). These plans also seem very expensive for what you get.
I lost a stone last year under my own steam by limiting fats, carbs and eating large, healthy lunches and little or no food after 4pm (if I was hungry I'd have low fat fish & steamed veg). It worked really well for a few weeks and the weight came off, but I stuck at a stone. I took a bit of time off it, then we moved office base and I lost access to a greengrocer to buy my healthy lunches. The weight didn't go back on immediately, and even after 3 weeks of holiday followed by Christmas I hadn't gained any... but since new year I've regained what I lost plus another 3lb or so.
I can't do what I did a year ago because of being isolated in a business park and often not having time to take a proper lunch break, so I've been considering DC for a week or so, and after finding this site with some very positive (and independent) reviews, have decided to give it a try. Though it seems expensive, it's not as bad as it sounds when I consider the £3 I can spend on a sandwich at lunchtime (from a shop that refuses to offer anything appealing but healthy).
I've chosen a wide range of meals, so if I hate one, I'm not stuck with loads. What seems good is that it looks to be quite low in carbs, so I plan to NOT add any carbs to the meals. I'm also thinking of swapping my meals around, so eating the larger meal at lunchtime and having the soup and perhaps the snack or fruit at teatime.
I would like to lose 4 stone, and have a mini target of getting as much as is healthy off before a holiday in a month. I'm hoping that I could be well on my way to my ultimate goal by the end of the year.
For those, like me, who can't have milk.... I make porridge with water, so there's enough there for me to choose from.... as long as I can retrain myself to start eating breakfast!
Last edited:
Dione
Nearly a yummy Mummy
Thank you. yes CD is the cambridge diet. It worked for me in the past ( i lost 3 stone) and it is working again now ( i gained 1 stone due to being a complete pig and not maintaining. I was eating complete crap lol)
My problem is portions of food and also convieniance. I hold a full time job, My hubby works away a lot and i have to see to 2 kids and a dog whilst also trying to keep a house....god just writing that has stressed me out lol
Therefore i will shove chips in theoven once the kids are in bed coz its easier. This is where i fall. As DC is microwave meals and small portions i think it may work. I will finish CD 1st tehn see how i go from there
Thanks for your advice xxx
Shell_Wigan
Member
Thanks for all your advice
I've emailed Diet Chef politely asking if they would consider a discount if my partner and I started the diet at the same time...hopefully they'll offer something!
I know that alot of the meals are made by Look What We Found and they are about £2.50 - £2.80 each in the supermarket and the soups are £1.30 - £1.80 each. The Nakd bars are £1.99 for 4 so that would be about £5.00 in total without breakfast so with Diet Chef you probably save a little bit of money and get free delivery. Also the supermarket don't stock many choices so the amount of variety is another plus for Diet Chef
I can't believe how much everyone is losing on this diet! I can't wait to give it a try!
Let me know if you manage to get a discount. Fingers crossed
Shell_Wigan
Member
Have you not got any of the granola? You can eat that dry or with fruit or with yogurt although not sure if you can have yogurt with you not being able to have milk?? Its really delicious!!
Also I did the same thing with buying a wide rang of meals and now I know my faves, the pea and ham soup is lovely and so is the sausage casserole. They seem to be bringing out new meals all of the time, the macaronni and risotto werent available 3 weeks ago when I got the meals but I have ordered them for the next time (arrives 16th cant wait)!
This diet sounds ideal for you, anyone with a busy lifestyle I think this is ideal for. I am usually finding it hard by this point and this is the first diet that I havent, and it works
Good luck!!!
xx
Let me know if you manage to get a discount. Fingers crossed
Hi they only offered me a 5% discount off two hampers and that's just for the first month
I think the best thing to do would be set up two separate accounts and use a 'refer a friend' code for the first, I can then refer my partner to get the voucher for me and the discount on his hamper
Its a shame they couldn't do any better on the discount, £20 off a £400 order is a bit rubbish really.
Shell,
I can have yoghurt, and do occasionally, so I've ordered a couple of granolas to try and the rest in porridge. On the rare occasions I eat rabbit food (sorry, muesli), I have fruit juice with it, but never fancied it with sweeter cereals.
I'm on holiday on the 5th week of my first order (and taking a week off for the all-inc trip), I assume I can opt to delay my next hamper by a week or so.
I can have yoghurt, and do occasionally, so I've ordered a couple of granolas to try and the rest in porridge. On the rare occasions I eat rabbit food (sorry, muesli), I have fruit juice with it, but never fancied it with sweeter cereals.
I'm on holiday on the 5th week of my first order (and taking a week off for the all-inc trip), I assume I can opt to delay my next hamper by a week or so.
