What a friendly, helpful board. Its good to connect with you all. I have been on the Atkins diet but after the initial 20 or so pounds I lost, I stalled and it has gotten increasingly impossible for me to stay on this WOE. I am considering CAD or CALP. I am wondering if any other Diabetics are on CAD/CALP and would give me some feedback on the plans' effectiveness.

I'm not diabetic so I can't answer your question about that from experience, but I believe it is recommended for diabetics in the book.

Hope you give it a try. It's very livable.

Deb

I have only been on plan for 4 days and my morning blood sugar (which is usually higher than rest of day) has gone from 7.0 to 11.0. (126 to 198). Not good. NOW HAVING SAID THAT.. I don't know that I am in control enough of my carb consumption to eat the proper carbs during RM. I mean, no diabetic should be eating so much sugar as I started binging on during this hour. If you have the control to stick to low glycemic index carbs during this time I doubt you would see such a rise as I did. I think everyone will react differently to this plan, so you should try it and see.

Personally, I think the theory of not having an insulin spike after the one hour period does not reflect accurately based on the blood sugar tests I was able to do after this RM, again, could be that I was not always just eating low GI.

Try it and see if you can be trusted

Thank you Deb and Luscious for your responses to my question. I appreciate your taking the time to help me. I have been binging on sweets and other high carbs on Atkins. My thinking is that with CAD I can incorporate my urges to binge into my RM and hopefully control them more than I now am.

I can see the inherent dangers of eating high carbs at all for a Diabetic. However since I find myself already doing it in an uncontrolled manner, maybe it is worth giving CAD a try. If it doesn't work then I can always go back to Atkins. Of course, I will check with my Doctor first before making the switch.

If you're already having trouble with the sweets with Atkins, then technically, you're not doing Atkins. I agree that the hour gives you a time to get the cravings out of your system in a controlled manner that may let you get through the rest of the day more in control. I also believe that with time and control your RM's will come more into line of a reasonable meal with a nice dessert if that's what you want. The added benefit would be that you don't always have to feel that you're off plan which has the whole guilt/throw in the towel issue that usually goes with it.

I think CAD might be great for you and hope you consider giving it a try.

Deb

I can tell you both that my RMs now do not in any way look like my RMs when I started CAD and I think most of us have had the same experience--when I first started, I did kinda binge on all the sweets I felt deprived of on Atkins--but after a while, I realized that this felt awful, and I truly enjoy having yogurt and fruit for my dessert--with maybe a square or two of 86% cacao chocolate (low carb and delish)!! Every once in a while, if I am out to dinner, I share a dessert with DH--otherwise I prefer my standard carbs--I think it is scary for newbies to feel so out of control with the RMs--but honest, the longer you do this, the more it sorts itself out!

ouis

I am the opposite side of the same coin -- hypoglycemic. I have found that, once I started exercising and avoiding refined sugars at my RMs (having fruit most of the time; now I can have a little bit of sweets, but I'm not diabetic), my blood sugar has stabilized at a normal level.

If you have any doubts, even the Hellers say that diabetics and hypoglycemics need to check with their doctor before starting CAD/CALP.

Thank you all for giving of your time and wisdom to help out a stranger.

Quickdeb - thank you for addressing the guilt/failure issue. I have felt so out of control and like a failure on Atkins these past several carb-binging weeks. I defintely want to give CAD/CALP a try.

Quizoid - It is really helpful to get a first-hand account of the process and the rough spots one might hit and the encouragement that it will smooth itself out as you learn on the plan.

Kitten Lady - I definetly will check with my Doctor first. Thanks for your concern.

I think I will try it too! I am borderline diabetic/hyperinsulima....

I have been doing Atkins for 2 months now, and have lost only 4 lbs. It is really discouraging. PMS was absolute hell...I would have sold my 2 year old DS for a slice of chocolate cake!!!

I thought the sugar cravings were supposed to go away...but they are getting worse.

I have the CALP book, and am re-reading it tonight. I am not losing weight quickly anyway, so I may as well enjoy a treat everyday right? I am faithfully going to Curves too 3x per week for 3 months....and still no big weight loss. I just feel like crying...and eating everything in sight...I am tempted to go to the store and buy chips and chocolate.

Thanks and Good Luck!
Natascha