To all my dear family and friends who have joined me

on my incredible dieting adventure.

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Introduction

Getting started

SPRING

Menu plans for Spring diet days

Spring recipes

SUMMER

Menu plans for Summer diet days

Summer recipes

AUTUMN

Menu plans for Autumn diet days

Autumn recipes

WINTER

Menu plans for Winter diet days

Winter recipes

Snacks and cheats

Calorie counter

Picture Section

References

List of Searchable Terms

Copyright

About the Publisher

The 2-Day Diet, otherwise known as the ‘5:2 Diet’ or ‘intermittent fasting’, is taking the world by storm. Anyone can follow its simple premise that you only diet two days a week and eat healthily the rest of the time. These delicious and simple recipes are tailored to suit your lifestyle throughout the year. Cutting your calories for only two days a week couldn’t be easier.

When I got back from holiday in August 2012 I knew it was time to lose some weight. A holiday diet of fish and chips and ice cream had left me feeling stodgy and jiggly in all the wrong places. I’d tried many diets before and never stuck to them. But as soon as I heard about the 2-Day Diet I just knew it was for me. Diet only two days a week – what’s not to like? I can honestly say that I have never looked back.

With the 2-Day Diet I reached my target weight within six months and I now maintain my weight by dieting just one day a week. I have noticed other changes too. My body shape and with it my body confidence has changed. I’m not pencil thin but I’m happy and comfortable in my skin. I have got bags of energy – a definite plus when I’m chasing after my three children. Finally, the 2-Day Diet has re-invigorated my love of food and cooking. By awakening real hunger on diet days, I taste and savour every delicious mouthful of my food. On my normal days, I don’t worry about food yet I eat healthily, cooking proper easy meals for myself and my family.

The recipes here are tailored to how real people eat throughout the year. In the winter, I want hot food all the time: casseroles and soups are the order of the day. Yet in summer the food I eat is totally different: I want salads and grilled meats.

Like everyone I know, I am obsessed with the weather in the UK. The sunshine (or lack of it) is forever intertwined with how I feel and what I eat.

This cookbook is about embracing the changing seasons and enjoying your food whatever the weather. The recipes are all low calorie and suitable for diet days, yet are designed to be enjoyed on any day of the week.

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating my recipes as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Find more of my recipes on my blog at www.52recipes.co.uk

Or get in touch via twitter @52DietRecipes or my Facebook page. I’m looking forward to hearing your success stories!

Yours,

Jacqueline Whitehart, October 2013

Getting started

The jump-start – your low-calorie days

Everyday eating for your five healthy days

The fasting phenomenon

Today, tomorrow, fovever

What to do if...

The 2-Day Diet is a diet you can stick to. People everywhere are finding that this great new diet has life-changing results. You only diet two days a week. This means that on five days a week you don’t need to worry or think about food all the time. What other diet allows you puddings and nights out and still gives you amazing results? I love it and I think you will too.

How it works

On two non-consecutive days a week, follow a calorie-restricted diet. That’s the jump-start. It means:

• 500 calories for women

• 600 calories for men

On the other five days, eat three healthy balanced meals a day.

A TYPICAL WEEK
MON | TUES | WED | THURS | FRI | SAT | SUN
Diet 500 (women) 600 (men) | Normal & healthy | Normal & healthy | Diet 500 (women) 600 (men) | Normal & healthy | Normal & healthy | Normal & healthy

Why it works

By markedly trimming down your calories two days a week (you are eating one-quarter of the standard amount on those two days) you can expect 0.5–0.9kg (1–2lb) a week weight loss. When you have less food on those two days, you really recognise hunger signals. We are so used to eating whenever we feel like it. We are never quite hungry when we eat, and never quite full when we stop. These two lower calorie days help you establish those signals for life.

Your two restricted calorie days are lean protein and veggie based, for adequate nutrition, and so you don’t have to worry about getting enough protein for your body’s needs.

The most amazing difference between the 2-Day Diet and other diets is that when you drastically reduce your calories on the two diet days you are burning off body fat instead of muscle.

The strict two days help you learn to recognise biological hunger and fullness. As you are eating less food you will be actively hungry for your next meal. You will learn to savour every mouthful.

You will appreciate the extra guilt-free calories on your healthy days. Appreciating and enjoying your food gives you a huge boost and is the heart of the 2-Day Diet.

Change in lifestyle

The 2-Day Diet is not a quick fix. The aim is to establish good long-term eating habits. The two diet days are a jump-start for weight loss, but it is not a miracle diet. The diet days boost your weight loss by 0.9–1.4kg (2–3lb) a week at the start of the diet, reducing to about 0.5kg (1lb) a week subsequently. The real change comes through eating healthily on your other five days. Eating three healthy meals a day and cutting out the junk food will enable you to maintain the weight loss from the diet days. You should feel better in yourself and full of energy.

The simplicity of the 2-Day Diet is extremely compelling and it is so easy to get started. As you progress with the diet, you will find that the key to long-term success is how you manage your diet days. If you don’t eat the right food, then you feel starving and unable to cope: this makes you far more likely to cheat or give up. I remember on my first day, I had a large glass of orange juice at breakfast time. This ‘wasted’ 100 or so calories which I was in desperate need of by dinner time. By eating the right food and not eating ‘empty calories’ you can eat enough to keep going throughout the day. This is the core of this cookbook. You can find the right food to eat for every day and it is always tasty and filling. If your diet day is pain-free then you can stick with the diet, change your lifestyle and ultimately your figure.

A little bit of planning will help your first few diet days fly by. Follow these steps to ease you through your first two days:

1. Decide which days you are going to diet during the week. Remember the days must be non-consecutive. Think about what you’ve got on in your schedule. The best days are busy but not social ones. So pick your boring days and you will be fine.

