Hi Megs - Welcome to this WOE and this cool forum. Lisa is right about the 10% rule. I've been on the plan for 4 weeks now and although I lost an intial 6 lbs in the first week, I then gained a little back and now am on a very slow weight loss. BUT I am losing inches which is really even better. I would not get too hopeful about losing it fast for your upcoming engagement. As you rightly said, you need to be in it for the long haul. When you have a relatively small amount to lose, it tends to come off pretty slowly. This forum is full of so many great ideas and good support. I think it's the main reason I've been able to stick with it - NO SUGAR FOR 4 WEEKS! WOOO - HOOO! Waldorfmom