Looking at Your Life Best Diet: Making It Work for You

I’ve been pretty bossy with you. It’s been my way or the highway. I had good reason—you need tough love at a time like this. But just in case you were beginning to think that I wasn’t going to let you have your way about anything, this chapter will convince you otherwise. In fact, I want you to customize the Fast Metabolism Diet so it fits your life. It’s your body, it’s your food, it’s your health, and it’s your diet. You have to follow my rules—I’m not budging on that—but you can also shape the Fast Metabolism Diet to your individual circumstances, so you can actually do it successfully in your real life, in the real world.

I had a client once who came into my office, and even before he sat down, he started lecturing me: “Okay, I’m going to do this diet thing. And I’m willing to hear you out, but you should know that I can’t eat this, and I can’t eat that, and I can’t eat this .

“Whoa, wait a minute,” I said, holding up my hand. “Sit down. Let’s talk about this. Together we’ll work out what you can eat and what you can’t eat. What you are and aren’t willing to do. Then we’ll come to a compromise we can both live with, and I’ll spit in my hand and you’ll spit in your hand and we’ll shake on it. Okay.

There are so many variables that go into successful weight loss, and if you don’t consider these, you set yourself up for failure. I want my plan to become our plan. I want us to customize this together so we can negotiate a deal that will not compromise your individuality, but also won’t compromise your successful weight loss.

Clients come into my office all the time almost in a state of panic. They know they’re about to start a diet,” and they get themselves all psyched out for what they think the reality of that diet is going to be. Sometimes they say things to me like, “I know this is going to be hell,” or “I know this is really going to suck,” or “I realize this is going to be the hardest thing I have ever done.” Or they’re more fatalistic, saying things like, “Well, I can’t lose weight, but I’ll try,” or “I bet I’m going to be the one client that this diet doesn’t work for,” or “If I just lose five pounds, I’ll still be grateful.

These moments break my heart. I know from my very long history with people trying to lose weight how difficult and painful it can be, and how often all the hard-won weight comes back.

But I promise this is going to be different. Yes, I have a strict program that I insist you follow. Plenty of aspects of the Fast Metabolism Diet are nonnegotiable. But this diet isn’t painful. And there are plenty of negotiable, customizable aspects of Fast Metabolism. You can make it yours, not some prison sentence someone has imposed on you for your own supposed good.

I want to know what you like. What foods you love. I want to know, with no judgment, the good, bad, and ugly of your eating past. What are your obsessions? Mine are sour cream, butter, ice cream, avocados, and mayonnaise (obviously I like my rich, creamy foods!). I hate hard candies, but I love chilies and soups. I can eat pineapple until my lips fall off, but apples aren’t my favorite.

I’m also an idealist. Every Monday morning, I start strong—but then all hell breaks loose at one of my clinics, or at one of the kids’ schools. Or I have to jump on a plane or sit down for an interview. Or I have to interview a new chef and taste a boatload of food. So I plan for the worst and I have a Crash Stash snack in every car and office, and even in the front of my suitcase. I restock it every time I get There are so many variables that go into successful weight loss, and if you don’t consider these, you set yourself up for failure. I want my plan to become our plan. I want us to customize this together so we can negotiate a deal that will not compromise your individuality, but also won’t compromise your successful weight loss.

Clients come into my office all the time almost in a state of panic. They know they’re about to start a diet,” and they get themselves all psyched out for what they think the reality of that diet is going to be. Sometimes they say things to me like, “I know this is going to be hell,” or “I know this is really going to suck,” or “I realize this is going to be the hardest thing I have ever done.” Or they’re more fatalistic, saying things like, “Well, I can’t lose weight, but I’ll try,” or “I bet I’m going to be the one client that this diet doesn’t work for,” or “If I just lose five pounds, I’ll still be grateful.

These moments break my heart. I know from my very long history with people trying to lose weight how difficult and painful it can be, and how often all the hard-won weight comes back.

But I promise this is going to be different. Yes, I have a strict program that I insist you follow. Plenty of aspects of the Fast Metabolism Diet are nonnegotiable. But this diet isn’t painful. And there are plenty of negotiable, customizable aspects of Fast Metabolism. You can make it yours, not some prison sente.