@icandothis6: Yes, it can be overwhelming. There is a lot of information in the book, but I'll summarize it a bit here and maybe that will help.

For C1, you can have:

(1) 2 servings Yogurt-like products. These are included because of their probiotic effects, not because of the dairy component. He recommends 2 servings per day, but I only ate one. Anything that comes from milk contains sugars. I wanted to reduce that.

(2) NO Starches (cereal, bread, rice, pasta, oats, etc.) on C1. This helps your body detox. Plus, if you think about it practically, no one eats raw grain -- it always has to have something with it to make is palatable.

(3) Unlimited lean meats, including chicken, fish, and turkey. BUT --- limit the amount of pre-packaged meats you eat -- they are loaded with sodium. I personally eat a pre-packaged chicken breast most every day for lunch (Member's Mark Mesquite Grilled Chicken from Sam's Club). These are easy and help with my hectic schedule. The sodium is there, but I offset it by not eating any other pre-packaged foods or canned vegetables the rest of the day.

(4) Eggs. He recommends no more than 4 egg yolks per week, but those of us "in the know" understand that dietary cholesterol really has no impact on your blood cholesterol levels.

(5) Low-sugar fruits - 2 servings only, eaten before 2pm each day. Berries, oranges, apples, peaches, plums are good choices. No bananas on C1 -- they are starchy.

(6) Unlimited cleansing vegetables. Eat at least a couple raw, if you can. Steam or boil the rest without salt. Use parmesan cheese as a tasty garnish, or a tiny bit of olive oil or butter. Lemon pepper is good for seasoning as well. Choose from: broccoli, carrots, onions, greens, cabbage, lettuce, brussel sprouts, asparagus, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, green beans, spinach. Avoid canned vegetables if at all possible -- the sodium adds up in a heartbeat.

(7) Condiments -- small quantities are fine, just log them: Salsa, marinara, mayo, parmesan cheese, wine sauce, hollandaise, bernaise, A1, worcestershire, ketchup, mustard. I personally love Maple Grove Farms of Vermont fat-free honey dijon dressing on chicken -- and on raw vegetables, for that matter. The sugar-free fat-free Raspberry Vinegarette has only 5 calories per tablespoon, excellent garnish for almost anything.

One of the other members of this group suggested that you take a day a week to cook everything you need for the week. That is a great idea.

Buy some whole chickens (or this time of year, turkey) and roast them up. You can slice the meat up and store it for use during the week.

I personally keep salmon burgers on hand for quick meals. I like to mix a little sour cream with dill weed as a garnish for my salmon.

I make tuna (or chicken or egg) salad using a half cup chopped celery, 1 sliced green onion (and top), 1 can rinsed tuna in water, 1 T. miracle whip light, and 1 T sugar-free relish.

Here is a sample menu that I would follow on C1:

Breakfast:
Light yogurt blended with 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 cup fresh-frozen blueberries
1 boiled egg

Lunch:
1 chicken breast (Member's Mark Mesquite Grilled from Sam's Club)
3 servings baby carrots (raw)
1 roma tomato sliced
1/2 cucumber sliced
6 black olives
1 T. Maple Grove Farms of Vermont Honey Dijon Mustard dressing

Afternoon Snack:
2 mini babybel gouda cheese

Dinner:
1 salmon burger
1 T. dill & sour cream topping
1 cup stream broccoli
2 tsp. parmesan cheese

Dessert:
Atkins Endulge Nutty Fudge Brownie

You can use the above as a pattern and just substitute in other foods that you like. Try entering all of it into your food diary for a future day and you can see the overall nutritional impact.