WEEK 2: GET A JUICE BOOST

THE difference this week is that there are two liquid meals a day (juice, smoothie or soup). The best fuel for your body is fruit and vegetables, and juicing them is beneficial because you can drink more than you can eat, and drinking freshly made juice gives your digestive system a rest.

If you juice 80g each of four different fruit or vegetables, that can count as four out of your five a day. And nutrients are absorbed easily.

I advise a liquid breakfast and dinner, and your big meal at lunch, so you have a long time for your digestive system to rest and repair overnight.

A big meal at lunchtime may seem tricky at work, but most workplaces have a microwave so you can reheat something you’ve prepared. If not, make a large salad with couscous and cold meat (for great recipe ideas, see right).

If you are new to liquid meals, you can start with one a day, for breakfast, and then by week three you can build up to the two liquid meals a day if you can manage it.

If you really feel you cannot do this, just continue to ‘eat clean’ (ie within the parameters of the shopping list).

Keep well hydrated with herbal tea or water. Any time throughout you feel hungry and you have already drunk a glass of water, you can snack on fruit, vegetables and hummus, seeds or nuts. The amount of carbohydrates is reduced this week. The other change is supplements I recommend you take:

Probiotics — to help improve digestive function and break down food.

Psyllium husk — a natural fibre product that encour - ages regular bowel function.

Omega-3 fatty acids — essential for normal metabolism.

Multivitamin/wholefood supplement — to ensure optimum nutrition.

So, your programme will look like this:

BREAKFAST

Juice or smoothie, psyllium husk, probiotics.

SNACK

Hummus and vegetable sticks.

LUNCH

Digestive enzymes/ probiotics/omega-3 fish oils, protein and salad or vegetables with carbohydrates such as brown rice, couscous or sweet potato.

SNACK

Nuts.

DINNER

Multivitamin and probiotic. Soup, smoothie or protein and vegetables/ salad (no carbohydrates).