hi-
the CAD/CALP/CAHHP plans are not low fat. They are not HIGH fat, but not low fat. They are only protein and veggies for 2 meals and protein/veggie/carbs for the other meal.

I will endulge in an occasional glass of wine...or two. But not so much for the antioxidants as the fact that I really like wine! For antioxidants and reversatol and polyphinols and all the other anti oxidant stuff, I drink my Mona Vie daily...and it only ads about 10 carbs to my day.

And, getting out and moving is never bad.....

George Carlin had a bit about weight loss, he said all you need to do is eat less and move around more! There is some truth to that.....

To the point of the original post, I too am a carb addict. One little something kicks the craving in to overdrive and it is sometimes like I cannot control myself. I swear, it is just like an alcoholic! One cookie, some french fries or a handful of popcorn, or a slice of bread and I have to watch out!

The trick is knowing this is an issue with you, and making sure when the cravings are going to take over you either placate them by indulging in some treat that is low carb or getting away from where the food is!

Yep, forewarned is forearmed.

I've always wondered how you guys can do this...if I eat 2 cups of salad before my meal, that's pretty much all I'll eat (because salad is bulky and fills me up). But without sufficient fat and protein, I'll be hungry shortly afterward because I never really got satisfied (salad veggies alone are not satiating for me). Basically, I would never get to the carbs, protein, and LC veggies because all the room in my tummy would be taken up by salad - especially if I have to be done in an hour. But I'd pay for it later.

I have always thought 2 cups to be like a plateful, but you will be surprised if you measure exactly 2 cups with a measuring cup. It is a lot less than I thought. I eat my salad with the meal, not before it, because I've never been a big fan of leafy greens I am still struggling sometimes to get all my veggies in, but because I think veggies are vital for my health, I make it happen. Also, I haven't been fanatical about my 1/3rds, and yet I have been losing steadily (12 lbs. my first month).

The biggest win for me was the "no snacks" rule, as I am a snacker. After the 2 or 3rd day, I haven't thought of snacking at all. I think that in itself cut out a lot of bad stuff I could be eating.

If you dress your green salad nicely with lots of olive oil, and cheese, you get a lot of fats and some protein. Because my blood sugar levels were stabilized , my Reward Meal didn't turn into a binge situation. I have always had a taste for food, but for the first time in my life I am not always thinking about food. The Hellers wrote CAD/CALP with the science of insulin release and insulin/glucagon metabolism in mind, it's easy to follow, and it works

I would recommend to everyone to give it a try and see how it works for them.

Get out your measuring cups. I agree with Eliza. If you measure out the salad, without compressing it, without stuffing it in the measuring cup, you'll find that a mere 2 cups of salad greens isn't very much at all.

Somewhere around here, someone was once making a joke about how small ONE-HALF CUP is, and they were right - in the same way, two cups of salad is not exorbitant.

No, I know exactly how much 2 cups is...having done Atkins induction too many times to count (during induction, we are allowed to have 2 cups salad veggies, plus 1 cup LC veggies per day). I'm glad it works for you, but I can't stuff in 2 cups of salad and then eat much of anything else. That alone would make CAD a deal-breaker for me, because I'd eat the 2 cups salad and then starve the rest of the night. I guess it's a matter of how much you can put in your tummy at once. Salad takes up a lot of room in my stomach. I coudn't do it.

Now that I'm noticing your stats, I see you've successfully lost alot of weight - so perhaps your stomach has shrunk.

When I quit smoking six years ago, I developed a ravenous appetite, all day long, 24/7 -- and I hope that some day in my future, my stomach will shrink way back down to where it was years ago.

I like CALP, because it's similar to how I used to eat, before I started following nutritionist's suggestions & guidelines.

Probably so...I might not have had a problem eating salad before dinner back when I first started. Are you allowed to reduce the size of the salad as you progress?

hi Jael-
I have been doing this for over 5 years, and I don't weigh or measure anything. I have a salad with dinner every meal at home, and order a side salad if I am out. I then eat my protein, veggies and carbs too. I am very satisfied. I guess it is just a non-issue for me. That is what makes the world go 'round- we are all different.
Good luck on your Atkins journey-
E