MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Diets seem to be a dime a dozen these days, but a new eating plan by a Miami Beach doctor is sprinkled with a dose of reality.

Disc jockey Michael Yo was looking trim in April when he interviewed singer Nick Lachey. But in a picture taken last year with actress Lindsey Lohan, he wasn't looking so slim.

"I was like, 'I have to change this,'" Yo said.

Yo became one of the test patients for the "Reality Diet."

"I lost 40 pounds and it's very easy to me," Yo said.

The author of the book, which was released on Thursday, is a Miami Beach cardiologist who used to be in practice with the creator of "The South Beach Diet."

"What prompted me to write this book is that I was seeing patients several years ago with a lot of side effects from the low-carb diets," Dr. Steven Schnur said. "Patients had headaches, constipation. They were very weak, very tired."

Most of your calories come from carbohydrates on the Reality Diet, which allows starchy staples like potatoes and corn. And menus in the book include low-fat hotdogs.

"We have chocolate milkshakes. We have hamburgers, hot dogs. We have pizza," Schnur said. "Why? Because you can eat it in a health way and still lose weight."

The focus of the Reality Diet is fiber and following the 2:90 rule. Schnur said the carbs you eat should have at least 2 grams of fiber per 90 calorie serving.

Schnur said virtually all fruits and vegetables meet that requirement, but you must be careful when it comes to starches. Don't assume that whole or multigrain foods fit the formula. You must read the label.

When it comes to protein, make sure it's lean.

"And you don't want to take more than 25 to 30 percent of your total caloric intake as protein," Schnur said.

Exercise is also a requirement. Schnur said you need to burn 300 calories a day, which is equal to about an hour of fast walking.

Yo said the diet worked for him and he's sticking to it.

"With the Atkins, with the low-carb diets, I've seen my friends gain the weight back," Yo said. "With this, it's going on a year."