Cambridge Diet

Louisepp

FoodFanatic wrote: »

I'm wondering if anyone here has tried LL aswell & wondered about their thoughts & experiences. I know it's more expensive, but what concerns me is that, some of what I've read on this thread has made me believe that the counsellors don't do very much on CD. I don't want to just catch them for 10 minutes for a quick chat and feel like I'm wasting their time (do I have to pay more for one to one time with CD?), but then with LL, I'm not keen on group counselling sessions.:eek:

Yes, the LL sessions are group ones. Some people find they help though. Others aren't so keen, but they do give the counselling that you might prefer.

The CDC is more of a support rather than counsellor. She can advice you on how to do the diet, but they don't necessarily go into fighting the demons (there are exceptions;)) Obviously, LL are much more expensive as you are getting that session, but heyho, you could always do Cambridge and use the money you save on private therapy.

In both cases, you can find good counsellors and bad counsellors, so maybe you could meet up with both and see which one you gel with best.

I have fought with many demons along the way, but to be honest, think I possibly found more info off the web and on forums to help than my LL buddies did at their counselling sessions. Either way, the head stuff does need adressing at some point.

BTW, if you go onto Minimins, there are many LL, and CDers on there, and also much talk on the head stuff (usually by myself ) on there. It's worth giving us a visit. Look out for Mike (Icemoose). He started with LL and moved over to Cambridge. Lost 12 stone.

Very best of luck with whichever one you chose.

Cute_'n'_Quirky

aellon wrote: »

ClaireLR - Sorry to hear the going has been a bit tough for you over the last couple of days, the idea about the bars makes sense to me so see what your CDC says. Well done for getting back on the horse, keep focused on your goal!

Congratulations on your losses C&Q & Nomealone. You are both stars & really inspiring!

To everyone who started this week - Way to go people!! Good luck & may the force be with you!

Just in case you are wondering how I am doing - On the up side, I have had a good 1st week & I have stuck to the plan. However, I have had some quite bad headaches which I think may be caffeine withdrawal & I know what everyone's saying about the manky mouth feeling. I just hope I can sustain this over the next six months to get to my target weight. I get weighed tonight 7.15pm so I'll let you know how I've done later on...Lost 10lbs yay!

Well done on the 10lbs loss!!

Fabulous start!!

Isn't it motivating to see such a high weight loss?????

Keep up the good work!

Cute_'n'_Quirky

Some ideas for the Cambridge foodpacks -

Cambridge recommend that you only 'cook' one of the packs per day as it can affect the nutritional content.

Muffin
1. Put a little hot water into a ramekin dish, or whatever you have - thick mug or similar (about 2 desert spoons to begin with - you can add more later if necessary)

2. Add the pack (whatever flavour you desire) and mix it to a thick paste, so thick you think it's too thick!

3. Put into the microwave on high for just over a minute - if it looks a bit soggy in the middle put it back for about 10 seconds or so.

BE CAREFUL IT DOESN'T BURN

Variation: You could also add some of your nut crunch bar (LL) to make a Brownie!
You could add a teaspoon of coffee.

Ice Cream
Put 11 ice cubes in a smoothie maker and crush the ice. Add a food pack and a small amount of water (about 2 tbsp) and liquidise for 5 mins. You end up with a big bowl of "ice cream".

Smoothie
Place 10-16 ice cubes (depending on your preference), a pint of water, and your food pack in a smoothie maker and blend for approx. 3 mins. Makes about 2 pints of delicious cold frothy whatever flavour you like.

If you use a Cappuccino sachet it makes a kind of frappe - yum (that's my contribution - DJ)

Try adding one of the water flavourings for a different taste!

Bar of Chocolate!
You can make chocolate out of a chocolate pack (or choc mint). Mix the pack with a bit of water until you have a thick paste, then spread on some tin foil and put in the freezer for an hour or more. It really tastes quite like chocolate!

Variation: Use half chocolate and half vanilla for a Mars bar!

Black Forest Gateau
Put 10 ice cubes, chocolate pack, 8oz water, and 1.5tsp of summer berry (CD) or fruits of the forest flavouring (LL) into a smoothie maker and blend - ITS FANTASTIC!!

Cheesecake Smoothie - Tastes just like cheesecake!
Put vanilla pack, 10 ice cubes, 8oz water, tsp St. Clements (LL) or Citrus (CD) flavouring all in the smoothie maker and blend.

Chocolate Biscuit
Put sparkling water into a chocolate pack and then add a pinch of salt. Put this on a piece of greaseproof paper, round it into a biscuit shape and bake it in the microwave for about 2.30 minutes. The result is a crunchy chocolaty biscuit with a "dunking" texture.

Black Forest Cookie
Add 1 chocolate pack to sparkling water (3tbls give and take) add half a tsp summer berry flavour and microwave for one minute (let it settle) and you have the fluffiest cookie ever.

Chocolate Fudge
1 packet of chocolate
1/4 cup of hot water
2 or more sweeteners
1tsp of coffee (if you like)

Mix well - it should look like a thick chocolate soup. Microwave it for 2 minutes. It comes out as a thick gooey mess, which tastes like fudge!

Lollies
Mix whatever sweet flavour pack you like with 200-300mls of sparkling water and pour into lollipop moulds and freeze overnight.

Bear in mind that to eat the whole food pack you will have to eat all the lollies!

