Book Nook: A cardiologist's 20-lb solution

THE FLEX DIET: Design Your Own Weight-Loss Plan, by James Beckerman, M.D. Touchstone / Simon & Schuster, $24.99, 280 pp.

James Beckerman, a Harvard-trained cardiologist who practices in Oregon and is the "Heart Expert" on WebMD.com, has written a book subtitled, "200 Ways to Lose 20 Pounds!" - bite-size advice brimming with common sense.

Flex Solution 110 is "Order a Better Pizza": with a thin crust, have it cut into twice the usual slices (to "slow you down"), bulked up with veggies, etc. Solution 173, "Just Watch the Movie": Avoid the concession stand and save 1,000 calories - not to mention money. Solution 124: "Order Smaller Serving Sizes."

THE SCOOP The book has three sections: "Today," a two-week starter phase; "Every Day," the next three weeks, with meal plans, and "Your Way," personalized.

THE BOTTOM LINE "Losing weight begins with a single pound," Beckerman writes. And Solution 1? "Commit Yourself by Taking a Photo." Ooh, do I have to?