As new weight loss trends emerge it can be hard to keep track of which methods work best. But fortunately, social media is flooded with success stories.
The Cambridge diet, a programme with roots dating back to the 1960s, has helped many shed a significant amount of weight.
The plan did wonders for Rachel, who has documented her impressive weight loss journey on TikTok, under the username @one2onediet.wildflower.
“I lost just over nine stone back in 2021 by using the 1:1 diet by Cambridge weight plan,” she shared. “I have been overweight, yo-yo dieting and emotional eating, and had a food addiction my whole life.”
Rachel credits the Cambridge diet for her weight loss
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Rachel put on seven stone during her pregnancy, bringing her total weight up to 22 stone by the end of the nine months.
“I was sick and tired of being in a continuous diet cycle, starting a diet, losing a couple of stone, and then falling off and putting it back on,” she said.
In one clip, the dieter shared a detailed account of what she eats in a day since the weight loss to maintain her results.
“Here’s what I eat in a day as someone who has lost nearly nine and a half stone is now maintaining their weight,” she said.
“I started my day with a one-to-one porridge, topped with some banana and the most delicious low-sugar chocolate spread. I had that with a skinny latte from Costa and then went to the gym.”
The workout was followed by a protein Crunch bar in the Banoffee flavour, which packs 20 grams of protein.
As a snack, Rachel tucked into a packet of Marks and Spencer’s lightly salted pitta chips, a nut and fruit bar, and a sugar-vanilla macchiato.
“Tea was mashed weed, corn sausages and veg,” added Rachel. “I finished my day with Irish cream bites and a cup of tea.”
In essence, the Cambridge diet is a calorie-restricted plan designed for rapid weight loss.
It follows a strict regimen, beginning with a 12-week phase of very-low-calorie intake, primarily consisting of meal replacements such as shakes, soups and bars.
According to Know Diabetes: “There are a total of six variations of the plan, ranging from 440 to 1,500 calories a day, depending on factors such as your starting weight and weight loss goals.”
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Rachel lost almost nine stone in nine months
Writing on behalf of News Medical, Dr Sanchari Sinha Dutta, highlighted some of the disadvantages of the diet plan.
She said: “According to diet experts, a diet plant of 1,000 calories or less a day should not be followed for more than 12 weeks continuously.
“If a dieter is eating only 600 calories or less a day, he/she should be evaluated by a healthcare/diet professional to avoid serious consequences such as loss of muscle mass.”
“The extremely strict nature of the Cambridge diet plan can be demoralising at some point, and a dieter may face difficulty maintaining the diet guidelines for a long time.”
For advice on long-term weight loss, candidates can discuss their goals with a doctor or certified dietitian.
