After my second baby I managed to gain a lot of weight, again. Having preached about never letting history repeat itself I felt incredibly embarrassed by my size, but more than anything I felt physically unfit. I discovered the 1:1 Diet by the Cambridge Weight Plan and since March of this year I’ve lost almost 6 stone. Here’s how I stumbled across the plan and how it works.

March 2020
It’s accurate to say that in March of this year I felt extremely low about myself. I’ve always battled with my weight but in 2013 I lost 50lbs for my wedding and I thought I’d found a way to manage my weight for good. Then I fell pregnant with my first child and I put on 5 stone. I eventually I lost a lot of that weight and vowed to myself to never gain so much weight again. However, old habits die hard and pregnancy cravings are a force to be reckoned with! Long story short, I gained over 6 stone during my second pregnancy and I felt awful for it, physically and emotionally.

In January I decided I was ready to do something about it and I lost almost a stone over a two month period, however I know from past experience that I always benefit from creating a weight loss support network when I embark on a new healthy eating regime. I started to look for weight loss groups in my area, as I’ve had success with them before and I’m a big fan and advocate on them. In researching groups nearby I came across astonishing before and after photos from people who had followed something called the 1:1 Diet. It’s a programme I hadn’t heard of before and the transformations were incredible, so much so that I initially didn’t believe they were real. After some more investigating I found out they were very real and it seemed to be a plan that truly worked and could work quickly if you stick with it.

How to start 1:1 Diet Plan
If you head to www.one2onediet.com you learn more about the plan and can search for consultants in your area. Each consultant has a web page sharing their own personal weight loss journeys and detailing their services. Many offer virtual and in-person consultations, loads of one to one support (hence the name I’m assuming) and everything you need to start the plan. I found a consultant close to where I live who offered lots of flexible ways to meet and get started on the plan. I sent my consultant, Vicki, a message. She was quick to reply and I instantly felt at ease and happy I had contacted her. She explained the plan and how it works so brilliantly. The programme is a keto based diet that enables your body to go into ‘ketosis’, a process that encourages your body to use fat as its main source of energy. Once your body is in ketosis, you can expect to see amazing weight loss results. There are 6 steps available on the plan, ranging from complete meal replacements to having just a few meal replacement products, alongside eating a healthy, balanced and low carb diet.

The 1:1 Diet by the Cambridge Weight Plan review
My consultant was both encouraging and realistic with me. The step we decided was best for me is a strict one and not for the faint hearted (it’s called step 1B). I replaced all my usual foods with four 1:1 products and promised to drink 3 litres of water. Being on such a strict diet, after eating (on reflection) a fairly carb and sugar heavy diet, brings about some unpleasant side affects. Not everyone experiences them and thankfully my first week on plan wasn’t too bad, but I did have some headaches. By day four something weird happened, I didn’t actually feel too hungry and the headaches subsided. I found the plan straight forward to follow, too. Removing all food was for me a blessing, because it took away temptation. If I could stick to this plan for one week, I’d now whether I wanted and could continue.

“I lost 14lbs in my first week”
After 7 days following the 1:1 Diet I was absolutely shocked and thrilled when Vicki weighed me and I had lost 1 stone, 14lbs, in my first week! From that moment on I was sold. The headaches for a few days were definitely, in my opinion, worth it! From then on I continued to lose 4 to 5lbs every week and after a month I had lost just over 2 stone. Flash forward six months and I’ve lost almost 6 stone and I feel amazing! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had bumps along the way and days when staying on plan has felt harder than others, but the wonderful thing is you have a consultant available to talk to anytime you’re struggling. Any time I needed some practical tips or motivation, I’d get in touch with Vicki and she’d helped me; even through lockdown when we then couldn’t meet in person, she continued to support me through virtual meetings, FaceTime and delivering food straight to my doorstep. Vicki would also send me lots of encouragement throughout the week, which really kept me going.

What do you eat on the 1:1 Diet?
I have mainly been on ‘step 1b’ which means I eat four 1:1 products everyday. Products available on the plan include shakes, bars, soups and meals (such as spaghetti bolognese, which is my favourite and actually vegetarian). On my step I’m also allowed to eat a small packet of fava beans daily and I’m a huge fan of the water flavourings available. There are sweet flavours such as pineapple, which makes a squash type drink, and a savoury vegetable stock which tastes like a cuppa soup. These are great to have in between meals and really keep you going when you feel hungry, plus they count towards your water count which you really must keep on top of. Drinking lots of water (minimum 2.5 litres) is vital when you follow this plan as it helps your body get rid of excess fat – you literally pee fat out! (Plus drinking lots of water is generally very good for you to do anyway.) Another little extra you can have is the ‘mix a mousse’ which lets you change shakes into mousses and the water flavourings into jelly or jelly sweets. These are all great for keeping what you consume on plan varied and help you feel better in-between meals.

As mentioned before there are 6 steps you can choose from and move between. The higher number steps include eating several ‘real’ foods and meals. The 1:1 plan guides you on what foods to pick, but to give you an idea you’re encouraged to choose lots of green vegetables, lean protein and eventually a small amount of wholegrain carbs.

5 stone weight loss in 5 months
I’ve now lost the weight I gained during pregnancy and I’ve also been able to start running again. Keeping up with my busy children feels physically easier too, which is a huge benefit. I feel so much fitter and way more confident than I was before embarking on the 1:1 Diet. The plan may not be for everyone, as it is definitely a strict plan and quite a shock to the system. That said, I’m delighted with the results and excited to start maintenance through healthy eating (everyday ‘real’ foods) and with the support of my consultant. It’s for those reasons that I would 100% recommend this programme, especially if you have a lot to lose.

Thank you for reading,
Chloe x