Drop a Size in Two Weeks Flat! plus Collins GEM Calorie Counter Set. Joanna Hall

salt and sugar) Tuna (in brine or spring water) Cannellini beansRed kidney beans Butter beans Pink salmon

       THE 14-DAY PLAN BASICS

      Over the next few pages, you’ll learn about the structure of the diet plan and how to use it. This is followed by each day of the plan clearly laid out with details of what to eat and when. You’ll also find suggested “activity zones” in which to fit your walking or home exercises. You don’t have to exercise at these times but it certainly helps to have some idea of when you’re going to, rather than just leaving it to chance.

       DAILY MUST-HAVES

      Each day consists of breakfast, lunch and dinner; an energy-boosting “spruce juice”; a pre-dinner nutrient-packed “satisfying” soup, which you should aim to eat at least half an hour before you sit down for your main meal; and a snack.

      The plan also includes the following “must-haves,” which you should make sure you get each day:

       1¼ cups of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk (if you are having milk in one of your meals, such as on breakfast cereal, it should come from this allowance). If you dislike, or are intolerant to milk, eat a 4oz pot of natural yogurt daily, or take a calcium supplement.

       70oz (9 8-oz glasses) of water (spread evenly throughout the day – the plan suggests an appropriate time scale)

       a multi-vitamin tablet

       five servings of fruit and vegetables

      The plan has been developed to provide a balanced intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The breakfast for each day is listed in the plan, while you will find the lunch options and the selection of Starch Curfew dinners. There are lunch and dinner options for vegetarians, fish and meat eaters – try to include as much variety as possible rather than sticking with the same thing every day. If you aren’t vegetarian, try to consume three portions of oily fish each week.

       SPRUCE JUICES

      Your mid-morning spruce juice is specifically designed to boost energy levels, stabilize blood sugar until lunch, and pack a powerful nutrient punch for your body. The specific combination of vegetables and fruits has been selected to help cleanse your body and eliminate excess fluid and toxins from your body. Each juice is enough for two servings. You can either drink half in the morning and save the remaining half for your afternoon snack, or you can just make half of the recipe – whatever fits in with your day. If you don’t have a juicer or blender, you can opt for store-bought juices or go to a juice bar and have one made up for you.

       Celery, Beetroot, and Ginger Juice

      You will need a juicer for this recipe.

      ½ bunch celery

      ¼ raw beetroot

      1 cherry-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled

      Juice half the celery. Add the beetroot and ginger. Follow with the remaining celery.

       Tomato, Parsley, and Pepper Juice

      You can use a blender to make this juice.

      14-oz can chopped tomatoes

      large handful coarsely chopped parsley with stems

      1 pepper, seeded and stem removed

      Place the ingredients in a blender. Blend and enjoy.

       Carrot, Apple, and Ginger Juice

      You will need a juicer for this recipe.

      4 carrots

      2 apples

      ½-inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled

      Combine the ingredients in a juicer.

       Peach and Grape Nectar

      Use a blender for this recipe.

      1 large peach, pitted and coarsely chopped

      2 good handfuls seedless green grapes

      Blend and enjoy.

       Summer Fruit Smoothie

      Make this smoothie in a blender.

      1 small banana, broken into chunks

      1 peach, pitted and coarsely chopped

      4 strawberries, washed and hulled, or use frozen strawberries

      6 ice cubes

      4¼-oz bottle raspberry drinking yogurt

      ¼ cup frozen low-fat vanilla yogurt

      Blend the fruit in a blender with the ice cubes until smooth. Pour in the drinking yogurt and blend well. Pour into long glasses and add a scoop of vanilla yogurt to each glass.

      Shop-bought alternatives:

       ²/₃ cup unsweetened ready-packed carrot juice

       1 small can V8

       ⅔ cup sugar- and additive-free fruit smoothie

       SNACKS

      When it comes to your mid-afternoon snack, we’ve left it up to you to choose from the list below, depending on how hungry you are and what you fancy. Each snack is approximately 100 calories.

       1 cracker and 1 teaspoon peanut butter

       any piece of fruit (see the list on page 32 for suggestions if you’re stuck in a Granny Smith rut!)

       20 almonds

       8 dried apricots

       4oz pot low-fat yogurt and a small banana

       a palmful of sunflower and pumpkin seeds

       2 rice cakes topped with cottage cheese

       half a small avocado filled with salsa