transition from Atkins to CALP?

[tree]

Just wondering, how some of you did when you went from Atkins to CALP. From my readings, it looks like Kezza, Joann, Barb, Pegm, Carina, Wawtigress, and Samtigress, amongst others, have gone from Atkins to CALP. What was your experience with the transition? Any gain? A stall? A weightloss? Did you start experiencing more cravings with the allowance of some carbs? Any changes in energy level? And how do you determine what a 1/3 portion of carbs is equivalent to a 1/3 portion of protein and vegetables? My gosh, does that mean I can have a piece of chocolate the size of my steak?
I've started transitioning to CALP. Well, actually CAD. I didn't realize I had the old book. I just bought the CALP book today. But I'm nervous I'm going to regain what I lost on Atkins, which is 9 lbs.
Thanks for any advice.

[Scottty]

But, I have been on both programs.

I lost on Atkin's, but could not make it a permanent WOL; so I subsequently (like all other diets I've been on), gained the weight back...and then some.

I am enjoying CALP, because once a day; I can indulge in some of those items that are not allowed on other diets. I love the fact no single food is off limits! You CAN have an appropriate sized serving of anything you want.

You do need to read the entire book; and get the meal ratios right. The weight may come off slower than on Atkins, but, it will come off if you follow the plan. And, the thing that makes it work so well for me; if you do the planning, you never have to "break" the diet; you truly can have the foods that you want.

And on CALP, I don't find the need to use many artificial sweeteners which can cause stalls on any low carb WOL; because, I know I can fulfill my "sweet tooth" at my Reward Meal every day.

The last time I was on Atkin's; I heard about CAD, but I worried about the cravings, and being able to control eating carbs only once a day. But, I don't have them on CALP. For me, I think it is because I don't use the AS to make low carb desserts for snacks or with lunch. They would set off enough of an insulin release in me that I had cravings on Atkin's that I don't have now.

Good luck, and keep us posted. :wave:

[tree]

Thanks for the insight, Scottie, I really appreciate it. Congratulations on your weight loss, sounds like you're doing great. I hope I'm as successful. It's good to hear that you don't have cravings on CALP. That was one of my concerns.

[Rain]

Hi tree!

I've been doing CALP just for a week but I can tell you that my cravings have gone away! This past week I ended up skipping breakfast and lunch for a couple of days. I was very busy and I wasn't hungry! :eek: LOL (What a concept!!LOL)

I can -feel- that my body's responding well and that I'll be losing on this plan. Hope you can find what's right for you. Let us know and keep coming back! :D

[JoAnnAtkin]

I can give you my opinon of the Switch from the Atkins to the CALP. I lost about 8 pounds on the Atkins in about a month. But, I knew in reality I could not live for the rest of my life on the complete Atkins program and I thought the CAD/CALP sounded GREAT. I have been on the CALP for a little while and love the program, however, I really don't seem to be losing weight. Don't know if I am at a Plateau, since the switch or if this WOE is not going to work for me and my motabolism?? Your guess is as good as mine.
I seems like I have gained about 2 pounds since being on the CALP. I know from reading the others on the CALP forum, that they seem to be "hanging in there" and continuing losing. I guess, I will try my very best to do the same. But, if I continue to gain within the next week or so................then I have to RETHINK THIS SITUATION. I will let you know how it turns out.
I sure hope it works for you as it seems to be doing with others. I am following the CALP very closely, however, I have gained in the past few days, for no reason at all, other than me eating the reward meals (once daily within 60 mins.) which it allows??? So, I suppose you will have to try it yourself, and see how it goes?
Hope this helps you in your decision. Please check in with me if you would like, and I will let you know how I do. :-)) :rolleyes:
GOOD LUCK!
Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

[tree]

Thanks Joanne and Rain. It's a little nerve wracking switching plans but I had plateaued so soon with the Atkins and I had some concerns about my body's response to the diet. For example, I did not sleep more than 3 hours per night the entire month I was on Atkins. The other thing was the constipation. Well, now that I'm allowing the carbs at dinner, I've been sleeping like a baby, AND no longer have the constipation problem. The timing of the resolution of these problems is much too coincidental. So, that makes me feel better. It's still too soon to know what will happen with my weight. I'm crossing my fingers. I learned the other night that I should never, ever, ever, eat ice cream as my carb again. Good lord, I did everything I could to not go back a third time. Even the next day, I continued to have the cravings for ice cream. Now, its passed. And I know, I can't ever make that mistake again. I wonder what it is? I didn't have that problem with the cookies I ate one night, or the slice of cheesecake this evening. But the ice cream, I built up a sweat trying to resist it. It was terrible. I am going to move away from the deserts for my carbs anyhow. I will probably do better with a bread or grain of some sort. I just had to get the sweet out of my system I think.
Anyhow, thanks again. Joanne, keep me posted on if you see a weight change. At this time, mine is still plateaued. no gain or loss and its been 5 days on CALP from Atkins. But, that's nothing new. I was plateaued on Atkins for 2 1/2 weeks.

