Low GI kick-start diet

REPORTER: Dr John D'Arcy

BROADCAST DATE: June 17, 2005

All vegetables are low GI

You can kick-start your weight loss by simply shopping smarter with this scientifically proven�way of fighting the flab.

GI stands for glycemic index, foods scientifically proven to make you feel fuller for longer.


Kaye Foster-Powell is the senior dietician at Wentworth Area Diabetes Service and co-author of the New Glucose Revolution series.

"Low GI foods take longer to digest so they'll sit in your stomach for longer giving you a feeling of fullness," Ms Foster-Powell said.

"Many studies show if you eat a high GI diet your more likely to get diabetes and more likely to get heart disease," she added.

Low GI foods have two important advantages for people trying to lose weight:

• They fill you up and keep you satisfied for longer than their high GI counterparts.
• They reduce insulin levels and help you burn more body fat and less muscle, so that your metabolic rate is higher.

The glycemic index, or GI, is simply a numerical way of describing how much the carbohydrates in individual foods affect blood glucose levels (glycemia).

The�GI ranks foods from 0 to 100.

Foods with a high GI value contain carbohydrates that cause a dramatic rise in blood glucose levels, while foods with a low GI value contain carbohydrates with much less impact.

Low GI foods
• All vegetables
• Low fat dairy products
•�Grainy bread

Medium GI foods
•�Honey
•�Basmati rice
•�Muesli

High GI foods
Keep these to an absolute minimum
•�White bread
•�Short grain white rice
•�Highly processed food

At the Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service, GI levels of foods available for human consumption are assessed and ranked.

The tests are carried out on humans. Thirty minutes after eating various foods the scientists at the university are able to get a reading of the GI level of the food by reading your blood sugar levels.

Too much glucose in your bloodstream can cause damage to your body.

Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service: www.glycemicindex.com

To order New Glucose Revolution books go to the website: www.dymocks.com.au

Nutrition Australia: www.nutritionaustralia.org

Kick-start your weight loss

REPORTER: Dr John D~Arcy

BROADCAST DATE: June 3, 2003

A special soup diet may help you shed those extra kilos.

While health experts say diets don't work on their own and it's all about lifestyle change, it's hard to make that change. Now a new approach to weight loss, called the Kick-Start Soup Diet, may bring relief.

Heart specialist, Dr Andrew Sindone, says he lost 15kg in six months on the diet without trying hard.

"I went on to one of these fad diets ... and I lost 3kg in the first week," he said.

That's not bad from a leading heart doctor who knows the downside of being overweight, with cardiovascular disease being closely linked to obesity.

Dr Sindone's rooms are crowded with people suffering the slippery slide of ill health, made worse by being overweight.

The Kick-Start Soup Diet seems to work quickly because it is low in carbohydrate and fat.

Some of the weight loss is just water but after you dust off the walking shoes and start to exercise the fat starts to fall.

"Because most healthy diets you don't lose weight in the first month but with the Kick-Start you can get some weight off and then hopefully keep losing it once you're on a healthy diet," Dr Sindone said.

If you want to kick-start your weight-loss program with the fat-free, low-carbohydrate soup, the first thing to do is take a trip to the greengrocer to pick up your ingredients.

Then it's as simple as putting all the ingredients in a pot and away you go.

Merrick Mas and Sandy Wean have tried every diet under the sun.

They are both on the "rhythm method" of girth control, where weight goes on and comes off in a never-ending cycle.

The girls are giving it one last go, trying the Kick-Start plan.

"It's got all the foods in it that I love and it has a wonderful flavour," Ms Mas said.

You can drink the soup whenever you're hungry; the more soup you drink, the more weight you lose.

And if you're going out to work, just fill up a thermos and take it with you.

There's also a seven-day eating plan that goes with the soup.

"You really have to find something that tastes good and lets you eat a lot; if you can lose weight and still eat a lot you've got it won," Ms Wean said.

Remember, you can drink tea when you're thirsty but do not have soft drinks, bread, oil or fried foods.

If the plan upsets your metabolism you may need to restore fibre in your diet by adding a cup or two of bran to your soup each week.

As for the exercise component: you don't have to run a daily marathon, just give those walking shoes a workout for 30 minutes every day.

There is one special rule about this soup diet: no booze - not even a drop.

