F.A.O CD Returners - How do you do it ?

Im trying to return to the Cambridge Diet on SS+. I was on it from Februsry last year for 7 months without cheating and doing it 100%, with full motivation and everything (I managed to lose almost 7 stone). Since then ive been, like, stopping and starting due to money problems and other stresses. But now want to get back into it properly and lose another few stone. Trouble is, for the past few days Ive been on it, well sort of, you see I keep cheating (cant keep the hunger pangs away - Its getting just like it was the first time around !) Just dont know how to combat it, as dont think I have the full motivation like I did 1st time aound. And dont really want to move onto the food stages of CD as on SS+ I average 5lbs loss per week (if I stick to it.)

How do all you restarters do it ?

It's a tricky one to answer this as there's a bit of me that's still scared I'm going to fall off the wagon, even though I've managed to keep going for 24 days now.

Like you, I managed to do CD 100% for months on end and lost 5 and a half stones. Then we went on holiday, and well, I ended up being tempted to eat - and never managed to climb back aboard successfully. It's taken since July last year to get myself back to this point (and I thought I'd cracked it in January - managed 3 weeks then and still fell by the wayside, doh...).

So why do I think I might make it this time? Well, I just reached a point where I realised enough was enough. That I didn't want to be doing Cambridge on and off forever - I wanted to do it one more time and then get on with the serious business of learning how to maintain, developing a new and healthier relationship with food.

So I decided that I'd have to commit 100%. That I wouldn't pretend that nibbling at bits of chicken was a legitimate cheat. Basically, I set about restarting by doing exactly what I did that first time - following the diet to the letter, having exactly what I should have and nothing more (well, okay, apart from the odd sneaky Coke Zero - it used to be legal and it didn't do me any harm the first time around ). Oh, and the one big thing that seems to be working for me - having no idea how much weight I'm losing. I've agreed with my CDC that I'll only weigh in once a month. That way, I have no idea whether I've lost weight on a day to day basis. I'm trusting in the diet to do its job, not trusting in my scales - because scales lie!!

There's no magic answer, I don't think. For me, it boils down to the simple truth that I don't like being overweight - and doing CD is the fastest way of getting to where I want to be.

All the best with your restart. You can do it - you just have to believe in yourself and the diet. CD works. Fact.

not a restarter but didnt wanna read & run...

I think a common mistake that people make when they do this diet after the first time is that they try & recapture the feeling they had the first time round - however - the reasons for you doing the diet now have changed - if only that it isn't the first time ...it cant be - the first time has been & gone ...

The hunger will be short lived - but you already know that - it's important to keep the diet in the forefront of your mind & to actually listen to yourself when you think...I know that sounds daft but ...when you get hungry you start to focus on the hunger & then almost fantasise about which food can stop that hunger - what you need to do is listen clearly to these thoughts & have a plan of action - decide that when you feel hungry & start 'fantasising' - plan that you wont eat anything until after you've had more water/another tea or coffee etc...what you are doing is distracting your mind, long enough maybe to talk yourself outta that great food fantasy!!! Then before you know it - the fantasy has passed and you're back in control...


Hope that made sense & helps if only just a little...


debs xx

Hi Paul - Im a restarter and want to echo what Lily said really. Ive restarted many times since the first time I did it (losing 4st in 4 months with no cheats) and you dont re capture the original enthusiasm as you know what to expect this time but the main thing is YOUR HEAD HAS TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE and you HAVE to want it as much as the first time.

I put on all my lost weight and more for about 2 yrs and have had numerous restarts lasting a few days or a week but my head wasnt in the right place and then after xmas was at ww and half a stone came off in a month and I thought great but I could do that in a week on CD and I hate feeling like a bloated fat piece of blubber - which at 15st I was and I have a BIG family holiday on June 20th where Im going to be spending all week in a swimsuit and I thought I just cant do it -

SO feb 5th I restarted CD and here I am 12 weeks later and 3st lighter with 2 to go. Im not going to lie the first 8 weeks there were blips but my saviour was the hour by hour thread and that has kept me on track from week 8.

HTH and good luck
xxx