I have been doing Atkins for the past 5 months, but due to health reasons (I had a small bowel obstruction) I am unable to currently stick to such a low carb plan. I will be moving from liquids, to soft food, and then to a normal diet......over the course of the next week. I was in the hospital for 4 days and gained 5 pounds from IV fluids and whatever other liquids they could get in me. Now, I want to get back to some sort of low-carb plan......and hope that CAD or CALP will be the way for me to go now.

Any suggestions on how to go from total low carb to doing one of these plans? I feel so depressed that everything I have worked so hard for the past 5 months now has to change, but the doctor told me that it may be a while before I can actually tolerate meats, cheese, or anything else hard to digest.

Thanks.

MiaKea1,

I follow CALP and actually feel as if I am eating normally. I only eat one CM, which consists of the same amount of veggies as protein. I am satisfied with one CM even though I am allowed a total of two of them, with another smaller portion allowed as a snack.

My protein comes in the form of shell fish, fish, beef, pork, chicken, and cheese. I am very careful to begin my RM with a salad and then eat the same amount of protein, veggies, and carbs. My vegetables supply the fiber in my diet so I don't have any problems in that area.

I will not comment on CAD because I do not follow that plan. I belong to a few support groups and can see that some of the people that have been successful in the past are actually struggling with it.

May I suggest you go to your local library and check out the CAD/CALP books to see if they may work for you.

Well wishes on a speedy recovery!

Thank you so much for your response and info. As soon as I am up to it, I am going out to get CALP....or may just purchase it from Amazon. I've read through as much as possible here on the boards, so hopefully I can do okay until I get the book.

Thanks again.

take care of yourself and listen to the doctors! You can eat lots of soft foods that are lower carb- like eggs, plain yogurts, sour cream, ....

just try to limit sugar as a start- and hope you feel better soon!

Have you considered South Beach? It's lower-carb, but you can limit the carbier foods if you like. Proteins tend to be lower-fat, so may be easier to digest - white chicken, fish, low-fat cottage cheese, etc.

CALP will not destroy you last 5 months' hard work. Check out the CALP/CAD reviews at amazon. It works great and should get things moving for you again.

CALP requires 2 craving reducing meals, and 1 BALANCED reward meal. It is much easier to stick to, and the reward meal allows for the consumption of more fiber via legumes, higher-carb veggies (not allowed during the other 2 daily meals), etc. I think you will enjoy it much more than you did Atkins because of the variety of foods and their effect on your digestion.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

I can one salad a day, but many more raw veggies than the one required for the RM totally upsets my digestive system, and having celiac disease makes that a dangerous proposition.

When I eat a vegetable with the CM, it will have to be a cooked LOW-carb veggie.

I really like that I can have a serving of oatmeal OR of beans or legumes during my RM - as they provide a type of fiber which doesn't upset my digestive system.