What's the Difference with Atkins?

[Xartemis]

Hello everyone -

After having done Atkins on and off for 3 years and finally realizing that I absolutely cannot live without carbs, I bought the CAD book and read it cover to cover. I don't have that much weight to lose - about 20 would make me ecstatic, but Diabetes runs rampant in my family and I want to put a stop to this genetic curse. Being Asian-American, Atkins was pure suffering for me, since I don't feel like I've eaten unless I've eaten some starchy foods like rice or noodles. I love the way I looked when I was on Atkins - skinny arms and all - but unfortunately, it never lasted too long. I wonder if the yo-yo atkinsing has damaged my metabolism in any way.

Anyway, CAD seems to be a more practical approach to LC-ing, although I must admit that I'm a little skeptical as to whether I will be happy with just one RM a day - but I guess one is better than none. I want to try CAD because it seems like a diet that I can live with the rest of my life. But having read some of the posts, it seems that CAD is more than just LC meals with one meal in which you can have carbs, or is it? Having read the book, it seemed that CAD was Atkins with a RM, but I've seen posts where that theory was shot down. Can some you experts please help me out? Is CAD not a low-sugar, low-carb diet with one meal in which you can have anything you want within 60 minutes? I want to start right. Thanks.

[kokle]

Xartemis,

I don't know if you have considered the SBD. If you want to look it over, here are links to other links that Prevention Magazine has. After 2 weeks, this is among what is allowed.

Starches (use sparingly): Bagels (small whole grain), bran muffins, bread (multigrain, bran, whole wheat), cereal (high-fiber, oatmeal [not instant]), pasta (whole wheat), pita, rice (brown, wild).



http://lowcarbeating.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=5006008014&f=4226009014&m=6826001524

CAD does not allow you to eat whatever you want during the RM if you are not balancing the carbs with the other-LC veggie and protein. Yes, you can eat the rice and the noodles if you are balancing the meal during the 60 minutes.

[tofi]

There are some thoughts that even CAD is not a low carb plan since the RM can really pack in a lot of carbs - even though the other 2 CM are supposed to be low carb.

Take a look at the Quick Links to the right of your post and click on "Which Low Carb Plan is right for me" for more information on a number of plans.

Atkins did say that every ethnicity or 'usual diet' has something in it that an LCer would have to decide to limit or eliminate: Italian pasta, American potatoes, French bread, Oriental rice or noodles etc. It's not a 'forever' thing - just the way to lose the weight. Then a limited amount could be reintroduced.

It's our thinking that "a meal is not complete without ______" that needs to be changed.

[potatofree]

The catch is, the complimentary meals are much stricter, and during the reward meal you can eat anything you want...just not EVERYTHING at the one meal! Your serving of the carbs of choice has to be balances with salad, protein and low-carb veggies, or it won't slow the absorption of the carbs enough.

[quikdeb]

If you follow the plan which consists of lc complimentary rules, no snacking and maintaining the 60 min. (balanced as possible) rules, nothing has to be eliminated unless it is a problem for you as an individual. Some people have certain food items that cause them to crave or stall. This has to be discovered by you.

The absolute beauty of CAD is that it is not complicated and you eat real food like a real person. Your individual nutritional selections make up what you eat. Some CADers take a much more conservative nutritional approach, while others are less conservative and enjoy a daily sweet treat or extra serving of whatever. You make CAD what you want it to be and I have to say...it's the most wonderful woe I have ever experienced. I lose slowly, but I have never been happier or more in control of my eating...EVER!!!!

Read some journals. I think they give you the best idea of how different we all are in our approaches and how happy we are too. The journals can be your most useful tool.

Hope you give it a try.

Deb

[Xartemis]

OK, so I read the CALP book and the diet makes a lot more sense now.....I see more clearly the differences between Atkins and CAD, although my way of doing Atkins was more conservative - no crazy cheese-eating or fat bonanzas. I really missed fruit during Atkins, so I'm glad that CAD/LP allows you to have it during the RM. Look at me - I already know the lingo...haha. Anyway, one thing that is still confusing me is the "no snacks" rule. CAD/LP books are both vague about this - I think - but is snacking completely forbidden? Why can't we have a LC snack - eggs with celery per the recipe in the LC book - if we are feeling a little snack-ish?

[Xartemis]

oh, and another thing - if we don't feel like we want the reward meal (when pigs fly, but sometimes they do), can we do a LC meal instead? For example, I don't like potatoes, and it's my RM time. They are only serving steak, salad and potatoes. Can I choose to just have the steak and salad and have no starch even if it's my reward meal?

[Vel]

CAD does allow up to one snack per day, of foods chosen off the complimentary foods list, just half the portion size. More than one a day is not allowed because the frequency of eating is something else that triggers insulin production. We want to keep our insulin as low as possible all day to make the RM concept work. Make sure you eat enough at your CM's to avoid getting hungry between meals.

Absolutely you don't have to have carbs at your RM from time to time if there is nothing you want. I don't imagine you will find that happening very often, it has NEVER happened to me :) I think that we need some carbs when we are carb addicts, so I don't think it would be good to do that all the time.

Good luck! :)

[potatofree]

I've found, now that the novelty is wearing off a bit, I'm satisfied with fewer carbs at RM. While I still have a nice dessert at times, I usually now eat fruit and some no-sugar-added ice cream. I'm still getting actually fewer carbs than a piece of pie or a potato, but I feel like I'm getting "more" somehow...

I balked at giving up my snacks and artificial sweeteners during the day, but I've found I can live without them!

That little "snacky" feeling still haunts me at times, but with the Dr Phil "tricks" and the anecdote Oprah told about when her trainer told her that feeling was actually her body starting to use her fat stores..she sai she told him "why didn't you SAY so?!? " She said "Now when I'm feelin' it, it's like Come ON in..help yourself to some thighs!!!" ROFL, it put in in perspective for me too!

[IthinkIcan]

I agree, the novelty wears off. And I also believe, that the novelty is much stronger in those of us who went from Atkins, which was very carb restrictive, to CAD.
There is a few things that I didn't see mentioned. First and very importantly in my case, insulin control. THE reason I chose to switch from Atkins to CAD was the horrible insulin problems I was having. I probably had my insulin up every single minute of everyday in hindisght on Atkins and was getting sickly.
With insulin control, appetite control comes as well. The reason some people talk about no as's, is because they've discovered it causes an insulin spike and that is what triggers hunger feelings. The other thing that is different I wasn't to note: Atkins plan, a good plan I add, is a ketogentic woe. CAD isn't.

Anyhow .. you said, you wasn't sure if having 1 rm a day would be enough. Suprisingly, it is and it becomes routine. The beautiful thing I've experienced is I don't even think about food that much. ........its just plain ole, everyday eatin and I do it like a normal person for once.