Dr Michael Mosley"s Quick Beach five:two diet plan: Week 3 update

DIARY

D1: Eat. Small bowl of muesli, banana and skimmed milk; Lunch at 1pm: salad bowl with 100g blue cheese, a packet of crisps and a bread roll; 7pm pasta bake with extra raw veg; glass of white wine. Cals: 1,600

D2: Eat. Bowl of Shreddies with milk and a banana; for lunch an egg sandwich, followed by bowl of low fat natural yoghurt. At 7pm stir fry veg and an omelette. Glass of red wine and two squares of dark chocolate. Cals: 1,400

D3: Fast. Nothing until night time when I had a smoked salmon salad followed by a small helping of low fat natural yoghurt and a helping of blueberries. Cals: 500

D4: Eat. One bread roll and a banana. At 1pm, tomatoes on toast plus yogurt and granola. A small packet of M&Ms. A salad with pan fried salmon and a beer, followed by 2 squares dark chocolate. Cals: 2,000

D5: Eat. One croissant for breakfast. A toasted tuna sandwich at 1pm, and a portion of frozen yoghurt. At 7pm, tortilla and salad followed by Crème caramel and a glass of rosé. Cals: 2,000

D6: Eat. One bread roll and a small cake. At 1pm, a tuna sandwich and an ice cream. At 7pm, tuna and egg salad plus a handful of chips. A glass of rosé. Cals: 1,900

D7: Fast. Nothing but water and black coffee until 7pm, and a salad with egg and tuna, with a small slice of my daughter’s tomato pizza. Cals: 500

RESULT: Loss 1lb.

VERDICT:

I feel SO much more portion aware these days but still falling into bad habits when away from home. So Day Five, which included waking up at Gatwick and flying to Spain for a week’s holiday, was a challenge. I am noticing that if I eat lots of carbs I feel uncomfortably bloated, which helps me make better choices in future. Spanish food seems very carb-oriented – and there is simply no choice at my hotel breakfast – it is bread and cake. Still you don’t have to eat the cake do you? And I’ll have to stick to salads for other meals.

But holidays are for relaxing, too – surely you can allow a glass of rosé into the daily diet if you eat less of everything else? Plus the endless walking and lugging of heavy suitcases must use up lots of calories, not to mention how many you burn jumping waves in the Mediterranean. Hopefully, next week will see a better loss.

NEXT WEEK’S CHALLENGE: The Fast Beach Diet on holiday…

The Fast Beach Diet by Mimi Spencer (Short Books, RRP £6.99) is available to order from Telegraph Books at £3.99 + £1.10 p&p. Call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk

Dr Michael Mosley"s Quick Beach five:two diet plan: Week 3 update