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Why is there not a single pork dinner in Phase 1 of the South Beach book?  I could've sworn I saw tenderloin on the list of sanctioned foods.

So far, we've had fish, seafood, prime cuts of beef, chicken and turkey. Delicious, yes, but not living on an ocean means that fish & seafood are pricey. And, prime cuts of meat are, well, prime. Pork on the other hand, is tasty and inexpensive.

So, on day 7, I made a bold move. I replaced, Marinated London Broil dinner with Coriander Pork Skewers and Red Onion Salsa. I'm half expecting to get a call from the SB police, but I think the recipe fits Phase 1 parameters nicely. Not to mention, the flavours are a bit different than most of  the stuff we've been eating.  It tastes like falafel. Yum!

I just had to make a couple of small changes. The instructions say to grill the meat but it's been cold outside. Instead of barbecuing, I just threw everything in a cast iron pan on the stove.

Also, you'll notice that the Test Kitchen suggests serving the pork with cracked wheat salad - an obvious no-no for Phase 1ers.  I substituted lettuce. It worked out fine. It'll be even better next week when we get to reintroduce the whole grains.

Last but not least, don't forget to sprinkle some parsely on it!

Have you found any foods that suit the diet, but aren't in the book? I'm always looking for SB-friendly recipes.

I can't stop thinking about pancakes. Bad carb pancakes, to be precise. The kind you get at a roadside diner. The kind that taste extra good because the place is family run, and it feels like home, and the plate arrives with the cakes stacked high, each one soaked in a generous amount of butter, the whole thing swimming in syrup... Oh god, I feel dizzy.

The crazy part is that haven't had a flapjack in over a year, or even given them a second thought until this week. So what's going on?

My brain is making up cravings to compensate for what my body is missing. And, since I'm the queen of efficiency, my mind has come up with the single best way to get everything my body craves in one go. Pancakes soaked in butter and syrup is a one-stop shop of sugar, bad carbs and bad fats.

What to do?

Surprisingly, the most effective snack for keeping the cravings at bay has been almonds. Thankfully, scant handfuls of nuts are allowed in phase 1. Raw almonds don't do much for me, but roast 'em up with a tiny bit of olive oil in a 350 degree oven for 15 mins, and it's a whole new world of flavour. Maybe I'm delirious but I'd almost put them in the same category as really good dark chocolate.

Hey, you take what you can get, right?

The grocery store is a different place when you’re on a diet. The first time in can be a bit shocking. I wasn’t at all prepared.

It’s amazing how many things in the store are off-limits. And, maybe it’s because I’ve never really looked before, but the diet-friendly items seem much harder to find than their lovely fat- and sugar-filled counterparts.

I spent a good 45 minutes wandering up and down the aisles - my old friends, baguette and 30% M.F. cheese calling to me like sirens all the way - searching for foods that satisfy the requirements of the diet. Oh, by the way, if anyone can suggest a decent low-fat cheddar, please share.

The checkout however, was where I faced my biggest challenge. It's where the diet became my reality. I must have cycled through every neurotic emotion possible during the 5 minutes I stood in line.

First, as I watched my health food inching towards the cashier, all I could think of was how it was so obviously diet food: 4 heads of lettuce, 6 red peppers, cherry tomatoes, low-fat mayo, low-fat margarine, low-fat cold cuts, chicken breasts, and sugar-free Jello (as my treat). Bleh.

Then panic set in. What was I thinking? I'm an eater. My friends know me for my love of food. It's my identity. What am I without cheese? Without burgers? Yes, I'll be skinny but no one will recognize me?

Here comes the crazy part (as if that last bit weren't nutty enough), I never used to worry what people thought when I'd stand at the checkout with a baguette, some cheesy dip, and a bag of brownies but there I was buying healthy foods and suddenly, gasp! I cared what other shoppers might think. How's that for backwards?

Thank goodness the grocery store neurosis was a one-time deal. I don't get that panicky feeling anymore but I do go in prepared. I break down my menus ahead of time and go in with a plan. I avoid the temptation aisles, and focus on finding the best-tasting versions of the things I can eat. I've even found a few ways to cut costs:

• Make  Jello in small reusable travel containers rather than buying pre-packaged. Total prep time is only about as long as it takes for the kettle to boil.

• Buy a low-fat cooked ham and cut off pieces as needed for salads, lettuce wraps and for breakfast (instead of Canadian bacon).

• Keep a list of sanctioned veggies in your wallet. If an item is out of season it will cost more, replace it with something in season.

It used to be so hard for me to understand why anyone would go on a diet. There is so much deliciousness in this world, how could people choose to deny themselves pleasure? I just didn't get it.

Then I hit my 30's, quit smoking and my body changed.

At first I pretended not to notice. I continued eating what I wanted when I wanted – trying not to care too much when fat pants moved into regular rotation and my good butt jeans fell to the back of the closet. After all, anything is better than smoking, right?

Denial can only last so long.

While visiting my father, I came across a scale in his bathroom. I don't know about you, but when I happen upon a scale, it's as though the thing has gravitational pull. I can't help myself.

The results were not good. I’d gained almost 15 lbs in one year.

To be fair, I still fall within the limits of a healthy BMI, but it’s more than just the weight gain. I feel unfit, unhealthy and just generally blah.

At my father's suggestion, I decided to try the South Beach diet. "The beauty of South Beach is that you can eat as much as you want," he explained, "I ate an entire chicken in one sitting and still lost weight!"

Obviously there's a bit more to South Beach than chicken.

The plan was designed by a cardiologist to improve the health of his patients. It's divided into three phases:

Phase 1: This is the strictest phase. It lasts 2 weeks during which time you may eat: no sugar (natural or refined), no carbs (good or bad), no caffeine, no alcohol, lots of veggies, lots of protein, low-fat cheese, minimal amount of nuts. The dieter should lose 8 to 13 lbs during this first phase.

Phase 2: Complex carbohydrates and fruit are reintroduced in a minimal way. Menus still contain lots of protein and vegetables. Length of time spent on this phase is up to the dieter. Typically, people lose 1 to 2 lbs a week.

Phase 3: This is the “rest of your life” phase. All the hard work is done and it’s all about using the principles of the diet to make healthy choices moving forward.

My choice to follow South Beach came down to a positive review from my dad and a free copy of the book but there are lots of great diets out there. It's worth doing the research to find the one that works best for you.

Follow me over the next 4 weeks while I attempt the first and second phases. I'll keep you up-to-date with tips to make dieting life easier and, most importantly, I'll hunt down some Canadian Living recipes that taste good and fit the healthy South Beach criteria.

Wish me luck!