If you have any health conditions discuss them with your doctor before starting the plan.

And most importantly, communicate, communicate, communicate: remember to discuss your eating and exercising habits with your doctor, who will help you roll on to a balanced eating program when you reach your goal weight.

"I love eating soup and if it's going to help me lose weight I'm going to love it even more," Ms Wean said.

Kick-Start: stage one

While health experts offer an endless array of weight-loss methods, these plans often take time and, being impatient, we lose hope. Now a new short-term eating plan may help people who are overweight to kick-start their weight loss.

Below you will find the recipe and seven-day eating plan for stage one of the Kick-Start Soup Diet. At the bottom of the page you will find links to the complete Kick-Start plan.

*The information in this fact file was updated on August 4, 2003.

The Kick-Start Soup Diet recipe
(Makes enough for one person for two days.)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tomatoes

• 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes

• 2 cans of liquid stock (beef, chicken or vegetable)

• 2 cups of water

• 1 packet of vegetable or French onion dry soup powder

• 1 bunch spring onions

• 1 bunch of celery, including leaves

• 2 cups of green beans

• 3 green capsicums

• 1kg carrots

• 2 stock cubes (chicken, beef or vegie)

METHOD

����1. Chop all the vegies into small pieces and put them
������� in a big pot with the remaining ingredients.

��� 2. Add salt and pepper (not too much salt).

��� 3. Boil rapidly for two minutes and simmer until it's
������� nice and tender.

��� 4. If you want it thinner, add a bit more water.

Have as much of the soup as you want, whenever you want.

Seven-day eating plan

The quantities recommended are per day.

Avoid toast and cereal for breakfast while on this plan. Stick with the recommended foods for each day.

You should only follow this seven-day eating plan for a maximum of three times in six months.

• DAY 1. SOUP AND FRUIT: Eat any fruit except bananas because they are high in kilojoules. Eat as much as you want. If you don't want soup for breakfast have a fruit salad instead.

• DAY 2. SOUP AND VEGIES, NO FRUIT: Eat as much fresh, raw or lightly steamed vegies as you like. Leafy greens are great but avoid peas, corn and beans as they are high in sugar. Reward yourself at night with a jacket potato, a little butter or better still, some yoghurt.

• DAY 3. SOUP, VEGIES AND FRUIT: Eat all you want but no potatoes.

• DAY 4. SOUP AND BANANA SMOOTHIES: Make a banana smoothie with low-fat or skim milk - it's a great source of potassium. Have a maximum of three large bananas per day.

• DAY 5. SOUP, BEEF AND TOMATOES: Eat a piece of lean beef or a skinless breast of chicken no bigger than a deck of cards with six luscious tomatoes. Vegetarians can substitute tofu. These quantities are per day. You can go easy on the soup today.

• DAY 6. SOUP, BEEF AND VEGIES: Eat plenty of beef (or skinless chicken or fish) and vegies today. Again, vegetarians can substitute tofu. You mightn't need soup as much but your body will tell you. No potatoes.

• DAY 7. SOUP, BROWN RICE, VEGIES AND FRUIT JUICE: You might need more soup today.

Remember: do not eat any bread, fried foods or oil on the seven-day plan.

Drinks

• While on the plan, do not have any soft drinks or alcohol.

• You can drink unsweetened fruit juice or cranberry juice; black, green or herbal tea (you can have skim milk with black tea); coffee; skim milk and plenty of water - six to eight glasses a day.

Side effects

• Because you're not consuming many carbohydrates, some may find the glucose in their bloodstream becomes too low, causing hypoglycaemia.

• This can cause a range of symptoms, such as headache, sweatiness, anxiety, irritability and drowsiness.

• Don't worry, it might sound awful but it's easily fixed.

• Have a sandwich with whole-grain bread, a slice of low-fat cheese and a bit of ham but no butter or margarine. Vegetarians can try a low-fat cheese and tomato sandwich. But only have a maximum of one sandwich per day.

• If these symptoms occur repeatedly consult your doctor.

Stage two

So what happens if you haven't cheated?

By the end of the seven days you may have lost as much as 4-6kg, if you haven't put on those walking shoes and gone for a daily walk you won't have lost as much.

If you lose more than 6kg on stage one do not attempt this stage again for a few months. Go on to stage two.

