Thank you Z.
You are definitely a positive role model for CAD because look at you! You go girl.

I know Im addicted to carbs and sweets. When I started Atkins, I had WICKED headaches for one whole week. I guess that I am scared that if I go back to eating some of the things that make me out of control, Ill go through all that agin. Just a fear.

Thanks for the explanation. I am not going to attempt this without reading cover to cover...

Hi, all....looks as if we are all doing very well, indeed! Couldn't be happier.....

I am now down into the 225s....a place I haven't been in a good long time. I think it's time to take a cautious stand here and say "It's working".

I took RedLisaP's post to heart and realized that I had not had a good BM for a few days, and took action last night to fix that. I should have paid better attention, but you know how it goes....I plan to be sure that problem doesn't arise again.

As to how fast any individual is losing, I would be absolutely thrilled to be losing a half-pound a day. Back when I first did CALP, I lost at about that rate, and it was great. Too bad I was too dumb to stay on it at all costs, but let Life intervene....ah well....anyway, I think the loss may slow down after the first rush, so don't fret about losing too fast unless you begin to feel unwell. Just my two cents' worth there.....

I am baking today...Toll House cookies and banana pecan bread for the freezer.....and for today's RM. I can' t wait....the house smells SO good! Plus, I have avocados to eat up. Yum!!!

I realize now that I could not possibly have lived the rest of my life on Atkins, even if it had been working like a charm, which it wasn't. There's just too much enjoyment in food to lock it away forever. Learning how to enjoy it w/o letting it run my life is a much better goal, IMHO....

Well, take care, all....hope you are having a great LC day....and yes, I do believe we can still call ourselves that.....must be, or why is there a CAD/CALP forum on this board?

Bye.....

Hi Everyone

I have been on the Atkins WOE since the 29th May 02 and lost approx 20lb. It has been more than this (up to 26), but I keep struggling.

I did very well on induction and lost 13lb, but then things slowed right down or I regained and some months I never lost anything at all.

What I have found really hard is the strictness of Atkins. Sometimes I have no problem with it and other times I just crave other foods so badly.

I take supplements of L-glutamine and chromium picolinate daily, as well as vitamins and minerals.

I started off so well with atkins, but now am getting no where and I can confess to having high carb moments at least once a fourtnight now and cannot seem to get myself totally out of them.

I posted in my journal about these struggles and a nice person directed me to the Hellers home page. After reading it and then coming on here - I now see that maybe the atkins WOE is not the plan for me.

I have continued on Induction since I started and am going to buy the CAD book tomorrow. I think this could be the answer for me, but I'm worried about regaining what I have lost.

What does BM, CM and RM mean? and how do they work?

I hear the mention of cups of veggies etc - what do you class as a cup (I'm in the UK)?

Sorry about all the questions

I have to say this thread is really enlightening and I've read the lot of it this evening. Please keep it up for beginners like me who will need all the help they can get.

Thank you in advance

I know exactly how you feel. I was exactly the same. This is the 3rd day back to hellering. I feel good. As long as my clothes stay loose I will perservere. But I make sure I am very controlled at my RM. My treat tends to be a couple of slices of toast which is a absolute treat for me and a couple of lollies. After doing Atkins it is lovely to be able to eat toast! I make sure it is high fibre.

Hi, Tigra....glad you found us over here in the corner! Your experiences are not that different from what many of us have had, so you're in good company indeed.

As to the abbreviations....well, only two of them are Hellers' inventions, namely CM (Complementary Meal) and RM (Reward Meal) The CM is the 1 to 3 meals per day you may eat that contain no carbohydrate-rich foods. The RM is the one meals per day that you must eat that can contain anything your little heart desires. Purty good, huh?

As to that "BM", well, that's just an abbreviation for an ordinary body function we should all do once a day....."bowel movement". Not surprisingly, if one does not do this regularly, one's weight tends to creep up a bit.....anyway, back to your adventure w/ CAD.....

There are several very experienced folks on this forum, and each of them will be able to help you out as you need it....just ask. That's all ya gotta do.

If you want to, while you are waiting for your book to arrive, you might try staying on Atkins Induction and limiting your intake of foods greater than about 4 g carbs/serving to only one meal per day. At the rest of your meals, eat proteins and LC veggies...anything that gives you 4 g carbs per serving or less. That'll be good practice for when you get started on CAD, if you'd like to do that. Or you can wait until you've read your book completely and have a good understanding of the science behind the plan.

For a good explanation of the science, see above where Zuleikaa explains the insulin release during eating and why the RM must be limited to one hour. She's right on about it, and this is the central piece of the Hellers' plan. No matter which book of theirs you are following, they did not stray from this original concept. Once you get that down, you've got it!

The "cup" serving is a standard measuring cup....in the US it's 8 fluid ounces.

Again, welcome...we're glad you came!

Julie,

The strictness of Atkins is what made me switch to CAD. I felt totally liberated after switching (after I got past the guilt of eating carbs at the RM (reward meal).

The basic premise on CAD and CALP is that you eat two (or three) Complementary Meals (CM) which consist of low-carb vegetables and protein, and one Reward Meal (RM) that contains low-carb vegetables, protein, and carbs - any carbs you want.

