The Cambridge Diet is an extreme weight-loss diet, for those of you who aren't in the know. The plans are based around you buying and eating a range of soups and shakes with the promise of dramatic weight-loss. We explain what's involved, the pros and cons and how The Cambridge Diet could help you lose weight fast.
What is the Cambridge Diet?
The Cambridge Diet is based around a range of low-calorie shakes, soups and snack bars, designed to fulfill all your daily nutritional requirements.
There are six variations of the plan, Step 1 or 'Sole Source' is a very low-calorie diet (or VLCD) where you solely eat the range of products provided, ranging to Step 6 or 'Maintenance' where you eat a healthy diet interspersed with meal replacements when necessary.
Depending on how much weight you need to lose you can choose the step that's right for you, or work up from a low step to one that involves eating more conventional food.
You need to see a Cambridge Diet counsellor before you start who will advise you on whether the diet is right for you and which step to begin on. Some steps will also require written consent from your doctor.
How The Cambridge Diet works
The Cambridge Diet works by forcing your body into a state of ketosis. This occurs when the body does not receive all the calories it needs to function properly and so is forced to turn to fat stores in order to carry on going. Depending on the step you are on and the amount of daily calories you are consuming, the weight loss can vary.
The Pros
Many people find the weight loss to be sudden and quite dramatic. If you stick to the rules, you are almost guaranteed to be slimmer by the end of it and unlike some other low-calorie diet plans, the meal-replacements are all nutritionally balanced so you can be sure you're getting all the vitamins and minerals you need.
The Cons
Some medical experts think that it's not healthy to send your body into a state of ketosis. The results can lead to the body not only burning fat, but also muscle mass. Apart from this concern, some other reported side effects of the diet are bad breath, hair loss, nausea, dizziness and diarrhoea.
Cambridge Diet plans:
This isn't a diet you can re-create at home and you shouldn't try. The Cambridge Diet prides itself on its expert supervision and nutritionally-balanced products. It's important you do everything by the book, seek advice from your counsellor and you will need to fork out some cash to take part.
Sole Source: 3-4 Cambridge Diet meal products. 415-554 cals a day (1 week minimum, 12 weeks maximum)
Sole Source +: 3 Cambridge Diet meal products plus 200ml of skimmed milk. 615 cals a day
Step 2: 2 Cambridge Diet meal products plus protein-rich foods, skimmed milk and some vegetables. 810 calories a day. (1 week minimum)
Step 3: 2 Cambridge Diet meal products plus skimmed milk, breakfast, salads for lunch and dinner. 1000 calories (2 weeks)
Step 4: 2 Cambridge Diet meal products plus skimmed milk, breakfast, lunch and dinner (2 weeks)
Step 5: 1 Cambridge Diet meal product plus skimmed milk, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack (2 weeks)
Maintenance: A healthy diet plus your choice of Cambridge Diet products. (Indefinitely)
To find out more about The Cambridge Diet, visit Cambridge-Diet.co.uk
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