I am talking about the fasting during the day, and then eating the reward meal at night?

I understand it's not recommended , but I am wondering if anyone tried it out of curiosity, as an experiment, or just to break a stall, or to kickstart your CAD weight loss at the very beginning.

I am curious to see what the responses to this might be.

I am thinking of starting again, but I haven't been dieting for a while, and I am resisting getting back in that mind set. My idea is to not eat during the day and then eat a normal/balanced meal for dinner. The only difference between how I eat on a non-diet and how this modified CAD/CALP would be is that I wouldn't eat anything at all until dinner. I have done it a little in the past, but not for any length of time.

Maybe I can do this for a few days and then start adding in low-carb snacks. Gradually ease into CALP.. Ack. I don't know!!

Thanks in advance for advice/warnings/support.

Melissa <- back after a LONG, weight-gaining absence

Hmm. I'm going to warn you!

To get your metabolism straightened out, one of the best things to do is to feed your body on a regular basis. Six small meals that include protein are better than three big ones to keep levels of insulin and all those feel good brain chemicals steady. It allows your body to use what it needs from the food you eat at a comfortable pace.

It's very easy to starve your way into fatness. Think about what your body must be thinking by not eating all day. "OMG! finally some food! Think I'll store it as fat." So your body is in a continual crises mode.

The same thing can happen with extremely low cal diets. The body will hang on to fat and start to store it because it fears a famine is on the way.

So help your body along by eating. It's one of the ways to turn a diet into a way-of-life.

Karen

What happens to your plan for 6 small meals if you aren't hungry? I find I get nauseous if I try to forcefeed myself.

Melissa

A lot of people come to low-carbing with a seriously distorted views of eating, food, body image, etc. Many have never known what it's like to eat normally, feel hunger and be satisfied. I am one of those people.

Low-carbing can be a severe learning curve in many ways, and one of the ways is in re-learning how to eat. You don't have to stuff yourself. And, you don't have to be perfect. You do what can do, a little at a time to teach your mind and your body new tricks.

A hard cooked egg with mayonnaise and celery could be a meal. A protein shake can be a meal. A slice of roast beef rolled with salsa in lettuce can be a meal. Half an avocado with a slice of chicken can be a meal. The idea is to get your body used to eating again.

Perhaps a good thing to do would be to evaluate how you got to where you are today - I'm assuming that you are not happy with it, but I could be wrong - and take steps to change it. To undo what's been done takes developing good habits, time and patience, but you can do it! It's always easiest to tackle the food aspect first.

Karen

I am a true carb addict and if I eat six meals a day, no matter how small, it spikes my insulin levels and leads to cravings.

The most meals my chemistry can handle is four. However, everyone is different and you have to learn your own body.

While on CAD I lost weight and then lost my appetite. I was then eating only one meal a day and that was the reward meal. After two weeks of good loss my weight stalled for 2 months. I found that I needed to eat more than the one meal. I would suggest trying the entry plan of 2 lc meals and the reward meal.

When I turned 16, I got a part-time job after school so I only had enough time to eat once a day. After about four months, I lost 30 pounds. I couldn't figure out how I did it until I read CAD a couple of weeks ago because I had ate the same things as I did before, I was just doing it in less than an hour.

I gained a lot of weight with my son so I have to do this all over again. I hate low carb food and cooking so I would prefer to eat just once day. I try to think of my reward meal as my meal and lunch and breakfast as optional snacks to just hold me over until dinner so I won't cheat.

Many nutritionists and diet "gurus" for lack of a better word at the moment, warn about the effects on your body, if you eat one big meal in a day rather than spreading it out throughout the day. With other diets, I found success in eating small snacks throughout the day. The thing was the cravings that eventually got me... and with Atkins and lc'ing I don't have those. Karen is right, you can throw your body out of whack by doing it that way... I eat every 2-3 hours, and I eat something from 50 calories up to 200 calories, and something slightly a bit more in the evening. I don't "count calories" per se... but I am so familiar with calorie counts, I can guesstimate what I am getting.Another thing, it is the worst time to eat your biggest meal, and if you are going to eat your entire days calories in that meal, your body is not going to burn off that food as readily. I am still on induction (sept 20th started), and I don't have any cravings... and I have no problem with the foods I am allowed, because it is the healthiest I have fed myself in a longgggggg time... and michelle.,. that may have worked for you when you was 16... but a person's body changes over time, and having kids will change how you lose weight as well... I know I am not the only one who that has happened to... My mom always said it is harder to lose the older you get... and danged if she wasn't right!