Cafe Latte
Mix a hot vanilla shake with a teaspoon of coffee and some sweeteners if required.

"Chocolate Pudding & Chocolate Sauce"
Microwave most of the choc pack like a cookie but keep some aside and mix into a thick paste whilst the muffin is cooking. Take muffin out and smear with thick choc goo and eat, it really does taste nice and cools the muffin down. This can be done with vanilla 'icing' too.

Chocolate Custard
Dissolve a sweetener in approx 70mls hot water. Add a chocolate pack. Microwave for approximately 40secs. It makes a lovely hot chocolate custard. A whole pack of this can be a bit sickly so try half the quantities put it on top of a choc muffin.

Hot Chocomint
Make up some strong peppermint tea. Mix a chocolate pack with hot water and a couple of sweeteners (depending on your taste) add the tea. Microwave for approx. 20secs and stir (better if you whisk with an aero latt�) - Divine!

Chocolate Coated Toffee Sweets
Mix one Toffee and Walnut pack (or any sweet flavour you fancy) with a little water to make a thick paste. Split into 24 small lumps and put onto foil and freeze until solid. Make half a pack of chocolate into a coating the consistency of melted chocolate. Coat the toffee pieces in the chocolate and return to the freezer until solid. Store in the freezer.
Soups

Chicken Stuffing
Mix as you would do for a chocolate muffin but use a packet of chicken soup instead. Cook in microwave for 1.40 seconds or more or less depending on how dry you like it.

A Variation of the Soup
Mix the soup with a packet of savoury drink (LL) and add a bit of Tabasco and a sweetener. It sounds weird putting a sweetener in the soup, but it really does taste nice.

Poppadoms
Mix a soup pack into a smooth paste, spread on a plate or greaseproof paper and microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 mins. when it starts to bubble open up and let it settle for a sec. keep opening and letting it settle until (the poppadom) starts to turn golden (don't take your eyes off it) - when it is golden brown take it out and let it cool, then peel it off and enjoy

Be careful of overcooking, as this will make them taste slightly bitter.

Crisps
Recipe as for poppadoms above but make them into tiny bite size pieces. If you wish you can shake some salt over them before they are cooked.

Pate
Mix half a scoop of Mix-A-Mousse into half of a pack of soup and give it a good shake. Mix with hot (not boiling water) and pop into the freezer to set, this takes a few hours. With the other half, make a couple of poppadoms. Yum - Pate & Crisps.

Tetra Briks

Mix the contents of the ready made Chocolate Velvet or Banana Bliss with a scoop of Mix-A-Mousse and whisk up with a blender. Put it into the freezer for a while - you now have the most delicious mousse you have ever tried.
or just freezer a whole tetra, and it eat like icecream....

Water Flavourings

Ice Lollies
Make up the water flavouring (any flavour) - bit stronger than you'd normally make - again its all to your tasting - put into ice lolly moulds and freeze...

Lemon Sorbet
Put ice cubes in the smoothie maker with some water and blend to make it slushy, add water flavouring to your tasting - and hey presto you have a sorbet/slush puppie!!

Bars

Biscuits
Cut up a bar into 8 - 10 pieces. Arrange on microwave plate, I usually only put 3 in at a time to give them the space they need to expand.

Microwave for approx 1.30mins - or until you can see that they have stopped bubbling. Be careful as they may start burning from the inside out. Use a knife under the biscuits to prise them off the plate and turn them onto their backs (onto the bar wrapper) and leave until they have cooled and hardened.

ClaireLR

I tried to makethe crisps when I started this diet last year

They were DISGUSTING, I don't know if I cooked it for to long or what but it was welded to the plate and tasted foul

Might try the chocolate one tonight though that sounds yummy!

Cute_'n'_Quirky

I haven't made the crisps but the chocolate pack made into a large biscuit is rather nice

Zara33

gawd i have the most foul taste in my mouth today, i suppose i should be happy as i'm guessing the old ketosis :j

Cute_'n'_Quirky

Zara33 wrote: »

gawd i have the most foul taste in my mouth today, i suppose i should be happy as i'm guessing the old ketosis :j

That sure is a fair sign you are in ketosis - well done!!

Just think, every time you have that manky mouth you are BURNING FAT :T

I was frozen through too when I was on SS - and it was the height of Summer!

skyrocket

C & Q I was telling my mum about you and your amazing weightloss. I am trying to encourage both my parents to start Cambridge because they could both do with losing quite a few lbs!
Can I ask you please how much you were to start with and how much further you have to go till maintenance?
I hope it's not too personal a question I was just trying to explain it to my mum.

Cute_'n'_Quirky

skyrocket wrote: »

C & Q I was telling my mum about you and your amazing weightloss. I am trying to encourage both my parents to start Cambridge because they could both do with losing quite a few lbs!
Can I ask you please how much you were to start with and how much further you have to go till maintenance?
I hope it's not too personal a question I was just trying to explain it to my mum.

I needed to lose 11 stones.

I have lost almost 7, so that leaves just over 4 stones to a BMI of 25.

skyrocket

C&Q
Wow that's brilliant! :beer:
You must be so pleased to be steaming towards your target like you are!
I think it's pretty inspirational to hear of people like you who are doing so well. I think for people who are facing such a large weightloss it must be incredibly daunting and you have proved that it is more than possible.
Well done! :T :T :T
Keep up the good work. I look forward to reading that you've lost the full 11 stones! :j