Cambridge Diet

aellon

Way to go Claire! You sound really positive & I agree it's sometimes better to treat yourself than waiting for someone else to come along and do it for you!

For me the bigger I got, the less I've taken care of myself because I kind of felt what's the point. A friend of friend tried to say I was being shallow as she felt my self esteem should not be tied to how I look. I argued that for the most part it's not but... since I started CD I have been looking after myself a bit more than usual as losing weight makes me feel more positive about myself.

Of course I think the ultimate treat for me will be when I can go out & buy new clothes from mainstream stores.... wait for it... in the sales

Cute_'n'_Quirky

Our self-esteem is mostly based on the way we look and the way we feel about ourselves and about our life in general. So from that point of view your friend is totally wrong.

If we THINK we don't look good then it affects everything we do.

If we THINK that we look fabulous then the persona we put out is of someone happy and contented.

The key is what you feel yourself, not what anyone thinks/feels about you

aellon

Food Fanatic, I'm only a novice CDer (on Day 27) but I can tell you what works for me:

1.Get someone to take some photos of you at the start of your journey (they'll come in handy to gage how far you have come & also as a reminder of how you look/feel now!). Also if you have any photos where you were at your target weight get them out to remind you of your target.

2. Glug plenty of water.

3. Take a look at the minimins inspiration slideshow http://www.minimins.com/inspiration/ they did it, you're no different so you can do it too!

4. Get yourself on-line either here or on minimins, lurk or post it doesn't matter, this thread is 100% calorie free!

5. Pamper/Treat yourself like CLARELR suggests.

6. Focus on the fact that you only have to get through the first 3 days & it will get easier because once you hit ketosis you really wont be hungry.

Finally someone (I forget who but it inspired me) said that the 1st time you do Cambridge is the Golden Time, so try to enjoy it, it's not always easy but the results are really worth!!!

aellon

Our self-esteem is mostly based on the way we look and the way we feel about ourselves and about our life in general. So from that point of view your friend is totally wrong.

If we THINK we don't look good then it affects everything we do.

If we THINK that we look fabulous then the persona we put out is of someone happy and contented.

The key is what you feel yourself, not what anyone thinks/feels about you

Cheers C&Q

It's good to have it affirmed that I not totally shallow!

Cute_'n'_Quirky

The photographs are the most important part of the process.

I know that when we start we very often don't want to look at those starting photos - I certainly didn't.

Sometimes when we look in the mirror we see the person we were not the person we are now.

I have had photographs taken all the way along and sometimes I have shocked myself when I have looked at them!!

If you go to https://www.slide.com you can make yourself a slide show to monitor your progress - it is a great way of doing it.

Usually the CDC's will take the photos for you.

Jennifer2703

Hi all,

Have made it to the end of day 3 and feel really proud. Just wanted to reiterate what was said about self esteem being linked to how we look. That friend was SO wrong. I hate when you get people saying that if you look after yourselves, you are vain or self obsessed. At the end of the day, looking good makes you feel good and everything else in life is better. I love buying accessories and bits and bobs. I love make up and get my hair done in the salon every few weeks. I am what they call a girly girl and I LOVE it. It makes me happy. I work full time, have 2 kids, my hubby is in the army and works away midweek - sod it, if glamming up makes me happy, I am going to do it. Grrr these martyrs who believe in dedicating your life to the kitchen sink and forgetting about yourself make me so mad. I always believe those types of people are only jealous anyway. Ok, rant over.

Re CD, am already feeling great. After only 2 completed days, am already almost 4lbs lighter and feeling good. My Manager at work even said today I was looking slimmer - yay yay!! Last Sunday I had a HUGE spare tyre over my jeans so took them off and put a loose dress on. This Sunday coming I will be able to wear my jeans comfortably with a nice pretty blouse. I can't wait.

Anyway, good luck all for tomorrow ladies.

Byeeeeeeee x

FoodFanatic_2

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Sounds like TOTM shouldn't be too bad then. I'm concerned at my carb withdrawal in those first few days, as I do have a FINAL DINNER on sunday, which will be carb based. It's a work thing which has been in the diary a while, so I'm not going to be as carb free prepared as I would have liked for my first few days to be easier on CD.

However, I remember reading a few things on here and minimins about how the first time of doing CD is the golden time, and that's what I have to keep my focus on. I did WW years ago and did really well, but when I put weight back on a few years later, everytime I went back to WW, that same motivation wasn't there as it was the first time.So I kept giving up.

Just like when I started at the gym a few years ago, I was so excited, I started exercising and doing sit ups a couple of days before my membership officially started, so I got into it and had a routine for months and months at the gym, and really stuck to it. As soon as I get complacent, I start going back to my old ways and the routines of WW and the gym both went to pot due to me getting into that frame of thinking. The golden times certainly couldn't be re-created!

So this has to be a big effort for me, and I have to keep it in mind that i'm only in the first few days and that things will get better within a matter of days. It sounds so simple and such a short space of time for the hell bit (2-4 days) when I read what you've all said. I just think the carb withdrawal will be my big hurdle to start with. So I'll keep posted on here and keep visiting minimins for my source of strength and inspiration!

Thanks all!

aellon

Yeah, carbs withdrawal is not nice! I didn't reduce my carb intake b4 starting CD & I think it gave me a pretty bad headache the first few days. But I just went to bed early with a couple of paracetamols & it passed. If you can cut down in any way do it cos it will help but if you don't it's not the end of the world & you will get by. You can do it so go for it!

Cute_'n'_Quirky

The first week of SSing is definitely easier if you have cut your carbs for 4/5 days beforehand.

I did for 4 full days and can honestly say that I had not one problem in my first week of SSing

Jennifer2703

Hi all,

I didn't cut carbs before starting and I am finding this week quite hard. I was on a training course today and they supplied lunch which was lovely home made sandwiches and some cooked food too which all smelt lovely. Stuck to my chocolate tetra pack though. I am on the course again tomorrow and again lunch is supplied but I will get through it - I know I can. I think I will find the weekend hard too because my OH will be home tomorrow evening and he will be eating and drinking and I will feel tempted. Just hoping that next week is a lot easier. Don't get me wrong, I already feel great just having lost the extra few pound I was carrying around last week! Everyone around me just seems to love their food though and keep saying how they could never do it and I just feel a bit out in the cold. However, am defo carrying in and proving to myself that I can do it. I have my mind on the prize as they say.

Is 4.25 now and I have finished early from work because of the course. My friend has my kids for a while so just off to read a bit of my book to pass the time.

Quick question ladies, can drinking coffee affect Ketosis? My counsellor gave me a leaflet and it says that drinking caffeine can affect Ketosis in that you may not lose as much? I was a bit concerned because I thought black tea and coffee was allowed??!!:eek: