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Cambridge Diet
A liquid diet that may be too calorie restrictive for long-term success.
BACKGROUND
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With new diets hitting the market faster than we can lose a pound, it is not too often that you stumble upon a diet that has been around for more than 20 years. The Cambridge Diet has proudly clocked some years under its svelte belt. Developed in the 80s, it still enjoys a very loyal and passionate audience of dieters who have been successful at losing weight and keeping it off.
It is a liquid diet program that involves drinking 3 servings of the signature Cambridge Diet formula each day with or without food. The three servings provide you with protein (either 30 or 50 grams), carbohydrates, fat, fiber and your daily-required vitamin and mineral allowances.
About ten years ago, the Cambridge Diet added an additional product to their 330 Original Product. The 420 Food for Life product contains 100% of the required daily protein needs in 3 servings whereas the 330 Product contains 75% of the required protein. The protein source comes from whey and soy. Both of them are nutritional supplements that do not contain drugs, medicine, stimulants or herbs.
There are four ways for you to follow the Cambridge Diet: - The Fast Track: Consume 3-4 servings of Cambridge a day and no additional food. - The Alternate Program: Use 3-4 servings of Cambridge for one day with no food and then the following day, consume 3 servings of Cambridge with the addition of 400-800 calories of low fat, low calorie health food. Continue to alternate in this manner. - The Regular Program: Eat 3 servings of Cambridge 15- 20 minutes prior to each low calorie meal. Calories should not exceed 400-800 for the entire day. - The Regular Program 2: Consume 3 servings of Cambridge and eat one meal of low calorie food each day. Calories should not exceed 400- 800 calories for the entire day.
PRO
- Cambridge Diet contains all the essential nutrients
- Has a proven success rate
- Safe for diabetics and those with high blood pressure
CON
- Its limited consumption of food may incite excessive eating
- May be too calorically-restrictive for some individuals
- Does not teach you to eat in a healthy and long-term way
- Long-term weight loss may not be sustained
- Calories might be too restrictive for exercise
DIET and NUTRITION
The foundation of the Cambridge Diet is its signature line of shakes. They come in an array of flavors like chocolate, vanilla, eggnog, strawberry, cappuccino, banana cream and many more. The shakes come in two styles: The Original and the Food for Life.
The Food for Life product contains 51 grams of protein, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fat and 140 calories per shake. It also includes 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals. The Original contains 31 grams of protein and contains about 110 calories per shake.
There is also a line of additional Cambridge products like soups, nutrition bars, and super oats.
When taken the prescribed three times a day, you'll only consume 420 calories. If you select to follow a plan that allows for food, you should not consume anymore than an additional 800 calories a day and these calories should come from low-calorie and low-fat foods like vegetables and lean proteins. If you are on the smaller side, it is recommended that you only consume an additional 400 calories on top of the 420 calories for the Cambridge products.
You are also strongly encouraged to drink at least 3-4 liters of water each day.
EXERCISE
Since the Cambridge Diet is so restrictive, exercise should be done cautiously. It is not recommended to start a new strenuous exercise program while on the Cambridge Diet. Moderate exercise like walking or biking is useful once you start to lose weight, providing that it is approached with caution and not done with excess.
CONCLUSION
There is no question that The Cambridge Diet has been around for a long time. And in the process, many have had luck losing weight by following its strict dietary regimen. Since the diet is so low in calories, check with your doctor before starting it, especially if you have an existing medical condition.
The Cambridge Diet devotees swear by the diet's ability to help them lose weight as long as the program is followed correctly. But like most diets that rely on shakes or supplements to shed pounds, its potential for long-term weight loss and for instilling sound and healthy eating habits in you is not that promising.
Common Misspellings
cambrdge Diet, cambradge diet, cambridge deit, camebridge diet, cambridge liquid diet, cambridgediet.com
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User Feedback
(Page 30 of 57, 1131 total comments)carrie
CHEEKY: Two biscuits!? lol don't beat yourself up!! lol that is ok! you have done so so so well!! If i was you I would have eaten the whole pack after the inital two!! ha ha!! And you still lost 2llbs that week, so give yourself a pat on the back and carry on going cos you are doing so well!! I'm on my last 7llbs now to get to my target wieght, and it is soo hard to get it off! I have gone back to SS for this week cos I really just want it off!! KATE I think putting on 5llbs whilst off CD is actually really good! You have to expect to put on a bit when you come off it and so many people just put it all straight back on. I am going to maybe get a couple of pound below my target wieght just so that when I come off CD a bit more I wont get down hearted when I put on those inital couple of pounds, cos i know it will happen!! think this where a quite a few people go wrong, they put on a couple of pounds then just binge out and put it all on! xx
posted Jul 22nd, 2008 11:26 amlubyloo
Just had my weigh n lost another 3lbs thats 24lbs in 6 weeks,now on 810 step so i am gonna enjoy a piece of grilled chicken 4 tea yummy!!!!
posted Jul 21st, 2008 5:09 pmJo
I've been on the diet for 4 days now and i have not even been weighed and i can feel the weight and water going, my shoes are looser, my hands are not as puffy, my skin is clearing up, i feel so relaxed. (have stoppped drinking coffee). not had any side affects really, no headaches as yet. I am predicting about 10lb weight loss when i get weighed Friday, wish me luck!!!!
posted Jul 21st, 2008 5:09 pmcheeky
hi guys hope your all havin a good week. i had aweek off from work last week it was nice to be away from work but hell for the diet. i didnt drink enough water, iwas on my period n i ate 2 biscuits which i was annoyed with myself , i got weighed on the friday and lost 2lbs and 2 inches aiming to to even better for my weigh in on sat. ive lost 44lbs in total and 28 inches in 10 weeks still got more to go. i'm getting in to clothes that i cudn't get in to and i feel so much better with the weight ive lost so far and my asthma has improved slightly. i'm still doing the 1000 kals for this week which im still enjoying!
posted Jul 21st, 2008 5:09 pmlyn
HI Lynn yes i did find that in my week 4 i got really hungry again, i wondered if it was the bars or just me weird eh?
posted Jul 21st, 2008 5:09 pmlyn
Hi just got weighed and have lost anouther 4lbs, so thats 19 in 4wks so i am really happy! anyway everyone keep up the good work.
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmsuz
Hi peeps me again sorry...Q???? My first day...did anyone else pee for brittan???? dam...... its like my toilet is my bestest friend eva lol........ not number two's though lol.... ha
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmtabithaduke
Hi everyone, I just thought id introduce myself, i`m Karen i`m going to start the diet on Monday(July 21 2008) i`m really nervous as usually the second I start a diet, all I want is food! I`m trying to lose weight for my wedding in November, I hope it comes off quickly, i`m 22 st 10lb and i`m sick of being this huge.
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmLynn
I am in week 4 of SS and feeling really hungry for the past 2 days. Not cheated once and drinking 4 litres of water per day - anyone else had this problem.