[Rain]

Just for the record, when I started Calp I did gain 2 pounds. A friend told me that this is normal when switching diets (?), I didn't know. Now the scale has gone down those 2 pounds, so I have hopes...I'm in my second week now. Another thing that I'm doing is( like Wawtigress), I skip breakfast or lunch, since I'm not hungry anyway. I noticed that it is to my advantage to keep the food intake in the lower numbers if possible.

Last night I had an "ice cream moment!" :eek: During my RM I ate a whole pint of ice cream! I was expecting a gain this morning but I was happily still at 132 lbs :) So, today I had a light lunch and a kind of light RM to balance things out...

Good luck with whatever you decide! :wave:

[JoAnnAtkin]

Glad you told me you also gained 2 pounds when you switched diets. I was getting very discouraged! I will keep "On Trucking" as we say here in Texas and hang in there. I personally, had my doubts about "HOW IN THE WORLD COULD ONE LOSE ON EATING THE REWARD MEAL?" However, I do see that Waw is losing, so it must be able to be done.

I can skip a meal easily as I am not hungry enough for the 3 meals a day. So, what I will do is eat kinda in the middle of breakfast and lunch. I am not much of a breakfast egg eater anyway. :D

Thanks for your encouragement! Now, I have to work to get that 2 pounds off I gained from the switch. But, if this diet will work, it will be very easy to follow. I am hoping it does work for all of us trying it!!!!! :D

Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

[Mags]

Hi tree :) Just letting you know that I'm in the same boat as you having recently begun CAD. I wasn't sure how my body would react to the diet after being on Atkins for about six months, but so far I've had no change in the scales. I'm happy with that because I was expecting a gain due to the sudden introduction of carbs and the fact that I've been having quite a few sweets in my reward meals. I'm feeling great on this diet - haven't been experiencing much hunger, minimal cravings, and no constipation. Knowing that no foods are really off limits is a very settling thought, I really feel like this could be THE diet for me. I hope you've been doing well since your last post and haven't had any more problems with the ice cream (same thing happens to me with chocolate). Keep us posted!

[JoAnnAtkin]

I had 2 BAD DAYS ! For some reason, I just got off of the diet and BLEW it!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't blame anyone but myself! So, now I have got get back up on the saddle and ride again! LOL

I hope so much the CALP will work for me as I think it would be something I can live with! It is so good to be able to read all of your posts and see how ya'll are doing.

Thanks for sharing EVERYONE!
Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

[JoAnnAtkin]

I had 2 BAD DAYS ! :daze: :daze: For some reason, I just got off of the diet and BLEW it!!!!!!!!!!!! :thdown: Can't blame anyone but myself! So, now I have got get back up on the saddle and ride again! LOL :roll:

I hope so much the CALP will work for me as I think it would be something I can live with! It is so good to be able to read all of your posts and see how ya'll are doing.

Thanks for sharing EVERYONE!
Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

[animaldoc]

Just remember that the way you lose weight on these plans is because you decrease your insulin release. Insulin promotes storage of fat, and so less of it promotes burning of fat. Because on these plans, you only eat (higher) carb foods once a day, your insulin stays low so you keep burning fat!

Hang in there you guys and if you fall off the wagon get back on track and the weight will come off!

-animaldoc :wave:

[JoAnnAtkin]

I think I may have fell on my head these past 2 days. :D I am doing good today, however! I got back in the saddle and doing ok! Have to get the weight back off which I gained these past 2 days!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Jo Ann in TEXAS :wave:

[Rain]

Just before starting CALP I went crazy for a weekend and it costed me TWO pounds! (I can pack them!LOL) You talk about a gain, how much did you gain? (just curious)

Glad to hear that you're back on track! It was good for me to read your post too, Animaldoc, thank you for stopping by. We need everybody posting, in my case, it helps me a lot. It keeps me focus and many times, I get to read answers to question I have myself or read things that I need to be reminded of. :p

So hang in the JoAnn! and just start new! :thup:

[tree]

Thanks for all the feedback gals! It's great to hear how you all did with your transitions to CALP. And I feel sooooooo fortunate that I have not gained any weight during my first week of CALP. Tomorrow makes a week, yeah! And I'm still at 155, yeah!!! With a little fine tuning, I think I'll start losing again. I don't think I've ever been so happy to maintain my weight while being on a diet. I think I would have been really discouraged if I had gained this week. You women that gained during your transition, I give you immense credit! You are strong people and don't forget that!

[lcon109]

One thing that I've noticed since being on CAD/CALP is that when I do mess up, it isn't so hard to get back on track as it was with other diets. I don't know whether that is because my over-all craving level is lower or my insulin levels are more steady but it doesn't seem to throw me for a loop. :roll:

Lisa

[Quest]

Has anyone had the experience of finding that CALP simply doesn't work for them after Atkins? I am curious about the different claims about insulin resistance seemingly made by the different plans. Is it fair to say that for most people CALP will be a slower rate of loss than Atkins (which I don't see as a bad thing), or does the body adjust to any plan and slow down loss over time?

In another thread I read that someone was switching from CALP to a plan that allowed more fruit. But if you added some fruit to CALP and found you were still losing, is there a reason to switch?