hi you guys, i've enjoyed reading thru your posts. i just switched to CAD from adkins because of the GUILT of eating carbs at lunch. i can handle breakfast and dinner, but at lunch time i'm in my car (i'm in sales) and i tend to end up meeting with clients and munching on bread, or eating crackers or chips and dip and it was driving me NUTS. i had no will power (or desire to tell people what was going on) other days i'd end up at my parents for lunch (they're close to my work) and of course all they have is sandwich stuff and chips and cookies (and of course now, after halloween, CANDY) i just couldn't handle the temptation. dinner was always easy because my boyfriend is also low carbing and we'd cook together (terrific support).

but anyway, enough of my excuses, i read about CAD on here yesterday and went out and got the book. just the idea that i can eat a burger (WITH the bun) and anything else i'd want (pizza, chips, fries, you know) as long as it's within an hour makes me feel GOOD. i've been up and down with adkins. i'm currently back at my start weight of 145, but have been as low as 138. i only want to be down to 130, i know that's not much to lose, but i fear if i don't get control of my eating NOW, i'll eventually end up with a BIG goal.

i do have one question tho. what is the limit for carbs at the CMs? i think i read on here that it's 4, but i've not seen that in the book yet...HELP! so far today all i've had is 2 eggs fried in a T of butter so i think i'm ok, but some of my dinner recipes have anywhere from 5-10 carbs in them (which was great for adkins, but maybe not now?)

SO, i'm looking for tips, tricks, success stories, inspiration, whatever you can throw at me...THANK YOU!!!

There is not a carb limit per se with CAD. You can have up to 2 cups of cooked or raw allowed vegetables with your Complementary meals. "The amount you eat is not critical as long as you include both protein and high-fiber vegetables. Some prefer to have 1/2 protein, 1/2 vegetables" You can also have a small salad.

ZJ

Thanks so much for your insights. I have the CAD book and will read through it. What I've learned from this thread is that I need to experiment a little more and be open to the possibility that a modified plan will be the best for me.

I was hoping I would have a blissful result from LCing and that the weight would just automatically come off. I do know that it is and will be my WOL but I need to customize it to fit my body and lifestyle. I am a little nervous about trying a RM but I have to be willing to get over my fear of gaining and remember that this is a long-term endeavour. I'll find the perfect plan for me, I'm sure of that!

Thanks again and I am ever thankful for everyone's comments.

Cayce

I don't know that I would characterize the book as "poorly written", in that it follows a rather popular style of telling stories, and I tend to skip a lot of that. The real meat that I found was on only about 4 pages...the part where they describe how to do the Basic Plan, and what foods to eat when. But I can see how you would think that is not especially well-written.

One thing that confused me was in the recipe section.....one recipe was for Liver Mushrooms, and involved mushrooms, butter, chicken livers, onion, cream cheese and some spices. Over in the "Rewarding Meals" recipes there was Easy Chicken Liver Paté", which contains chicken livers, chicken broth, eggs, onion, chicken fat or butter, salt and pepper. Now I ask you, why is one CM and the other RM? That makes no sense to me at all. Perhaps SKS will explain it to me?

What sorts of questions were you left with after reading the book?

I did not see the Hellers on Oprah's show, but was on an email alias that discussed it at length. Too bad she didn't understand the plan...it may have helped her quite a bit, especially since she had Richard and Rachael at her beck and call to help her whenever she needed it. As I understand it, she got hung up on wanting to eat carbs any time she wished, and just never stayed on the plan long enough to see if it worked for her. The story goes that they talked to her on the phone quite a bit and "sang songs" to her to help her along. I guess that's kinda "different".

Their website appears to be only for selling their books, and giving a overview of their plan. Too bad it isn't more interactive, or there isn't something like this website offers. I like being able to discuss and all.....guess you can tell I like to talk!

Take care.....see you all later!

i just read a sentence in the book that says "do not eat carbs at any of your other meals" (other than your RM) so i'm assuming that as long as i stick to the list that is provided, they don't consider the veggies to have carbs? this is a little confusing considering i was programmed into adkins way of thinking, you know? what do you all eat for your CMs?

Sn2BSknny

Correct.

I think--They don't consider the vegetables in the amounts allowed to be reactive on insulin levels and thus cause carb cravings.

I think--This is a diet that you have to get in tune to your own personal body chemistry to excel at. There are hidden triggers and foods that will cause you to react. They can be different for different people. As you go on, get in tune with how your body feels.

Well, I stayed the same for two days, then gained a pound. Is this supposed to happen on CALP?

Skyspinner

I warned you. Look back over your journal last week and see the cheats. Carbs at other than a reward meal and carb binging reward meals.

The Hellers say that either can reverse the process through which your body is emptying fat stores and you can gain weight and incite cravings. One incident is enough to do it!! This diet is based on body chemistry and insulin levels.

