This is a low-carbohydrate, moderate-fat diet.

If I haven't listed something here, try to fit it into one of these categories. If you need help, send email to Larry@LarryPerson.com. Be sure to check out the tips below.

I almost totally avoid all fruits and starches (the last three categories). I found that I lost more weight, and stay leaner, without them.

VEGETABLES — Unlimited
Asparagus, Bean Sprouts, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green Beans, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Onions, Peppers, Radishes, Spinach, Squash, Tomatoes, Zucchini

PROTEIN — Unlimited
Low Fat Seafood (such as Cod, Crab, Dolphin, Flounder, Grouper, Haddock, Halibut, Lobster, Salmon, Scallops, Scrod, Sole, Shrimp, Swordfish, fresh or water packed Tuna Fish, Whitefish). Low Fat Meat (such as Beef/Chicken/Calves Liver, Chicken Breast, Turkey Breast). Low carb tofu. Egg whites.

PROTEIN — 3 meals a week on three different days
Club Steak, Flank Steak, Filet Mignon, Ground Turkey, Ground Sirloin(Hamburger), Lamb Chops, London Broil, Pork Chops, Roast Beef, Round Steak, Veal Chops, Veal Cutlet, Veal Rump

DAIRY — 1 Serving Daily
Butter, Cheese, Cream Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Eggs, Mayonnaise, Milk, Parmesan Cheese, Yogurt

DAIRY — Unlimited
Fat free cheese and plain yogurt.

FRUITS — Unlimited
Apples, Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Oranges

FRUITS — 3 times a week on three different days
Apricots, Bananas, Berries, Cherries, Grapes, Honeydew, Papaya, Pear, Plums, Pineapple, Tangerine, Watermelon

STARCHES — 2 servings daily at two different meals
Bread, Bagel (scooped), Cereal (hot or cold), Crackers, Corn, Pancakes/Waffles, Pasta Peas Pita, Potato, Rice, Tortillas

You might find these other tips helpful:

• You must exercise. Diet alone is not enough. Find activities you enjoy, and do something every day. All you've got to do is sweat a little, and raise your pulse rate. Maybe you'll find that you enjoy exercising, and you'll get into it more and more, like I did. I found that listening to music I love made my early exercise endeavors more palatable. Maybe you'll find that joining a gym inspires you. You should find what works for you, and do that.
• Eat — a lot. As long as you follow these guidelines, you'll lose weight. If you restrict your intake too much, you won't lose weight. Try to eat at least a pound of lean protein each day.
• Never allow yourself to get so hungry that eating becomes an emergency. Eat often, and eat regularly. Have snacks on hand.
• Drink as much water as possible — at least 64 ounces a day.
• Don't be afraid of eating fat. Eating fat will not make you fat or send your blood lipids into outer space. Eating sugar and other carbohydrates will.
• Don't obsess! Don't weigh or measure your food. Unlike the many other diets I tried, I love the fact that these guidelines are relaxed. I can eat until I'm not hungry, I can eat at restaurants, with friends, and it's all easy.
• Avoid any artificial sweeteners except Sucralose (which is marketed under the brand name Splenda). Stevia is also ok. Avoid NutraSweet, Aspartame, Equal, Saccarine, etc. There are plenty of delicious, Splenda-sweetened products.
• Avoid protein bars. Eat real food as much as possible. Protein bars are good in emergencies; they are portable and don't require refrigeration, but in my experience, they will slow down your weight loss.
• If you find that you reach a plateau, you can do what I did — cut the fruits and starches. Another strategy for getting through plateaus is to eat a lot of fat for a couple of days, then return to this plan. This link suggests other weight-loss obstacles that may be affecting you.

And of course, no weight-loss advice would be complete without some clichés:

• Be ruthless. Don't give yourself permission to sabotage your success.
• Tell everyone around you what you're doing. Be very public about your goals and how you plan to accomplish them. You'll be surprised how much support you get. When I say "support" I mean you'll find that people hold you to account, and make sure you do what you said you want to do, and you'll find that people help you do it.
• If you're at a restaurant or someone's home, don't be afraid to ask for the food you need. You may be surprised how willing people are to work with you.
• Don't weigh yourself (too much). Get your feedback from the way your clothes fit, being able to wear clothes you haven't worn in years, and the compliments you'll receive from others. You may lose fat and gain lean mass, which won't show on the scale.
• Don't think of this as something you do until you lose enough weight. You must make permanent changes. If you go back to doing what you always did before, you'll get the same results you always got before.
• If you have a bad day — if you eat crap you know you shouldn't eat — get back on track immediately. Do not beat yourself up about it. Just start over, immediately.

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