I have been on CAD for 3 days now and I seem to be gaining weight. I am afraid to step on the scale. Before being on CAD I was on a low calorie diet. I hope it did not ruin my mitabolism with it. I feel depresed because finally I thought there was an answer to my carb addiction.

Some questions to ask yourself.
How do you feel?
Are you having less cravings?
Are you RMs somewhat balanced? Not a feast.
Are you eating enough CM veggies?
Are you snacking?
Are you using AS?
Whenever I look at my diet and follow the few simple rules, I lose weight(at least 1-2 #) within a couple days.
I don't have alot to lose, so I'm happy with an average weekly loss of about 1/2 - 1 pound.
This diet is much more satisfying than low calorie, at least for me.

Nothing you do will make you lose weight faster then normal ... You didnt gain it over night so you wont lose it over night either... Good Luck if you stick with it you will lose weight

In my paperback version of CAD, it instructs you NOT to skimp on your reward meal. This paperback is 10 years old...have the Heller's revised their stance on the RM? I am very careful in my CM's. I have a hard time (mentally, emotionaly) with the unrestricted aspect of the RM. I feel VERY hungry at RM time. I am afraid my stomach is just too much of a bottomless pit for the Hellers diet to work on me (?)

last nights reward meal (typical)

1. big green salad with tomatoes, blue cheese dressing and croutons
2. cheese flavor pretzel mix, one large mixing bowl (almost the whole bag)
3. 1 large overstuffed deli submarine sandwich on fr. roll, mayo and mustard
4. 1 whole Cadbury milk chocolate almond bar (the very large size)
5. 1% milk

Michaela -

I think your RM may be too carby. I have the old book too, so I don't "strictly" balance my RM, BUT IF I find myself NOT LOSING WEIGHT, I consider that my RED FLAG and a WARNING, I need to take a look at the things I mentioned in my first post.

Looking at your RM-
1- salad, very GOOD!
2- could you skip this, or just have a few bites? Because if you're finding yourself eating a whole bag of pretzel mix, you may not be able to control that food, you may need to eliminate it for a while.
3- deli sandwich, probably just fine, do have any veggies on the sandwich, that's alway good to add
4- see 2
5- milk should be fine, if it was a moderate sized glass ; )

The RM has been revised to
first start with about 2 cups of salad
then 1/3 carbs, 1/3 protein and 1/3 CM veggies; if you want more carbs, you are supposed to go back for more protein and cm veggies too! That way it's not just a big 1 hour carb fest. You'll get full faster and be eating more in "balance"

Anyone else have anything else to add?

Summerslim, thanks for the input!
Last night I realized I must do some kind of "modified" CAD -the "unlimited" RM is just not going to work for me (have gained about 4.5 LBS). I have too many emotional food issues. I find myself eating like I am in a stomach-stuffing contest during the RM. I had hoped that I would be able to develop more normal attitudes toward mealtimes (like normal people with out food issues) (like I was when I was a child) but I have struggled with overweight for all my adult life, and have dieted all my adult life, and I just cannot grasp (anymore) the concept of sitting down to an unrestricted meal! I just cannot eat simple "white" carbs... PERIOD! they trigger something in me emotionaly to just want to gorge. I am thinking of doing CAD but with only COMPLEX CARBS at RW...what do you all think of that? Anyone tried this?

Hi-
I have all the Hellers books. IMHO, there is no way anyone could lose weight or be healthy eating the RM you described. Remember, the whole idea of this plan is to reduce insulin release by reducing frequency and amount of carbs you are eating. What you are having for RM is more carbs than you need.

pg 120 (1991 Signet Paperback)" The Reward Meal is to be a daily feast, not a binge. Make it a delicious, well rounded meal. Select foods from the four basic groups, include milk and dairy products; meat, fish and poultry; fruits and vegetables (as well as a salad); and breads and grains."
pg 122 "At your Reward Meal there are no limitations on how much you eat as long as the meal is well balanced and sensible."

IMHO, your RM is not well balanced or sensible. I think the Hellers wrote CALP to help clear up what they meant by well balanced- and came up with salad, 1/3 protein,1/3 veggie, 1/3 carb.

