Week 3

Well that's another week done and i still can't believe how easy this is!

I've had a hectic week at work - secondary schools are SO busy at this time of year! It's been great not having to think about food and I'm genuinely not hungry.

Had to make a decision last night. I was going to a 60th Birthday Party. Not having alcohol doesn't bother me because I drive 95% of the time. However, I decided that I would have some food from the buffet. Everyone on the minimins site says not to break the diet at all as it is harder to get back on. I guess that's the case for a lot of people and I was a bit worried that it might be the case for me too. However, I really want this diet to become PART of my life for the nexy few months NOT become my whole life. So i decided that I would try eating then getting back to SS next day..... no problem !!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't hsve a really full social diary so this isn't going to be a major issue - maybe a meal out once a month at most. Glad that I was able to make it work for me.

WEIGHT LOSS THIS WEEK 4LBS
STARTING WEIGHT 18ST 7 LBS
CURRENT WEIGHT 17ST 1 LB
LOSS (3 WEEKS) 20LBS

Week 2

Week 2 finished with no problems. I can't believe how easy I am finding this - Cambridge diet has become part of my routine now.

The minimins site www.minimins.com has been a great help - for inspiration, no-nonsense and honest advice and I log on every night. This week I suffered from constipation (felt like I was giving birth!) but I got some great advice about adding psyllium husks to foods to avoid this.

It's interesting how you learn things about yourself though. Last Sunday I was on the phone to my sister (middle one). My two sisters struggle a bit with their weight but probably have 2 -3 stone to lose (compared to my 7 - 8). Anyway, I told her about starting the Cambridge Diet and how well I'd done in 1st week. She was very encouraging - she's rejoined a slimming club. My younger sister is getting married in September so that's a good target for us. During the conversation my sister said, quite innocently,
"I'd better stick to my diet then because I don't want to be the fat one between us"
It was said with NO malice and she wasn't joking ...................... but it certainly made me think about how other people saw me. Funnily enough - it didn't upset me at all - maybe because I've started to see things differently myself!

I haven't encountered any negativity about being on this extreme diet. It's not a secret if it comes up in conversation I'm quite open about it. I feel great. I have so much energy and don't sit around in the armchair all night now. When I reintroduce foods into my diet I will need to look carefully at what I eat and how this affects my energy as well as my weight. Last week I went to see my Cambridge counsellor and I told her that the biggest motivation for me was the energy that I now had - even more so than the weight loss!

I've lost 16lb in 2 weeks. Soon I'll need to buy new clothes for work. This week I had to buy knickers because mine were falling down lol !!! I also put a necklace on this morning and was delighted that it didn't choke me anymore - I always had to buy longer chains because of my fat neck!

WEIGHT LOSS THIS WEEK 4LBS
STARTING WEIGHT 18ST 7LBS
WEIGHT AFTER 2 WEEKS 17ST 5LBS
TOTAL LOSS 16LBS

Week 1

Started Cambridge Diet on Sunday 7th January. Here's how it went ...
Day 1
Okay really. Had a shake in the morning - wasn't the best I've ever tasted but ok lol. Realised later that I should have put in more water cos I'm not a lover of thick drinks. Found the smell of the foods a bit off putting but nothing that I wouldn't get used to.

Day 2
Sheer Hell !!!! All day I fought waves of nausea. It was my first day back at work too and I needed to be able to give that 100%. At lunchtime I opened the bar and the smell just hit me. I ran to the loo to compose myself. Struggled to force myself to 'eat'.
Real emotional battle - if i give up on day 2 then that's it .... I'll never try Cambridge again ! I'd feel such a failure too.
Went on to the minimins site. Everyone assured me that it shouldn't last more than a couple of days and suggested using a spray breathfreshner to help AND drink load of water (which I do anyway).
Went to bed feeling awful.

Day 3 - 7
Can't believe how brilliant I feel. I have so much energy. Starting to realise how sluggish I'd become.
Established a routine that suits me.

• Don't have anything to eat until lunchtime. I'm not a morning person and prefer extra 15 mins in bed instead of breakfast. Drink water - 2 litres before middle of the day.
• can't eat a full bar at lunch - it's too much !!!!!!!! Have about half or two thirds. Eat the rest on my car journey home (eases the boredom).
• Make daughter's tea and my shake. Have it with lots of ice. Discovered i love choc mint and toffee/Walnut but hate Fruits of Forest.
• Soup for supper. Also drink lots of water throughout evening - with lots of ice which I also love to suck at !
• Love going on the minimins site. Everyone so helpful and it is so inspiring! I've also found out that I work 2 miles from another member doing CD and we are going to meet up next week.

AND GUESS WHAT ....................... I LOST 12LBS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now 17st 9lbs !!!!!! I am out of the 18s and never going back

A Little Background Info !

A week ago I decided to embark on the Cambridge Diet - why?

I've always said that my weight didn't bother me .... even although I'm 5'4" and 18st7lbs !

• I have a successful career - my weight has never held me back. I'm Depute Headteacher in a school of 1000 pupils.
• I can buy nice clothes ( in Evans etc) and think that I have a nice appearance.
• I have lots of friends and my weight isn't an issue for them.
• I've been a single parent since my two kids were 7 and 8 years old and my weight has never hindered me. They are now 17 and 18 years old and the biggest achievement of my life !!!!!!!!
• I have a hectic lifestyle and I am happy.

So why change .... and why Cambridge Diet ?

Well ........... over the years I've tried lots of different diets, clubs etc (usually to lose weight for a special event or holiday. My attempts have been half - hearted, I admit - most I lost was 2 stone (and I was breastfeeding at the time). Meanwhile, I probably put on about half a stone every year. I read an article by Michelle McManus who said she had 'inverse anorexia' and never saw her real size when she looked in the mirror. That's me .... but I can't remember when I last looked in a full length mirror !

In October I was ill - not caused by my weight. I had a chest infection but thought it was a viral cough and soldiered on. It had triggered an asthma attack but I didn't realise this because I hadn't had asthma since I was about 10 years old ! I ended up in real trouble - steroids, antibiotics and a month of work ...... that scared me ...... WAKE UP CALL !!!!!!! I'd heard of people having heart attacks in their 40s and dropping dead .... I needed to do something about getting healthy and fit ........... starting with my weight.

So why Cambridge ? Well .... I'd tried most others. Problem was that I took the best bits out of each eg.

• I'd eat a couple of slices of turkey ham every time I opened the fridge - unlimited meat (Slimmimg World)
• I'd have maltesers or milky way or fudge as treats (points, checks .. whatever)
• I love fish, fruit, veg, chicken, pasta, wholemeal bread ... but I also love butter, crisps, cakes, biscuits - I ate all the healthy food but didn't cut down on the others.

This time I needed to start anew. I needed to embark on a programme that would retrain me. I knew that it had to be something that I hadn't tried before - so that I was starting from the beginning, assuming nothing and thinking about what I needed to change in my life. Also, I needed to believe that it would work - ie no history of failure. Given that I needed to lose at least 7 stones to get to a healthy BMI - something fast would be better to start with. In the past one of the problems with other clubs was that losing 1lb didn't really motivate me, particularly when I wouldn't even lose that every week.

I researched VLCD, thought about my needs re counselling (I am reflective so didn't feel I needed a massive therapeutic input) and decided to try Cambridge Diet.

This blog will be a sharing of my adventure - I'm sure it will be eventful!