Hello,
I have been on SP for 5 weeks now, very seriously and absolutely no cheating. I have only lost 7 pounds. I am very discouraged. But, as I am reading SP II, I begin to understand just how sick I am and how much recovery I have yet to do. I have not read Atkins, but I do notice from visiting all the forums, the Atkins people seem to be almost totally focused on losing weight. I don't think I have come across any posts discussing insulin or the health issues that are so prominent in the SP program. I am feeling very discouraged because i am not responding as I had hoped I would. My hubby started the same time I did, has even cheated some, and has experienced a veritible explosion of well being, as if he has lost 10 years in age. I realize that he was healthy to begin with as I was not, but today I was too weak to get to church. I hardly leave the house I am so tired and depressed. I have manipulated my carbs as she says, but I am just not getting anywhere as I had hoped I would. Has anyone here doing Schwarzbein experienced a return of vitality, and normal health? And also lost a good amount of weight? I notice that the Atkins people seem to be losing huge amounts of weight, but I don't see much talk about insulin and health.
Carolyn

Oh yeah, we discuss insulin, health etc. Usually those posts belong under the health forums. If they get posted under the Atkins forums they will be moved to a more approproate forum. If you want more health info check under the health forums. I am on Atkins. I have hypoglycemia and diabetes runs in my family ( Mom and Dad ). If you check my journal, you will see my wonderful lab results. My tests were done in December,2003. I have been a low carber for over a year and I have improved my woe by 200%. For once, all of my veggies come from the produce section. I enjoy my meats and healthy fats. I hope this is a little encouraging.

I think you have done a great job losing that much weight. Remember that the SP program is first and foremost tackling health and your metabolism. She says over and over again in the book that most people actually gain weight as they are healing their metabolism. Then eventually start losing. It can take up to a year to heal your metabolism. I have been on the program since Sept. 1. I have gained 10 pounds. But the improvement in my health and eliminating the terrible symptoms is wonderful. I would not trade the 10 pounds. Most days now I am feeling 98% normal. I have suffered from some depression, mental fog, extreme exhaustion, light-headed, dizzy. The results are super. Probably soon I will start to see the weight loss. But I am being patient. Happy and patient. Hang in there. Health first! The rest will fall into place. I'm getting tested too.

Thank you for the encouragement. The last couple of days have actually been better. I still have great hope.
carolyn

hi, have you read the book by mariel hemingway? her autobiographry? she devotes a chunk of the book to her shwarzbein experience and how she struggled with gaining 10 pounds etc....but it has a happy ending...she started to feel great and i think like a year later lost then weight too........good luck to you and lucky you that you lost instead of gained!! K

Hi Carolyn,

I'm glad you're feeling better and actually I think that you've done great to lose 7lbs on SPII so far. Many of us don't lose right away on it but I can't remember ever reading of someone who didn't feel better right away on it.

Don't be too swayed by the huge weight losses you read about on the Atkins forum, of course people do lose weight and many people have lost a LOT of weight - BUT not overnight as reading some of the posts would read you to believe - if you follow people through, you will see that the weight loss is usually very rapid at the beginning (but a lot of it in the first week especially is water loss due to dramatically less carbs) after that many people slow down to anywhere from a few pounds a month to one or less pounds a month - many of them still feel good, but if you have problems that require the type of diet SPII is then you wouldn't be feeling as good on Atkins.

PS - I'm not actually doing SP at the moment but my aim is to return to it.

I get my test results back from Dr. S's office next week. Hopefully they will shed light on why I have been feeling so badly and they will be able to help me feel better. As of today my wt. loss is at 10 pounds...I feel ok about that.Thank you for posting.
Carolyn

kay3osu,

What is the title to Muriel's book? Is there enough information about SP to warrent reading the whole thing? I am curious what you have to say.

Thanks.

Marianne

Haven't been on the board for a while but this topic has prompted me to write.

I'm a type 2 diabetic and after following SP I felt a lot better almost immediately. I have been following this plan for over 2 years now and I am pretty much the same weight. But I just turned 48 and I am about 135 lbs so that's not bad.

Tha main thing is that I feel better and, unbelievably, look younger. My skin cleared up - I had acne since my teems - never outgrew it! - but the change in diet ("woe") made my skin clear up within 1 week of starting the diet.

Went from a 9 or 10 reading (diabetes blood reading) to now a 5 - 6 and this has stayed constant to the diabetes isn't going anywhere at least for the present.

Mood swings also improved. I had cake and chocolate - also wine - on my birthday (yesterday) and can feel it today so it's back to lots of water and healthy eating. But you have to cheat sometimes I think.

My weakness is caffeine. I limit myself to 2 cups of caffeinated coffee per day.

Sometimes I limit carbs a little more- cut out the grains and fruit a little, increase veg and protein, and don't lower fat. I think this slight change can help you lose weight while still being on SP. (a temporary measure). Don't know what enyone else thinks about this?

thanks!
Rachel

Rachel F I disagree with the limiting carbs at all. I think you need to follow the SPII until you heal your body. Then instead of limiting the carbs she says to increase them slowly to find out if you are healed. I think that limiting carbs for a lot of us is the reason we are in the mess we are.

I agree. Whenever I dramatically drop my carbs I pay for it. Horrible moods, bad sleep, headaches. Moderation is best when healing. Just choose lower glycemic indexed veggies and limit fruit and you can do SP without grains. I have ocassional rice and oats. That is all.

Hello all,
It's been awhile since I last posted. I posted the original question. I am feeling very discouraged. I have been on SP now since Jan and I have not lost one pound. I had originally cut back too far on carbs and was feeling pretty miserable. I upped them per Dr. S's instructions in my consultation to 25 carbs each for 3 meals and 2 snacks. I am not any better and still struggling with depression, fatigue, and all my usual problems. It helps me to read that others are having a slow progress. I am going to stick with it, but darn it...it sure is discouraging when I read how some are getting normal weight back.
carolyn

this is all so interesting to me. I have several health issues. I have severe firbromyalgia and I know my diet seems to make it worse. I am going to have to check out this book. can you buy it in bookstores or is it something I need to order? I need to lose 150 pounds so listening to all of you talk about healing first is not to encouraging since my weight is such a big concern for me. It hinders my health too. Who knows, I might do this and the weight come off. It certainly isnt coming off to easy now. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.

Hello everyone, I am new to the program. I started a week ago Saturday. When I read book 1 a couple of years ago, (now I can't find it), I started with the 15 carbs for 3 meals and 2 snacks of 7.5 carbs. I am doing that this time and I feel so good. More energy and have lost 5-6 lbs. My sister and daughter-in-law started the same day doing the same amt of carbs. They've both lost 8 lbs.

They both had told me how great the low carb tortillas were so I had one this morning with my eggs and was immediatedly exhausted. So, maybe if you're like me you can't handle grains. I have irritable bowel and since I had been on plan for the 4 days with no grain, I had not 1 episode of ibs then today after the tortilla, back to the IBS so I am off the grains again. Do we have a place here to introduce ourselves? Or do we just jump right in and start posting? Also, do we journal our foods or anything to see what we're all eating? Thank you for having this site. PD

Have you had your hormones checked out? I ask because I've apparently been deficient in progesterone since puberty. Now that I've been using the progesterone cream regularly (I'm past menopause now) my blood sugars have been going down and my cholesterol, etc., is getting better. I won't find out about any weight loss over the last 2 months until I see my doctor next week. (I get way too compulsive with weighing on my own.)