The results of abuses of the plan can show up days later when you think you got away with something.

Get back on plan

Love

If you can't resist, maybe this isn't the plan for you. Maybe you're allegic to carbs.

Try to give it two weeks sticking strictly to plan.

Well the, I should start seeing some loss, 'cause I've been on plan for 3-4 days now. We'll see.....

Hi Everyone:

Sorry to have dropped off the thread for a while--that darned thing called WORK!

So, all of a sudden I have no appetite--none at all. Has anyone else experienced this? Yesterday, I ate once and didn't even want what I did eat. Today, I feel the same. This happened to me on Induction also, so I know it'll pass. I know it's not good to skip meals, but I get a little queazy when I think of eating.

Also, I have to admit that I'm still a bit confused when it comes to CMs. What are all of you eating? 1/2 protein and 1/2 veggies?

Thanks!

EXACTLY the same thing has happened to me.....I don't feel queasy at all, just have no interest in eating. For the past two days I've had just the RM meal, and no hunger. I thought that I would be ravenous this morning, but so far haven't wanted to eat. Had my coffee w/ cream, and 36 ounces of water, and feel just fine. Its mid-morning here.

On the CM jam, my understanding is roughly half protein and half LC vegetables. Chicken Caesar salad w/o croutons is perfect for me. I think it's just important to not have either LC veggies or protein alone, but the two together. Anyway, that's my take on it.

There is also an Option in the CALP book that addresses eating a greater proportion of veggies to the other foods, so I think you can dink w/ this if you like. But read the book.....I may not have that right.

I have lost weight! This AM I am down to 226.8, which I last saw on 10/10/02. I hope it keeps up.....tomorrow is my weekly weigh in day, and I will be tracking both that day and the weekly average changes. If I stick today, I should be looking at a loss of about 2 pounds. Wheeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

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Well, it's official....I am now down 3.2 pounds since 10/30, which I consider my start date for CALP. I'm pretty impressed!

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And this plan is soooooo much easier to stay on than Atkins. I am less hungry, and I know that I have to wait only 24 hours at the most to enjoy anything in the entire world that I want to eat. That's so liberating!!! Thinking that I could NEVER again enjoy so many GREAT foods was a real turnoff for me. "Never" is 'way too long. 24 hours? I can deal.

Big "Thank you" to all who gave such good advice...keep it comin'!!!

Hope everyone is having a great LC day.....let's hear those success stories, folks....

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SKY Congratulations on your loss!

I'm just snooping on you CADers. I saw the book on carb addiction, on sale last night and bought it. I'm a major carb addict. I tried to do the Zone but had hunger and cravings in a major way. I thought maybe it was the fruit triggering the cravings but was wondering where that fits with the carb addiction. Maybe it was the 5 meals a day bothering me.

I was wondering where fat fits into the picture with the Hellers. When your eating the lowcarb meals with the veges could I put butter on my veges?

Nancy

Hi, Nancy. Thank you for your good wishes....I am jazzed! Just hope it keeps on the way it's started.

I am no expert, but I CAN read .....in my copy of "The Carbohydrate Addict's Life span Program", copyright 1997, on page 123 under the list of Craving-Reducing Foods, butter is explicitly stated as an allowed oil, fat or dressing.

So, butter those veggies! Rock on!!!

In my experience, eating fruit brings on major hunger for me...always has, even when I was a kid. And I was a skinny kid. I have not tried The Zone.

So, are you thinking of switching to CALP? There's a lot of really good people w/ CALP experience here to help, if you decide it's for you. Just bring your questions right here.

Take care....

I think I may try it. I really identified with the things they bring up in the book. Once I start eating carbs the only reason I stop eating is because I can't fit anymore food in my stomach. This forum is the only place in the world I can admit to that.

Plus, I have a lot of higher carb foods in the house from the zone so I was thinking I could burn those off on reward meals while I try CAD ( I hate wasting food).

My body has been so messed up lately, I lost quite a bit of weight, gained half of it back. Started taking a betablocker, found out I don't need most of it when I lowcarb. Had low thyroid, got on medication, stopped taking it, don't know if I need that. I have heart palpitations all the time, may be stress related, but the only thing I'm really stressed about is my weight. For 6 weeks I could only sleep 2 hours a night, got really sick and slept a week straight. I haven't exercised or even moved much in a month. Dr told me to stop Atkins, and do the zone. That's when the weight gain started. I lose a lot of water when I do Atkins which they thought caused the heart problems but I haven't done it in a month and still have the heart problems. So I'm really confused and feel like I've been on a rollercoaster. Now the dr thinks I have hypoglycemia. I've decided to take a break from drs and try long walks, bubble baths, and prayer. Thanks for listening to all this.

Yesterday when I weighed in and saw how much weight I had gained I cried my eyes out. Today I feel a lot more hopeful.

Nancy