Diet: Drop a dress size with the reset diet

With the clocks about to go forward, reset your diet with easy tweaks to digest food better and burn calories more quickly. You could lose 3lb in just five days!

HOW IT WORKS

1 Rick Hay, author of The Anti Ageing Food & Fitness Plan, £12.99 at Amazon, and the nutritionist who helped actress Sarah Parish drop two dress sizes, believes that it is resetting – not detoxing – that can help you lose weight more effectively.

2 The Reset plan focuses on eating plant-based proteins that are nutrient-dense, which means that while they’re low in fat and calories, they’re also loaded with the vitamins and minerals you need to boost energy levels.

3 High in fibre, it will balance blood-sugar levels and reduce cravings so you eat less sugar. Stick to this style of eating long term to avoid the mood swings that can make you binge-eat.

4 Eating more plant-based foods will help keep your body in an alkaline state, so you store fewer toxins in fat cells, too.

5 You can enjoy two cups of coffee and tea. Both contain caffeine that can help with fat burning. Green tea and matcha green tea powder are better, and sip a cup of sleep-inducing lemon balm or camomile tea before bed.

6 Cook with thermogenic – or heat-promoting – ingredients such as chilli and cayenne pepper to speed up the conversion of food into energy and increase weight loss.

DAY 1

Breakfast Seasonal fruit salad: Apple, pear and orange slices with handful grapes and 2tbsp chopped nuts. Lunch 2 or 3 egg omelette with pinch each chilli and black pepper. Half an avocado. Supper Bun-less salmon, tuna or tofu burger pan fried in olive oil. Serve with handful steamed spinach with chilli and mustard dressing.

DAY 2

Breakfast Small berry bowl: Combine handful each blueberries and raspberries in bowl, top with 1tbsp full-fat coconut or natural yoghurt, 1tsp chopped nuts. Lunch 1 slice wholemeal or rye toast topped with 3tbsp baked beans, dash chilli sauce. Supper Veggie stir-fry with cashew: Add 1 large pack stir-fry veg to wok with 1tsp sunflower oil, fry for 5 mins, add handful cashew nuts. 1 banana.

DAY 3

Breakfast Super smoothie: Blend together 120ml rice or almond milk with 3tbsp fresh or frozen berries, 1tsp chopped almonds. Lunch 1 large bowl lentil or bean soup. 1 slice rye toast with 2tsp almond or cashew butter. Supper Chilli Mediterranean bake: Place 1 each chopped red and green pepper, 1 red onion, 2 courgettes, handful cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. Drizzle with chilli-infused olive oil. Bake in oven for 20 mins. Serve with 30g cooked weight brown rice.

DAY 4

Breakfast 1 large wedge cantaloupe or watermelon. 1 small tub Greek or coconut yoghurt. Lunch 2 slices wholemeal or rye bread spread with 1 small ripe mashed avocado topped with chilli flakes. Supper 1 tuna, salmon or cod steak brushed with chilli oil pan fried for 7-10 mins. Serve with handful steamed broccoli and French beans.

DAY 5

Breakfast 1 small bowl granola-style cereal with 1 chopped banana and 3tbsp almond or rice milk. Lunch 1 sweet potato cut into wedges, drizzled with chilli oil and baked. 1tbsp fresh salsa and small green salad. Supper Spring veg frittata: Made with 3 eggs, cooked and chopped courgette, mushrooms and tomatoes. Drizzled with chilli oil. Serve with 3tbsp green beans.