Bowing down to Alton Brown

On the last night of the fruit cleanse, Alton Brown seems like an appropriate topic. The host of Food Networks' "Good Eats" -- also a host on "Iron Chef" but "Good Eats" is way cooler to a nerd like me -- recently lost 50 pounds and he laid out exactly how in an episode titled "Live and Let Diet."

He refuses to call what he did a diet, but instead walks viewers through a practical guide to how he lost the weight. Food is fuel and instead of choosing fuel that is devoid of nutrition, like donuts, he ate nutrient-rich fruits or nuts, he says. In many ways, his menu is similar to what the "clean" days of the fruit cleanse call for: whole grains, leafy vegetables and fruits and nuts. To my delight, he also advocates oily fish like sardines. I love sardines, and I hereby apologize to anyone at work who has ever been there when I heated up sardine pasta at work.

Alton's list of once-a-week foods addresses red meat, desserts, alcohol and pasta. It's not really surprising, and on the last day of the fruit fast, it makes more sense than ever. I have felt energized since I started the cleanse and realized how much food I was mindlessly eating every day. Yes, cookies, you. I'm not overly concerned about my love of pasta and pizza and like occasional rich meals at restaurants, but the cookies have to stop. I'm a healthy eater, but the cleanse has confirmed I'm a slave to my sugar cravings. So I have resolved to adopt Alton's once-a-week rule, eat fruit whenever I want cookies or chocolate, and see if it sticks. But this is a big resolution that calls for a higher power. Magic 8 Ball, can I really do this? Absolutely! (Yes!)

I have Alton on TiVo but if you need more convincing, see for yourself.