You know the feeling: your seat belt’s too tight, walking up a flight of stairs makes your breath heave and your heart race, your arch-nemesis called you a cow, and, worst of all, only the ugly clothes in your closet fit. You know you need to do it. You need to take control: you need to diet.

Believe it or not, you’ve just taken the first step toward a new life—a life that’s simpler, healthier, and happier. Great bodies and high self-esteem don’t come easily in today’s fast-paced world of high-stress jobs, demanding relatives, and yo-yo romances. Fortunately, with the Stephanie Plum diet you can achieve your goals without committing yourself to harsh regimens of tasteless foods and unending visits to the health club. It’s all about balancing body chemistry—those pesky carbohydrates, protein, fats, and sugars—with your all-too-typical break-neck lifestyle.

The Stephanie Plum Diet Triangle

You don’t have to be a bounty hunter to have an erratic lifestyle and an even more chaotic meal schedule. You may not be able to control life’s daily demands, but you can make sure you have the energy to deal with them, even on a diet. That’s what this plan is all about.

You’ve heard of romantic triangles. Well, think of this plan as an equilateral diet triangle. Each side represents a different feature of the plan. Each side is also the same size, re-enforcing the fact that each feature is equally important in making the diet work. The three sides are, in no particular order: Food, Exercise,  …