First (and only!) Cambridge Journey

d1985

Full Member
I am not one for writing blogs as I struggle to commit but as I do not want to bore my husband any further and don't really have anyone who understands this plan, I feel this is the place to obsess!

I have been on the CWP 100% SS for 7 days now, weigh in is not until tonight so I don't know the exact impact yet but at my last sneak peek yesterday morning it was 5lbs, hoping the extra two days will boost that rapidly. I do not like evening WIs so I will weigh myself Tuesday morn(as I did last week) for a record I trust. My scales are reliable as they are from when I was a WW leader ( more about that later!) and are worth over £1000 - thankfully I didn't have to buy them!

So, my stats as I cannot create my profile yet:

I am female, aged 27. 5'6 and start weight was 13 stone 5.

My weight story:

I was always 'chubby', at times just plain fat but when I lost my puppy fat I was never skinny. I am a typical pear shape like my mother which I balance out with bras that make you look two sizes bigger ;). When I turned 17 I fell pregnant with my son and ate like a PIG plus I really did not know the 'value' of food I.e what was good, bad or horrendous for fattening me up! When I had my son at 18, I joined Weight Watchers as soon as I could and went, over 18 months from a size 22 to a size 14 before playing around for several years with the same 14lbs. In 2011 I joined a new meeting, successfully hit my lowest weight to date again 10st5, and trained to be a leader. Being a leader didn't work well for me, it was not financially beneficial as I only had one meeting( we couldn't just set up new ones as we wished). I started putting weight on as I was not being monitored as regularly and as the meeting was at tea time and 40 minutes drive away we always got drive thru on the way home!! I left as my heart wasn't in it- I felt too detached from the community I was working in and felt a fraud as I was putting weight on. I had a teaching job lined up for the September and did not fancy working a full day and then facing the long drive and meeting so I packed it in. As I began teaching full-time, I could no longer make 'my' meeting that I had been successful in before and over the last two years I have gradually got up to over 13 stone - and at times did not even care. Until recently. At the back end of the 12s my clothes stopped fitting, I refuse to buy anymore apart from one pair of jeans for decencys sake! I have lots of lovely slim clothes to fit back into!

How I discovered CWP:
Last year a man at work was doing CWP and lost a considerable amount from his face and tummy. I remember a discussion in the staff room from the WW/healthy eaters brigade as he left about how what he was doing wasn't healthy and didn't teach him anything. I listened and didn't comment but quietly agreed. And now I know I was WRONG! Recently I was chatting to him and he told me about his wife who is a Cambridge consultant. We talked more about the diet and I became quite excited by it, although a loyal WW'er for years I just cannot get my head back into it and felt disheartened that even starting in May would not get me in my slim summer clothes, I have only ever had 2 slim summers and I have loved them the most. When I was a teenager I lived in a light long coat in the summer and hated summer, I care less now, I like to feel the sun on my skin but this is much better when slimmer and confident! So I researched the CWP and after persuading my hubby made an appointment with the first consultant that could see me.

My Week One:

The first 3 days were difficult but made easier I was off work poorly anyway so could take it really easy. I spent most of my time on these forums learning and also researching about the ingredients etc. Day one I struggled with apple & cinnamon porridge, oriental chilli soup and choc orange shake. I didn't like any of them and worried I would not be able to do the plan. On day two I had a strawberry shake which tasted to me like Angel Delight which I love and I discovered the cappuccino shake - oh my I can happily live on that alone, when blended with ice it is like one of my fave treats - costa iced vanilla latte! I will always have a supply of these even when I am maintaining (successfully!). I tried the porridge again and concluded its not for me, swapped them for more shakes with my CWPC. I will be sticking with shakes (until I can have bars!) but will try 1 or 2 other soups that I have not yet had. On day 3 I had to go into town and felt really weak and wobbly but managed to resist KFC that hubby and son had, this day i realised how food was EVERYWHERE! On day 5 we visited a retail park and with careful timing I did not feel weak. I have learned a lot about my energy levels and how to have my shakes strategically. Does anyone else feel particularly weak after about 3-4hours?

