There's LC bread out there, too. Just be choosy. The best I've found is Arnold's brand. Most are made from soy flour and taste "off." The Arnold's tastes like real bread.
You say you want to do it gradually. Everyone is different, but for a lot of people what works best is to dive in Atkins Induction style. That means 2 weeks of no bread or any grains, no sugar, very little artificial sweetener, etc., but adequate protein and veggies and salad. Here are two links (Parts 1 and 2) to the rules for Induction:
http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-238691.html
http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-64113.html
What strict Induction will do for you is to rid your body of the remaining carbs it has stored, bump you into ketosis (fat burning), and knock all carb cravings out of the ballpark.
I warn you, the first two to three days will be hell. You'll want bread, sugar, and high-carb stuff all the time. Then one day you'll wake up and all those cravings will be gone. Believe me, it will be worth it.
While their bodies are switching over from carb-burning to fat-burning, some people experience headaches and muscle fatigue. Just take some potassium (as many a six 99mg tablets a day, divided between morning and night). Some people also suffer from some constipation at first and take magnesium (a couple tablets in the morning is usually sufficient).
Anyway, just think about it. I know I recommended the second book, but you just might want to stick with the first book for now. It might be just too much information. Everything you need is in the first book.
There is also another site that might help. It's the site set up by the authors of PP (the Drs. Eades, who are real doctors, by the way). It's
www.eatprotein.com. The people over there are very knowledgeable. The only trouble I've found with that board is that it doesn't get a lot of traffic, and typically you get maybe one or two replies to your question, and sometimes you have to wait days for that. The moderators (all extremely knowledgeable) will usually respond to your questions.
As Wendy (?) said in another thread, they tend to go right by the book over there. For some this is good, but others have to tweak things a bit.
When I had the most success with PP, I did it right by the FIRST book. I made up charts to divide the foods as recommended throughout the day. I also made up a quick-reference guide to the foods I tend to eat a lot (can you tell I was a technical writer for more than 20 years!). I've attached the charts I made. You can modify them to increase the protein as I mentioned earlier.
One more thing. You might not want to start out at the lowest level of carbs. The Eades recommend starting at either 30 or 55 carbs per day. They do say that if you're trying to counteract medical problems that you should do the lower level, but it's really up to you. Just remember to spread it out through the day.
OK, so yet one more thing. Are you on any medications we should know about? Blood pressure meds, blood thinners, cholesterol-lowering meds? If so, please read those sections of the book very carefully and please be under medical supervision while doing this plan. The plan is safe, don't get me wrong. A problem can arise, however, because this plan will very quickly correct things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, and if your meds aren't monitored and lowered accordingly, you could get yourself into trouble.
Keep us posted on how you're doing. If you like, jump into the daily "Java Room" thread. We've been referred to as a "sewing circle," but we offer a lot of support, not just for your eating plan, but also for your life. Or stay in separate threads. Your choice. Ask questions and we'll answer.
Good luck!