I definitely recommend you read the book. Although I'll warn you that the Hellers don't do quite as thorough a job of explaining the chemistry behind it all that Atkins does. However, you'll get the general idea of how it works. Also, many of the threads here explain this as well (I just read one earlier today).

Oh, one cup is 8 ounces (volume), or approx. 250 ml. BM is bowel movement ;-).

No need to apologize about your questions - that's what this forum is all about.

Good luck in making your decision!

Lisa

Hi Julie

I was wondering if the foods you crave are carbohydrate foods? I think this plan works for those of us who get high insulin levels and that has caused us to store so much fat. There is a quiz in the book that you can use as a guide. Plus you can use your own experience. Before lowcarb I had noticed one day that I got kind of low energy in the afternoons. I would eat cookies or crackers just a few, and then I would be ravenous.

BM=bowel movement
CM=craving reducing meal (high fiber vegetables and protein)
RM= reward meal (salad + CM + reward)

I wasn't sure about the units for you regarding the cup question. For me I usually eat 1lb of frozen vegetables over the day + the required salad (approx 400ml).

I was very nervous about gaining too. I did the zone right before this following the meals they recommended and gained 9.5lbs in 3 weeks. I'm only on day 5 of CALP. Last Wed I weighed 145 and today I weigh 140, so I feel like I surely won't gain eating this way. I guess which plan is the best is a very individual thing.

Nancy

Hi Julie and Welcome!

I had just the same experience as you--lost on Induction in the first two weeks, then stalled out, then gained two pounds. I just started CALP two weeks ago and have dropped 4 pounds, so it's working for me, and I'm feeling great! It does take a while to readjust your brain but the plan is fairly straight forward, and you can get all of your questions answered here!!

Wow, Nancy, you're REALLY doing well! Five pounds in five days--I'm so impressed and jealous! A big cheer for you!

So basically, the equation goes like this........

CM + RM + BM = WEIGHT LOSS

Okay, sorry guys, just my juvenile sense of humor......and yes, I did graduate from the eighth grade. I know it can be hard to tell sometimes.

Fourth day of CAD, haven't deviated from rules so far.....everyone good luck and have a fantastic CAD week! Roche

lol at your equation, Roche. Perhaps it not so daft either

Ive been doing Atkins 15 months. Lost 12 lb on induction and in following 14 1/2 months.....wait for it .... 8lb.

Iam very committedto LC. I am intrigued by the comment that Mrs. H didnt lose on Atkins. I have pre -Atkins had reactive hypoglycaemia.... and thats whats worrying me about CAD. Anyone else had reactive hypo and been ok with the reward meal ?

also, I may add CAD to my every increasing LC Library. But which to buy ?? CAD or CALP ???

Plum,

I also had reactive hypoglycemia prior to starting the LC WOE.

I started with Atkins, and switched to CAD a month later. I rarely have symptoms anymore, although they do still happen occasionally. I haven't noticed if there is any correlation with the RM though, it's possible there is.

However, I have an RM every day (mostly for dinner) and I do not have reactive hypo symptoms every day. I think in the 6 months I've been on this diet, I've experienced it maybe 1/2 dozen times, whereas prior to LCing, I had them several times a week.

CAD and CALP are essentially based on the same theory, but the application of the diet is different. Some people like CAD, and some like CALP - I think it's a personal choice.

I read CAD first and was on that diet for 3 months before I read the CALP book. I have stayed on CAD though, because I just personally like that plan better for my lifestyle.

Have a great LC day!

Lisa

Personally, I like the CAD program better. But I think CALP contains a lot of explanations of things that you can also react to. Overall this diet is a very personal body chemistry type thing and many people can react differently to the many possible triggers. But then again, that's what I like about this diet. It recognizes the variations.

Roche--I love your equasion and it seems pretty accurate to me.

OK, so now that we're on the topic of bodily functions, have any of you tried psyllium husks (the kind you mix in water)?? WHAT KIND OF BAD JOKE IS THAT? Mixed up a glassful yesterday and ended up with a batch of the worst looking, worst tasting, most vile concoction I've ever seen!! So, maybe I'm exaggerating (a little) and I know you're supposed to drink it quickly before it literally turns into Silly Putty, but I just could not bring myself to swallow those little balls of grey crud floating on the top of the water.

Went back to the store and bought tablets. Whew!

Have a great day, everyone!

JudyTrue,

I use Fiber-Psyll and it tastes pretty good. I think I bought it online and I wil get you the address if you want.

It is definately not grey in color and has a lemon lime taste.

HTH,
Julie

There is a new fibre product out that addresses the "glop" issue......it's called "Benefiber" and when mixed w/ liquid turns into a clear liquid that does not jell. The TV ad claims one may add it to any liquid, cold or hot.

The ingredients list includes only guar gum, and it has 20 calories, 4 g carb, 3 g fibre, 20 mg sodium. Sounds as if it is CM.

It is made by Ex-Lax, and is found in the same place as all the other fibre products and laxatives.