don't be afraid to post. It would be nice to see this board active again!

This is a great plan, and really, how hard is it to divide your plate into four sections and eat protein, WG, fruit and veggie. It really doesn't get more simple than that!

If anyone is out there, please post and share your thoughts on this plan.

I would love to read the book and maybe try the plan. I wouldn't mind posting in this area.

DEAR LUVVY ~ I read the basics of this plan at the top; it sounds a lot like the plan I am already on; I sooo agree with the plate thing; DH and I use that same method now. We downsized our servings just by using bowls, fruit nappies, and smaller plates. I like the balanced menu plans; whole grains with lean proteins, plus fruits, nuts, and veggies ... much easier to stick to.

To be honest with you I never heard of this plan but coincidentally I have been doing a lot of these things in my quest to find a "custom" diet that would really work for me.

I'm so surprised to see the 7" plate thing! I read an article about that just a couple of weeks ago and have been doing it -- basically it says that our plates, coffee cups, glasses etc. have gotten HUGE over the last few decades, and when they did an experiment, they found just changing people's plates had a positive effect in losing weight!

I have found this to be true, it's a shock to measure the cereal I was eating out of our big clunky bowls. It's not hard to have a triple serving!

I'm really interested in learning more about this program! Love the common-sense aspect to it just btw when I lived by the mediteranian as a teenager (Spain) that was the skinniest I've ever been, no effort!! They really didn't have any processed food to speak of and I lived in a 5 floor walk up and walked to class also - no DRIVING! I do think our American suburbs are a very fattening lifestyle, even the kids are always in the car.

The reasons you ladies listed is what makes this "lifestyle" so good. You can eat, a lot, and it's all so tasty if you learn from their recipes. Also, you get wine! Yeah! It really is common sense, and the plate division has made life so much easier for me.

It's funny to see Europeans so bewildered by our portion sizes in restaurants -- you know those chain restaurants, they don't even use big plates, they use PLATTERS! I remember visitors coming with us (to Charlie Brown's steak house) and starting to pass around their dinner family style and then the shock, no that's all for YOU!

Really our perception has gotten a little warped; if you add more french fries and a bigger coke to something it's a "value meal." It's not such a great value ending up with a lot of obesity related health issues though - I'm sure most of us here have spent a small fortune trying to remedy our "bargain" meals of the past, LOL!

I'm much more of a geek. The Mediterranean diet is one of the few diets that has actual scientific evidence to support its health benefits.

I had to check that plate size. I thought the lunch and dinner plate was 9 inches. I'm on wave 1 and I'm trying to learn to use the plates and bowls and adjust portion size because I get it that she wants us to learn to eat like "normal people". I think some of us have gotten our sense of portion size so out of whack it may be impossible for us to get this right without actually weighing and measuring but I'm resisting that impulse for right now and we'll see how it works out. I do have proper sized plates and bowls.

Petra, why did you say you were a geek? Because you checked plate size?

To be honest, I thought lunch and dinner where also 9 inches, no? I think breakfast is 7 inches, no?

It's been a while since I've looked at that. My main focus is trying to divide the plate... at this point, any plate will do. I'm just trying to make sure I eat enough of everything. Of course, I'd love to just do protein and Whole Grains... but I guess I "have" to eat the fruit and veggies.

I said I was a geek because I was interested in the scientific data. You are correct about the 7 inch plate for breakfast and 9 inch for lunch and dinner.

I'm on day 5 and I haven't lost any weight yet. I haven't gained either. I know I haven't been perfect but I haven't had any refined sugar or flour and I am using the correct size plates and bowls. I'm trying to focus on those goals rather than stressing that the scale isn't moving yet. The sugar cravings really started yesterday. I hope they don't last long.

Petra, do NOT get discouraged. I never weighted myself during the 10 day initiation period, for fear of my results. Don't worry, it WILL come off. As long as you are staying away from the refined flours and all sugars it WILL come off.

I'm just starting w/Wave 2 this time. I know it's going to take longer to lose, but I don't care. I don't "feel" like giving up fruit right now, so I'm starting w/Wave 2.

Make sure you are eating Whole Grain bread. Not Whole Wheat or made w/Whole Grains, but a 100% Whole Grain bread. I know it was confusing at first, I must have read every freaking bread label in the aisle.

Hey everyone if you are interested in a mediterranean~asian diet(which I am) there is a person from the website on 3fc answering questions.
MediterrAsian Diet

Here is a link to the book review on 3fc!

Book Review

I know it is rediculous!

I've been eating either those Mission low carb whole wheat tortillas which have like 10 grams of fiber in them or Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat. Whole Wheat Flour is the first ingredient on the list and it has 5 grams of fiber per slice and only 50 calories.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a substitute for Swiss chard? I can't find it down here-one of several things I can't get here but don't get me started on that topic. Would Kale or Collards be a better substitute? I can get other greens here too but those would be my best guesses.

PETRA ~ a lot of people sub Swiss Chard for Spinach; beet greens are also similar; Kale and Spinach have more vit/minerals, but the Collards may work too (I'm just not that familiar with them).