I am almost finished with the book and coming up with a shopping list. Looking for suggestions for your favorite Must Have On Hand items.

Also, I bought the CAD book not realizing there was a newer diet. Can someone briefly tell me the differences between CAD and CALP? Is it worth buying and reading CALP?

I have done every diet out there, including RNY. I did Atkins strictly for 3 months and didnt lose any weight. I did WW strictly for 5 months and only lost 6 pounds. I worked out with a trainer 4 days a week at a gym for 12 months and lost 7 pounds. I am very large (327) so I really need to find something that works. I scored very severe on the CAD test, so hope maybe this is the plan for me.

Becaue of my RNY, I cant eat much at one sitting, which is one reason I snack alot. So I am hoping that I can make the Reward meal work.

Any suggestions would be great. I look forward to following this forum and gleaning from all your experience.

Eno, I am in dire need of a freezer clean out...in fact, it might be too late! (R.I.P, pork chops) LOL. I am chronicallly bad for throwing out things that have gotten too old or freezer burned. Now I only buy enough meat for a week, not trusting myself to freeze anything else, which of course means I don't take advantage of good sales. This is definitely on my "to-do" list.
Jane, great news about the maintenance man, hopefully it was just a one-off and won't happen again. But, you will never feel the same about him, I bet.
Wendy, welcome to CAD. I had tried a LOT of different diets over the years too and CAD was the first one that I could stick to, which actually gives me results. I think it is good that you bought the original CAD book to read, since CALP is a follow-up and doesn't go through explaining the program quite the same. I have read both, but I honestly don't remember what the differences are, except that CALP stresses balance in the reward meal more. One third protein, one third low-carb veggie and one third carb. CAD sort of gave mixed messages about the reward meal and was sometimes interpreted to mean it could be a big old carb fest. I hover somewhere in between, striving for balance, but not stressing about it too much either.
I'm sorry, I don't know what RNY stands for, but I think CAD can still work for you if you have to eat several small meals, so long as only one of them contains carbs.

hi-
HI Wendy. WELCOME!!!!!
so RNY is, I am assuming, a gastric bypass procedure. Wendy, if you have had RNY and have still not lost weight I hope you have consulted with and gotten other opinions with other doctors.
I am not really able to comment on using CAD with the RNY, but I do know that you want to be very mindful of the carbs you have with RM so as to avoid dumping.

that said, you asked about must have foods. For me, the list is very similar to Atkins. I always have eggs, cheese, H&H, chicken, fish, meat, salad veggies, cabbage, cucumbers, peppers, olive oil, butter, cannned tuna, canned green beans, and all kinds of fresh and frozen green veggies. For carbs I like all kinds of things- cereal, bread, fruit, sweet potato, and desserts.

Today I am having my usual breakfast CM [coffee, 2 eggs, turkey bacon, cheese] and will have leftover brisket and coleslaw for lunch. Dinner will either be a chicken sandwich or chinese- haven't had that for months and DH is really wanting that- we'll see.

oh yes, I forgot my "must-have" list of foods

eggs, fresh and hard-boiled
Tuna/salmon (canned)
cheese - usually marble cheddar
cooked chicken - to add to salads
broccoli
salad greens
other fresh and frozen veggies

TREATS (aka carbs...cereal, bread, yogurt, sweets, etc)

Thank you ladies. Yes, RNY is a form of gastric bypass. I did lose 150 pounds 9 years ago. Never got even close to my goal but was very obese when I had surgery. I have gained 60 of that back in 9 years. I still have smaller stomach capacity than normal person so I have found that I snack alot. I do get dumping syndrome on occasion but mainly from fats or sweets. Fat in particular so I do have to be careful with dairy (nonfat only) and no deep fried type foods.
I am making my list and hopefully will get stocked up on all the healthy stuff this weekend. Thank you for your suggestions!

Welcome to the new folks!

I went ahead and read how everyone did while I was away and I am happy to see that things appear to be back to normal.

I just returned from my 10 day cruise to Alaska and had a wonderful time. I switched my RM from the noon hour for the entire 10 days since I wanted to eat in the dining room each evening. By doing that, I exceeded my one hour time limit every single time since it took about an hour and a half to dine each night. The good news is that I stayed on plan the entire time and came home 4 pounds lighter than when I left!

I will be checking in again when I have more time.

