Hi,

Hmmm, where did you get the idea caffeine was so bad?? The pros and cons of caffeine are well-known. It really is a case of YMMV (your mileage may vary). Some people are not bothered by it, and find that it does not affect their weight loss efforts at all. Others find it actually boosts things. Still others find they cannot tolerate caffeine products, and it puts them right into a weight-loss stall. Only you know what works for you. I personally enjoy at least 2 cups of coffee every morning, but I switch to tea after lunchtime, and non-caffeine drinks after supper, because it does affect my sleep. Caffeine does NOT affect my weight loss either way.

As far as carbohydrates though, it's important to remember that coffee is NOT carb-free. One 6-oz cup of medium-strength brewed coffee is 0.8 grams. 6 fluid ounces is one of those dinky styrofoam cups, or a small mug. An extra-large coffee is 20-oz, I think. That would be about 2.8 carbs just for the coffee, plus 1.6 for the double cream and 0.5 for the sweetener. So 5 carb grams for that coffee, which isn't a big deal since you're only having one, but somebody else might indulge in 2 or 3 over the course of the day, and that adds up to a lot of carbs pretty quickly.

I'm familiar with the CAD plan, it is more geared to overall health, and correcting blood-sugar/insulin swings, but some people do very well with weight-loss also. I will repeat myself and say that if you are not supplying your body with a source of protein through the day, your body will turn to its own protein (ie, your muscles) to feed itself. Yes, you will see the weight go down on the scales, but you will be losing muscle tissue as well as fat. Less muscle makes your metabolic rate drop, further slowing your efforts. Over the short-term, like a couple of months, this system may seem to work just fine, but it will catch up to you, and you'll feel yourself getting tired and feeling crappy and run down. It really is best if you strive to have some kind of protein-containing meal or snack at least once during the day when you are most active. I recall an old saying "You don't drive your car all day long, and fill up with gas at the END of the trip". We should treat our bodies the same way.

happy lowcarbing,
Doreen