First of all, let me start by saying, I am now a BIG fan of this program. Like most people I was very, very skeptical of this diet at the beginning but results have made me a believer. In 3 1/2 months I've lost 51 pounds, my goal at the outset was 60, I feel significantly better and I never would've believed it would've come off this fast. I'm looking forward to fitting into jeans that I had put in the attic thinking, who am I kidding - I might as well give these things to goodwill. When I drop the other nine pounds I will pull the box out and see if I've arrived.

Now, to give you some thoughts that I wish I had read prior to beginning this journey. Phase I, remember you don't have to eat the exact meals that the books sets out for you. They are a guideline, not required eating! As long as you use items on the shopping list you can replace or alter the meals as you see fit. Maybe you don't like arugula well, thats fine use baby spinach, or endive. Maybe you don't care for yellow split peas, thats ok use another bean that you do like.

Another tip related to Phase I, is that it does'nt have to last just 3 weeks, in fact in Dr. Hyman's cook book (which I also got and would recommend) he says you can stay in Phase 1 until you reach your desired weight OR 3 months expire whichever comes first. I have only recently (after 3 months) moved into Phase 2.

Additionally, the shopping list for Phase 1 was larger than it needed to be, I over purchased many of the greens and some of them went bad quicker than I could use them and there were some items on it that I still hav'nt used. When you're purchasing, if its an item you don't like don't buy it, that being said only discard the items you have tried and know that you don't like because there are many items that were new to me, that I really did'nt think I'd like but in fact I do and regularly eat them now.

Here's another idea. If you're like most other people cooking for 60-90 minutes everynight when you get home from work, is not really convenient so here's a few ideas to get this time down. When you make rice or beans make enough for 2 or 3 meals. They reheat fine in the microwave, and these items can take the most time to make. Along the same lines, when you are making a dinner that will take some time, why not get breakfast going at the same time (most of the grains are pretty simple to prepare they just take some time and a little babysitting (the Soy Milk will boil over very quickly if you have it on too high)), and when you do make a grain again, make enough for 2 or 3 meals. Buckwheat, Amaranth, and Quinoa, all reheat in the microwave very nicely. Lastly, if you have a microwave at work, I've also found it really easy to make an extra portion at dinner and then just pack my lunch for the next day with the leftovers from dinner the night before. Doing these things will drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to get the entire meal ready. I usually take about 30 minutes and I can have almost anything in the book ready in that amount of time, using these hints.

Another thing that really has helped me to keep my weight/health near the top of my daily priorities is to write down my weight every day when I wake up. If you're like me your body will tell you when you fudged a little because the weight won't come off, but if you do stay in line it will, and its very encouraging to have Dr. Hyman's logic and reasoning being reinforced by results. It helped me to really pay attention to what I put in my body and also made me thirsty for more knowledge.

Lastly, really take your time when reintroducing Gluten, Eggs, and Dairy to your system and pay attention to any differences. Maybe take two weeks for the reintroduction of each, its not a race, this is your health and life we're talking about, and this is not a temporary fix, its a way of eating for life.

I hope this helps anyone who's starting down the road. This program has helped me to feel good, look good, and get my confidence back. Thanks Dr. Hyman, I'll probably never meet you, but Thank You! and good luck to those embarking on what will be a fulfilling, and worthwhile journey to good health.