‘Greedy’ mom loses 126 pounds in 13 months with controversial diet
Following a “nightmare” Christmas in 2020, UK mom Verity Bambury vowed to “sleigh” future holidays by prioritizing her health.
“With my sweet tooth, I couldn’t help but overindulge over the yuletide season. Surrounded by temptation, I went all out,” Bambury, 49, .
The former university lecturer dropped 126 pounds in 13 months with the very low-calorie, controversial Cambridge diet, also known as the 1:1 diet. She ditched huge portion🗹s in favor of three replacement meals or snack bars and one low-calorie, high-protein meal a day.
Now, she’s landed a job assessing offshore oil rigs in the Irish Sea because she’s able to ride in helicopters.
“There is no way that I could have done any of this [126 pounds] heavier,” she shared.
The Liverpool mom, who has a son, says she’s always struggled with her weight — Christmas was especially tough.
Shopping by itself was a “nightmare,” as she became sweaty and out of breath.
“Baileys, After Eights, mince pies, trifle, Christmas pudding with brandy sauce — I loved it all,” Bambury recalled.
Bambury pledged that 2020 would be her last Christmas being overweight. She would start dieting in January 2021, along with many others who made a similar New Year’s resolution.
“I had tried dieting countless times. This time, though, I was determined to stick to it,” Bambury said. “But by April 2021, I’d reached rock bottom — and I knew my health was at risk.”
She chalked her problem up to “greed — I just didn’t know when to switch off.”
At her heaviest, Bambury weighed 299 pounds. She’s 5 feet, 5 inches tall.
She said she shed 1🦩1 pounds in her first week on the Cambridge diet and 28 pounds in the first month.
The ไextreme eating plan — developed in the 1960s — relies on the consumption of calorie-controlled products like shakes and soups♊.
about the safety of the diet, especially its “starvation-based” stages, with one nutrition coach in 2021 that it “should only be attempted under close supervision of a medical professional.”
“It’s not a sustainable, long-term or particularly healthy approach,” another nutritionist claimed to the outlet.
For her part, Bambury said she dropped weight fast on the “tough” diet.
But by December 2021, she worr🍬ied about how to handle holiday temptations.
“I allowed myself a few tasty treats in moderation instead of [scarfing] a whole trifle. I just had a spoonful, and that was enough to satisfy me,” she shared.
She was able toඣ slip into a slinky Size 16 glittery dress for Christmas.
More than two years later, Bamburಞy has kept the pounds off. She now wei♓ghs around 175.
“I now love making Christmas memories with my son, Jarvis, shopping for festive outfits, and getting out for a Christmas Day walk instead of just vegging on the sofa stuffing my face,” Bambury enthused.
“I’ll never go back to the way I was,” she added.
Bambu🐻ry has even trained as a 1:1 diet consultant — she aims to inspire others struggling with their weight through her brand .
Before diet
Breakfast: Toast or sugary cereal
Lunch: Sandwich, chocolate bar and sugary drink
Dinner: Large portions of spaghett🎐i ⭕bolognese with garlic bread, fajitas with cheese, or fast food
Snacks: Bourbon biscuits, chocolate bars, sweets
After diet
Breakfast: Fruit and yogurt
Lunch: Tuna salad
Dinner: Chicken with salad or roasted vegetables
Snacks: A low-calorie chocolate bar
