Wow Scotty! Thank you for that tip! I guess I need to go back and re-read the book, I missed that one! It made me think of last week when I went to a BD party. I had my meal and there was a window of like 10 or 15 minutes before I got the cake. I ate it thinking that since I was within the hour mark that I was ok (!!) Maybe that's why the scale's still the same! I still need to get the hang of this and do it right from beginning to end!!

I've noticed that it's been hard for me to keep the carbs down to ony 1/3 at the RM. Like Wawtigress said, that will slow the weight loss. So, I'm still working on a few details here I guess.

I'm glad you're all posting. It really helps to read, and re-read about all this!

Wow Wawtigress! Sam must be sooooo happy with her Valentine's present! Hope she had an incredibly beautiful (and romantic) time!

HI. I WAS JUST WONDERING, I DO FINISH MY REWARD MEALS RATHER QUICKLY, AND THEN I EAT UNTIL I AM FULL. SO I DO HAVE A LITTLE TIME BEFORE I AM READY FOR SOMETHING SWEET(WHICH I ALWAYS AM OF COURSE). IT IS ALWAYS WITHIN THE HOUR. I FIND THAT I ENJOY IT MORE THAN STUFFING IT IN RIGHT AFTER MY DINNER.
MAYBE THIS IS A PROBLEM?? NOW I'M DEPRESSED.

I haven't found that in the book I have, I need to go and check again. But Cris, if you think about it...it makes sense... If the body "thinks" that we're done with the meal and release insuline, then when we eat our dessert, it makes sense that this would produce a "second" release of insuline (since we took a 10 minute break...)

I know, it's one more thing to watch out for! Even then, it's still easier for me to follow this WOE than any other diet so far. Now I just need to see the scale moving down and we're on business! LOL

THANKS RAIN. I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE INSULIN RELEASE. I'VE NOTICED YOUR STATS AND YOU HAVE LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT. GOOD FOR YOU. DID YOU DO THAT ON THE ATKINS OR CAD? I JUST GET VERY DEPRESSED WHEN I DO NOT SEE THAT SCALE MOVING OR WORSE GOING UP.

HAVE YOU TRIED THE LOW CARB BARS AT ALL? I KNOW THEY SAY THERE ARE HIDDEN CARBS IN THEM AND I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING IN THE CAD OR CALP BOOK ABOUT THEM. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST EASIER FOR THAT TO BE MY BREAKFAST. I HAD THEM ON THE ATKINS DIET BUT NOT HERE EXCEPT FOR MY REWARD MEAL.
AND EVEN THEN I DIDN'T KNOW IF I SHOULD COUNT THEM AS PROTEIN OR CARBS OR WHAT? ANY IDEAS?

I knew I had seen "somewhere" about not stopping your Reward Meal for more than 5 minutes; but I couldn't remember where.

I found it again. There is a Yahoo Group website called MyCAFriends. In their FAQ's, is where they make this recommendation.

Chris, the Heller's do not recommend using the low carb bars. They have a "sweet taste", and on the CALP philosophy, whether it's sugar or artificial sugar; our body recognizes the sweet taste and releases insulin. It takes planning; maybe having some hard boiled eggs, or precooked bacon that you just reheat in the microwave would help with breakfast?

Also, don't be depressed. You mention eating dinner until you are full, then coming back for dessert. FWIW, I myself had a little trouble the first few weeks. Not taking the break between dinner and dessert; but, overall, I was eating too large of a RW meal. I have since learned to eat a little less, have dessert immediately after I "clean my plate"; and I fill "satisfied" but not "stuffed" when I finish my dessert.

It really is great to be able to have "anything" to eat on any given day. But, as always, there is a catch. The proportions and timing are important.

Overall though, I'd much rather learn the time and proportion than to think that I "can't have" so many of the foods that I love.

Thank you Scotty for sharing all these good tips! In answer to your question Cris; no, unfortunately I didn't lose my weight on Atkins or CALP. I lost 30 pounds with low calorie and low fat, but I was going -simply insane- doing this! Then, the rest (10 lbs, more or less), I've lost them doing a sort of low carbing...

I started CALP two weeks ago...I'm hanging in by a thread...the scale is not moving, I know I've made some mistakes and that's probably why...Also, I haven't been exercising like I was before...so that's another reason...I'm not having a good day today, I feel like if I'm stuck. Still, I said I'll give CALP a whole month and I will, maybe by then I've got the hang of it and I may start to see results.

I hope I too, like Scotty, may be able to find my home in CALP...

Thank you for reading and posting!

THANKS GUYS,
I THINK I HAVE TO GET INTO MY HEAD THAT THIS WEIGHT WILL NOT COME OFF OVERNIGHT. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE CRYING IF I'M AT A STANDSTILL FOR TOO LONG. I SEEM TO GET VERY DEPRESSED. BUT THIS SITE CERTAINLY HELPS.
THANKS AGIAN!

RAIN .............May I ask you, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR YOU TO LOSE THE 30 POUNDS ON THE LOW FAT/LOW CALORIE PROGRAM?