I presume I am in Ketosis now. Struggle with the water but think I am in a routine now, I swig 250ml every 45 mins or so. I would like to stay on SS as long as I can manage, I initially thought 2 weeks then SS+ but I cannot decide if that's too soon. Yet on the other hand I struggle to sleep as my tummy is so gurgly at night and I wonder if the food would help that - or will it go away if I stick at SS longer!?

My plan:

I would like to see the 9 stones for the first time since I was a child! I don't yet know which steps will occur and when. To maintain I would like to use My Fitness Pal calorie count/ weight record app(brilliant) OR do ww maintenance( I have never done this as never got to ultimate weight).

Negative comments:

There haven't been many, but then not a lot of people know the details of my diet. My husbands friend (at a BBQ yesterday) told my husband he's done VLCDs before and you put it all back on when you stop. WELL DUHHH! "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got". But this is a massive investment for me and not one I intend to ruin at goal!

The cost:

It is quite expensive lets face it, but as a family we could easily blow £100 in a week eating out - vices being Frankie and Benny's and Subway. Not to mention junk food nearly every night from the local shop and wine, Malibu etc. The cost gives me an extra incentive to do things right.

And that is it from me for now. Hope this is of some use to someone! I would love to hear from someone who has/had similar stats to me!

Di X
 
First weigh-in yesterday, lost 5lbs on CWPC scales and an inch off my waist. I weighed on my ex-WW scales this morning and it says a loss of 6lbs which I prefer ;) I do think a morning weigh-in is more accurate so I think I will use that as my main weight as long as the weight losses are similar to her scales. I wish I had lost more but I'm still on track for my stone a month and hoping my previous dieting track record of bigger losses in week two will happen on Cambridge too!

After a week on SS, I have decided to mix in some SS+ as and when I need it. I had a post-weigh in chicken salad in line with SS+ and for the first time went to bed not feeling hungry and slept better. I didn't feel hungry when I woke either :). I am still reluctant to go SS+ at this early stage when my loss wasn't all that big either but it may help alleviate my night time gurgly tummy and physical weakness I get an hour before I am due a shake. I will just play it by ear for now.

X
 
Day 10 today and my hardest day so far in terms of will power and energy. My hubby took me and my son for a shopping day which was lovely apart from I realised that a shopping day is not half as fun without a nice lunch and coffee break! Even worse when I do not want to buy any new clothes!

Before going out I dutifully prepared my water and shaker to go in my bag which reminds me of how organised you have to be when you have a baby! As we were walking a lot we stopped off at a coffee shop for lunch and I decided I would have a SS+ day as I was flagging in energy. Unfortunately they couldn't meet my requests for a plain tuna or chicken salad (!) so I just had my shake and water while my hubby and son tucked into real food! Today stayed a SS day due to this which is fine now but wasn't great at the time!

We also visited an American food shop which has a HUGE range so my hubby bought my fave choc pretzels to hide for when we go away and I come off plan for a day!! Sooo difficult so many times today. To top the day off they got dominos pizza for tea!! I don't begrudge them at all and try hard not to show any jealousy as I don't think it's fair on them, I stand by my choice and I knew there'd be times like this. Did feel dismayed in mirrors seeing myself not slim yet still so starving!!

On the bright side I got lots of 'Lush' stuff, a cardigan, some sandals and a scarf - things that will be ok still when I am slim!

WHEN I am slim ;)
 
Hi good luck Hun! You did well not diving on that pizza! Pubs can be a nightmare ESP if there chains! It's ridiculous really, but if it's not on there computerised cash register then 'computer cash register says no!' :)
 
You are doing so well!!!! That's brilliant.

