Okay- tolerance of certain foods and CCM/CCL are two separate things. If (hypothetically) my CCM/ACE was only 40 carbs, that potentially would mean that I either a) never eat food from the rungs above 3, or b) progress through the rungs but maintain my carb count at 30-35 and proceed through the rungs- correct?

Here's why I ask: the limited diet I find really difficult, even for the short term. I really really miss my nuts, berries, and yogurt. But I do want to lose at least 40lbs over the next 4 months. I appreciate the point is going through the rungs to determine trigger foods. Could I not for example: after my 2 weeks of induction, add 5g of almonds for the nut rung/week, and 5g of raspberries for the next rung/week, then yogurt (I make a low carb/high protein/high carb yogurt) for the next week, and then simply keep that carb amount and carefully add individual items from the three 'rungs' that I have added? (provided of course that each time I added the food I don't start stalling or getting intense cravings.)

If I could eat induction veggies, my yogurt, almonds and raspberries for carbs, I could easily manage the 'diet' for months. That of course does not make for a good transition to maintenance, nor does it make it for a lifestyle. But- if I could just have those three things, I could easily and patiently work my way through all the other foods in the rungs and in order...

Were I to try that have I crossed the line of making the diet work for me and into making my own diet?