2. How many meals are you going to eat on your diet days? Three small meals OR breakfast and dinner OR lunch and dinner.

3. Use the appropriate meal planner as a guide. Set out what you are going to eat. Buy and prepare your food in advance.

What kind of dieter are you?

Use this handy guide to help you work out the best days to diet and the best times to eat during the day.

If you work 9–5

• Try to diet on the same days each week – try Monday and Thursday.

• Eat a filling breakfast and make it through to an early dinner as soon as you come home from work.

• Work through your lunchtime or go for a brisk, refreshing walk.

• Plan and prepare your evening meal in advance so that it is quick and easy to cook when you get home.

If you are single

• Plan your diet days for days when you are busy but have no social engagements, especially if they involve food or drink.

• The days you diet can be flexible so you can choose different days each week – check your calendar and plan accordingly.

• Prepare your food in advance. Cook batches and freeze in individual portions. Then you will have a perfect meal ready in minutes when you get home from work.

• Eat one or two small meals or snacks during the day, having most of your calories in the evening.

• Keep busy on diet day evenings – try out a hobby or go for a walk.

If you are a full-time mum

• Choose your diet days so they are your busiest days when you and the kids are out and about.

• Eat three small meals at the same time as your children.

• Prepare your food in advance so it is ready at the same time as their food.

• Eat your main meal as an early tea with your family. You may find you can eat the same meal – just without the carbs.

If you are dieting as a couple

• Try to make sure you both diet on the same days. Consult your diaries and stick to the same plan.

• Men can eat an extra 100 calories per day, so they can have a little extra for breakfast or lunch.

• Plan to sit down and eat your evening meal together.

• Go to the cinema or for a walk together on the evenings of your diet days.

If you are a serial diet failure

• Plan out your diet days carefully. Come up with a schedule and stick to it.

• Try dieting on a Monday and Wednesday as that way you will get your diet days out of the way as quickly as possible.

• If you are struggling with motivation on a diet day, remember why the 2-Day Diet is different – tomorrow you can eat normally with no guilt.

• Everyone finds some days harder than others. But as you get used to the diet it gets easier and easier.

• If you fall off the wagon one week you can always try again next week – don’t give up!

What to expect on your first diet day

If you are feeling a little nervous about your first day: don’t be. Think positive and it will fly by.

Your first day may be the hardest. This is because you may never have allowed yourself to be properly hungry before and your body is telling you that this is wrong. Rest assured, it is natural to feel hungry. Ease your hunger pangs with a calorie-free drink or go for a walk.

The most important thing to remember is that it is only one day and tomorrow you can eat like a king. Feel proud of yourself. If you are hungry you are actively losing weight. Revel in a real sense of achievement.

Headaches and light-headedness

If you are reading this on your first diet day then I suspect you are feeling one or other of these common symptoms for the first day. Not everyone gets these but if you are one of them, then read on for some simple ways to combat them and get through the day.

Headaches are a common problem in the first few days of the 2-Day Diet. I believe the main cause of this is a change in caffeine intake. If you normally have a few cups of tea and coffee then a headache is almost a given if you cut down. But as this diet is not about caffeine-reduction and you are most likely to go back to your normal intake tomorrow, then any headache you have today is in vain.

Think about what your average caffeine intake is on a regular day and try and have a similar amount of drinks on a diet day too. I normally incorporate my normal skinny latte and two cups of tea into every diet day. But you do need to count the calories so if your normal caffeinated drinks are too calorific for a diet day then you need to swap to something else. Any coffee drink without milk has negligible calories, think Americano or Espresso. If you prefer a milky drink then make sure you use skimmed milk and don’t overdo the milk. Also worth trying are drinks such as green tea, which is mildly caffeinated and, of course, diet colas are an option.

Drink | approx caffeine content
Espresso, latte, Americano, Cappuccino (small or medium sizes containing one shot of espresso) | 75mg
Filter coffee or flat white coffee | 110mg
Instant coffee | 90mg
Tea (will vary with brewing time) | 50mg
Green tea | 40mg
Diet coke | 42mg
Coke/Coke zero | 32mg
Pepsi Max | 69mg
Diet pepsi | 35mg
40g (1½oz) bar dark chocolate | 6mg

As a general guide, your caffeine intake should be below 500mg per day. But if you are sensitive to caffeine or suffer from headaches, restlessness or anxiety you should consider dropping this to less than 250mg. If you have trouble sleeping, try not to consume any caffeine after 3pm. This is because caffeine has a half-life of eight hours. If it is consumed after 3pm, it may still be affecting you at 11pm. For the purposes of the diet, you should be trying to maintain your standard consumption of caffeine so as to maintain a feeling of well-being over your diet day.

Light-headedness or dizziness can be a problem, particularly on your first diet day. This is your body ‘rebelling’ against the diet and saying it can’t cope when really it can! In fact, studies have shown that tests done on people suffering from a ‘blood sugar crash’ have actually had normal blood sugar levels. The first thing to do if you get a wave of light-headedness is to move about and get some fresh air if possible. The wave might well pass in 15 minutes.

If this is still your first week of the diet and you are finding that one or other of these symptoms is limiting your ability to function normally, then you should eat something small and filling. Ideally go for about 100 calories, perhaps a small banana or a Ryvita with a light spread of soft cheese. On these days you will eat 100 calories more in total – so that is 600 for women and 700 for men.

Don’t let it put you off, and you will find the next day easier. Your body adapts quickly and after two weeks it should no longer impact on your feelings of well-being.

Finally, if you are a new starter, the great news is your weight loss in the first week or two is at its most dramatic. After two to three weeks it will stabilise. So push on through, you will see the results on the scales almost immediately.

