Ok here is my first day on CAD. I am going to post my food so far and please tell me if I am doing this right or not.

Bkfst
coffee with 8 oz of Soy Slender (1carb)
1 chicken breast

Lunch (rewardmeal with DH)
Taco salad with chips, cheese, hamburger sourcream and salsa
2 chocolate chip cookies

eaten with in the 60min time limit ( really about 30)

Dinner
Salad with grilled chicken and ranch (1carb per 2T)


Is this oK? I also have some other questions:

1. Is the soy milk ok, it is 1 net carb per 8 oz

2. do I have to stick to the three meal thing or can I have a snack sometime in the day

3. What about WASA crackers during a CM

4. Do I need to look at Net carbs or total?

5. Do I really need to count carbs during my RM or not?

I have read the book and I guess I just don't understand.

My first day too!

For breakfast: I had 2 eggs fried in 1 tsp olive oil, 3 strips sodium reduced bacon
1 c coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 cream, splenda sweetener

Snack: 2 strings of part skim mozzerella

Lunch: 2 cups romaine lettuce, greek dressing (no sugar)
sirloin beef patty
1/2 c cucumbers with 1/2 tbsp mayo

Snack: 1 stalk celery, couple strips red pepper with 1 tbsp egg salad(egg, mayo, celery, salt and pepper) decaf coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 & splenda

Dinner RMwithin 40 mins) 2 cup romaine, chopped cucumber, celery, red pepper, tomato, onion, light feta cheese, greek dressing

Chicken cordon swiss, spinach with 1/2 oz gouda cheese and 1 tbsp cream,

dessert: 1/2 c strawberries with dollop of whip cream (splenda sweetened)

Snack for tonight if I need one: slice of cheddar cheese
chamomile herbal tea


Natascha

I don't know much about the soy milk....the crackers I would say no...only for a reward meal.....

The beauty about CAD/CALP is NOT having to count carbs!! Former Atkins myself...and it feels liberating!!

And I love that we can have something "special" every day....that would always be my failure on Atkins or South beach....I would be "Good" for a few weeks.....then binge like mad, and gain everything right back again.

I pray this is my answer....to help stabilize these darn mood swings and sugar/chips cravings.

Have a great day!
Natascha

Welcome to you first day on CAD. I just joined the forum the other day and today was my first day on CALP.. I was on CAD for almost 3 years.

Looking at your breakfast CM, I think you might not want to drink the Soy Slender. Remember what the Heller's said in their book. "If it is not on the CM list then you can't have it". I would try not to have this product. Since you are on CAD, your RM looks fine and your other CM looks fine too.

What about water??? Are you drinking all of your water. Remember you should drink at least 64 oz a day.

On CAD there is no snacking. You are only allowed to have 2 CM's and your RM unless you are losing more then 2 lbs per week, then you can throw in a snack.

Sorry Wasa Crackers are not allowed at CM's either. (Boy you are going to hate me by the time I am finsihed. )

I am confused when you ask about Net Carbs. Net carbs for your CM? Is that what you mean? You should not be eating anything that has carbs, other then veggies, and what little might be in your salad dressing. Remember only eat the foods that is listed on your CM list in your book.

Don't worry, it takes some getting use to, but you will learn this and come to love CAD. Try to be a liberal as possible at first and see how you do. I know I was very liberal when I first started, I followed the rules, but I didn't balance as well as I should have and I lost 40 lbs right off the bat. Then things came to a screetching halt, and that is another story.

Good luck on your 2nd day.. If you have any more questions just ask and someone here will answer them for you.

Natasha,

I guess we posted at the same time.

Today is my first day on CALP also, so guess we will learn this togehter. Of course I did do CAD for a long time, but CALP is a little different, but not too much.

I tried Atkins a couple of times, but could never lose any weight. I love the freedom that CAD/CALP gives you. It is nice to know that if you are craving something that all you have to do is just wait a few hours to your RM. I guess that is why I was able to stay on CAD for such a long time.

Good luck on your new WOE.

