Okay, so I've been messing around with this and that, generally trying to "reduce" my carbs and eat a little healthier since I had my daughter 2 years ago.

Which was *kind of* okay, at least until about a year ago when she started really slacking off the nursing. I hormone-rollercoasted up and down until I finally cut her off at 18 mos (she was alternating not nursing and nursing all day), whereupon I've been in a *total* hormone tailspin for the last 6 months, and just feel like I'm coming out of it. Needless to say, I ate too much crud, totally gained weight, and am now more tired and more fat. Oh, and BTW, still not sleeping through the night due to my 4 yr old. Or the 2 yr old. They take turns.

I've read Schwarzbein -- and just about everything else. I know my blood sugar is all wonky. I know I can't do refined. I know AS makes me feel nasty. But right now I'm feeling frustrated about the whole thing. I *can't* eat most veggies (due to a food allergy), just cauliflower, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, waterchestnuts, and small quantities of spaghetti squash. Needless to say, trying to pick from this list (and berries -- I can't do melon, either) gets old fast. I can do *some*, I just can't do six servings of cauliflower a day.

So here's my question: can I realistically get this (or any other of these plans) to work while having to ignore the blithe "get more sleep" and "eat a salad with your meals" advice? I'm not going to be able to get consistent sleep until ds gets past the allergy/night terror thing we're working on, and I'm never going to be able to eat anything green and leafy.

I know -- this is a total, depressing dump. I know everyone has problems and that mine are pretty minor. But I haven't slept in 5 years, am *very* overweight, and it would be great to hear something positive right about now.

Hi! I just wanted to tell you that I can totally relate to where you are! I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 1 year old, so I get the no sleep thing. I also gained weight when I quit nursing. I am slooowly starting to lose on SP2, but more importantly, I feel much better.
I was the worst when it came to letting my boys cry it out at night. I spent the first 2 years of my son's life with not a full night's sleep. I was too tired to even play with him during the day and then I felt horribly guilty. He really didn't have a regular bedtime, we just put him to bed when he got tired. He napped all over the place...sometimes for 3 or 4 hours during the day. We were all screwed up. I finally decided that was it! I told him that we all needed to sleep. Both boys go to bed at 9 and I go to bed (light out!) by 10:30. Sometimes they wake in the night, but you know what? They go back to sleep even if I don't go running in to comfort them. They are learning to soothe themselves (something I should have let them learn as babies!). Anyway, I am getting more sleep now and I can actually play with them! I have so much more energy. I'll tell you a little secret...I had to give the 3 1/2 year old benadryl before bed for about 2 weeks to get him in the habit of going to bed and staying there. It worked! He doesn't need it anymore at all, but it really helped get him started. I think the sleep thing is the key to everything else. Good luck!