Ten top tips to stay strong on your diet days

1 Know exactly what you are going to eat and stick to it.

2 Keep busy all the time.

3 Stay out of the kitchen and away from the smell of food.

4 Choose a guilt-free drink or nibble when you feel the urge to eat.

5 Tell yourself you can always eat [fill in the blank] tomorrow.

6 If you feel a wave of hunger, get some fresh air and it will soon pass.

7 Clear out your cupboards and fridge of tempting treats.

8 Take it one day at a time – each day gets easier.

8 Savour every mouthful of the food you eat.

10 Get on the scales the morning after your first fast day – you will have lost weight... but how much?

Guilt-free snacking: 10 foods less than 10 calories

Please note calories are approximate here.

1 Five slices of yellow pepper

2 Diet cola or lemonade

3 Two sticks of celery

4 Fruit tea

5 Five radishes

6 Small cup of hot Bovril made with 1 level tsp Bovril

7 Three cherry tomatoes

8 Sparkling water with ice and lemon

9 Two strawberries

10 Low-cal jelly

DIET DAY PLANNER

You can download and print this planner from www.52recipes.co.uk

PLANNER FOR:
WEIGHT BEFORE(step on the scales the evening before your diet day)
MEAL | FOOD EATEN | CALORIES
BREAKFAST |  |
LUNCH |  |
DINNER |  |
OTHER |  |
TOTAL |  |
Day completed without problems? | YES/NO | How difficult was it? (Score out of 10)
WEIGHT AFTER(step on the scales the evening before your diet day)
TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS

The absolutely amazing thing about the 2-Day Diet is that you only have to be on a diet for two days. Yet to get the best results you need to make healthy choices every day of the week. There is plenty of good news for your healthy days:

• Treats are allowed.

• You should not count calories.

• Do not feel guilty if you eat something naughty.

Change your attitude to food and you will make positive lifestyle changes.

• Be aware of what you eat

• Choose three healthy balanced meals

• Eat less snacks

• Limit your food intake

By following these simple guidelines you will notice improvements in your well-being as well as your waistline.

Look for your weak spots. Is it the office treats table? Boozy drinks after work? Junk food snacking? Evening cravings? Find what you think is your worst offence and make a conscious effort to curb this every day of the week. I think one of the best ways is to set yourself a specific goal and reward.

Eat well

Eating well on your five healthy days doesn’t need to be hard. Try and cook real food every day of the week. Choose simple recipes that are balanced and low in fat. Try not to snack too much. Most importantly, banish the junk food as much as you can.

Top tips!

• Remember to eat three meals a day with not too many snacks.

• Cook food such as soups and stews and freeze in one or two person portions.

• Make a 7-day plan to incorporate your diet days and healthy days.

• Use the simple recipes in this book for healthy days too. Just add some extra carbohydrates such as rice and potatoes.

• Prepare food in advance if you can.

• Take a salad or last night’s leftovers in a lunchbox, rather than buying sandwiches for lunch.

Ten ways to be good AND have fun

1 Have set alcohol-free days every week.

2 Remove all biscuits from the house but vow to make your own at the weekend.

3 Go crisp-free.

4 Allow yourself a ‘treat’ on a Friday if you have been good all week.

5 Give yourself a time and/or drinks limit when you go out.

6 Read the ingredients and calories of any junk food before you eat it.

7 Switch from beer to spirits with a diet mixer.

8 Walk or cycle instead of taking the car.

9 Go to the greengrocer instead of the supermarket and be inspired to make something simple and different.

10 Make a home-made takeaway, such as Chicken tikka masala or Chinese chicken stir-fry.

Sample 7-day meal planner: Spring

Here is a sample weekly planner, showing both diet days and normal days. Diet days are Monday and Thursday. The season is Spring.

| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Other | Cals
Mon Diet day | 1 slice Fruity bran loaf 156 cals | Spicy sweet potato soup 125 cals | Cajun fried chicken and small salad 253 cals | 1 med (100g/3½oz) banana (MEN only) 95 cals | 498 (593 men)
Tues Normal day | Scrambled eggs on toast | Spicy sweet potato soup with a hunk of baguette | Spring chicken stew with mashed potato (freeze half) | 1 slice Fruity bran loaf, yogurt, fresh fruit |
Wed Normal day | 2 slices Fruity bran loaf with butter and jam | Smoked fish chowder with bread (freeze 3 portions) | Grilled lamb in fresh parsley and mint sauce with new potatoes and green veg | Fresh fruit, few squares dark chocolate |
Thurs Diet day | 1 Ryvita (35) with 1 Babybel Light (53), sliced 98 cals | Garlicky King prawns 134 cals | Grilled lamb in fresh parsley and mint sauce (241) and 50g (1¾oz) baby spinach (12) 253 cals | 40g (scant ¼ cup) couscous with lamb (MEN only) 91 cals | 485 (576 men)
Fri Normal day | Power up breakfast | Garlic prawn wrap with salad | Vietnamese yellow curry with basmati rice | Sweet ‘treat’ |
Sat Normal day | Sausage, egg and mushrooms on toast | Cheat’s Caesar salad | Spring chicken stew with baked potato | 2 glasses wine |
Sun Normal day | Sausage sandwich | Smoked fish chowder with bread | Vietnamese yellow curry with rice and naan bread | Yogurt, few squares dark chocolate |

All of the recipes can be found in the Spring chapter of this cookbook (see here). Take a look at the Plate fillers section for more ideas of good carbohydrates to include in your normal days. Notice how I have made sure no food is wasted. I have made two person recipes and eaten the second portion for lunch or dinner, either the next day or on subsequent days. I have also made a batch of soup and frozen portions for later in the week.