You should only follow this seven-day eating plan for a maximum of three times in six months. Once you've reached this maximum take six months off the plan and follow the low-GI program.

Once you've completed the seven-day eating plan it is time to move on to stage two - a long-term, low-GI eating plan.

Kick-Start: stage two

While stage one of the Kick-Start Diet brings rapid weight loss, you shouldn't stay on it for more than two weeks. At that point stage two begins, where a lot of the carbohydrates you've been avoiding can slowly be returned to your diet.

The most important part of this stage is to be careful about which carbohydrates you add to your diet.

*The information in this fact file was updated on July 7, 2003.

GI carbohydrates

• The ideal carbohydrates have a low glycemic index (GI).

• Foods are ranked on a GI scale from 0 to 100 where a high GI value is 70 or more, a medium GI is 56 to 69 and a low GI is 55 or less.

• Foods with a high GI stimulate your pancreas to produce insulin, which flows out and sucks the glucose into the cells.

• In a short period of time your hunger will come back and you will feel like eating again.

• Good carbohydrates, such as whole-grain bread or an apple, enter the bloodstream slowly and don't cause a serve of insulin, which means you stay fuller for longer.

• The big problem in all diets where weight loss occurs is that people feel hungry.

• By consuming carbohydrates with a low GI you can get all the energy you need, lose weight and not be as hungry.

Protein

• Stage two also increases the amount of protein from lean beef, lamb, pork and from fish and eggs that can be consumed.

• For vegetarians tofu is important in this stage of the diet.

Fats and oils

• Saturated-fat intake must be controlled; this fat increases the cholesterol in your blood, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

• The ideal fats are called mono or polyunsaturated fats and come from vegetable oils and olives - but it is still important to use even these fats in moderation.

• The other valuable oil is omega 3, which comes from oily fish and from some vegetables. This oil is heart-protective.

Exercise

• Just as exercise is terribly important in stage one of the Kick-Start diet, it is equally important for weight loss in stage two - the GI component.

• Thirty to 60 minutes of exercise a day is ideal for weight loss to occur.

• Try walking to a puff, gardening or even housekeeping; whatever you do, exercise is essential for weight loss.

Side effects

• If not consuming many carbohydrates, some may find the glucose in their bloodstream becomes too low, causing hypoglycemia.

• This can cause a range of symptoms, such as headache, sweatiness, anxiety, irritability and drowsiness.

• Plan to eat small meals every three hours if you find you have such symptoms.

• Avoid rushing to eat high-GI foods when you feel the symptoms, as such snacks will make them worse.

• If symptoms occur repeatedly consult your doctor.

Watch what you eat

Here are some tips for controlling your food intake from Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, author of Losing Weight: The New Glucose Revolution.

1. Use hunger as a cue for eating, not the time of day.

2. Eat a low GI carbohydrate food when you're hungry - these foods are the most satiating.

3. Slow down when you eat to give your stomach a chance to let your brain know that it is full.

4. When you're thinking about eating, ask yourself how hungry you really are.

5. Delay eating for 30 minutes - true hunger will return.

6. Don't buy foods you don't want to eat.

7. Indulge in the occasional treat; lollies are more satiating than chocolates.

8. Give yourself time to make changes in your habits; it takes about six weeks for your tastebuds to readjust.

9. Once you have served your meal put the remaining food away so it is out of sight.

10. Keep busy during the day.

11. Don't restrain your food intake excessively - be sensible about it.

Life after Kick-Start

REPORTER: Dr John D~Arcy

BROADCAST DATE: June 10, 2003

We show you how to maintain your Kick-Start weight loss.

We've seen Merrick Mas and Sandy Wean shed the kilos with the Kick-Start Soup Diet and it's brought them great results - but what's next? We show you stage two.

Thanks to the Kick-Start soup diet Irene Lawburg has lost 17kg and has kept it off for the last year.

Miserable in a size 18, she is now a trim, taut and confident size-12.

Ms Lawburg has used the Kick-Start diet four times this year and says she calls on it whenever the bulge makes a comeback.

We've been watching Merrick Mas and Sandy Wean shedding kilos with the Kick-Start diet and it's brought them great results - but what's next?

Their kick-start ends in five days and then it's time for stage two.

