There is no food that is completely off limits. If I want to splurge and have an occasional treat, I merely ratchet up my exercise slightly or slightly reduce my caloric intake. Momentary setbacks are not fatal. If for whatever reason I gain back a few pounds or miss some workouts, there is always tomorrow. At least I won't be digging myself out of the hole that I was in when I first decided to reform my lifestyle.
Cardiovascular fitness is very important, especially in becoming and staying lean.
The health benefits are enormous. My resting pulse is now around 54, down from 68 at the beginning of Phase I. 15. It is possible to get back in shape without lifting weights. The heaviest weight I lifted during Phase I was an 8 pound dumbbell. While I am convinced that weight lifting will help me achieve my goals in Phase II effectively, weight lifting per se is certainly not necessary to obtain great results.