I want so much to be able to switch over from Atkins to CAD but after the first week and a half and six gained pounds, I freaked out and went back to Atkins. The first day back I lost four of the six pounds (obviously water weight). I would love to at least be able to use CAD as my lifelong maintenance WOE, but I'm terrified of gaining weight. Any former Atkinsers out there experience something similar and when did the weight start to come off? I was very strict with my CMs and my RM was always done within about 45 minutes from the time the first bite went across my lips. Granted, they weren't always completely 100% balanced (30/30/30), they definitely weren't a big carb fest. Someone please share their conversion stories with me.

Since you posted this in the CAD forum, I figured I would answer you, even though I have never been on Atkins.

It is unusual for someone to gain that much weight after a week on CAD, but would depend on a lot of factors, such as what you were on before you started CAD. It would be really helpful for us to be able to know exactly what you ate, if you are looking for an explanation of why you gained weight. There are many hidden things that can mess CAD up if we aren't really careful.

No matter what you end up doing, good luck to you

When I went from Atkins to CAD, I gained quite a bit at first. At about the 10-day to 2-week mark it started coming off at the rate of a half-pound a day!

Believe me, when my schedule normalizes again, I'll likely be back on it.

Breakfast usually included my Atkins staple...bacon and eggs. Lunch would be a normal portion of protein (chicken, beef) a salad and sauteed green beens. Dinner would be proportioned pretty well (veggies, protein, carbs). I do admit to probably eating more carbs that the other two portions but good grief, six pounds. The first day I started CAD, gained two pounds of water weight. The next day they were gone and I got so excited. The day after that gained three pounds and after that it kept going up. I completely freaked and went back to Atkins.

Potato...how well did you balance your RMs? How much weight did you gain in the beginning? I'm petrified at this point to try something new just due to the struggle I've been through to get to this point, I'd hate to ruin my results.

I was very strict about CM's, and started my RM with a salad, then had "pretty balanced" thirds of carb/protein/veggies. I did have to make adaptations and not have sugar for my carbs, though. Sugar not only made me want more sugar, but since the point of lc-ing to me was to get rid of refined carbs, I went with no-sugar-added ice cream, fruit and/or whole grains for my carbs.

I'd say I gained 10 lbs the first week. I panicked too.

For the record, I was able to lose on easily 5 or 6 TIMES the number of carbs as on Atkins.

Dana Carpender says in her book "How I gave up my lowfat diet and lost 40 lbs" that you lose alot of water weight on low carb diets (5-8 lbs). And since CAD isn't really LC the whole time I think you probably gained your water weight back. When you eat more carbs your kidneys hold on to the sodium & water. When you LC your kidneys release the sodium & water. (hence the water weight loss)


I started CAD after not dieting or LCing at all and I gained nothing I really wouldn't worry about one weigh- in. Its the big picture, ya know? Am I losing? Am I happy? Can I live with this the rest of my life? All my answers are YES I love CAD!

Were you drinking diet sodas?

Hi Jen,

I am not too sure how long you were on Atkins, and that might make a difference too. If your body was not use to carbs at all with the exception of the carbs in veggies, than it might have gone into shock at first. I think if you would have kept on doing what you were dong I think you would have started to lose again. I agree, I think a lot of it was just water weight. Were you drinking all of your water that you are suppose to?

It doesn't sound like you are turning your RM into a carb feast, so that is good. I thihnk you should try it again, but give it 2 weeks and maybe stay off of the scale, so you don't panic. Keep your 2 CM's very simple, just like you were doing. Also remember, there are some veggies that is legal on Atkins, but is not legal for your CM's on CAD.

Good Luck.

I've been on Atkins since last June. In that time frame I have had a few controlled cheats that always caused about a four pound weight gain the next day. I have faithfully drunk about two gallons of water a day since I've started low carbing (natural thirst is unreal). During CAD I drank one diet soda a day during my RM (can't stomach the real stuff anymore, way too sweet)along with my coffee consumed in 15 minutes in the morning and the two gallons of water. I think I'll give it another go and start each RM with a salad and focus on really balancing the RMs more strictly. It did take me a few days to get over the hunger since I was used to snacking all day. On Atkins I ate about six times a day so that takes some getting used to. I found that after about a week I didn't care if I missed breakfast and could hold out until about 2 in the afternoon until my first meal. Some days I would only have one CM and then my RM.

The only problem I ever had with diet sodas was if I drank several throughout the day, my evening cravings were worse. If I limit them and have them WITH a meal, I don't have the same problem.

I had similar feelings about my "missing" snacks, but you do adjust. I think that's one thing that really helped my rate of loss, since on Atkins, my snacks amounted to a LOT of calories. I know you aren't supposed to count them, but to me, they matter.

Good luck!

I was on Atkins for over a year and lost 70 pounds. I love CAD as after a year on Atkins to be able to eat normally once a day if great.

Atkins people know all about hidden carbs, AS etc. We are experts on carbs (or should be).

So I have been on CAD for two weeks and like you gone up. This is my chart.
10/04/04 14st 4lbs /14-5/14-4.5/14-7/14-7/14-6/14-7 avg 14-5.9
17/04/04 14-7/14-7/14-7.5/14-7.5/14-9.5/14-6/14-6/ avg 14-7.2
So over the two weeks I also put on 2lbs but I have stabilised (i hope). You need to give it 3 weeks to get a good picture of what is happening.
Unlike you I do eat a lot of Carbs at my RM. We will see what happens.

I haven't been able to read the entire thread here but will post something that happened to me.
I started CAD about 1 1/2 qweeks ago...I was doing a varied version drinking two lc shakes eat day and then a rm...I switched to the regular CAD last week...sometimes having a shake but not everytime...then a rm supper and it wasn't balanced...I gained 51/2 lbs from one day to the next...!!! I also have that time of the month...I was a little freaked out but new it wasn't all fat by any means. I stayed with the plan...drank more water and increased my fiber...I have taken off all but the 1/2lb. Since it was that time of the month it is really like maintaining for that week...normally the cravings do me in during that time...I can look at it as at least I maintained!!!! I am cchecking over my diet more closely and hoping to have a good week...as the book says 1/2 loss/week is great. In atkins I was used to a BIG loss at first...it was just hard for me to stick to long term...I am going to try and balance my rm better and maybe using lower carb desserts most of the time instead of always the high carb stuff...I found that not snacking really cut my cravings compared to the Atkins diet...Also with Atkins I tended to eat way to much fat and calories!!!(It adds up so fast when you eat cheese and butter without abandon!)

I will go and read the rest of the posts...hope you find this plan works...It is worth a try...It worked GREAT for me two yrs. ago...the only diff I see is that I ate less cheese then and more chicken for rm's.

The ups and downs are what kill me. I restarted last Friday and the next day, weight was the same. Sunday, down 1/2 lb. This morning, up three pounds and what's so crazy is I ate way more on Saturday night than I did last night. I know in my frustrated little brain that there's no way I gained three pounds of fat over night, but give me a break already!!!

I just moved my scale... into the hall closet. It's grounded for a month!