Shopping list for full seven days
Meat and fish

2 × 90g (3¼oz) lean lamb leg steaks

50g (1¾oz) streaky bacon

2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

400g (14oz) skinless chicken breasts

400g (14oz) skinless smoked haddock

200g (7oz) raw king prawns (shrimp)

4 sausages

Fruit and veg

2 small sweet potatoes

2 large potatoes

700g (1½lb) new potatoes

2 Little Gem (Boston) lettuce

1 cos (Romaine) lettuce

Bag baby spinach

Bag mixed salad leaves

Cucumber

2 medium tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes

6 spring onions (scallions)

5 leeks

Mushrooms

1 celery stick

1 lemongrass stalk

1 green chilli

Frozen peas

Garlic

3 lemons

1 banana (men only)

Dairy

900ml (4 cups) skimmed milk

4 eggs

Babybel Lights

10g (2 tsp) butter

10g (2 tsp) Parmesan cheese

Low-fat plain yogurt

Fruit yogurt pots

Storecupboard

Wholemeal (wholewheat) bread

1 baguette

Ryvitas

Wraps

All-Bran

Caster (superfine) sugar

Sultanas (golden raisins)

Dried apricots

Dried figs

Dates

Wholemeal self-raising (wholewheat self-rising) flour

Couscous (men only)

Basmati rice

Naan bread

Porridge (rolled) oats

Granola

Olive oil

Sunflower oil

Extra virgin olive oil

Black peppercorns

Cornflour (cornstarch)

Vegetable stock (bouillon) cubes

Fish stock

Tomato ketchup

Extra-light mayonnaise

White wine vinegar

Dijon mustard

Dry (hard) cider

1 can light coconut milk

1 can anchovies

Jar capers

Black olives

Dark chocolate

Medium curry powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cumin seeds, hot paprika, cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, ground ginger

Dried thyme, dried oregano, dried mixed herbs, bay leaf

Fresh mint, fresh tarragon, flat-leaf parsley, fresh coriander (cilantro)

Salt and pepper

Light oil spray

The 2-Day Diet is fast becoming one of the most popular diets worldwide. In the UK it is the most talked about diet of 2013 and has spread all around the world. It is incredibly popular in Ireland, Sweden and South Africa, to name just a few.

But why is it proving so successful? I think there are two unique draws of the diet which make people choose it AND stick to it.

Firstly it is the diet’s simplicity that is its main selling point. You can easily describe how to do the diet in one sentence and anyone can go and get started straight away. You don’t need to buy special foods or pay anyone any money.

The second point is the 2-Day Diet’s long-term success rate. People who start the diet are more likely to stick to it than other diets. This is because you are not dieting every day, meaning you can still enjoy life’s pleasures five days a week.

Another reason why so many people love the diet is that it really can burn those last few pounds like no other diet. When you diet normally, the body will always use the simplest energy stores first. This means that you will always burn off the food you have just eaten rather than the fat on your hips. When you do the 2-Day Diet, on your diet days you enter a semi-fasting state and your blood glucose levels fall. This triggers the release of metabolic fuels from the body’s stores of fat. The 2-Day Diet is therefore one of the most effective diets for burning fat.[1]

Health benefits

The majority of people following the 2-Day Diet are interested primarily in weight loss. Losing weight and reducing your BMI obviously has plenty of health benefits. But on top of the health benefits of losing weight there are also indicators that this type of weight loss has advantages over and above other forms of diet.

Areas where intermittent fasting seems to bring additional benefits are diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s prevention. Research into intermittent fasting is ongoing and 2013 has brought some interesting new topics to light.

The most research has been done into diabetes and heart health. Does intermittent fasting reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular markers for heart disease? A review of current research[2] suggests that limiting calories in this way can reverse type 2 diabetes and has the potential to be cardio-protective.

On first glance the link between being overweight and Alzheimer’s does not seem obvious. But when you note that more and more scientists now see Alzheimer’s as just another form of diabetes, then things begin to fall in to place. This has grave implications worldwide. The prospect of an Alzheimer’s epidemic on the scale of the current worldwide obesity epidemic is extremely alarming. Yet there is growing evidence to suggest that Alzheimer’s disease is type 3 diabetes[3]. If this proves to be true, then there is reason to believe that intermittent fasting and the weight loss associated with it will offer some protection against Alzheimer’s in later years.

There is countless anecdotal evidence to suggest that combining intermittent fasting and exercise maximises weight loss and body changes. A new study[4] published in Obesity in July 2013 certainly strengthens this belief. In the study of 64 obese individuals, those combining intermittent fasting and exercise lost the most weight. Over 12 weeks, the average weight loss of those doing both was 6kg (13lb); of those just doing intermittent fasting the weight loss was 3kg (6.6lb) and of those just doing exercise, it was 1kg (2.2lb).

The 2-Day Diet is not a miracle fad diet, promising extreme weight loss in a short period of time. More and more people are realising that intermittent fasting is a lifestyle choice. It works and can comfortably be maintained for as long as it’s needed. In fact, many people, myself included, choose to continue with one diet day a week even after optimum weight loss has been achieved.

You should expect to lose 0.9–2kg (2–4lb) a week in the first two weeks, dropping to 0.5–0.9kg (1–2lb) a week as your body gets used to the diet. Exactly how much you lose depends on your starting weight and your choices on your five normal days.

If you feel that your weight loss has plateaued and you haven’t lost any weight for at least two weeks then you may have hit the wall in terms of weight loss. But don’t worry, there are ways to kick-start your weight loss again.

1. The simplest and most common cause of a weight-loss plateau is an increase of calories on your five healthy days. Are there a few too many treats creeping in? Keep a food diary. Just tracking your food honestly should help you to cut back. Look at the snacks and junk food and see which ones should be cut out.