I have to admit that I waivered a bit around day 10-12 and found them the hardest. And I also had an SS+ day in there, which was planned and I loved it :)

I'm a few days into week 3 now and in finding it a lot easier to deal with now. I've stuck to plan 100% and am reaping the benefits of more energy and a general feeling of increased well being. I feel great!

I, too, have a wardrobe of skinny summer clothes (well size 16, so maybe not totally skinny lol) and I was a size 20 when I started. Slowly getting towards the size 18 and hopefully by end July, ill be into my size 16's. once I go below that, I have to start buying clothes (hubby has promised me £5 per lb I lose so I can buy a whole new wardrobe). Its a great incentive and I also know I should have a good amount 'saved' by then and be able to get a new winter wardrobe :)

I wish you well for this coming week and once you have your next weigh in it should be a lot easier. I'm so delighted for you that you resisted the pizza and KFC. The smell would drive you insane!!!!! Lol
Cheryl x

 
Hi there. After reading your entries I found there were so many things that I could relate to. I am about halfway to my goal (need to lose 9 stone!) but have done a VLCD before. I had been a WW advocate before that, always believing in the 'healthy' way of losing weight and thinking that VLCDs weren't. Everybody always has their views on this diet and usually aren't shy about letting you know. But as you mentioned if you go back to the way you were eating that made you put on weight in the first place it will always go back on, that is regardless of what diet you have chosen to do. I wish you luck in your journey!
 
I hope you dont mind if I call you WW, RR And LPD as its easier on my phone! Thank you for your kind messages. I had a very busy day again today shopping in York, I may sound like a lady that lunches but I'm not! My husband is self employed so when he gets a chunk of cash we have a splash out and as its half term I took full advantage :-D. I had a turkey salad from Subway at lunch time and had my shake from a Subway cup so walked around feeling like I was having a treat. This really helped and I did not feel weak at any point so I'm glad I did it. I cannot wait to go back to York in August, I should be at my target weight and we will have another lump sum so lots of new small clothes! Do you find you don't mind not clothes shopping as you know when you are slim you will have a better experience? I did buy a shirt today that was too tight, on purpose, it should fit in about 6 weeks but it can be tailored easily to be smaller so that's a brilliant incentive for me, I had to buy it now as the shop doesn't order the same styles in twice. It cost WAY more than I'd usually pay for a blouse/shirt but if you look at the photo I've attached you can make out the 'holes' it has to run the scarf through and I can put any scarf in - I HAD to have it! I look at it as an investment, with clothes I have always tried to got for quality and longevity when I can afford to :)

When I am back at work next week I am hoping I can manage on just SS and hoping those benefits will kick in but for me sadly without the SS+ meal so far I have had no real reward from Ketosis. I never had any energy burst, however when I am hungry it hasn't tempted me to food so perhaps that's my benefit!

LPD - we become quite brainwashed as weight watchers, thinking we are holier than though!! I know there will be dieters snobbery if it gets out at work about my CD but I will happily get on with it while they spend months and years chasing goal and getting complacent as it takes too long (*****y?!?!)!

On SS+ days I quite positively LOVE this diet, I hope that the same experience can kick in for SS, perhaps once I get my bars and can split them.

Roll on Monday weigh in and new CD treats :-D
 

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Second weigh in and I lost 2.5 ponds taking me upto 8.5 pounds off. I am quite happy as long as I lose roughly a stone a month and therefore I am not focusing too much on the weekly amounts but focusing on the bigger picture.

I have had 3 SS+ days this week and they have really kept me going, particularly on the occasions where there are so many temptations, a salad and a shake fills you enough to lose the 'want' reaction when you see other foods. Because of these SS+ days I have managed to stay 100% in the worst challenges!

I was so excited to get my bars and water flavouring!I have the sunshine orange and I find it a million times easier drinking my water with that in, I have always opted for squash over anything else so this brings a little normality back for me! I have mixed berry on order too to mix things up. I also bought the shaker, it was only £4 and a lot more discreet than my husbands maximuscle ones!

