has anyone tried the lighter life diet?

[babydodders]

has anyone tried teh lighter life diet?

[isymcd]

Not personally but my boss lost about 6 stone doing it - she has put about a stone back on now and every so often goes back on it for about a fortnight to lose what she has gained. She looked tired all the time, had really terrible bad breath and hair and skin were in a dreadful condition but she didn't care. Not sure she was aware of the breath though!!

[ruthiebabie]

My friend has been doing it for a while and has lost a lot of weights. Its a massive lifestyle change though and I think you need a will of steel to do it. She found it hard going at the start with the amount of water you have to drink.

It also costs you approx �60 per week at the start for the meal supplements.You also need doctors approval to go on it to make sure you are OK. They have their own website which has quite a lot of info on it

[jack daniels]

friend of mine did it & lost 3 1/2 stones - she looks fab but at �60 a week, I couldn't afford it!
she struggled at first coz she was hungry but her goal was to get pregnant & she has now, so good luck to her. I couldn't get through 4 litres of water/day!!!!!!!
you see councillors too who change your way/attitude/approach to food. You also need to exercise, my friend went swimming & jogging everyday.

[Goodsoulette]

The difference between lighter life and slimfast is you eat no proper meals and they give you couselling. Its supposed to change your attitude towards food but depriving you of any whatsoever. Maybe a course of counselling and a proper diet might actually be better.

I know people who have lost large amounts of weight on it, so it appears to work, I just dont fancy that sort of thing for a lifetime.

[Miss-taken]

I've done Lighterlife! I started in the last week of July and did it until the middle of November when I swapped over to the Cambridge Diet (which is basically identical other than you don't get counselling and its half the price). In 5 months I've lost nearly 6 stone. I can't rate Lighterlife (LL) highly enough and the only reason I stopped was for financial reasons - its �66 a week whereas Cambridge is about �35 a week. You have to have a lot of willpower - you can't have ANY food or ANY alcohol and you need to drink AT LEAST 4 litres of water a day (gets easy after a while)
My skin and hair are better than ever and I'm not anymore tired than I used to be.
The only problems with it? I have literally had to replace my whole wardrobe and am still continually having to buy new clothes as I keep on losing. That and the money - but can you put a price on it? I think not.
You have to have at least 3 stone to lose or have a BMI of over 29 to be allowed on the programme (and have it agreed with a doctor - mine luckily thinks its the best thing ever)
Cambridge diet is also worth a look although I would recommend from my own experience LL to begin with.
And as for people saying you'll put it all straight back on - if you did it wouldn't be the diet's fault - it'd be your own! LL as part of the counselling includes food advice and there is a special programme at the end where food is introduced in a gradual and healthy way.
Hope that helps!

[Dollie]

I've done lighterlife - the concept is brilliant and I lost weight fast. However, after three weeks I felt so weak I couldn't carry on. I felt ill all the time, was stuggling to get down the vast amount of water you need to drink so became constipated and nearly passed out on two occasions. I never quite got to grips with the hunger I felt. That said I have a friend who lost 9 stones with LL and has kept it off. Another problem was that our group had a crap counsellor. She really didn't know her stuff and her manner was brusque. You didn't feel supported at all. Good Luck babydodders if you try it. x

[wolf63]

Thanks for this question babydodders. After reading the answers I have decided that it is not for me.

According to 'jack daniels' her friend went on it to get pregnant. I would rather avoid that and the resulting babies - more a cat or dog girl myself. :-)

The diet seems much too restrictive and I don't see how it actually teaches you anything about food and nutrition.

I will just stick to my salads and stuff.

[vivt883]

I've just lost my first 3 stones with LL. It's hard, all of us doing it get down, spend loads of time in the toilet BUT the compliments you get from shedding weight make it all worthwhile!!! I was naughty over Christmas and put on 3.5 lbs but I weighed in last night and had lost it all and another 2 lbs. Don't be put off by the fact that it can make you feel pants in the first couple of weeks, once you're over that you start to feel wonderful and the feeling just keeps building. I'm being stopped by people at work all the time now telling me how good I look (even the guys have started to notice). I'm in my 50s and at last I'm starting to look less than my age.

Just give it a try, I know it doesn't work for some people (too hard) but it works for me, nothing has before and I am not going down the surgery route!

[debbiew]

probably not interested now, but i have lost three and half stone on LL and have another 7 llbs to go. First week is hard, but after that its a doddle, the middle is good too as you are happy with your loss and confident about the weight to lose. the end is harder because if you do lapse, and you get away with it, it makes you a bit complacent . I am the happiest i have been in many years. I even lost a pound in las vegas celebrating my 25th wedding anniversayr..... the counselling is good because it gets you to think about why you have got the way you have.... if we could all stick to salads, we wouldnt need lighterlife! If youre considering it, and you have tried everyting else give it a try. I imagine the cambridge diet is good too, its a similar concept. Some of it depends on the palatability of the shakes, some are nicer than others. LL does a lovely cranberry and raspberry bar and a peanut bar. they are yummy. Wish me luck..... Debbie