Flaxseed meal has 4 grams of carbs, but it also has 4 grams of fiber, so it has zero effective carbs, thus I consider it a pro fats item and use it to make 'no carb' breads. As far as I can tell Vital Wheat Gluten is ok for the same purposes. I generally ask for explanations if things on her site or in her book make no sense to me and if she or her staff can't satisfy me I do what I think is right. For example she insists that Wondercocoa is "almost" level one, but since it contains no caffeine, no fats and no sugars
there should be no problem using it as a legal level one carb.

Since the combining portion of her plan is not clearly understood, scientifically, (though there are some good scientific explanations why some of it should work) I think it is still an evolving idea. She does have contradictions in some areas. Some of that has to do with access to more or newer information such that what she says on her site is more up to date than what is published in her books. You'll find those kinds of changes from book to book too, as she updates her information each time she publishes. I just try to use my head and do what makes sense to me.

The three hour wait is for a carbo meal, only wait 2 hours for a fruit or pro/fats meal. And I don't worry about waiting different lengths of time from snack to meal based on what the snack was. If I am really munchy or if I am very active I might have a couple of snacks between meals. I think that's better than gorging because you're starved or eating something truly bad for you for the same reason. It works well for me to space my meals so that they are roughly 6 hours apart with a snack at the half way mark. I too find that grain based carbs make me crave and fruit based ones do not. The combo fruit/wait 20 mins and then carbs breakfast works well for me. If I have just carbs for breakfast and find myself craving, then my snack is always pro/fats.

For me losing weight and eating in a healthful fashion is a life long project, not a short term goal. There is no guarantee that ANY diet will 'deliver' the exact weight loss you want in the time frame you want it. Yes, this plan works, but it is not about fast weight loss, though most people do see dramatic losses at the beginning. For the kind of results you want Atkins is more likely to be a sure thing, but for a plan you can live with your whole life and one that will help you KEEP the weight off I think this one is the better bet. People are all different though, and what works for me might not work for you.

There is one person here who says she will do SS as her maintenance plan once she has reached her goal on a different LC plan. That might be better for you if you are in such a rush.

Whatever you do, don't cheat yourself by going for a quick loss by a certain date and setting yourself up to yo yo because you've chosen a plan that is unrealistic to stick with for life. There's nothing wrong with having a goal, but make sure it's a realistic one and that it is going to help you in the long run.

Best of luck with whatever you choose!

MB