I have had a lemon bar and it was nice but not what i expected! I have got one of each flavour bar to try this week so I can determine my favourites. I was quite concerned that a bar wouldn't fill me but they are quite heavy and I imagine they expand with the extra water you drink if you have a bar.

I may take this back, but I think maybe the first two weeks are the most difficult...(!) the lack of 'juice' makes water a chore and making shakes on the go is not the most convenient, now at least I can take bars! Watching emmerdale with a bar and juice was amazing! I am going to pick up some sparkling water and have fizzy orange too, more treats! The versatility is starting to creep in now!

It's crazy how excited I am about the 'small' things on this diet! Keeps me going though!

I gotta be honest, i don't feel slimmer and I won't feel better until I've lost about 20 pounds and fit comfortably into my old clothes but I know I am getting closer and a lot faster than I thought possible and I am in it for the long (short) haul!

Hope you are all getting on ok! Sun is amazing, roll on 6 week holidays!!!

Today's weight - 12 st 10
Size - loose 16 ( my old clothes are mostly sz 14, and a few size 12s from my slimmest)
 
You sound fantastic and 'in the zone'. I love it when that happens. I have never been one for the water flavoring but I read somewhere on here that you can mix it with the mousse stuff and have jelly? Sounds like a gorgeous treat if we ever really have a summer?
 
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I guess I am right now, I have about 5 days I will be off plan over the remaining 10 weeks, some will be more in line with an 810/1000 cal step and others won't be! I am focusing on these days and gathering treats for those occasions that I have made my husband hide! I am also prepared for staying on plan over some of these days if it comes to it and I don't want to break plan. The water flavourings are quite sweet but I much prefer that my mouth has a fresher taste than water leaves me with.

I had my first SS+ milk day, first cuppa in two weeks ahh! Not sure if I really need the 4th product though.
 
I stuck with 3 products yesterday, enjoyed my cuppas :)

I put on my work trousers this morning after nearly 2 weeks and they are loose, a few weeks ago I was picking my tops strategically as they were so tight you could see every unwelcome curve around my belly. My first real moment of feeling my weight loss :)

Bars so far:
Lemon meringue - yay
Peanut - nay
Cranberry - yay ish
Malt toffee - hell yay

Malt Toffee bar at lunch, a Cadbury Fudge-ish Mars Bar-y substitute. Nice :)

Today was my first SS+ day of my week, mixed tuna with cottage cheese and salad. It seems like so much food now, have I finally been re-wired?!? I'm quite proud as I've never dared try cottage cheese before (looks dodgy!) but it was a good mayo substitute!

Drinking a lovely drink tonight - sparkling water with sunshine orange flavour! Tastes like diet lemonade, guess its the sweetener in it. Waters going down much easier this week with the intro of cups of tea, flavouring water and sparkling water :)
 
Just a quick entry today as I am at work (breaktime!). Four weeks ago I wore my blazer to an interview and my arms hurt as it was so tight! By the end of the day my fake tan had rubbed off in a line where the sleeve has been tight (upper arm) and it was very sore! so three weeks into cambridge(weigh in tonight!) I am wearing my blazer again today and although it is a snug fit on my arms it is not digging in at all and I have only just realised this 'Non Scales Victory!'. What are your NSV's today??!!
 
Hi D1985,


I have just caught up on your story so far. It looks like we both started around the same time. Your positivity is also in line with mine :)

The only other diet that I have ever really dabbled in was WW but I never gave it enough to get the results I wanted, I found the weekly allowances way too easy to go over board on which ultimately ruined everything. In the grand scheme of things I don't have masses of weight to lose so my losses on WW were minimal and it felt like a really long process that was never ending. With Cambridge I can see an end to my weight loss journey and a start to my life long maintenance which having just completed my third week seems insane that I can already see it!

