I just got a copy of the year's big diet book, The South Beach Diet, by Dr. Arthur Agatson (Rodale Books).

But rather than just breeze through it and tell you what it says — the way some critics do — I'm actually going to go on it for Blogcritics readers.

I'll report in every few days to let you know how it's going. It won't be a long wait. the book promises to knock off 8-13 pounds in the 2 weeks.

My plan is to do my best to follow the diet. If I mess up, I'll take the blame. If I succeed, the diet gets the credit.

So you know, I am 52, 5 foot 10 inches, I weigh 226 pounds, and I walk a lot. I admit I am helpless in the face of Wheat Thins. Sounds stupid, but God help me, it's the truth.

It should be an interesting experiment because I have every reason in the word to want to nosh right now. I just lost two year-long paying gigs, my wife is down with a very bad back, and our collective anxiety is running high.

But maybe it'll work. If it's a great diet, and I'm an honest man, it should, right?

It'll be like De Niro in Raging Bull, in reverse.

I'm also going on a two-week car trip to Utah. See if anyone can follow a diet while opn the road!

But, I'm motivated to succeed, too, because I'm middle-aged, diabetic, and need to be lighter on my toes to keep heart disease at bay.