Professor Jennie Brand-Miller thinks she knows the answer.

Author of The New Glucose Revolution, she has converted more than a million people to the Glycemic Index diet (GI diet).

"What we have to do is gradually introduce back a normal diet, normal foods but be very choosy about the type of carbohydrates, the type of proteins, the type of fats," she said.

Professor Brand-Miller says GI is a term for the quality of carbohydrates that we eat; all carbs are good but some can have a lousy effect on your weight.

"What you have to go back to is the kind of carbohydrates that your grandparents ate," she said.

"These were the foods that are slowly digested and absorbed and give you that feeling of satiety, that you've eaten a satisfying meal and you're not going to be hungry for at least three or four or even six hours."

Foods with a high GI include white bread, sugary cereals, potatoes and watermelon.

Foods with a low GI include salad vegetables, broccoli, fruits and whole-grain breads and cereals.

All this is great but any eating plan is useless without one thing - exercise, and plenty of it.

"Exercise comes first," Professor Brand-Miller said.

"Exercise should be the absolute priority for your day."

Nutritionist and author of Nutrition for Life, Catherine Saxelby, backs the GI diet and says this next step after the seven-day Kick-Start plan is the most critical.

She says it is vital to think long-term, as the rapid weight loss of the soup diet cannot be maintained.

"Now they need to transition themselves to a more regular weight-loss diet with cutting out the fats, having more protein, choosing the right sort of carbohydrates," Ms Saxelby said.

So we invited Ms Mas and Ms Wean to pay Ms Saxelby a visit to get some tips on their long-term weight maintenance plan; after all, while the Kick-Start diet brings rapid weight loss, you should only follow it for a maximum of two weeks.

Stage two: long-term meal plan

• For breakfast Ms Saxelby recommends 1/4 cup of rolled oats or untoasted muesli or some high-fibre cereal served with low-fat milk. This can be one of your three daily serves of carbohydrate.

• For lunch Ms Saxelby suggests another serving of carbohydrates. Have some whole-grain bread, which will be digested slowly, as well as a big salad, some tuna or ham and finish with one piece of fruit.

• For dinner Ms Saxelby says avoid potatoes and white rice because of their high GI index. Instead try Basmati rice, beans or lentils.

While it is important to move on from the restrictive seven-day soup-based eating plan of stage one of the Kick-Start diet, Ms Saxelby says you can keep eating the Kick-Start soup between meals or whenever you're hungry.

That means sensible, simple switches, smarter shopping and cooking at home - and it all starts at the supermarket.

Smart shopping

• Buy plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, including lots of greens.

• When buying bread, avoid white bread - its GI is too high. Instead, buy whole-grain varieties.

• Choose a cereal that's high in fibre and low in sugar.

The GI Diet

In low-GI foods the glucose in the carbohydrate goes slowly into the body, so it doesn't stimulate too much insulin and as a result you don't feel hungry afterwards.

The GI Diet is all about smarter shopping and making those simple switches to products with a low GI; foods that will take longer to digest and chase the hunger out the door.

When it comes to breads and cereals, high-GI varieties to avoid are white and wholemeal breads, processed breakfast cereals, plain biscuits and crackers, cakes and muffins.

Low-GI alternatives are wholegrain bread, rolled oats and untoasted muesli and biscuits full of fruits, oats and whole grains.

When it comes to rice, choose the low-GI Basmati or Doongara rice or stick with noodles.

Potatoes and plain flour also should be avoided; try a sweet potato instead.

The low GI foods you should be looking for include: dried pasta, dried noodles, kidney beans, baked beans, cans of fish, sundried tomatoes, fresh and canned fruit, Asian sauces, spices and herbs, low-fat milk, yoghurt and ice cream, eggs, low-fat cheese, berries, beans and peas.

The soup sisters, Sandy Wean and Merrick Mas, are well into the GI Diet.

While their weight loss has eased to a normal rate, they're as keen as ever.

The fact is you can still have the Kick-Start soup as a snack and there's loads of tucker you can get stuck into.

Low-GI meal plan

Breakfast options

• Porridge with raisins;

• Honey and banana smoothie;

• Untoasted muesli with fresh fruit;

• Buttermilk pancakes with glazed fruit;

• Sweet potato and corn hotcakes with grilled tomato.