Greetings all. It is SO nice to find you! I am here looking for support, and to try and support others. Does anyone know whatever happened to the Hellers? I am sorry that they have disappeared, as I love this diet. I don't ever want to go back to the old ways of obsessing about food and feeling tired all the time. Anyway, I have been stalled for awhile, only losing about a pound a month (definitely better than gaining, though!) and am looking for inspiration to follow this diet more strictly again. I have also started exercising, and I bought vitamins/supplements today that are recommended by Atkiins. I think I am cheating just enough to stall my weight loss. (occassional chips, bites of bread, etc......not at the reward meal).
Hey Vel, I thought I was the only one who ate cereal as dessert for a reward meal!!!!! My favorite is sugar pops! My husband always laughs at me, but he is proud of my weight loss (he also fights the battle of the bulge) and says, "Hey, who can argue with your success? So eat sugar pops for dessert!" I look forward to getting to know all of you better. Marcy

I didn't know the Hellers were missing, but then I haven't really been looking for them either. They deserve some privacy, I guess, after their good work.
IMHO, this diet really only works if you stick to the 23 hours with just the very low carb foods. That is how the science works, with the insulin. If you aren't carb-free when you start your reward meal, then it is just a big ole gobble-fest (at least, MINE are!). So, any time I am tempted to have something at the wrong time, I tell myself I can have that food if I really want it, at the right time. It's working and I really feel good on it.

Teri Contragratulations on losing and on a cruise...that is one of the main things holding me back from going on a cruise..I'm afraid all that food would just be too much for me to resist

I agree you you Vel, the science works...but you have to do it the way it's meant to work..

Marcy...for me this is for life..so, if I never lose another pound, that's fine, as long as I'm not feeling out of control. As soon as I eat carbs out of my rm...it's a slippery slide down and I am back to feeling out of control and craving everything sweet...

have a good weekend...
MA

Teri, that is awesome that you stuck to program while you were away and even lost weight.

I had a good day today. Didn't weigh in because I slept over at my sister's place last night. My food today was:
CM: 2 cheese strings
RM: large chicken dinner salad from Wendy's, slice of multigrain toast with honey, 1/2 mars bar, bit of cereal.
CM: 2 fried eggs, with a slice of processed cheese in between.

Tomorrow my grandchildren might be coming for a visit. It is hard lately...I'd like to have them for dinner, but my daughter has celiac disease, very sensitive and can't really eat anywhere but home right now. We will just have to play it by ear. At least I get to see them it has been too long! I'll plan my food once I know better what the day will hold.

Hi everyone, I hope you are all having a good weekend. I am doing okay and time to do some grocery shopping. There are lots of good choices on sale this week. Turkey Breast, chicken and good beef. All the things, I need to get in the refrig.
Well, I'll be back to read the posts later.
Jane

Hey everybody. I had a great day yesterday, my three little grandsons came over with their parents. They are 5, 3 and almost 1, so lots of fun. I cooked a nice gluten-free meal and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I always find I don't eat as much when they are here. I usually have the baby next to me in his highchair and spend a lot of time giving him things. In fact, just before bedtime I noticed I was getting hungry..but I was too lazy to go upstairs for a snack LOL
Food:
CM: 2 hard boiled eggs with a bit of mayo
RM: bbq chicken, hawaiian salad (mixed greens, pineapple, craisins, mayo-based dressing), roast potatoes (only had a tiny bit), raspberries and peaches with lots of homemade whipped cream. Yummmmm

I just read what happened to you at your church- that is just outrageous, and that ignorant fool should be ousted! You're such a class act for handling it the way you did, and I have no doubt you will be rewarded for such kindness. Big hugs to you, sweetie, and don't let ignorance like that get you down. He'll get his one day, I truly believe that.

How are you doing on the diet? As I said last week, I had a small set back. I did gain a few pounds back and have lost all but the last two. I'm very happy with that- for some reason I did gain back 6 pounds, and I'm thinking it might have been a lot of sodium, as we did eat out a lot.