Hamper arrived yesterday morning. I haven't started yet, and I admit to having a bit of a silly weekend, eating various things I know I won't be having again for some time.
One of the great things about this diet is that Sunday dinners won't be too difficult (we go to my parents' every week). I'll take one of my main meals with me and I've asked Mum to make sure none of the veg are cooked with oils and not to provide any of the bad puddings I love (like things with toffee). Resisting the roasties might be tough, but I think I can manage that, and I'll have fruit to finish.
Mum will probably take advantage of the good excuse to have fruit salads or strawberries for dessert instead.
I've estimated that, even with the holiday in July, I could realistically be down to about 9st 9lb by the time of our big holiday to Goa in December, which is lighter than I was before I became ill and my weight piled on about 10 years ago.
I'll take December off for the holiday and Christmas (during which time I kept the lost weight off last year), and I'll restart in January to try to get a bit closer to 9st.
Because of the simplicity of this way of feeding, if it hasn't proved significantly more expensive than eating "real" food, I may continue with it in a less strict way beyond my goal, in order to help maintain it, as it seems to provide a perfect solution to the problem of eating healthily at work with one expensive and unhealthy butty bar on site (and me too lazy/rushed to organise food to take with me).
Since my initial success last year at cutting back on food in the evening and limiting carbs & fats, I haven't generally eaten a full meal in the evening, so continuing with a diet chef meal at lunch and soup/snack for tea would likely suffice.
I just love that this diet provides ALL you need for a calorie counted meal AND seems low in carbs, which seem to be my downfall (I suspect a "normal" intake of carbs is far too much for my level of activity). The fact that you buy the whole lot, and is a significant outlay, should help boost willpower, otherwise it's £190 down the drain.
One of the great things about this diet is that Sunday dinners won't be too difficult (we go to my parents' every week). I'll take one of my main meals with me and I've asked Mum to make sure none of the veg are cooked with oils and not to provide any of the bad puddings I love (like things with toffee). Resisting the roasties might be tough, but I think I can manage that, and I'll have fruit to finish.
Mum will probably take advantage of the good excuse to have fruit salads or strawberries for dessert instead.
I've estimated that, even with the holiday in July, I could realistically be down to about 9st 9lb by the time of our big holiday to Goa in December, which is lighter than I was before I became ill and my weight piled on about 10 years ago.
I'll take December off for the holiday and Christmas (during which time I kept the lost weight off last year), and I'll restart in January to try to get a bit closer to 9st.
Because of the simplicity of this way of feeding, if it hasn't proved significantly more expensive than eating "real" food, I may continue with it in a less strict way beyond my goal, in order to help maintain it, as it seems to provide a perfect solution to the problem of eating healthily at work with one expensive and unhealthy butty bar on site (and me too lazy/rushed to organise food to take with me).
Since my initial success last year at cutting back on food in the evening and limiting carbs & fats, I haven't generally eaten a full meal in the evening, so continuing with a diet chef meal at lunch and soup/snack for tea would likely suffice.
I just love that this diet provides ALL you need for a calorie counted meal AND seems low in carbs, which seem to be my downfall (I suspect a "normal" intake of carbs is far too much for my level of activity). The fact that you buy the whole lot, and is a significant outlay, should help boost willpower, otherwise it's £190 down the drain.
I'm a bit confused about the diet, I used the personal planner and it recommends I have the 1500 cal package but I only get to have 100 cals a day on top. The sample menu on the website shows fruit, veg and milk but not the bread you can have with lunch or rice/pasta with dinner. Does this mean that the carbs have to come out of my 100 cals a day or is this already included in my 1500? I hope its included or I won't be allowed any carbs with dinner as these are 200 cals per portion
Shell_Wigan
Member
I'm a bit confused about the diet, I used the personal planner and it recommends I have the 1500 cal package but I only get to have 100 cals a day on top. The sample menu on the website shows fruit, veg and milk but not the bread you can have with lunch or rice/pasta with dinner. Does this mean that the carbs have to come out of my 100 cals a day or is this already included in my 1500? I hope its included or I won't be allowed any carbs with dinner as these are 200 cals per portion
Not sure about this, if I were you I would ring the Diet Chef helpline, they are great with any questions etc. I am on the 1200 cals plan but dont tend to eat many carbs anyway, sometimes add some noodles or rice but thats about it
Wrinkly
Recovering chocoholic.
I am on 1200 plan too, It is hard to understand but I log my diet on Food Focus, Food Focus - Permanent Weight Loss this way I know how many calories I'm actually eating each day.
