I have been extremely happy with the progress I am making while getting myself fit and healthy. I continue to follow CALP and even though I am allowed to eat three to four times a day, I am still satisfied with two. Of course, if I consider my two cups of black coffee that I drink every morning as my first meal of the day, I would be having three. I have never been hungry in the mornings and this program does not require me to eat breakfast, which is perfect for me. I have been enjoying my Reward Meal, RM, during the noon hour recently, and it is working out well for both my husband and me. We decided to switch the Complementary Meal to our evening meal because we would rather eat our big meal earlier in the day.

Here is my latest weight loss chart. The green star marker at 11/2009 indicates the date I started my Callanetics 10 Years Younger in 10 Hours exercise program and adjusted my portion sizes to fit my new body size.

As you can see, there is a noticeable acceleration of weight loss starting around the same time. Coincidence? I think not.

I have lost quite a bit of weight and just now realized that I am eating too much for my new body size. My portion sizes are still what they were when I began following this program, so I have been cutting them down the last couple of days.

I have always known that eating again is as easy as grabbing another CM, but I always felt as if I needed to eat enough to hold me over until my next meal. Since I started this way of eating to lose weight and get myself into better shape, I have decided that changes need to be made. I will now be eating portions relative to my new size!

I will also be making another change to my program, since I feel as if I am in complete control of my sweet tooth now.

I mentioned that I am on a few support groups and have read recently how easy it is for some people to eat as much as they can for the entire hour. It is impossible for me to do that since the most important part of my RM is balance. When it is time for my RM, I begin with my salad and then eat my veggies, protein, and carbs. I do not overeat, but definitely eat until I am satisfied. It is not unusual for me to be done eating within a half an hour and I have no desire to eat anymore.

My mentality has never been to eat as much as I can. Before beginning CALP this time, I would begin my day with my trigger foods without realizing they were the reason I would lose control over my choices, frequency, or amounts in which I would want to eat.

The other day I decided to share my thoughts with one of my support groups. One of the members of this group suggested I share it with another group, as well as put it in my blog, so here it is!

I am looking forward to sharing this journey with those of you willing to keep us all informed.

I wish those of you that are struggling with this way of eating the best of luck in getting back on plan.

I understand it takes a certain frame of mind to give up foods that make us feel good, but feeling your body getting smaller is much more satisfying.

Every day that I am successful in eating the CALP way, is another day that is getting me closer to my goal. I have a long way to go, but I know that the choices I am making are getting me closer every day.

My enthusiasm for the Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program (CALP) continues to be at an all time high. I can honestly say that I am not familiar with too many weight loss programs, but I can't imagine any of them allowing any and all foods like this one does. Of course there are foods that can slow or even stall my weight loss journey, but I will worry about that when I get to it.

I love this plan because I eat real food that I can buy at the supermarket. My cupboards are not filled with low carb, fat free, sugar free foods that are not eaten because they do not taste very good. Our meals continue to include foods that can be enjoyed by the entire family, and we do not have to go to the trouble of preparing two separate meals just so I can eat low carb.

I took my measurements on March 8, 2008, five days after beginning the Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program (CALP). I knew I should keep some sort of record and wanted to continue to avoid the scale, so I chose to measure myself. After taking my measurements, I considered the results to be extremely harsh and even thought the scale would not have been as brutal. I was not in a hurry to take my measurements again and decided to take them once a month, so I could record them for my records.

I was 40 years old when I first picked up the book and purchased my copy of The Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program (CALP). Over the years I gained more than I lost and my yo-yo dieting caused my weight to soar to a high of 236 lbs. When I started reading the book, I just knew they were talking about me. I was shocked to hear that there were people exactly like me that could not control what they were eating. I knew better than to eat ice cream every night, but I was unable to control myself when it came time to leave it alone. I knew better than to grab a candy bar in the afternoon, but sometimes I did it anyway. I knew that I was gaining weight and my clothes were getting tight, but the only thing that mattered to me was the satisfaction of eating chocolate.

I am a 49 year old woman and have been overweight most of my adult life. The very first diet I ever attempted was when I was 15 years old. I was sitting at the dinner table with my Mom, Dad, and sister, and we were talking about our weight and needing to lose a few pounds. My weight was 130 lbs., but I don't remember how tall I was at the time.

When I began this way of eating, I did a search on the Internet for support groups that I could become involved with. I joined three support groups and am no longer involved in the first one that I found.

The second group I joined was http://forum.lowcarber.org. I joined the CAD/CALP group that was listed in the Active Low-Carber Forums under Daily Low-Carb Support. I decided to read and get to know some of the active members of the group and discovered that it was a very small group. I noticed that the few active members balanced their meals like I did, and I was very excited to join. I introduced myself to the group and became an active member on March 18, 2008. I used to post my menu on a daily basis but only check in when I have the time now.