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmTLJ
Hi Guys I would just like to sa that when you are tempted to eat a good thing I try and do is distract my self with smething else and try and keep busy or go to bed slightly earlier than normal as I find my two main reasons for eating are boredom and stress if you keep busy you tend to forget about food for a while and before you know it is the next morning and you feel lighter! It seems to be working for me trying to see food as a minor thing in your life as apposite to the only thing you can think about!xxxx
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmKelly
Well in 45 minutes i have to go to class i havnt weighed in for 2 weeks so i reckon ive put loads of weight on...oh well i will keep u updated once i know - wish me luck :(
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmKate
Not posted a comment for a while, just been catching up with you all and welcome to new CD recruits. I have been off CD for a little over a month and have put on 5lb, in this time I also went on holiday - so do not think that was so bad! I do not feel guilty or that I have let myself down as I know that CD DOES work. Also nothing could beat the feeling of how great it was this year not to bother about covering up on the beach - I certainly flaunted it!!! I have been back on sole source for just under a week and have lost 8lb and 7 inches so far - extremely pleased -I do not have a lot to lose to my goal weight (10lb) so any of you flagging or needs a bit of support this should spur you on. I just needed the right frame of mind to get started again! I am now also thinking about how to manage maintenance when I get to goal, maybe 2 shakes and a healthy low GI meal to start - anyone any suggestions as to how they are maintaining or are we all striving to get to goal as yet!! Would welcome any help - TROOPERSUE - hope the bruising has gone, mine was getting quite bad but has now gone although when I bang myself it produces a larger bruise!! Well must go got to get myself a shake for tea (husband just ordered a chinese for himself - things we have to endure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmrita
Hi all just found this site it is encouraging to read so many positive cemments , starting ss tomorrow have been on this diet before last year it worked for me then only did sole source for a couple of weeks felt it a bit antisocial so then did 2 soups and a no carb meal was much better combined it with the gym and i felt great ,,,, let my self go in the last 6 months and feel i have let myself down . well tmo will be day one and feeling quite excited i know what to expect so wish me luck will log on in few days to let you all know how im doing
posted Jul 20th, 2008 3:05 pmSurffhunny
JACKIE - thanks for that. I'll keep everyone informed about how I get on, I'm really excited about it. I've been doing Slimming World for the last 4 years and for at least the last 2 I've been stuck at 15st 7lb having lost just over 2st. I started to pile the weight on at uni - student life suited me too well. I'm used to being really fit and active so being this big has been really trying. I can't wait to start seeing my old body emerge from under all this blubber. xxx
posted Jul 18th, 2008 3:55 pmsuz
hi everyone..... just wanted to log in after my first day.... oh my days... i am so wanting sumfink that tastes nice..i aint even gonna write on here the foods that have been running through my mind...things i aint even had since i was like errr 10 lol ha! Just one Question - did anyone feel like the milkshakes were really sweet and the soups - well i think i will b living off chocolte milk shakes with hot water - dam lol! anyone got any tips for me!????? thanks ps - i havent cheated!!!!
posted Jul 18th, 2008 3:55 pmJackie
(18/7/2008 - 11:00am) Hi SURFHUNNY - Cambridge works in a different to LighterLife. LL is a group of people together, where as CD is one on one. So you should technically be able to start pretty quickly, subject to your counsellor wanting a form from your GP.
posted Jul 18th, 2008 6:56 amSurfhunny
Hiya guys, I have one more quick question before I make the phonecall to the counsellor:- How long from getting in touch with the counsellor does it usually take for them to let you start with the diet. I'm raring to go and don't want to hang around. My friend (the one who's doing Lighter Life) had to wait a couple of weeks before she could start.
posted Jul 17th, 2008 10:45 pmsuz
Hi KELLY:0 im so excited it unreal... my friend had a gastric by-pass august last year and has lost massive amounts of weight, so we are now in competion together...a healthy kind of course, which is good, as i can only have this soup n shakes, she is also restricted on wot she can eat, so we will lean on each ova i hope..... i am hoping by december to have lost about 5 stone and that will bring me down to a normal-ish weight..... every year i say, by my birthday im gonna be slim, but with god n will power on my side and my baby girl to look at every day im hoping next birthday in april will b the one. Im just dreading the first 3 days as ive heard they are the worst, so im gona get out of the house n leave my money at home and just go for it! So good luck everyone and please post ur weight losses as it inspiration for me and im sure many ovas to continue - spk soon!
posted Jul 17th, 2008 3:50 pmhelen
I started this on Monday 14th July, i got tonsilitis the same day but i've stuck to it even though you are suppose to eat & drink when your ill. Its wed night now, i feel hungry but i've been good even though all i can think about is kebabs!!! Weigh in on sunday night i pray i've lost some weight
posted Jul 17th, 2008 8:14 amKelly
SUZ - Congratulations im pleased you have started your journey in a few weeks you will feel so much better. How much do you want to lose suz? SAM - It does get better believe me and when you have your weigh in all the agonising will be worth it. well done carrie hope the 8lb comes off soon how much have you lost?
posted Jul 17th, 2008 8:14 am