posted 17-Jan-2010 7:15pmHiya guys,I started this diet on SS in April 2008 and lost 5st (70lbs) in weight; got done to a BMI of 22.5 – I started with a BMI of 33.4.

However I have REALLY struggled since last Xmas to maintain my new weight.

I went up the stages until I got to 1000kcals where some carbs are intoduced, healthy low GI carbs, but as soon as I did that my weight started to rise. I panicked and went back to SS, and thats what I’ve been doing this last year. I know I should have stayed with the programme and allowed my body to find a new level, (my counsllor never told me this thoug, I found out when I became a counsellor myself!) which I eventually did even though I was putting on weight I allowed this to happen hoping that eventually my body would find its new level.

But when I eat carbs – even healthy ones – I want, no, more than want, I am compelled, to eat anything sweet – high sugar, high fat – that I can get my hands on. i eat in secret and hide food. I can easily eat more than 3,000 -4’000 kcals at one sitting. I later feel sick and have ended up by purging with a toothbrush down my throat and making myself sick to get the stuff out of my system. its as if I am fighting myself. Food; weather or not I should eat it; is a constant internal battle from the moment I awake to the moment I sleep. Basically I go from starving myself (SS’ing) to binging, feeling sick and guilty then throwing up. this is no way to live, physically or mentally.

I was so worried at how I was behaving around food and how I was maybe affecting my 17 year old daughter who is a slim size UK 8/10 who nevertheless wants to lose weight, that I went to my Dr beleiving that I had some sort of eating disorder. She dosnt beleive in diets as such and told me I had to re-evaluate my relationship with food. Well that sounds easy enough, but how the hell are you supposed to do that! If I could do that I wouldnt have done Cambridge in the 1st place. I would have succeeded when I did Weight Watchers or Slimming World, but they just dont work for me. Not putting them down, they help loads of people, just not me!!

After losing 5st I beleived TOTALLY in Cambridge; couldnt sing its prasies enough! and became a counsellor myself, went through the traing etc and now have a lot of clients, but the one thing they dont teach you is maintenance which I beleive is the most important. Iunderstand, with the re-branding, they will be addressing that this year as many, many counsellors have asked for the same advise.

99% of my clients lose weight, go up the steps, go away very happy with there acheivment, and never look back. However, I have had a few clients very similar to myself and I cant advise them on what to do. so I am here, now, wondering if anyone else will be honest enough to admit that maybe they have had similar problems and what (if anything) they found helped. how did you beat this thing, what did you do. Did you get outside help, did a light bulb come on in your head, what happened.

I would appreciate any helpful answers.

Good luck to everyone who is on this road. Dont take it for granted, this is a lifelong battle!

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