Lose weight and still enjoy a BURGER

. . . with tasty recipes and tips from the 5:2 diet guru’s book

WITH one in four adults classified as obese, it’s no wonder Ireland has one of Europe’s highest rates of obesity, a primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Yesterday, in our two-part series, we told you how to use Dr Michael Mosley’s 8-week Blood Sugar Diet to try to prevent — or even reverse — the disease. Today, we give you another sample week of healthy, tasty meals, an exercise plan, plus Dr Mosley’s tips for sticking to the diet.

WE’VE all been there and know that we start an eating plan with the best of intentions, but sticking to it isn’t always that straightforward.

But don’t panic. With the help of my wife, Dr Clare Bailey, a GP with years of experience helping patients stick to diets, we’ve some top tips that will keep you on track . . .

RESTOCK YOUR CUPBOARDS

BEFORE you buy ingredients for the recipes, clear your cupboards of temptations. If there are sugary snacks, unless you have superhuman willpower, you will eat them. The junk has to go.

LIST YOUR GOALS

IN THE thick of a new eating regime, you will have moments of doubt or forget why you are putting yourself through it.

So before you start, jot down the reasons you want to get in shape and stay healthy. Keep this list with you and read it whenever you weaken.

FIND A DIET BUDDY

WE ARE social creatures and starting a diet with your partner or a friend will radically improve your chances of success.

Once you’ve decided to do it, tell your friends and family. They may know someone who wants to join you. And by making a public commitment you are more likely to stick to it.

MEASURE YOURSELF

TAKING health measurements every few weeks to check your progress will keep you on track.

Find a quiet moment and take your pulse. You will find it on your wrist, just outside the outermost tendon. Your pulse is a measure of your overall fitness. Check it a few times, then work out the average.

Next, weigh yourself, then input your weight and height into a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator (find one online by googling ‘BMI calculator’) to work yours out.

Finally, work out your waist size — honestly — without holding everything in, measuring around your body at belly button level. And take some selfies: you will want to show people the ‘before’ and the ‘after’.

PLAN AHEAD

PLANNING means you won’t need to rely on spontaneous bursts of willpower.

So plan meals ahead and aim for variety to keep your interest and a nutritional balance.

Assemble breakfast the night before, or get up ten minutes earlier to give yourself the time to make a healthy swap from toast and jam or processed cereals to a delicious, filling breakfast, such as eggs or porridge. Have a lunch ready to grab on the hop, and ensure that you have all you need for your evening meal so it can be ready in minutes.

USE PORTION CONTROL

SWAP to a smaller plate, eat slowly and listen to your appetite. This will give your body time to send the message you are full. If you have raised blood sugars, this vital feedback ceases, leaving you constantly hungry. It’s not greed, just your system out of kilter. If you stick with it, your blood sugars should improve and the normal feedback system will recover, leaving you feeling comfortably full after eating.

UP YOUR LIQUID INTAKE

MAKE sure you drink more water to replace the fluids you are no longer getting from your usual food. You also lose water when you burn fat.

Aim for two to three litres a day. And remember, hot drinks suppress the appetite, so teas and coffees — ideally black with no sugar — help with hunger cravings.

I’m also a big fan of soup. It fills you up and is more slowly digested so you tend to feel fuller for longer. Go for non-starchy vegetable or a clear broth.

IGNORE SIDE-EFFECTS

THE side-effects of this diet include tiredness, lightheadedness and headaches (often related to dehydration); hunger (this will pass, so try to ‘surf the wave’); and feeling colder.

These should settle in a week or so and are less noticeable if you increase the proportion of fat in your diet, so look for recipes with avocado or oily fish, such as salmon.

REDUCE STRESS

CHRONIC pressure and anxiety wreak havoc on your stress hormones, mood and immune system, which in turn has a direct effect on body weight.

The stress hormone cortisol, for example, increases blood sugars and promotes the storage of unhealthy abdominal fat.

The hormones can also affect metabolism, eating patterns, gut bacteria — and how you feel in yourself. A vicious cycle of low mood, less motivation and comfort eating can follow. Accept things you can’t change and deal with things you can. Mindfulness is an excellent way to de-stress.

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE

USE flavour enhancers such as lemon, pepper, lime, chilli, garlic, gherkins, mustard and herbs to make meals as tasty as possible. They add very few calories.

EAT MINDFULLY

SIT down at a table to eat, and be present in the moment so you

are able to focus on what you are eating, to taste it, to savour it. Become aware of the flavour and texture. Is it slightly bitter? Can you taste sweetness or a hint of sour? Or both?

Celebrate and enjoy your food. The more varied, the better.

If you eat in front of the TV rather than at a table, you probably won’t notice flavours as much and are likely to eat more in the process.

Eating at a table can be helpful if you are eating with others because it can lift your mood.

But don’t let others push you to eat more than you want, even if it is done as a demonstration of love — say no pleasantly.

BE GOOD TO YOURSELF

AT THE end of the day, think of three things that went well and why, such as a compliment or success at work. This idea — from US psychologist Professor Martin Seligman — helps you to be positive and boosts feelings of well-being.