Hey Schwartzie!
Cycle 1 really isn't that much protein. You increase the amount gradually and though it may seem like a lot at first you get used to it. I was stuffed for over 1 week on Cycle 3 but then my metabolism kicked in and I have been having no trouble getting it all in.
Full-fat cheese and nuts are red foods. Some low fat cheese is allowed but I chose not to include any because I've stalled from cheese before. Cheese other than cottage cheese should not be considered a main source of protein. Nuts are difficult to eat in very small amounts, too.
The yellow carbs are a maxiumum not a requirement. Yeelow carbs are basically starchy carbs-not fruit. You can eat as much of the listed fruit as you want. We did not get fat eating fruit. All you count from fruit is the fiber. You should get most of your fruit from veggies, less from fruit, then some supps in Cycle 3.
You don't have to do machines or join a gym. The things he recommends are for beginners who don't know how to properly use free weights and might injure themselves. Lots of people do BRx at home and use different exercises. Just make sure to choose ones that work the muscles in the same way and follow the workout sets/reps/rests in the book. BTW, The leg workout in the book is great-I did it the first time I did BRx-but if you don't have those machines other exercises work as well.
I've got a list of BRx Q&As I'd be glad to e-mail to you if you send me your address. I keep getting a lot of the same questions so I started saving them rather than writing them over again and again!
BRx really is a great program-the best I've done!
Deb