Hi!

What is the difference btw CAD and CALP?? I just have read CALP.

I already take chromium supplements....and will start slowly with the caffeine option. I only had 1 cup regular coffee this morning instead of 2, and this afternoon had decaf instead of regular.

I just felt so lousy on Atkins...my digestion was a mess....not enough fibre, even with supplements.

Have a great evening! Gotta join DH and DS in the hot tub!!
Natascha

Hi Natasha

Lucky you spending the evening in the hot tub. I would love to be in one of those right now..

The difference between CAD and CALP. HUM Well CAD was the orginal book that the Hellers wrote. It has 2 CM's and of course your RM, but it is not near as strict on balancing as the CALP is. The CAD book that I have only states to eat a balanced RM, but you didn't need to start out your RM with a salad, nor did they say anything about the 1/3 protein, 1/3 CM veggies or 1/3 carbs. All they said was to eat a balanced RM. I just took that to mean, don't go hog wild with the carbs. With CAD also your CM's are also suppose to be smaller. You are not suppose to eat anymore then 3-4 oz of protein with about 2 cups of salad and no snacking.

I am in my mid 50's so feel that CALP might work better for me. I think I went about as far as I could go with CAD. I need the strict balancing that CALP has.

I agree about Atkins. I tried it several years ago, right before I found CAD. I was on it for almost 2 months and didn't lose a single lb. I didn't feel all that well either. I know of so many people that Atkins has done wonders for, but guess not all diets are for everyone.

Hope you enjoyed your time in your hot tub.

Hi guys, thanks for all the help. I have read the book but still felt a little confused. I am drinking all of my water plus. I am trying to get 150 oz a day. I have also tried to cut out the pop. Today I had a few drinks of my DH but that was it. I also bought decaf today (we'll see how long it takes DH to figure it out) so will be doing that from now on. I think today I have had a caffine headache all day. Either that or it was the carbs I had with my REward Lunch today. You have to remember I have been on Atkins for about 8 weeks at induction level.

I really hope that CAD helps me. I think I was afraid to add carbs back and just stayed at induction.

Thanks for all your help..

On CALP, you can have CS's along with CM's. And quantities are not restricted. However, you should have LC veggies with every meal and every snack. Even if it's just a small amount of LC veggies. Yes, even for breakfast. The veggies give you good nutrition, fiber, and help fill you up. Even if you have a bit of celery, put veggies in the omelet, or whatever....

I find that Aspartane (nutrasweet, Equal), which is in most common diet sodas (like Coke and Pepsi products) trigger strong sugar cravings for me.

Caffeine is supposed to trigger an insulin response, which can lead to fat production. That's the reason the various diets recommend going decaf or caffeine-free totally.

And, I don't think the Heller's recognize net carbs. Stick to total carbs and you can't go wrong. If not sure about something, save it for a RM. The most important thing is to keep to the list of allowed foods for CS's and CM's.

Good Morning!

I had steak and eggs for breakfast, and only 1 cup of coffee with cream and saccharin. I seem to do ok with that.

As for cola products....In the States only (I live close to the border so I drive down and buy it)....Diet Rite Cola is sweetened with Splenda and is caffeine free.

And when I really feel like a treat I would put in a shot of Davinci sugar free (splenda) vanilla syrup...so it makes me feel like I'm having a vanilla coke!!

I have not had one since starting CALP....and even before I would only save it for when the cravings for a coke would overwhelm me....

But just thought I'd let ya know about Diet Rite. I am allergic to aspartame...so I could never have the sugar free jellos or puddings or even sugar free popsicles or fudgicles.....I think that made Atkins and South beach difficult for me....because you are allowed those treats...but I couldn't have them!

Have a great day!
Natascha

Welcome to all the new CAD-ettes! Looks like you're all off to great starts.

Remember that a valuable resource are the journals. Go there and read. Many of us put in our menus daily. I found this practice to be the most helpful when I started.

Good luck to you all. It's a great WOE. You're gonna love it!

Deb