Gillian McKeith's one-week energy diet

Lose up to 5lb and feel energised with Gillian McKeith

Want to feel instantly energised, permanently motivated – and lose up to 5lb? TV diet guru Gillian McKeith has devised a no-nonsense eating plan that promises all these health benefits – and in just one week.

 

If you're fed up with calorie counting or resorting to quick-fix diets that see you drop 6lb one fortnight, only to gain 8lb the next, then this high-energy eating plan from Gillian McKeith could be just what you're looking for. It teaches you how to adjust your lifestyle in the long term; keeps you motivated on your weight loss goals and helps you to analyse your food choices.

 

"Crash diets inevitably demand that you adopt bad food habits in order to get a positive outcome. However, the results are only ever temporary," explains Gillian. "Instead, this plan enables you to make permanent changes to your lifestyle, so that the positive results to your health - and your weight loss - are anything but temporary.

 

"The plan involves a three-pronged approach to total wellness. Firstly, you'll need to assess your eating regime - why you eat what you eat and why you need to break free of naughty habits. Next, you need to follow the meal plans that I have outlined, including the foods that will revive your energy levels, aid weight loss and promote a healthier you.

 

Finally, it's vital to find the motivation you'll need to carry through the diet changes in the long term - and rid yourself of any self-doubt in
achieving your goals."

 

Before you start, follow the points on the task list, below, to prepare your body and mind for a permanently slimmer new you .

 

Your eating plan rules

● Eat six meals a day to ensure that you're never hungry or tempted to reach for an unhealthy snack.

● Vary your meals to avoid ‘food boredom'.

● Take light exercise before you eat, such as a 15-minute walk at lunchtime or get off the bus a few stops earlier, so that you feel healthier and happier before making a food choice.

● Drink two litres of water each day, plus herbal teas such as nettle, fennel, peppermint or lemon balm.

 

Gillian's 10-step task list

1 Set your goals. There's no point following the diet if you're not clear what you want from it. For example, if you're after more energy, your first step should be to get more sleep and cut down on stimulants such as caffeine, carbohydrates and sugar. Write down your primary objective first and then the actual steps you intend to take to achieve it.
2 Weigh yourself. Do this at the beginning and end of the eating plan, but bear in mind that muscle weighs more than flab and that, as you shed fat, your muscle ratio should increase and, therefore, your weight could increase too. So try not to fixate on your actual weight, instead aim to eat healthily - and your weight will take care of itself.
3 Keep a food diary. Before you start, write down everything that you eat and drink and when you eat it. Also note how you feel before and afterwards. Are you tired and irritable - or more positive and energised? The diary is really important and should make you more conscious of your food and lifestyle choices, as opposed to continuing with your thoughtless, existing habits.
4 Do a clear out. Chuck out no-good, feel-bad foods from your cupboard now -processed meats, cakes, biscuits, table salt, refined white sugar, crisps, cow's milk, hard cheeses, black tea and coffee, all the white stuff (white bread, white pasta and white rice), cream, margarine, butter, wheat products and alcohol.
5 Start moving. Factoring exercise into your daily routine is easier than you think - take the stairs not the lift, walk up escalators, cycle rather than take the bus or hide the remote control so you have to get up to change TV channels. Or why not go with a friend to an exercise or dance class once a week? When you exercise, you release feel-good endorphins so not only will you become more toned and your energy levels improve, you'll be happier too!
6 Time management. If you're feeling time-starved, it can create the perfect excuse to let your diet fall by the wayside. Work out exactly where your time is going, by writing down everything you did this week, how long it took and highlighting whether you had to do it, you wanted to do it or simply did it because you felt obliged (such as running an errand for a favour). Reflecting on this list may empower you to make different choices with your time and say
‘no' to more things in the future.
7 Keep a progress checklist. Mid-way through the eating plan, jot down which parts you are finding the easiest and which ones the hardest. You'll soon be able to spot patterns, such as certain times of the day when you're most tempted to snack. You may find that these occasions coincide with the rattle of the morning tea trolley - or a colleague wafting their mid-afternoon chocolate muffin under your nose. Next time, go and run an errand as soon as you hear the rustle of sweet packets, or visit a colleague on another floor instead of emailing them.
8 Reward yourself. A great way to keep yourself motivated on more challenging days is to reward yourself once you've achieved a goal, such as trying a new healthy food. Or have a hot bath with a few drops of essential oils, or enjoy a bowl of fresh, ripe berries.

9 Switch off your inner negative voice. Next time it starts to whisper, "Go on, have a glass of wine," after a really stressful day, do something to take your mind off it. Have a herbal tea, read a book, ring a friend or paint your nails; anything to distract yourself!
10 Remain motivated. Motivation is the drive to achieving your weight loss goal and it's important to keep your focus positive. Set yourself some challenges, such as signing up for a sponsored walk or fitting
into a size 12 dress you've out-grown. Finding a weight loss buddy can also be a great way of maintaining motivation, as you'll feel more inclined to keep up the commitment if you don't want to let a friend down. 

 

Click here for the one-week energy diet eating plan

 

---

 

 

You might also like...

 

Read our interview with Gillian McKeith: how to eat healthily - and why we need to grab life by the balls

 

 

Subscribe - SAVE over 70%