2. Increase your diet days to three days a week. Your body may have adapted to two diet days so by having three diet days a week, you are mixing things up and giving yourself optimum weight-loss conditions.

3. Take a week off. I know this is counterintuitive, but allowing your metabolism to rest (while eating healthily to ensure you don’t gain weight) should improve your chances of success when you re-start the diet.

Most importantly, don’t give up! If you have hit a wall and are having doubts that the diet is working for you, please stop worrying. As you near your target weight, you will find that the amount of weight you lose each week will decrease. And the small drop in weight may not be accurately recorded on the scales. If you are still following the diet and eating healthily then you will shift those last few pounds. You may find that you are changing shape even if this is not reflected on the scales. Keep off the scales and only jump on every two to three weeks.

Low-carb 2-Day Diet

If you get bored of counting calories or find it difficult on your diet days, you may want to try this new variation suggested by Michelle Harvie and others from the Genesis breast cancer prevention centre.

On your two diet days, follow a very low-carb diet (think ‘Atkins’) but do not count calories. Their incipient research[5] suggests that this is at least as effective for weight loss and other health markers as the restricted calorie approach.

These are all genuine questions that people have asked via Facebook www.facebook.com/52DietRecipes or Twitter @52DietRecipes. If you have got a question that’s not listed here, I’d love to help if I can.

If your plans change and you suddenly find yourself in the pub on a diet day

Don’t panic! You have got two choices. Do you break the diet or not? Having a drink and breaking the diet would mean that the effort you have put in during the day would be lost and you’d have to schedule another diet day later in the week. If it’s the evening and you have already got through most of the day, is it really worth giving up on the diet day? You could have a water, a diet coke or diet tonic water without adding any extra calories.

If you’re starving and there’s nothing in the cupboards

Eggs, baked beans and soups are your friends here. All are filling and you should find the calorie content on the box. If you don’t have any of these in your house, all will be available from your nearest supermarket or convenience store.

If you need/want to exercise on your diet day

Sometimes you will find that you have to do exercise on your diet day. The problem with exercising is that it burns calories and makes you hungry, meaning that you are more likely to struggle with your diet day. Sadly you cannot add on the calories that you burn during exercise to your calorie intake for the day. If you do need to exercise on a diet day, try to do it before you eat in the morning. Light exercise in the evening can also be a distraction from hunger. Try to avoid exercising in the afternoon as this will make you very hungry and most likely to falter.

What is the best type of exercise to do on my healthy days?

I would recommend any aerobic exercise that increases your breathing and heart rate as being best for weight loss. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or tennis are all good to get your heart rate up. Try to exercise three times a week for at least 45 minutes each time.

If you find a diet day is proving next to impossible

Sometimes this happens to the best of us. For all sorts of reasons – stress, hormonal, lack of sleep – we can find a diet day particularly hard. You are allowed to give up on a day if it is truly dreadful.

It is always worth assessing what is causing it to be so hard and trying to see if it is worth pushing on through. Late afternoon is often a time when we feel at our weakest. If you can bring your evening meal forward or have a small snack at that time, you may find you get over the hump. Remember that the sacrifices you have made already during the day will be wasted if you stop. Try counting the number of hours until bedtime and make sure you get an early night.

If you give up entirely on a diet day, don’t beat yourself up about it. Allow yourself tomorrow off and re-attempt the following day. If you still manage to fit two diet days into your week, then the week has been a success.

If you are on holiday

I think it is very hard to follow the 2-Day Diet when you are on holiday. If you have been dieting for weeks beforehand, then I would say that it is time to relax and enjoy your hard work. To avoid putting on too much weight, try to still be sensible when you can. Eat a big breakfast (especially if it’s free!), eat healthy snacks or a light lunch and enjoy your dinner.

If you’re cooking for other (unsympathetic!) people

If you have got a partner or family who are not dieting then you need to make sure you can accommodate everyone’s needs without much fuss. The easiest way to deal with this common problem is to cook the same meal for everyone. Just serve everyone else’s meal with plenty of extra carbohydrates. If it’s not possible to all eat the same thing, then at the very least try to eat at the same time. There’s nothing worse than watching other people eat when you’re starving.

If you feel that your weight loss has plateaued

It is natural for your weight loss to level out after a few weeks on the 2-Day Diet. The high weight loss that you experience when you start the diet can only be maintained for two to three weeks. After that, at the same time as it gets easier and you get into a rhythm, the weight loss will diminish. This is normal and healthy. The extreme early weight loss cannot be maintained. If you have a lot of weight to lose, then you will hopefully find that the weight loss flattens out at about 0.9kg (2lb) a week. If you are nearer your target weight, your expected weight loss will be about 0.5kg (1lb) a week.

If you are not losing any weight while still following the diet plan, then you should look at what you are eating on the five normal days. You may be eating too much. Indeed this is the most likely cause of a plateau. Make a food diary for your healthy days and be a bit stricter with yourself. Most importantly steer away from the biscuit tin and any junk food.

Under 200 calories

Nutty banana energy bars

Fruity bran loaf

Roasted parsnip soup

Creamy pea and mint soup

Spicy sweet potato soup

Super easy coleslaw

Cheat’s Caesar salad

Celeriac remoulade with smoked trout

Japanese-style sake prawn salad

Garlicky king prawns

Saffron ‘rice’ cauliflower

Oven-baked vegetable fritters

Courgette ribbons with tomato and chorizo sauce

Quick tomato and mangetout curry

Cajun fried chicken

Garlic grilled chicken

Under 300 calories

Power up breakfast

Baked eggs with ham and tomato

Smoked fish chowder

Quick tomato haddock

Purple sprouting broccoli with creamy caper sauce

Patatas bravas

Warming leek ‘pasta’ with olives

Asian-style stir-fried beef and mushrooms

Grilled lamb in fresh parsley and mint sauce

Vietnamese yellow curry

Slow-baked chicken rolls in tomato sauce

Blueberry fool

Baked banana with dark chocolate

Crème de menthe pudding with chocolate crunch

Under 400 calories

Paprika chicken salad

Spring chicken stew

Grilled lamb with tangy lemon couscous

Spicy lamb keema

Slow-cooked stuffed cabbage rolls

Creamy purple sprouting broccoli with Parma ham

Spring is all about hope. After a long winter of cold grey days, all you want is some sun and a few green shoots. You probably want to ring the changes when it comes to food too. Are you bored of stews and soups and crave something lighter and greener?