I had a very proud moment last Friday. I took my son out to breakfast after he had an MRI. I said to myself "here I go, blowing the diet again eating out". I shocked myself! Just as I was about to tell the waitress my order, out of my mouth came "Karen- I would LOVE to order the Eggs Benedict today, but I'm going to stick to my diet and just have a ham and cheese omelet with a side of bacon." I can't believe I did that, and that I stuck to it! I absolutely LOVE rye bread- theirs is home made, as well as everything else on their menu. Fresh bacon from the farm. So, not ordering the Eggs Benedict or rye toast and home fries with my omelet was such a wonderful change of pace for me- it proved to me that I am strong and can do this, even under all the stress that I have been under lately. And man, oh man, was that omelet delicious and filling- they make it with three eggs, I couldn't even finish it all. I was stuffed the rest of the day!

Jane- let's keep going, because WE are worth it. Just like all of the great folks on here. We're going to do this! I have great feelings about this for you and I, and let's keep encouraging one another! My toughest season is coming up- Halloween candy! Thankfully, I can have a couple of pieces at my RM, BUT....I work at a haunted maze with my husband and daughter every weekend for the month of October. We have sssssssssoooooooo much fun doing this, but every Friday and Saturday night, everyone brings in goodies to eat, including candy, lol. So, it is going to be a bit tough for me on the weekends, but I am determined to succeed. I'll need everyone's encouragement on here to stick to the plan and not eat the goodies while working, heh heh.

Have a great day, Jane, and keep going, my partner in crime! You're in my thoughts and prayers sweetie.

Audrey

Hi Wendy! Welcome to the board! You'll love it here- great, great people here and lots of support and help!

For me, my list is like Eno's and a bit Atkinish for the CM meals. These are my meat staples- steak, tuna, pre-cooked chicken breast for low carb chicken salad, ground beef or ground chicken, ham with no carbs, luncheon meats with no carbs, steamers (had those the other day with butter, yummo!!!!!), occasionally lobster and shrimp, pork chops, bacon.

No carb cheeses, low carb cream cheese, half and half cream, heavy cream, and low carb sour cream rounds out the dairy.

Veggies- cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, occasionally broccoli (I have to be careful as it can trigger hunger- so I eat this on occasion),green or wax beans, and mushrooms are my veggie staples.

I use lots of spices in my food to keep it from tasting boring. One day, I'll eat my cucumbers with sour cream, salt and pepper and touch of dill, another day I'll eat them with Ranch dressing, another day mayonaise and salt and pepper. Just keep changing the way you prepare things around to prevent the boredom from striking.

I don't usually use any artificial sweeteners during my CM's, but this past week, I have been drinking my iced coffee with Truvia. I did bring on the hungries a couple of times and I know right away that it was the Truvia and sugar free vanilla and hazelnut flavorings that did it, but it was so hot that I needed "cold" coffee instead of hot coffee to get through my morning. However, on these days, I ended up eating two CM's instead of just one, and on one of the days, I had to have a CM snack. With my thyroid, I get hot easily, so sometimes hot coffee (all decaf, can't have caffeine) makes it worse for me. Thank goodness today is cooler out and I can drink warm coffee this morning without the Truvia, lol. I really want to get back to just eating the one CM a day, as I felt really good doing that. However, I still lost weight this week, so I am not going to beat myself up over two Iced coffees.

My point in telling you about my experience with the iced coffee is just to let you know to be aware of any trigger foods that may cause hunger. This diet is great, and after three or four days, you don't miss eating all those carbs anymore. As a matter of fact, you're full all day, if you do this diet correctly. You will love being able to have whatever your heart desires during the RM's, however, most of us balance our meals out during the RM's. Small salad first, 1/3protein, 1/3 low carb veggie (although, I have been eating higher carb veggies lately), and 1/3 carb. Most days I do the balance, while others, I eat a higher carb fruit or veggies. I do notice, though, that I am more hungry the next day when I do that, so again, go by what your body tells you.

Best of luck to you, and again, Welcome Aboard! You'll love this diet very much! The weight loss will be slow and the scale will jump all over the place, but if you have patience, it does work!

Audrey

Thanks everyone for our Must Have suggestions. I went shopping yesterday and got enough to get me started. My biggest obstacle will be the coffee thing. I love espresso and morning coffee with flavored creamer. So I bought some french press (so i can make only 1 cup) and ff 1/2 and 1/2. I have to use ff dairy.
I am going to try adjusting to coffee without the sweetness. It is worth it I know.

CM: 3 pieces thin bacon. 1 string cheese. pickle. coffee with 1/2 n 1/2. Hope Im doing this right!

Have a great day everyone.