eat tO beat Diabetes

DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE ALL-NEW RECIPES

OnE of the really good things about the 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet is its adaptability. If you stick to 800 calories a day for eight weeks, you will lose weight fast — as much as a stone each month.

That’s why it’s so brilliant at reducing your blood sugar levels and reversing your risk of diabetes.

But when you have reached your target, it can be modified into a simple and satisfying way of eating for life.

That’s because the main message that runs through the diet plan, and the basis of all the recipes, is the importance of eating a Mediterranean-style diet rich in healthy fats and vegetables but low in sugars and starches. That’s the key to keeping your blood sugar levels steady.

But, at the same time, it means you will be eating the widest possible range of nutrients for good health. Furthermore, the combination of healthy fats and proteins in every meal means you won’t feel hungry or be tempted by cravings for sugary foods.

I base my recommendations on hard scientific evidence: the benefits of the Mediterranean diet are incontrovertible.

All this week, the Daily Mail has been serialising a new book The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet recipe Book which my wife, gP Dr Clare Bailey, has written with dietitian Dr Sarah Schenker. The book is packed with exciting and delicious recipes to show you just how versatile and satisfying the 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet can be.

If your goal is rapid weight loss and a big improvement in blood sugar control, then eight weeks on 800 calories a day is likely to be your best option.

HoWEVEr, some people prefer to incorporate their 800-calorie days into a pattern of intermittent dieting, where they stick to the meal plans and recipes for two (or more) days each week, then relax on the rest of the days by sticking to the low-carb Mediterranean rules, keeping an eye on portion sizes and avoiding what I call the ‘big five’ (grains, sugar, bread, pasta and rice) without having to count calories. Your weight loss may be slower, but you will get there in the end.

When you reach your goal, we hope you will be sufficiently enthused to stick with this healthy way of eating. All you have to do is relax the parameters slightly so it can become a natural part of your everyday life for ever.

The recipes which have featured all this week provide an excellent basis for healthy eating and keeping your weight and blood sugar down indefinitely.

When you are no longer counting the calories, use the recipes as a guide, sticking to the principles of the Mediterranean way of eating, and simply increasing the quantities to roughly double, adding more non-starchy vegetables and including more wholegrain foods.

I am so convinced that this is the most healthy way of eating that I’d love to see it adopted as official dietary advice for everyone. We all eat far too many processed carbohydrates and sugary foods, and the impact on our blood sugar levels is extremely unhealthy. In my house, this is how we eat all the time.

A low-carb, Mediterranean-style diet ensures you eat loads of vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, nuts and olive oil, and you can enjoy the occasional glass of wine and a little dark chocolate — just not the bread, pasta and potatoes. As long as you are active (exercise is an important part of the mix, long-term) you shouldn’t struggle to stay at a healthy weight.

Just ensure you weigh yourself regularly and be prepared to put in a couple of 800-calorie days every so often to bring your blood sugar levels back into line if you’ve started to slip back into starchy temptation — and remind yourself of how delicious the on-message foods that form a central part of the 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet really are.

MY TIPS AND TRICKS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS

I TrY to sit at the kitchen table for every meal. If you eat on-thego or in front of the TV, you will eat badly and beyond the point that you would normally feel full.

EAT slowly. It takes time for food to reach the parts of your small intestine where cells release a hormone, PYY, that tells your brain you’re full. I regularly put down my knife and fork and try to wait for 30 seconds or so before picking them up again, and although it goes against everything I was taught as a child, I leave food on my plate when I’m no longer hungry.

I AVoID ‘diet’ products as they are usually highly processed and often contain sugar and/or sweeteners (which may not turn off hunger signals).

WhEn I’m drinking wine with a meal, I leave the bottle on the other side of the room. It’s the same with serving dishes. I find I am less likely to go for a refill if I have to get up from the table.

MY WIFE, Clare, knows to keep tempting foods out of the house or out of sight.

MY WEAknESS is toast. I wanted to throw out the toaster but my wife refused. Instead, I keep unsalted nuts by the toaster, so when I am tempted to snack on toast and marmalade, I eat nuts instead. Mostly.

I WEIgh myself several times a week, because studies show that the more often people

weigh themselves, the more weight they lose.

When I go out for a meal, I make sure the bread basket is never left on the table or I would just help myself. I stick to one course, with lots of vegetables instead of rice or potatoes. I rarely have dessert and, when I do, I always share it. Research shows a small portion of something sticky and tasty is just as satisfying as a large amount.

KEEP A LID ON YOUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Alcohol has no place on your eight-week plan, but once you have reached your target weight, you can enjoy the occasional glass of wine.

But be warned: alcohol is highly calorific and the calories still add up. Five glasses of wine a week comes to 900 calories — the same as five doughnuts. Alcohol will also raise fat storage and inflammation in the liver, increasing the insulin resistance that promotes weight gain and diabetes.