Any way, well done on your losses so far and your positivity. I have my third weigh in at 4pm today hoping to get to that first stone off mark :) another stone after that and I will be on my way to maintenance!

How long do you think you will stick to SS/SS+? I had in my head that I want to SS for four weeks (after the first week I thought I would be lucky to get to 2) but I have two work dinners this week so can't be 100% but now i think that unless I have an unavoidable situation which requires me to eat I will SS for as long as I need too!

I feel so in the zone, I very rarely get hungry now and I am starting to think less about food - although I do think a lot about the foods I will eat when I move off SS and up the steps :)

Good luck with the rest of your journey and I will keep an eye out for your updates!

Starting Weight: 11st 7lb. Week 1 WI: -7lb (11st). Week 2 WI: -3lb (10st 10lb).
 
Hi Carly,

Its great to meet someone at the same stage as me! I will be very jealous (and very pleased for you!) if you get your stone already as I am heavier than you but don't expect to lose more than a few pounds this week - I'd love a surprise though HINT HINT to the weight loss gods ;). Let me know how your WI goes, mine is at 6!

I have found that it is easiest to take each day/week as it comes on this plan so initially I said SS for 2 weeks then SS+ but I had 3 SS+ meals in week 2 yet only 1 this week so I am just resigning myself to mixing these up, taking an SS+ day when needed and counting them as the same step. I plan to do SS/SS+ again through week 4 except I have 2 nights away at the end of week 4 which I have some planned 'time off' when I stay in a hotel with my family prior to a training course (its in Manchester on the Monday so we decided to make a weekend of it). I have not pre-booked breakfast for myself but I am planning to have one low carb (but full english!) breakfast and on the evening before we are planning a dominos at the drive in cinema we are going to. I will still take my products as I have a slight feeling I may not be able to bring myself to it! Or perhaps having a shake before will help me have minimal portions or stick with only foods that are part of 810. I do not know if I will move to 810 after this or stick with SS+, instinct tells me SS+ until I am at a weight I am more myself at but it can get kind of addictive can't it knowing how quick you can lose weight on SS/SS+ and the worry that moving up a step would slow it down.

I only really feel hard done to if I have to sit with my son and hubby eating takeaways e.g. sat next to a burger van on Sunday outside B&Q was a killer. But then I realised I wouldn't have got anything from there before as I wouldn't have known the propoints so it wasn't something I could actually miss really! I knew I was going to Manchester when I started the CWP and always planned to come off but as it gets closer I kind of don't want to break plan, but if I do I will get straight back on it.
 
I have just got back from my weigh in.... 5lb off sooo happy :) it certainly makes the hard work feel 100% worth it! I got my weight wrong last week though I was actually 10st11lb and today I weighed in at 10st6lb. I am officially the lightest I have been for some time!

My first weigh in was a week before I went on holiday in which time I managed to wrack up 3extra lbs but I didn't have another weigh in before I started so officially I haven't made it to the stone... But I know I have. Feels so good!

I totally agree it is nice to speak to someone at the same stage!

I am sure your planned days off will be just fine, it's one of those things that if you are in the right frame of mind you can go off plan and know you can get back on to it in no time! So enjoy your days off :)

I know what you mean about having to sit through the family eating naughty food! The worst time was on the Friday of my first week when my other half ate chip shop chips I was literally salivated and watching every bite... Just like a dog *cringe*, it was hard but afterwards I thought to myself that deliciousness would have lasted 10-15 mins and it would have taken a whole lot longer to stop punishing myself that I had eaten it. So the pros of not eating completely out weighed the cons and since then that is the way I have been looking at things, for the sake of half an hour it is just not worth it. I feel better and stronger every time I sit through someone eating and genuinely think this diet is setting me up for a healthier life better than WW ever did! I guess only time will tell!

I talked to my CC about my work lunch/dinner this week and she seemed confident that if I can stick to just one main per meal and go for salad dishes I will still be fine, weight loss next week may be a bit less but I will still get a loss, so now I am looking forward to Thursday rather than dreading it, which I was!

