Hi, Mama Foodie here.  What we did to prepare was basically starting to amend our normal diet.  We used olive oil instead of butter, tried to limit our portions, cut out beef and substituted more chicken, fish, and seafood.  We still had pork but lean pork tenderloin in place of pulled pork sandwiches.  A cassoulet without the ham hocks and sausages.  So basically just started leaning out(?) what we were used to having.  The sugar and white flour separation anxiety wasn't so bad because we had stretched the preparation phase out for several weeks.  We used cannelli beans in place of white potatoes and started trying to eat smaller portions.  The hardest for me was giving up the bread basket!  We had been trying the UM recipes for a long time so the transition was a little easier.  If I remember correctly, we did have a number of "last meals."  Nothing too horrible but giving up the rib eyes and the primeribs were a biggie for us--surprisingly--now it is now too bad.  I can now pass the beef section of the market with only minimal whining.   We are into Phase II and had some lamb last night but it was very fatty and had a bad night of indigestion.  I think we will stay with chicken, turkey, fish, beans, etc. for a while.  Todays lunch was avocado and shrimp salad and veggie/bean soup.  Before UM we would have had a bacon/avocado sandwich with chips or fries.  Good luck--use the cookbook for ideas--just cook the ones that sound good to you.  Any chance you live on the west coast?  We are trying to find Southern California in the program.  Mama Foodie

I started following some of the recipes for the Ultrasimple and the Ultrametabolism diets.  I thought it would be a great way to find some favorites.  There has only been 1 recipe I haven't liked; that's only because of a personal preference.  The recipes I have used are so YUMMY!!  My hubby and I love spicy food---these recipse include plenty to satisfy our tastebuds.  He isn't on the diet, but I don't usually cook often so he is loving me doing this!