You may find that you and your body are eager for transformation, but what about the weather? In March it may feel like the depths of winter, with snow still on the ground, but try to ignore the weather and listen to your body. Eat healthily, even on days when you are not dieting. Do some exercise: a gentle swim on any day of the week will re-invigorate you. Most importantly, if the sun does pop its head out, get outside and feel the sun on your face.

Spring recipes embrace the change but also the vagaries of the season. There are not many seasonal vegetables available and it is traditionally ‘the hungry gap’. Try out some unusual salads, explore what’s in your storecupboard, and experiment with the vegetables that are in season. Purple sprouting broccoli is an amazingly tasty green vegetable. Available from late February, it has a lot more to offer than its more familiar cousin. Spring is also the time to enjoy some tender lamb – a lean lamb steak can easily be incorporated into a diet day.

Let’s not get carried away and keep some soups and stews in reserve for the bleakest days. If you can keep a few portions of warming soups stocked in your freezer then you are fully prepared to face the challenges that spring can bring.

Stock the freezer, count the daffodils and celebrate when the clocks change. It is a season of preparation. If you stick to the diet through the spring you’ll be ready and waiting for the beach.

Menu plans for diet days

Use these planners to inspire your cooking on diet days. It’s amazing how much good food you can eat for under 500–600 calories.

Just work out whether you want three small meals/breakfast and dinner/lunch and dinner on your diet days and choose the right planner for you. If you need more help working out which plan is right for you have a look at What kind of dieter are you? (see here).

Feel free to swap a recipe for another with a similar calorie content if necessary.

MENU PLANS FOR DIET DAYS: WOMEN (SPRING)

WOMEN: 3 SMALL MEALS
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Cals
Day 1 | Nutty banana energy bar 118 cals | Spicy sweet potato soup 125 cals | Warming leek ‘pasta’ with olives (233) 1 small satsuma (18) 251 cals | 494
Day 2 | Nutty banana energy bar 118 cals | Cheat’s Caesar salad 143 cals | Quick tomato haddock (225) 50g (1¾oz) spinach (12) 237 cals | 498

WOMEN: BREAKFAST AND DINNER
| Breakfast | Dinner | Cals
Day 1 | Power up breakfast 219 cals | Asian-style stir-fried beef and mushrooms 267 cals | 486
Day 2 | Baked eggs with ham and tomato 251 cals | Patatas bravas 248 cals | 499

WOMEN: LUNCH AND DINNER
| Lunch | Dinner | Cals
Day 1 | Garlicky King prawns 134 cals | Spring chicken stew 365 cals | 499
Day 2 | Creamy pea and mint soup 151 cals | Grilled lamb with tangy lemon couscous 314 cals | 465

MENU PLANS FOR DIET DAYS:
MEN (SPRING)

MEN: 3 SMALL MEALS
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Cals
Day 1 | Nutty banana energy bar 118 cals | Oven-baked vegetable fritters 149 cals | Creamy purple sprouting broccoli with Parma ham 337 cals | 604
Day 2 | Nutty banana energy bar 118 cals | Warming leek ‘pasta’ with olives 233 cals | Grilled lamb in fresh parsley and mint sauce 241 cals | 592

MEN: BREAKFAST AND DINNER
| Breakfast | Dinner | Cals
Day 1 | Baked eggs with ham and tomato 251 cals | Cajun fried chicken (193) 200g (7oz) new potatoes (4 small) (140) 335 cals | 586
Day 2 | Power up breakfast 219 cals | Vietnamese yellow curry (251) 40g (scant ¼ cup) basmati rice (144) 395 cals | 614

MEN: LUNCH AND DINNER
| Lunch | Dinner | Cals
Day 1 | Roasted parsnip soup (139) Slice of wholemeal (wholewheat) bread (110) 249 cals | Paprika chicken salad (300) 100g (scant ¾ cup) strawberries (27) 327 cals | 576
Day 2 | Japanese-style sake prawn salad 140 cals | Spicy lamb keema (316) 40g (scant ¼ cup) brown rice (143) 459 cals | 599

SPRING RECIPES

Nutty banana energy bars

118 calories each

Using quinoa as well as oats in these bars reduces the calorie count and adds a slight nutty taste.

Makes 16 bars Preparation time: 20 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes

Vegetarian

light oil spray (3 cals)

50g (¼ cup) quinoa, well rinsed (154 cals)

170g (2 cups) porridge (rolled) oats (605 cals)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder (7 cals)

1 tbsp desiccated (dry unsweetened) coconut (49 cals)

pinch of salt

50g (⅓ cup) dried cranberries (162 cals)

30g (¼ cup) pecans, chopped (207 cals)

3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (356 cals)

1 large egg, beaten (91 cals)

50g (4 tbsp) maple syrup (131 cals)

1 tbsp sunflower oil (99 cals)

2 tsp vanilla extract (24 cals)

• Line a 25 × 25cm (10 × 10in) baking tray (cookie sheet) with two pieces of baking parchment, forming a cross shape so that all the sides are covered and spray with light oil spray.

