Counting Carbs in Reward meal?

[izdi]

I'm on CAD. Yesterday my fitday total was:

cals: 1523
Fat: 110
Carb: 34
Prot: 100

This morning I checked my ketones just for kicks, and I was moderate, much to my surprise. 24 of my carbs were in my RW meal. Is there a guideline on these numbers for lowcarbers? Are there ideal numbers to stay within?

[Karen]

Hi izdi!

I've split your post from the Low-Carb Newbie Mistakes thread into the CAD/CALP Forum where it will get a lot more "airplay".

Karen

[Gracia_30]

If I remember correctly (I don't have the book in front of me) but I don't believe you're supposed to count your carb totals at RM?!!!

Anyone else could correct me on that???

[FloJo]

With CAD and CALP there is no counting of totals on anything... except your weight of course, which is a weekly average of daily weights.

Flo :D

[Libbyfcr]

I don't usually count carbs for any meals. I just follow my book as closely as I can.

So..... Today I went to Fitday and tallied my day. My carbs were 35g. This is probably an average day for me. Remember though.... we are all different.

Just remember to have your Reward Meal within an hour!

Somewhere on this sight I believe Natrushka said that you will have the best results with your Ketostix in the afternoons. Sorry I can't remember why. :roll:

Best wishes.....
Libby

[Gracia_30]

I could have sworn that in the CAD book it said that your NON reward meals MUST be 4g of carbs or less (which included snacks). I will have to go look in my book to see because I used to base my whole way of eating around that.

No counting at Reward Meals. But definitely at 4 or less on all other meals. (they did say that if it was 5 it's no big deal, but to try to keep it as close to 4) was my impression.

Am I wrong??????

[Libbyfcr]

Do follow up on that Josee and let us know.

A while back there was a HUGE discussion here somewhere about it and for the life of me I cannot find it.

I believe it isn't the total carbs for the Craving Reducing Meals in the CAD book that must be 4g or less but the individual carb counts of the items that make up your Craving Reducing Meals.

I even looked for the CAD book while at the Library this morning but someone has it checked out. It's been a while since I read it so don't quote me on it.

The CALP book does not put a specific limit on the Carbs for Craving Reducing Meals. But it does have a Craving-Reducing Foods List and it does say this....

"Craving-Reducing Meals and Snacks should be well balanced and should include both high-fiber and protein-rich choices." and this.... "We generally recommend that you take average-sized portions and go back for more if you like but, in the end, the size and proportions are truly up to you."

:wave: Libby

[FloJo]

It is my understanding that the complimentary meals are NOT to be limited to four grams of carbs for the entire meal.
In the CAD book, pages 117-18, under the heading of BEVERAGES it says the following:
"You may drink ulimited quantities of carbonated water, seltzer, club soda, or black coffee or tea.
Diet soda that has no fruit juice added is also acceptable. Read the label: if it contains more than four grams of carbohydrates per serving, avoid the drink except during your reward meal ........
Any sugar substitute that you drink must have no more than two carbohydrate grams per serving . All alcoholic beverages should be consumed during your reward meal."
I have never seen anything about limting TOTAL carb grams consumed during ANY meal on the CAD or CALP plans. I would think the way the above is worded that there is no total gram limit for the complimentary meals..........only totals per serving to use as a guideline for what is acceptable during the complimentary meals.
I'm working on trying to find a site that is Q AND A for the Hellers to address some of the questions that keep coming up. If anyone finds something of the sort, please let us know.
Flo

[Libbyfcr]

I'm working on trying to find a site that is Q AND A for the Hellers to address some of the questions that keep coming up. If anyone finds something of the sort, please let us know.

Flo... I have looked for something like that too. Never found it. I would love it if someone does.

Libby

[lcon109]

There is a page that mentions less than 4 grams and I think it is in with the list of cheeses possibly. I also think it might be in the CALP book but I can't look it up because I don't own that one.

You do not have to count carbs, calories or anything else besides that though.

I know for myself, that sometimes I use the WASA crackers for one of my craving reducing meals with chicken salad on them. They are 7 grams.. so I cheat according to the 4 gram rule, but they don't cause cravings for me either, so it's a nice treat to have every once in a while.

Lisa

[Libbyfcr]

CALP book page 120. This is the Craving-Reducing Foods List.

At the bottom of the list under "Dairy and non-meat alternatives" it lists this.....

"Vegetarian meat alternatives that contain 4 grams of carbohydrate or less per average serving."


Libby :wave:

[Gracia_30]

OK on page 108 (chapter 6) of the CAD book it states:

Although there are no forbidden foods on the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet (subject only to any dietary restrictions your physician recommends), carbohydrate-rich foods should be eaten only during your one-hour reward mal. We're defining carbohydrate-rich foods as "those containing MORE THAN FOUR GRAMS of carbohydrates per average serving".

So there we have it. I knew I wasn't loosing it (well not that much anyways) :D

I figured I couldn't have just invented that number in my head. :daze:

So there we have it. The answer we've been looking for.

[FloJo]

Josee~~
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! :dazzle:
In case the question ever comes up again, I'm highlighting it in my book!
Flo

[Gracia_30]

You're very welcome.

I thought I was imagining things there for a while. TG I found it, or it would have been pretty discouraging to have done all that work on the diet only to find out I could have been a little less strict on myself.

But alass..... I have to keep at it ... LOL :D

I really TRY to stick to the 4g of carbs, but lots of times I'm more around 6 ish. It's still low, just not 4g...

But I'm still losing, and very rarely do I cave in to cravings when I sometimes get them. (except for last night for some reason).

Oh well....