Clodagh, Dr. S. said that some people see no movement for upwards of a year. It depends on how damaged your metabolism was (how inusulin resistant you are) to begin with. Everyone loses weight at different rates. Be happy with your progress. Also, the slower it comes off, the easier it will be to keep it off.

However, I have one question: Have you calculated your carbs? I would check the rice, crackers, orange juice, fruit and salad dressing. You say you use just a little salad dressing, but what kind?

It also looks like you might want to see if you are getting enough fat and calories. Many people on the site suggest you need to have at least 10 to 12 times your weight in calories. In addition, it is recommended that you get 60% to 70% of your calories from fat. These are not actual recommendations in The Book, but it's working for me. My progress has been slow (after an initial fast drop, I've evened out to an average of about 1/2 pound a week), I am very happy with it and feel great!

Myself, I do best with mostly non-starchy veges for my carbs. And in The Book, Dr. S. states that if you eat enough non-starchies, you don't need to augment with starchy veges. And I stay away completely (except for 3 tablespoons of flaxseed every morning for regularity) from any grains and fruits. A typical daily menu for me is:

Breakfast - Joe's Special (2 eggs, 1/4 pound lean hamburger, spinach, onions & mushrooms scrambled in 2 to 3 tablespoons butter). Three tablespoons of flaxseed, ground in my coffee grinder, with 1/2 cup hot water and a small pat of butter added (the water should be no hotter than 180 degrees or it kills the enzymes in the flaxseed). This meal doesn't vary. But the others do, sometimes considerably.

Lunch - grilled chicken, salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, mushrooms and lots of oil & vinegar (or similar) dressing - I make my own dressing so I know it doesn't have any added sugar.

Dinner - one of my chicken-in-sauce one-pot recipes which typically contain non-starchy veges and are usually cooked in another 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil or butter (I'll be posting my recipes this weekend, I have over 40, all single-serving) or grilled meat and an artichoke with lots of mayonaise. I started out having rice with dinner, to no ill affect, but stopped because it was a hassle to make 1/2 cup of rice.

I'm not good at snacks, so today I am trying splitting my breakfast and lunch into two meals each to spread out my eating. Everywhere you go they suggest you eat more and smaller meals rather than three large meals. So far so good.

You also need to make this plan your own or it won't last. I have used my intelligence and common-sense and the information I have found on this site and elsewhere to help me tailor this program to my best advantage. I don't let myself get bored or feel limited. With all of our choices, it's not hard to do!

Good luck on The Schwarzbein Principle. It's my chosen path and I haven't regretted it one day. I'm sure you will do well. Slow and steady is the way to go.

;-Deb