Hi there, thanks for having me.

I finally got around to reading the book last night. I bought it months ago, after a friend recommended it... it sat on my nightstand for months *shame*. I bumped into her yesterday after not seeing her for a while, and she looked fabulous, having lost/kept off 50 lbs! She renewed my resolve to shed the extra 60lbs I've been hauling around, she pointed me here for support.

I have a couple of questions. I gather I'm supposed to eat when I'm hungry, greens and lean meats mainly, avoiding sugar. Or rather, SUGAR. While I didn't see any specific plan laid out (did I doze on those pages?) I think I'm supposed to eat suggested serving sizes of lean meats/greens/dairy keeping carbs under 20g and eating more if I'm hungry? Is it that simple? Are there any sort of calorie intake guidelines for the day?

I read all there was to read about the artificial sweeteners... is it possible to stick with this without them? I'm one of those people that can spot a diet soda a mile away ... I really can't stand the taste/aftertaste of artificial sweetener anything, not even in gum. I'm not a soda junkie, but I will admit to the occasional Dr. Pepper. I put a teaspoon of sugar in my morning coffee. I think I'd rather go without/in moderation than go artificial?