Before You Begin Your Diet - Starting Out

1. Read the book cover to cover. Learn the genesis of the program and the concepts he teaches about carbs, fiber and fats.
2. Decide when you are ready to make a change in your life
3. Set some goals. Be specific as to how much weight, belly size, waist size and BMI you wish to lose. Set a realistic deadline for attaining those goals. Share your goals with someone who'll help keep you on track.
4. Start the diet in Phase I. Purge your system of sugars and carbs completely. I recommend a large water intake during this period to help flush it out.
5. Don't skip meals. Start out with 3 full meals and at least 2 snacks in between. You are retraining your body to stop storing calories and to start burning them.
6. Keep a log of what you are eating and how you are progressing toward your goals. I recommend a weekly weigh-in - not daily. Pick a day and time and stick with it. Checking every day will only get you down because of fluctuations throughout the week.
7. After 2 weeks, switch to Phase II. This is where you start to slowly reintroduce your body to "good" carbs. Keep up the water intake - it's good for you. You'll want to stay on Phase I because of your early results. Resist the temptation. Move on to Phase II according to plan.
8. If you slip up and binge or cheat, don't beat yourself up over it. Go back on the diet at the next meal. If you really slip up and binge long-term, go back to Phase I and start over.
9. Last but not least - This is a diet, not a religion! I've seen people try to live by the book. It doesn't work. I use what I learned and just work the plan using common sense. I don't plan my meals around how many fruits, veggies or carbs I've had. I simply eat what I know is good for me MOST of the time. Moderation in taking this seriously has been my success. I've used it as a guide - not let it dictate my life. In other words, if you really want an order of hot wings, eat the da*n hot wings. Instead of french fries though, accompany with a salad and don't beat yourself up. In the grand scheme of things, you're still making progress and by allowing this little indulgence, you won't go nuts and completely drop the diet thinking yourself a failure.