The 1,2,3 approach

The recommended first stage by of the the diet, professor using and the a small meal, will take around eight weeks. In the second step, over four weeks, shakes are gradually replaced with calorie-controlled meals. In step three, you eat healthy and well for life.

Step one: For eight weeks of rapid weight loss, the simplest option is to use a liquid formula product to provide 600 calories a day – with one helping of non-starchy vegetables or salad totalling around 100 calories.

You will inevitably feel hungry for the first 36 hours but that will fade away.

Avoid sweet potato, potatoes, parsnips, yam, plantain, sweetcorn and beetroot as well as fruit, nuts and seeds because these are too calorific.

Step two: Fuller meals at 400-500 calories each are gradually introduced to replace shakes. You start with two shakes and one 400-500 calorie meal a day. Then you move onto one shake and two calorie-controlled meals. Then finally you have three meals a day, each still 400-500 calories a plate.

Step three: Eating returns to being a normal social activity – but keep an eye on portions. If you gain weight again, you will need to cut quantities.

All the recipes featured were devised by real people who took part in the trials.

What is Type 2 diabetes?

The condition means your blood glucose levels are higher than normal.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas do not work properly – this is brought on when it is forced to store fat.

This causes high blood sugar, which produces symptoms like incredible thirst and passing a lot of urine. If left unchecked, high blood sugar can cause a number of complications, affecting the kidneys, heart, eyes and feet – even leading to amputations.

How to escape it

Professor Taylor’s three-step programme differs from conventional fads because the aim isn’t to reduce calories and beat obesity, the aim is to bring your personal fat levels down to a number that is right for you. This allows your pancreas to restart insulin again.

Prof Taylor says you should not compare your size to others because everyone has a different constitution. Whether you weigh 80kg or 160kg, losing around 15kg is likely to return blood glucose levels to normal.

You should always consult your doctor before and after a diet like this so that your insulin levels can be monitored and any medication adjusted.