Thirteen

Last Words

Just a few last words before I send you on your way.

First of all, bravo to you for wanting to change and coming this far. For that alone you should celebrate yourself. It may not be easy, and you may not be perfect every moment of every day. I’m certainly not. But what I discovered was that every time I walked away from temptation or took on a new challenge, it got easier the next time, and it will for you too. You can do this.

One of the most important things to remember as you move forward is to be kind to yourself. If you beat yourself up before you get started, you are guaranteed to fail. It just won’t work. So do me a favor: Start this with a positive attitude, and visualize what it’s going to be like when you succeed—how you’ll look, how you’ll feel. Keep that image in the forefront of your brain every time you hit a bump or have a moment of doubt. I guarantee that the desire to succeed will outweigh your desire for a cookie. Maybe not every single time, but certainly most of the time. And don’t let one cookie get you down. Eating a cookie does not mean you’ve failed. It just means you need to not eat the next cookie.

When you hear that inner voice saying You can’t, you’ve never succeeded before so why should this time be different—and you will hear it from time to time; I did—just tell it to be quiet. That’s trash talk; don’t give it any power. It’s nothing but a tape that’s been playing over and over in your head, possibly for years. Break it! Burn it! Throw it away! It no longer applies! You have the power now. And I’m right there, holding your hand in spirit. So let’s prove your doubting-self wrong!

Now it’s time to learn how to cook for each stage of the Quick & Clean Diet. Ahead you will find recipes for all the dishes on this diet. If you don’t like something, feel free to substitute a different vegetable or protein. Just make sure it’s on the Foods to Love list.