If I was doing a deli sandwich on a french roll for my RM protein and carb, my whole RM would be:
salad (with whatever I wanted on it)
sandwich(the carb for the RM would be the bread)
veggie (spinach, brussel sprouts, green beans- something like that)

PLEASE buy CALP and follow the BALANCED RM that Summer described. It is great and filling and will work. You can also have only complex carbs if you like- it is an option. Please post a lot and let us help-
The weight you have gained may be lots of water- as you are eating so much salt too. Please try it balanced- it really works.
E

Michaela - Listen to Eno, she knows this, in all the times I've been on and off CAD, she's been here posting like a "rock" she's my motivation that it can be done, WE CAN DO IT!

This forum is great for help, suggestions, encouragement.

Just keep posting, you can start a journal to log your food, and others can give their input.

Keep at it, you'll find your balance and the cravings will subside, it's a wonderful place to be!

I recently found this list but have been following CALP for years and have lost a considerable amount of weight on the program. I was originally mentored personally by Drs. Heller for well over a year. I even lectured with them for a short time and appeared on various radio programs with them. In fact My story can be found on the Heller's website. So I know a little about the program.

Fist piece of advice is to buy CALP. Do not follow CAD. CALP will explain the proper RM meal and is very different from the original CAD book.

Until you obtain CALP if I may, let me give you a bit more detail on the CALP Basic plan Reward meal.

1. First -you have one hour to eat your RM meal

2. Always start with a salad. This helps fill you up and cut down on your over all food Consumption later in the meal. More technical it supplies you with the fiber you need to keep everythiung 'moving' if you get my drift.
Now the mechanics of the RM

Let’s say you were going to have a meatball for dinner the size of your fist. This is known as your craving reducing protein. You would follow this by a fist size portion of a low carb vegetable known as craving reducing vegetables ( could be green beans, cucumbers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc. just to name a few)

Then for the sake of this example let’s say you wanted a baked potato and some cake for desert. You would need to cut the potato to equal half the size of your fist as well as the cake so the two combined was the over all size of your fist when combined.

Another words balanced and equal in proportions are essential. …

Now let’s say you’re still hungry after finishing all the food on your plate. You can basically have as much food as you desire as long as you follow the formula I described above. So in this case if you wanted seconds you would leave out the salad and go right to the craving reducing protein. The portion can be what ever you desire but for this illustration we’ll say the meatball is the size of a golf ball. You would then follow this with a golf ball size portion of your craving reducing vegetable and if you can even eat it at this point, your desert would be a golf ball sized serving of cake.

The RM meal is not a binge fest balance is critical

Health & happiness

Morris

I really appreciate the guidance from all the posters- I feel I have learned so much since that first "RM" (carb-fest) I wrote about in the beginning of this thread.

I have some great news- I went to Thrift Town and found a copy of CALP for $1.25!!! I am going to read it tonight (Friday night)

I already looked at the "options" chapter -I am guessing that it will take quite a few of these for me to really lose on this diet. I have such a slowed metabolism from an entire lifetime of yo-yo crash low calorie dieting -and I suppose from age also.

Hi Morris-
I am so thrilled that you have joined us! This is a great site.
I would LOVE to learn more about you and your time with the Hellers. Can you post more- please! Write in the "Hour Power" thread- our daily thread.
Please post the address of the site where your story is, too!

Your explanation of the RM was excellent- especially the sizes of the portions.

Yor stats are amazing too! Congratulations!

I have been on CALP/CAHHP for almost 4 years, and it has totally changed my life. I am healthy and energetic and feel terrific- the weight loss is just an amazing bonus. I always say my body did the 'happy dance' when I started CALP.

Michaela- great you found CALP. Start out on the main plan- give it some time. Then add one option in at a time- just give yourself some time and see how it goes. And please keep posting!
Maybe start a journal too!
E

How's it going Michaela?

As someone who has only managed to uy the original CAD book as the Lifespan Program book is currently on order I cannot begin to thank you for this particular thread. My confusion over reading the extremely scant information about the RM balance has been totally taken away by the concise explanation on balance in this thread.

Happily I have not yet had my first reward meal as I have only started this way of eating this morning. Had three rashers of bacon and two fried eggs for breafast. Planning on cottage pie with cauliflower mash for lunch. I can now plan my reward meal with confidence.

Really looking forward to seeing results.

I really appreciate having this forum to turn to. Bless you all for sharing and helping

hi J-
welcome to the group! I am sooo glad you have spent some time to read older threads- I have been posting since 2003, and there are lots and lots of great threads with lots of great info.
Glad you are here- please come over to the main Hour Power thread and tell us all about you!
E