About Cambridge Diet Nutrition
- According to the six-step program outlined on the Cambridge Diet website, you follow a low-calorie regime for the first two steps by eating 400 to 1,000 calories for a minimum of 4 weeks. During the first step, the dieter consumes plenty of water and three Cambridge Diet meals consisting of smoothies and meal bars. The second step is the same as the prior, but you can eat vegetables and protein-rich foods like chicken breasts.
For the third step, you eat 1,000 calories in the form of two Cambridge Diet meals as well as foods recommended by a nutritionist (such as whole-wheat pasta, salad, fruits and eggs). The fourth step has a 1,200-calorie intake with a wider range of food options plus Cambridge Diet meals. The fifth step is 1,500 calories with a wider variety of food choices as outlined by the Cambridge Diet counselor. The last step focuses on sustaining the weight loss by making proper food choices. While on the diet, you purchase and eat a series of supplements in the form of bars, smoothie mixes and shakes. - If the program is followed, you can receive all vitamins and minerals despite the low calorie intake. The supplements contain all of the necessary nutrients but come at a high price tag and, some would argue, in an unappetizing form. Though the last four steps provide a wider array of food, you must be willing to commit to a diet of little variety for the first two steps, or the first 4 weeks, of the plan. The diet is also very low in calories and should not be seen as a lifestyle.
The program's last step of "maintenance" is just as important as the first five. While the first five are low-calorie, the last step, which has no calorie restrictions, tries to instill good dietary habits that can be carried over after the diet ends. While the diet provides an outline of what is acceptable to eat, once the diet is over, you must be prepared to make better food choices to keep the weight off. - The program is costly: 1 lb. of oats, available at grocery stores for $3, can be purchased online for $25 on the U.S. Cambridge Diet website. Twelve nutrition bars cost $33.65 (see Resources for additional prices). These supplements, however, are critical to keeping nutrient levels high. Thus, anyone choosing to follow the diet must be willing to spend large sums of money. Additionally, a low-calorie diet can cause the body to go into starvation mode, regardless of how many supplements are consumed. The body must have an ample supply of glucose, or energy, which is found only in calories.
In the book "The Straight Scoop About Dieting," author Sharon Greene Patton explains that those who undergo the Cambridge Diet (a program not recommended by the author) are advised by the FDA to have proper supervision by a doctor. Though the U.K. version of the diet mandates a doctor's consent, the U.S. version of the program only provides guidance and a website where the supplements can be purchased. Because the U.S. version is not as restricted as the U.K. version, Americans following the diet should plan very carefully to ensure their nutritional needs are being met.