Jo Ann struggling in TEXAS

I am a CALSP believer. I started the program in Oct. of 1999 and had the most amazing success with it. Fourteen or so months later I allowed my addiction to get the best of me and have floundered for months now. It is my intention to tackle this issue in my life again and I am hoping that with the support of people out there ( like you and all these other great folks) I can succeed and maintain the lifestyle. Good luck to you. Enjoy it. The food is great...you'll feel better than you ever have...see you around!

Gosh...wish I had read the other posts thoroughly!!! When I started the CALSP, I weighed 230. Nine months later I weighed 137. It was incredible!!! I do believe, that if you ARE IN FACT suffering from hyperinsulemia as described the in the book, and you follow the program, you cannot fail. There is no question that I have a physiological addiction and powerful reaction to carb-rich foods. This program was my only solution. My failure on the program was MY OWN doing. I think there were a lot of emotional issues I was not dealing with that needed to be addressed along with the weight loss. Also, I know this you hate to hear this, TRY not to focus on the weight. Focus on how much energy you have...how much more clearly you can think...how much better you feel when you are controlling those crazy insulin floods. The weight loss will take care of itself. You won't even have to think about that part. Trust me...I know these truths to be self-evident!!! LOL!!! Take care folks and look me up around the forums!

So good to read your post and know there is HOPE for me on this CALP way of eating. This is new to me..........although I have been on every diet you can mention, but this one is very new to me.

I was having a problem thinking that anyone could lose on eating a reward meal....................however, I see you and others are doing it. So, I plan to keep "on trucking" as we say here in TEXAS.

Wish me luck! And good to have you aboard this CALP forum!!!!!!!! Hope to hear from you again soon!

JoAnnAtkin struggling in TEXAS

No problem JoAnn, I started low calorie on Jan 25, 2001 at 175 -I followed this diet up to July first when I was then at 136 lbs. So, I guess it was more like almost 40 pounds...not 30...

On July 1st I started Atkins and gave it a whole month, but I lost only 1 pound, even though I kept the carbs way under 20. (Maybe I was too high in calories?)

I still kept doing low carbing after that, just with more vegetables and not counting how many carbs exactly like before. In Octuber I was down to 125 lbs , but since then, I've been losing and gaining the same 10 pounds...and it's driving me crazy!

Thank you Offdawagon for your inspiring post. I'm at the end of my rope...Yesterday the scale went up THREE pounds...I CAN'T afford this! I'm suppossed to be losing...Maybe I'm not doing it right, but still, for whatever reason, I feel I need to reconsider what i'm doing! I'm very depressed and confused right now...I'm thinking of maybe going back to counting calories...As much as I hate it (!!!) it seems to be the one thing that has workd for me in the past...Maybe after I reach my goal I can do low carb to maintain... I'm very confused right now...not to mention sad, sad, sad...!

..........I do know how you feel. However, I think it might be that you don't have a whole lot to lose.........and your body is so use to that low fat WOE. That could be the problem. I feel this CALP has to be a slower loss program, but what a wonderful program if would be if it will work. Don't you agree, Rain?

I have got to get back on program with the CALP and be really true to myself about it. I hope you do the same............as I know how hard the low fat is and how hard it is to keep the weight off doing the low fat maintaince! STARVE TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL LOL

I am dragging the book back ( CALP) out and reading it somemore. Maybe that will get me in a CALP frame of mine!

Rain, I am here for you to VENT if you need to.

JoAnnAtkin Strugglin in TEXAS

I think the success and the progress of CALP depends on the degree of addiction you're dealing with. I have never looked at this as a weight loss program. It is a method of correcting a verifiable condition that prevents the body from using and responding correctly to carbs and insulin. If you took the quiz on page 39, it's very telling. The only one I answered no to was #13 ( the phrase "There but by the grace of God go I" comes to mind) so I qualify as "strongly addicted". Total understatement. I think that is why I felt so good so quickly when I began the program. Off the program, I literally feel like I am diseased in some way. Absolutely dysfunctional. I'm also sure that's why my weight loss was so dramatic. When I corrected the imbalance, the weight loss was a natural occurance. Try to look at the weight as merely a symptom, and be glad each day that you FEEL better. In a few months, you'll pass by a mirror, catch an inadvertant glance, and say, "Oh, my gosh...is that really ME?"
Hugs!!!

Thanks so much for your help! I persoanlly, took the test, and I don't think I am that addicted to carbs. My problem is..........if I get down, I eat..........if I get happy, I eat..............for whatever reason, I eat!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing in particular........just FOOD!!!

I must deal with WHY I use food for my uppers and downers!

I would like for the CALP to work for me.........as it sounds like something I can live with. However, I know the low fat/works..........I just hate to go hungry for it to work! You know what I mean? LOL

I have to decide what I need to do............I would love for the CALP to work and I will keep trying until I see I am gaining all of my weight back!

Thanks again for your help!
Jo Ann in TEXAS