Hi, Melissa.....so glad you've decided to get back on track again. I'll be very glad to "weigh in" on this discussion with my opinions...just please bear in mind that unlike many others, I do not consider myself an expert, just a practising Carbohydrate Addict!

To get back to your original question of doing what Rachael did.....

I think that Dr. Rachael Heller simply stumbled into her plan of fasting until dinner, and if you reread her words, it didn't take her very long to modify that so she could eat at times other than her RM. At least that's the way I understand it.

I would say that if you want to try replicating her plan, go for it! It won't do you any harm to do that for a few days and if it helps you get started again, then that's a big plus.

I am sure that you are aware, as most of us CAs are, that eating 6 meals a day doesn't work for us. The Hellers have said, in all their books from the very beginning, to eat no more than 4 times a day. We know that works for most of us, and eating fewer than 4 times a day works better for some of us.

Pay attention as you reread to the lists of "Craving-Reducing" foods.....avocado is RM only, as are others of the delicious foods recommended above. Try not to mix concepts from Atkins into CAD.....pick a plan and stick to it. Shakes are not permitted on CAD.....they can cause weight gain, hunger and cravings.

So, I would say, reread your books, plan what you are going to do, and then implement that plan. Listen to your body....if you are not hungry or craving, and if you lose a bit of weight, then you have found your way. If you wish, eat as many as 3 meals and 1 snack each day. That's a pretty big margin to play with, and you will find what works best for you.

You will find your way, of that I am certain. Best of luck, and please let me know how this works, okay? You may be the first here to try this experiment....just think, you'll become the "Rachael's way" expert in the forum!

Sky

I totaly agree with you. I can not eat too much during the day otherwise I cant stop eating!!! I also cant have breakfast regardless of what plan I am on or what I eat. I could eat a lump of butter and I would still probably be hungry within an hour or so!! So I listen to my body and I figure that is the way things are meant to be. I always eat lunch and dinner. Do what is right for you and listen to your body everyone is different and we all react differently to foods.

So, Melissa, what did you decide? Give it a go? Or not? Just curious.....I don't think I've heard of anyone doing this, and would like to know if it works for you.

Take care....

Well, I started eating only the reward meal on Nov. 5 weighing in at 158 lbs and as of today, Nov. 23, I weigh 148.5. After doing this for a couple of days, it seems like my hunger just disappeared altogether and I have to force myself to eat. Having to force myself to eat is so much better than trying to get myself to stop eating.

Thats really interesting and good weight loss. When do you eat your RM. Do you find yourself feeling low energy at any time?
Nancy

Your body really shouldn't be only getting one meal a day... While it is helping you lose weight, you might be burning muscle. Remember that when you dip below 1100 calories, your body feeds on muscle, instead of fat.

If you aren't losing weight after your first two weeks on CAD, than go to plan D (I think that's the one). Eat one CM and your RM. So basically all you have to do is have a quick salad, or a cheese stick and chicken or something. I don't get hungry very easily either, but you still have to eat something.

I did well for a couple of days, but I started noticing that my stomach was shrinking a lot due to not overeating. This is great, but I wasn't able to eat as much at RM, leaving me more hungry during the day. Even with the effects of the readjusted insulin levels. If I tried to eat enough to get me through to the next RM, I was uncomforably full.

My conclusion - this is a great "Quick Induction" that works very well for a day or two to jumpstart your weight loss, insulin readjustment, and craving reduction. Longer than that and it becomes more difficult to get all the nutrients you need, eat to your bodies needs and comfort, and make it from one reward meal to the next without food.

I'd say that this is one of those methods that would be great if you find yourself getting off track, or if you gain a few pounds in water weight, or just want to break a stall. I agree that this can be detrimental, or at the very least ineffectual, on a long term basis.

Sorry it took me so long to update. I hope that this helps someone. BTW, I am starting over again today - no food but the RM. It's amazing how quickly the cravings go away. Especially knowing that I can have some of the many carbs in the house with my reward meal.

Melissa