I am thinking about switching from Atkins to CAD. I don't have much to lose but I keep gaining from the littlest things. Like an extra handful of almonds or I'll mess up and eat some ice cream. I get lazy and stop counting my carbs and stop weighing and then what do you know I'm up 8 pounds in a week. I really just over eat is what it is and very rarley eat something with too much sugar I don't eat flour or cornstarch, I never ate bread in the first place, but that darn sugar. I would like some opinions about my situation if you have any, thanks. I ordered the CAD book and will read it as soon as I get it.

Hi there,
I've had good luck with CAD/CALP. I didn't lose much on Atkins and my blood sugar did a nose dive. I think Atkins was too high in fat for my particular body.

Be sure to take the Carb Addict's test to see if you are one. This WOE is particularly good for carb addicts and people with "insulin issues," such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, and Syndrome X. I did CAD for 2 weeks, then switched to CALP, which helps you modify CAD for different ages, body types, and health issues.

Make sure to balance your RM -- 1/3 low carb, 1/3 high carb, 1/3 high protein and a salad (this is a visual measure -- you only need to approximate the volume). And make sure to finish the RM within ONE hour of starting to eat. The CMs are similar to Atkins, but you can do a low-fat version, and the allowed food lists are different. Make sure you eat enough at your CMs so that you are satisfied -- otherwise, you'll eat the entire refrigerator for RM!

Some people switching from Atkins think that the RM is an excuse to "pig out" on carbs, but it really isn't. If you want to eat an entire cake, you must eat the same volume of high protein and of low-carb veggies -- I personally can't eat that much, and definitely not within an hour.

It's also possible to do a low-fat CAD/CALP, as well as a vegetarian version. I love the flexibility.

Good luck. I hope you like it as much as I do.

If it is just that you aren't happy with how your body looks at this weight, then wait for 6 weeks because you are going to change shape.

125 is a marvellous weight for a person 5'5" tall. If you try to lose more pounds, just for the sake of the number on the scale, you may sacrifice lean muscle mass.

Better to wait and see how things change over the next month and more.

I agree with tofi. (Are our cats related, BTW?)

Thanks for the responses. I understand that my weight is good where it's at but with me "cheating" on Atkins I gain then I am no longer 125 I get back to 130 and sometimes higher, I'm afraid one day I will just totally give up and gain weight like I never did before. The women in my family are very large after the age of 30 (I'm 23), they are also not so healthy. I just want to learn how to not be like them, to be healthy and at a good weight that I can control. I figured since it's hard for me to control my cravings because I seem to want what I can't have maybe CAD would work because then it's not like I can't have something I just have to have it at RM. I did take the test and got a 9. More opinions would be apreciated, I guess I just need to talk this out with myself and someone else.

Wow! Since you scored a 9 on the test, I think you should give CAD a try, at least for a month. If you find that you're gaining weight, it might not be right for you. CALP might be a perfect maintenance program for you, too. Just remember the proportions/1 hour limit on the RM and you should do fine. It sounds like you're more interested in maintaining than in losing a lot more. This should be Pre-Maintenance for you on Atkins, right? You might be having an insulin "issue" if you gain so quickly from a higher-carb food. If you retrain your body by eating these higher-carb foods at only 1 meal a day, that see-saw effect should stop.

If one WOE was the only correct one, matching all bodies and health conditions, then there would only be one WOE. Since you have to figure out some WOE that you can follow and stick with for the rest of your life, it would be better to change plans to something low-carb that you can maintain.

Be sure to read the book thoroughly before trying CAD or CALP. Some people experience a gain when switching from Atkins to CAD, so if you try it, don't be discouraged. It usually lasts only a week or two. I personally lost 4 pounds the first week of CAD.

And don't go nuts over 5 more pounds!

Kittenlady, thanks for the post it really brightened my mood today, to realize I do have other choices and I am not just kidding myself.