Can I shake things up with meal replacements?

I AM planning to do the Very Fast Diet version of the New 5:2 – 800 calories a day, every day for eight weeks – with mealreplacement shakes, as it seems easier. Is that a good idea?

IF YOU decide to start with mealreplacement diet shakes, I would recommend you aim to consume about 600 calories per day in shakes, plus 200 calories in non-starchy vegetables. You will probably need that extra fibre from the vegetables – plus lots of water – to stop yourself getting constipated. I also think it is important, while you are on a diet, to learn how to enjoy healthy, filling, Mediterraneanstyle meals. This will prepare you for life after the diet.

A reasonable compromise might be to start with the shakes, get settled in, then after two to four weeks switch to eating mostly real food. If you are on medication, it is important to see your doctor before starting.

I HAVE decided to give the 5:2 a go. My problem with all diets is that I seem to do it for two to three weeks before losing interest. How can I make sure I don’t give up?

WHAT you are describing is very common. I would recommend finding a dieting buddy, perhaps even join an online group. I would also recommend writing out your goals and leaving this list pinned up on the fridge.

IS THIS new version of the 5:2 Diet in book form yet?

NOT yet, but I’ll be featuring new recipes every week in my weekly Life Plan column in The Mail on Sunday. You can get a lot of useful information from The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet or at thebloodsugardiet.com.

Although they are aimed at people with raised blood-sugar levels (pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes), they are also helpful to people whose main incentive is to lose weight.