• Place the quinoa and 125ml (½ cup) water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes or until the liquid is just absorbed. Remove from the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and fluff with a fork. Leave to cool completely.

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/325°F/Gas mark 3.

• Place the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, desiccated (dry unsweetened) coconut and salt in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Then mix in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans.

• Add the mashed bananas, beaten egg, maple syrup, oil and vanilla to the quinoa and stir until just combined. Add the banana mixture to the oat mixture and loosely mix.

• Press the batter into the prepared baking tray and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes. Leave to cool completely in the tray.

• When cool, lift out using the baking parchment and transfer to a chopping board. Cut into 16 bars. Wrap individually in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Alternatively, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

Fruity bran loaf

156 calories (per slice)

This tasty fruit loaf is full of goodness and a favourite with kids and adults alike. It will keep for up to a week in an airtight tin and freezes well.

Makes 10 slices Preparation time: 5 minutes, plus standing Cook time: 35–40 minutes

Very easy, freezer-friendly

100g (1½ cups) All-Bran (or similar, but not bran flakes) (270 cals)

90g (½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar (355 cals)

100g (½ cup) sultanas (golden raisins) (275 cals)

50g (¼ cup) dried apricots, chopped (94 cals)

50g (1¾oz) dried figs, chopped (114 cals)

50g (1¾oz) dates, chopped (62 cals)

250ml (generous 1 cup) skimmed (skim) milk (80 cals)

light oil spray (3 cals)

100g (¾ cup) wholemeal self-raising (wholewheat self-rising) flour (310 cals)

• Put the All-Bran, sugar and dried fruit into a bowl and mix together well. Stir in the milk and leave to stand for 30 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas mark 4 and oil a loaf tin (pan) well with oil spray.

• Sift in the flour, mixing well. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin (loaf pan) and bake for 35–40 minutes. Turn out of the tin immediately and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Roasted parsnip soup

139 calories

This soup is comforting with a little added zing.

Serves 4 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes

Vegetarian, freezer-friendly

1 tbsp olive oil (99 cals)

6 medium parsnips (about 80g/3oz each), peeled and cut into large cubes (307 cals)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp olive oil (27 cals)

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped (22 cals)

zest of 1 lemon (2 cals)

¼ tsp vanilla extract

500ml (generous 2 cups) vegetable stock, fresh or from 1 cube (35 cals)

200ml (generous ¾ cup) skimmed (skim) milk (64 cals)

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas mark 5.

• Pour the 1 tablespoon olive oil over the parsnips and season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss the parsnips in the oil, making sure they are well covered.

• Spread the parsnips out over a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

• While the parsnips are in the oven, heat the 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry gently for 10 minutes until softened.

• Add the lemon zest, vanilla, stock and 100ml (scant ½ cup) water, then bring to the boil.

• Add the roasted parsnips and return to the boil. Reduce the heat, put the lid on and simmer gently for a further 15 minutes.

• Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pan, add the milk and stir. Reheat gently and serve.

Creamy pea and mint soup

151 calories

Serves 4 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Vegetarian, freezer-friendly

1 tbsp olive oil (99 cals)

8 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and roughly chopped (40 cals)

1 iceberg lettuce (400g/14oz), outer leaves removed and roughly chopped (52 cals)

400g (3½ cups) frozen peas (264 cals)

900ml (3½ cups) vegetable or chicken stock (fresh is best here) (70 cals)

8 fresh mint leaves

100g (scant ½ cup) low-fat Greek yogurt (80 cals)

freshly ground black pepper

• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a low heat. Stir in the spring onions and lettuce for 1–2 minutes until the lettuce starts to wilt.

• Add the peas, stock and mint leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

• Blend the soup until smooth. For an even smoother texture, pass the soup through a sieve after blending.

• Stir in the yogurt and bring back up to temperature before serving. Season with black pepper and serve.

Spicy sweet potato soup

125 calories

This is a very quick and easy soup.

Serves 2 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20–25 minutes

Vegetarian, freezer-friendly

1 tsp olive oil (27 cals)

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (174 cals)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed (6 cals)

1 tsp medium curry powder (7 cals)

½ tsp smoked paprika (3 cals)

1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) (5 cals)

½ vegetable stock (bouillon) cube (17 cals)

1 tsp tomato ketchup (8 cals)

juice of 1 lemon (3 cals)

• Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the sweet potatoes and garlic and fry for 4–5 minutes. Sprinkle in the curry powder, paprika and cornflour (cornstarch) and stir-fry for 1 more minute.

• Add 2 tablespoons water and stir to form a paste (this is to stop the cornflour going lumpy) before adding 470ml (2 cups) water. Crumble in the stock (bouillon) cube and add the ketchup and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender.

• Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, then serve.

Super easy coleslaw

112 cals

Can be eaten on its own for a light lunch or as a low-calorie accompaniment to a meat or chicken dish.

Serves 1 Preparation time: 5 minutes

Vegetarian

1 tbsp low-fat yogurt (22 cals)

1 tbsp skimmed (skim) milk (5 cals)

pinch of salt

¼ white cabbage (200g/7oz), finely shredded (54 cals)

1 small apple, cored and thinly sliced (31 cals)

• Mix together the yogurt, milk and salt and set aside.

• Combine the cabbage and apple, then pour the dressing over and mix lightly.

Cheat’s Caesar salad

143 calories

Serves 1 Preparation time: 10 minutes

Quick & easy

1 (100g/3½oz) cos (Romaine) lettuce, washed and outer leaves removed (16 cals)

2 tbsp extra-light mayonnaise (24 cals)

1 tbsp low-fat yogurt (14 cals)

1 tsp white wine vinegar (1 cals)

4 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped (24 cals)

1 tsp capers (1 cal)

10g (2 tbsp) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (42 cals)

4 large black olives (21 cals)

freshly ground black pepper

• Chop the lettuce into ribbons about 1cm (½in) wide and place in a wide bowl.