Shell_Wigan
Member
Thats a great idea that site Wrinkly!!
Has anyone been on the DC site lately? A few new meals lasagne, risotto and macaroni cheese. I get my new pack on Weds, cant wait yummm xx
Has anyone been on the DC site lately? A few new meals
lasagne, risotto and macaroni cheese. I get my new pack on Weds, cant wait yummm xx
End of day one! I got to work and prepared the apple & Cinnamon porridge, and got called away... so I had cold porridge! Tasted good, though.
Paella for lunch. Smelled a bit of cat food, but tasted nice. Potato & Coconut soup & ginger oat bar for tea.
All were really nice, especially the Ginger bar. I admit, I'm a little hungry. I did forget my sweetener, so had to have 1 sugar in my coffee this morning, and have had a bottle of beer this eve.
Have to say, it's the first time I've ever dieted and actually looked forward to my food!
Paella for lunch. Smelled a bit of cat food, but tasted nice. Potato & Coconut soup & ginger oat bar for tea.
All were really nice, especially the Ginger bar. I admit, I'm a little hungry. I did forget my sweetener, so had to have 1 sugar in my coffee this morning, and have had a bottle of beer this eve.
Have to say, it's the first time I've ever dieted and actually looked forward to my food!
ShweetThang
Full Member
Does anyone get put off the smell of the food when it comes out of the packet?
When I had my first main meal I almost gagged and it always makes me hold my breath.
That said, it generally tastes good and i'm impressed by the list of good ingredients.
I wonder if its just me with the smell
What are everyones losses like?
When I had my first main meal I almost gagged and it always makes me hold my breath.
That said, it generally tastes good and i'm impressed by the list of good ingredients.
I wonder if its just me with the smell
What are everyones losses like?
MrsT2B, I believe the 1500 diet has an extra shake per day included, and you are just boosting this a little with the additional recommended extras.
I agree, Wrinkly, the Macaroni Cheese is LOVELY... not like packet food at all... really rich cheese sauce.
The only dish I noticed that smelled a bit ropey was the paella, which smelled of cat food when I opened it, but it actually tasted pretty good.
Been on the diet 3 days now, I've liked everything so far except the pork meatballs... not that there was anything wrong with them, though they did taste a little sweet... but my main problem was not knowing in advance that it contained butterbeans, which I hate! If you like them, I'm sure it'll be fine.
The soups have been good so far (Tomato, Sweet Potato & Coconut and Butternut Squash)... perhaps my least favourite of these was the tomato, perhaps because I was comparing it to cream of tomato.
One word of warning, the "tear off" bit is usually covered by the label, which makes it difficult/impossible to safely tear.... I now have a splat-shaped red scald on my arm from yesterday's tomato soup!
So far I've just had the vanilla and the apple & cinnamon porridges for breakfast.... eating these at work, so still finding I don't get to eat it hot, but nice all the same.
The snacks have all been lovely, have tried the ginger bar, ginger oat cakes (nice & filling) & cheese snacks. Both ginger snacks have been really well flavoured.
As far as weight-loss goes, 3lb in 3 days... so looking good so far (and that's with a wee bit of cheating first 2 days).
I didn't have any fruit or veg in until today, so was a little hungry (but not starving).
I agree, Wrinkly, the Macaroni Cheese is LOVELY... not like packet food at all... really rich cheese sauce.
The only dish I noticed that smelled a bit ropey was the paella, which smelled of cat food when I opened it, but it actually tasted pretty good.
Been on the diet 3 days now, I've liked everything so far except the pork meatballs... not that there was anything wrong with them, though they did taste a little sweet... but my main problem was not knowing in advance that it contained butterbeans, which I hate! If you like them, I'm sure it'll be fine.
The soups have been good so far (Tomato, Sweet Potato & Coconut and Butternut Squash)... perhaps my least favourite of these was the tomato, perhaps because I was comparing it to cream of tomato.
One word of warning, the "tear off" bit is usually covered by the label, which makes it difficult/impossible to safely tear.... I now have a splat-shaped red scald on my arm from yesterday's tomato soup!
So far I've just had the vanilla and the apple & cinnamon porridges for breakfast.... eating these at work, so still finding I don't get to eat it hot, but nice all the same.
The snacks have all been lovely, have tried the ginger bar, ginger oat cakes (nice & filling) & cheese snacks. Both ginger snacks have been really well flavoured.
As far as weight-loss goes, 3lb in 3 days... so looking good so far (and that's with a wee bit of cheating first 2 days).
I didn't have any fruit or veg in until today, so was a little hungry (but not starving).
Similar threads
