after reading so many posts in here I think FS is going to be the way to go for me, I seem to do better when I have very specific guidelines, so here's hoping.

But, since I have to wait a week or so for my book to arrive I thought I'd ask if any fat smashers have suggestions of anything I should do before I start to prep myself?

I also had a question regarding exercise, I normally do at least an hour on the elliptical with weights 3 times a week or 30 day shred . . . is that going to be too much during the first phase or do I just have to test it out and see?
Thanks in advance, can't wait to start!

Cheers

Coondocks and FS-ers,

When I did follow the FS diet, I never got the book, nor did I read it. I heard that it was confusing, with conflicting guidelines. That said, Phase I of the diet made me feel incredibly well, and I need to get back to it, just to "detox"..I use that term loosely, as I don't really believe in that concept, per se...But after the holiday indulgences, I can't believe how crappy I feel. Ham is toxic for me. Yuk. White flour, bah.

I simply followed what I read in the Diet Books forum on 3FC. It suggested this: a plant based diet, all fruits and vegetable to be the primary source of calories. In addition, you may supplement daily with up to 4 egg whites, I cup of oatmeal, 2 cups of brown rice, 2 8-oz. servings of fat free milk, 2 6-oz. servings of fat free, sugar free yogurt. I didn't give up coffee; I didn't see any need to. I drank a lot of water; I always do. I am a fiend about limiting sodium; it is a stealth killer imho. If I wanted some salsa for flavor, I had it. I used EVOO as I chose to..why not? I considered beans plant-based, so ate them. I think the primary thing is to make fruits and vegetables your base and supplement around that, rather than using fake meat soy products, etc. etc. your calorie base and supplementing with fruits and vegetables around that.

Hope to stay with you chicks for a while. Happy New Year!

Thanks for the tips. I've always been a raw fruit and veg lover so it looks like I may have found something that'll work for me.

Thanks again for the reply, Cheers!

You are fortunate, Coondocks, to love raw fruits and vegetables. That is big advantage. Just want to be sure that you know cooking them is fine, too..frozen..great..canned OK, though lots of sodium. I assume you know that, but since you don't have the book thought I would be sure to tell ya. Also, I have used some of the recipes on this thread, and they have all been good.

I am very interested in your user name....so variation on Boondocks??

Actually yes it is . . . . my friend and I were being silly one night watching Goonies . . . for some reason he thought it was funny that boondocks became goondocks in the movie . . . that some how turned into him calling me McCoondocks (I have an Irish last name starting with McC) and he eventually shortened it to coondocks . . . for some reason it just stuck and I don't think he's actually called me by any other name since then.