• In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, anchovies and capers.

• Stir the mayonnaise mixture gently into the lettuce and transfer to a serving bowl.

• Place the olives on the top and sprinkle with the Parmesan and black pepper.

Celeriac remoulade with smoked trout

164 calories

Think of this as a tangy celeriac coleslaw.

Serves 1 Preparation time: 15 minutes

¼ small celeriac, about 150g (5oz) peeled weight (27 cals)

50g (1¾oz) rocket (arugula) (13 cals)

2 tbsp extra-light mayonnaise (24 cals)

1 tbsp capers, chopped (2 cals)

juice ½ lemon (2 cals)

1 gherkin or 2 cornichons, chopped (4 cals)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

60g (2¼oz) smoked trout, cut into large slices (92 cals)

lemon wedge, to serve

• Peel the celeriac and coarsely grate. Combine the grated celeriac with the rocket (arugula).

• In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice and chopped gherkin. Season with salt and pepper.

• Pour the dressing over the celeriac and mix until the celeriac and rocket are both covered.

• Arrange the smoked trout over the top and serve with a lemon wedge.

Japanese-style sake prawn salad

140 calories

A very healthy Japanese-style salad, it can be made with either fresh or frozen prawns.

Serves 2 Preparation time: 4 minutes Cook time: 5–8 minutes

Quick & easy

2 tbsp sake (38 cals)

pinch of salt

juice of 1 lime (3 cals)

½ tsp wasabi powder

2 tsp olive oil (54 cals)

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed (3 cals)

2 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced (9 cals)

200g (7oz) raw king prawns (king or jumbo shrimp), fresh or frozen, peeled and deveined (152 cals)

150g (5oz) bagged young leaf salad, to serve (21 cals)

• In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons water, the sake, salt, lime juice and wasabi powder.

• Heat the oil in a wide frying pan (skillet) over a high heat. When hot, add the garlic and spring onions (scallions) and fry lightly for 1–2 minutes. Tip in the prawns (shrimp) and cook for about 2 minutes (fresh) or 4 minutes (frozen), until they just start to turn pink.

• Tip in the sake mixture and bring up to a vigorous simmer. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• When the prawns are cooked, serve on a bed of the salad with a little of the sauce from the pan drizzled over.

Garlicky king prawns

134 calories

This has to be one of my favourite quick suppers ever! Fresh raw prawns are used for this dish. If you want to use frozen prawns, defrost on a paper towel for two hours before use.

Serves 2 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cook time: 4 minutes

Quick & easy

200g (7oz) raw king prawns (king or jumbo shrimp), peeled and deveined (152 cals)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp olive oil (27 cals)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed (9 cals)

10g (2 tsp) butter (74 cals)

small handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley (10g/¹⁄³oz), chopped (3 cals)

juice of ½ lemon (2 cals)

• Dry the prawns (shrimp) by patting them with kitchen paper (paper towels) all over, then season with salt and pepper.

• Heat the oil in a wide frying pan (skillet) over a high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute. Reduce the heat and stir in the butter. Cook for 1 more minute, or until the prawns are cooked through.

• Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Saffron ‘rice’ cauliflower

61 calories

As we all know, one of the big difficulties when dieting is to find filling, carb-like plate fillers that don’t have too many calories. A rice alternative made with finely chopped cauliflower is one of my easy swaps for a fast day. This spicy dish goes superbly well with any of the curries in this book and really hits the spot.

If you want a simpler alternative, try putting the chopped cauliflower in a microwaveable dish. Add 2 tablespoons water, salt and pepper and cover, then microwave on high for 6 minutes.

Serves 2 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

Vegetarian

½ small cauliflower (200g/7oz), cut into small florets (68 cals)

1 tsp sunflower oil (27 cals)

½ onion, peeled and finely chopped (27 cals)

1 cardamom pod

½ tsp turmeric

2 saffron strands

salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Put the cauliflower florets into a food processor and blitz until the cauliflower becomes small grains.

• Heat the oil in a wide lidded pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until tender and turning crisp at the edges.

• Break the cardamom pod open by pressing firmly with the flat side of a knife.

• Reduce the heat and add the cardamom, turmeric, saffron and salt and pepper to the pan, then stir in. Add the cauliflower and stir until coated in the onion and spice mixture.

• Add 3 tablespoons water, put the lid on and cook for 6–8 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.

Oven-baked vegetable fritters

149 calories

Serves 2 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cook time: 1 hour

Vegetarian

2 small sweet potatoes, about 200g (7oz) in total (174 cals)

½ red onion, peeled and finely diced (27 cals)

½ green (bell) pepper, deseeded and finely diced (12 cals)

1 tsp olive oil (27 cals)

1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch), dissolved in a little cold water (18 cals)

1 spring onion (scallion), cut into fine rings (5 cals)

150g (scant 1 cup) cooked sweetcorn (drained weight) (34 cals)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

salad and lemon wedges, to serve

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone sheet.

• Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and bake in the oven for 30–45 minutes, depending on size.

• Place the onion, pepper and oil in a small microwaveable bowl and cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap). Cook on high in the microwave for 2 minutes, then rest, covered, for a further 2 minutes.

• Cut the cooked sweet potato in half and squeeze the cooked sweet potato flesh out into a bowl. Stir in the cornflour (cornstarch). Add the cooked onion and pepper, spring onion (scallion) and sweetcorn, then season generously with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

• Using your hands, form the potato mixture into 4 balls, then place on the lined baking tray and press down gently with the palm of your hand to make a patty.

• Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until just starting to brown on top.

• Serve with green salad and a wedge of lemon on the side.

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