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.