Hi, I'm new to the forum (been reading it for several months but just registered today.) I've been riding for about a year; graduated to a real bike (Trek 5000 vs my old WalMart Special) the first of June.
I was TERRIFIED of the clip ins, seriously really terrified, but decided I couldn't have a cool bike without having cool pedals too. I got the Look ones that have the biggest platform, tried them out on a trainer at my LBS and took off to experience them. I was doing fine, practicing clipping in and out with no problems. I decided it was time to come to a stop and start fresh. My stop was fine, very smooth. I started again--clipped in with my left foot and pushed off a bit. NOT ENOUGH. The wind was strong that day and I was riding against it. I also had to flip the pedals over in order to clip in with the other foot and couldn't do it fast enough. Down I went. I'd been told by an experienced biker that it wasn't a matter of IF I'd fall, but rather WHEN so I wasn't surprised by it. The thing that did surprise me was that my foot did not clip out as I'd been told it would. I ended up really hurting my ankle. I couldn't walk for a week--however, I did get back up and ride 5 miles back to my car the day I did it. (NO, I'm not that tough. I just wasn't prepared to call my husband and tell him I'd crashed and hurt myself on the brand new bike he didn't want me to spend so much money on in the first place!)
I had serious concerns about riding with them afterwards and if I weren't so stubborn by nature, I am certain I'd have given them up. I was terrified of stopping after that and I've fallen twice since then--I did clip out those times without even thinking about twisting my ankle out. Both falls since the first one were when I starting off and I did no damage to my bike or myself on either of them. I now make sure when I start off that I'm at the top of the pedal stroke on the foot already clipped and I push off with my other foot (pushing off was something I never thought about doing--I didn't realize I wasn't doing it until someone pointed it out to me.)
I'm finally to the point where my heart doesn't start to race when I know I'm about to stop. So, it really does get easier and will actually feel natural after awhile. I wish I'd thought to do it your way, though!