Cambridge diet vs Slimming World vs Weightwatchers?

illgetthere

Hi, could anyone help. I am a 31yr old bloke. I work long days (15-18hrs) and need to lose weight.:o

Has anyone had experience of the 3 diets and are there any views of which is better?

I need to lose about 4/5 stone, no time frame though.

Not sure whether to go vlcd on cambridge to start, then move over to something else, or start on a 'normal diet' and lose weight slowly.

thanks in advance.....

miss_independent

Hi I can't comment on Cambridge, only Slimming World and Weight Watchers. Slimming World, my mum and I lost weight but I got into some bad eating habits such as eating syn free chips, massive portions of pasta and rice and a lot of tinned food like macaroni cheese and spaghetti - I chose to eat foods that weren't particularly helpful. Weight Watchers definitely worked for me, it's the only diet that has when I bother to stick to it as I don't feel deprived and find myself choosing healthier options. I prefer Monthly Pass, where you go to a face to face meeting and also have all the internet tools. If you join STAY for the meetings! If you don't like the leader's style, find one you do! At the moment though, if you join weight Watchers online through quidco then you can have all the online tools for £1 for three months which is a good deal. But honestly I prefer meetings as you know you are going to be weighed by someone else and are accountable to them. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Melaniep101

I'm on Cambridge at the moment (and have been on it in the past) and it's great for quick, motivational weightloss. It's not the easiest diet, if you start on their Sole Source programme, you just have 3/4 shakes/soups/bars a day although you can start on higher plans which incorporate small amounts of protein/veg.

If you need to lose the weight quickly, I would definately recommend Cambridge, as losing 2lb a week at WW was soul destroying for me. Personally, it was easier for me to totally take food out of my life, rather than weighing, measuring, counting points/syns etc.

If you do chose Cambridge, the key part is moving slowly up the plans at the end of the diet, so you don't end up piling the weight back on.

Hope that helps

Mel

soccermom

I've done all 3 slimming world for me wins hands down. I have lost 5 stone on that.

WW sick of counting points etc but they have switched their plan to be more along sw lines.

On Cambridge when I used to go to the toilet for a poo my blood pressure used to drop til I was on the verge of passing out very scary.

I am rejoining sw in the new year to continue my weightloss as overall it suits me better. sw dont allow the tin foods like macoroni cheese now, it has addressed that part of the plan

All plans work you just have to find the one that suits your life style best.

llh189

I started the original cambridge diet thread and have tried ww and sw too!

I lost about three stone over 3 months when I first did cambridge. I found it easy and the side effects easy to manage! BUT over two years I have put most of that weight back on. Slowly but surely it came back on. I tried the diet again about a year ago but just couldn't stick to it, and found it very hard.

I am afraid to say that everyone I know who has done cambridge including my counsellor has put the weight back on. Even with maintenance it is very very hard to go from no food to food and to control your portion sizes and your snacks.

In terms of ww and sw, both are good sw is probably better if you prefer meat or are happy to just eat veg and pasta!

I guess the old adage of eat less and do more is the answer, in a slow and steady way!

Calorie count online is good, you put in your weight and height etc it tells you how many calories to have a day and then you input your foods and it tracks your intake and your weight. Much like WW online but free. I personally can't afford classes even though I'd like to go for the support!

This year for me will be about slow and steady and about confidence, not necessary about being a size 12.

HTH

illgetthere

Thanks for the replies. I think i will go down the sw route. It allows me to eat still! i really dont want to yo-yo...

The replies have been really useful.

peirced_princess

I never tried the Cambride diet purely because I found it too expensive. ( I did however find a shake/soup/bar replacement diet called Slimmm which is similar, that was being sold on approved food for a few pound. I tried it for a couple of weeks, and lost some weight, but I missed food.
WW I didnt really like, and didnt like the way the group was held compared to SW ones,but some of my friends have had fantastic weight loss with it.
I joined SW today(again). I joined last year (end of september) and lost 3 stone by xmas. I left due to moving house and jobs, and ended up putting 2 stone back on!
I find it really works for me, but I think without going to group, and swapping syn free/low syn meals on here and other forums, I would get complacent, and lose a bit of motivation.
Good luck in whatever path you chose! xxx