Keep me up to date on your weigh in today and GOOD LUCK!

Starting Weight: 11st 7lb. Week 1 WI: -7lb (11st). Week 2 WI: -3lb (10st 10lb).
 
Well done Carly, i am very jealous!!!!

Weigh in was 'only' 2lb off :( I am trying to be mindful of the bigger picture, 10lb in 3 weeks would never have happened on WW and if I lose roughly a stone a month then I'm happy really so just hoping for a better loss next week and know that big and small losses counteract each other for people on here usually. I have never been an easy loser but I think it's important to not get hung up on other people's losses from here and remember that this is excellent for ME!

Carly if you can have salad and meat you should be fine or maybe go up a few steps for those days? There'd still be a calorie deficit so you would still see a loss. I have been to a 2 for £10 pub tonight and was able to have my chicken salad as I asked so had chicken, no dressing, leaves, green pepper and cucumber with black pepper. I didn't feel particularly left out as I got sparkling water and added my water flavouring to it - I keep a small sealable camping salt shaker in my bag with flavouring for when I'm out and about so this was really handy as it was a last minute family meal. I am quite satisfied now and will have my shake for supper which I'm looking forward to :)

When are your work days Carly?
 
Hi!

Well done on your 2lb loss, like you say in the grand scheme of things it is a great loss and you may well make up for it in next weeks weigh in!

I am looking forward to food tomorrow now, it's annoying and I know my loss won't be special next week but thinking about life beyond Cambridge I will need to eat so I guess having a day off every now and then is good training for maintenance.

How has your week been so far?

Starting Weight: 11st 7lb. Week 1 WI: -7lb (11st). Week 2 WI: -3lb (10st 11lb). Week 3 WI: -5lb (10st 6lb).
 
2lbs off again this week :( Disappointed I haven't hit a stone in my first month :( does anyone else lose at a slower rate than what seems to be everyone else? CWPC has suggested introducing some exercise now. I have mixed SS and SS+ and been 100% on plan. Bit deflated, it definitely won't be worth paying £45 a week to lose 2lbs but I'm hoping it will continue at least averaging three a week. Planned 2 days off this coming weekend, that's keeping me going then straight back on plan. Not ready to write this diet off yet, as 12lb a month will be good enough, just not staggering *sigh*. Hopefully difficult off will mean difficult on and this weekend won't set me back to much....! X
 
Don't feel too disheartened, although I am sure I would feel the same way in your shoes.I don't want to try and give advice on how you SHOULD be feeling because that doesn't change the way you ARE feeling. Please feel free to moan at me about this stuff... I am sure I would be doing the same!

The scales are going in the right direction for you which is a huge positive! But I guess you aren't feeling that it isn't at the right pace which is understandable. I have had a couple of good weeks but I do feel that I am going to slow down in the coming weeks, I generally start retaining water up to two weeks before TOTM and I am starting to feel that all too familiar ache. I stepped on the scales this morning and it had shown a 1lb gain, I treated myself to a couple of boiled eggs last night so I am thinking that may be the cause (plus the imminent water retention) so no more treats for the week and hope that I have at least some sort of loss next week!

You must be really looking forward to your weekend away?! Are you planning to stay on plan at all or are you having a total break? Xx

Starting Weight: 11st 7lb. Week 1 WI: -7lb (11st). Week 2 WI: -3lb (10st 11lb). Week 3 WI: -5lb (10st 6lb). Week 4 WI: -3lb (10st3lb)
 
You diary really struck a cord with me. I too have lost 10lbs in three weeks and I keep looking at everyone else's loses and feel a bit rubbish. But you are definitely right that to achieve this weight loss on weight watchers would take waaaaay longer. and you would have to do lots of exercise, I'm currently doing zero!

Good luck with your journey!
 
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