Lunch options

• Minestrone or split pea soup;

• Pasta with pumpkin, capsicum and a white wine sauce;

• Marinated mushroom and cracked wheat salad;

• Tabouli;

• Vegetable lasagne.

Dinner options

• Spinach, fetta and bean omelette;

• Spicy beef ragout;

• Fish with sweet potato chops and roast tomatoes;

• Chilli chicken with sweet potato mash and stir-fried greens;

• Lamb and chickpea salad;

• Pork noodle stir-fry.

Desserts

• Fruit bread and butter pudding;

• Apple crumble;

• Yoghurt berry jelly;

• Fruit salad;

• Cheesecake.

Exercise

So why is exercise so important throughout program?

Exercise keeps the engine ticking over faster; you can actually lose weight while you sleep if you exercise regularly and the weight you lose is fat.

And try putting the scales away; if you're constantly weighing yourself you won't see a difference.

Low-GI meal plan II

Below you will find a second low-glycemic-index meal plan to help you lose weight and keep it off on stage two of the Kick-Start plan.

MONDAY

Breakfast

• Low-fat banana smoothie using low-fat milk with 2 teaspoons of honey and linseed, sunflower and almond meal and 1 tbsp of low-fat yoghurt.

• One slice of wholegrain toast with Vegemite.

Lunch

• 2 slices of wholegrain bread with tuna (no oil).

• 1 slice of 25% reduced-fat cheese and salad.

• An orange.

Dinner

• Moroccan Lamb Pizza (see recipe 1).

• Green salad (no oil dressing).

TUESDAY

Breakfast

• Baked beans on wholegrain toast.

• 1 piece of fresh fruit.

Lunch

• Wholemeal lavash bread topped with humous, shredded lettuce, low-fat cheese and lean chicken breast.

• 1 low-fat yoghurt.

Dinner

• Pasta with salmon and asparagus (see recipe 2).

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast

• 2 slices of wholegrain toast with low-fat cream cheese.

• 1 piece of fresh fruit.

Lunch

• 2 Ryvitas with a small can of salmon and chopped onion.

• 1 cup of Greek salad (1 tsp of olive oil) and 2 cubes of low-fat feta cheese).

• An apple.

Dinner

• 200g lean steak barbequed with 1 cup of salad vegetables with balsamic vinegar and mushrooms cooked in 2 tsp of canola oil and1 Tbsp mustard or BBQ sauce for steak.

• 1 low-fat yoghurt.

THURSDAY

Breakfast

• 1 serve of porridge with low-fat milk and small serve of honey.

• 150g of tinned fruit (drained peaches in natural juice).

Lunch

• Toasted leg ham off the bone and mustard wholegrain bread sandwich.

• A snack pack - pears in natural juice.

Dinner

• Grilled chicken with barley pilaf (see recipe 3) with fresh baby spinach salad.

FRIDAY

Breakfast

• 3/4 cup of wholegrain cereal with 250ml low-fat milk.

• 150g serve of tinned fruit (drained pears in natural juice).

Lunch

• Leftover barley pilaf and 1 wholegrain roll with low-fat cheese.

Dinner

• Takeaway choice: Braised meat or chicken with a very small amount of steamed rice (1/2 cup cooked) and extra braised vegetables.

SATURDAY

Breakfast

• 2 slices of wholegrain toast (made with 2 eggs, poached, boiled or scrambled).

• A 200ml glass of apple juice.

Lunch

• 2 slices of wholegrain bread with a serve of lean steak with onion, lettuce, tomato and sliced beetroot.

• 1 low-fat yoghurt.

Dinner

• Grilled chicken - 200g of skinless chicken served with 1 cup of assorted vegetables (eg: broccoli, zucchini, carrot and onion cooked in tomato puree with basil and garlic and 2 tsp of olive oil) with a side dish of 1 cup of mashed sweet potato.

SUNDAY

Breakfast

• Low-fat cheese and tomato grilled on two slices of wholegrain toast.

• 1 piece of fresh fruit.

Lunch

• Lentil soup (see recipe 4) with fresh sourdough bread cut thick (with low-fat cream cheese).

Dinner

• Spaghetti bolognaise (see recipe 5)

• Garden salad with a small amount of oil/vinaigrette

SNACKS

Incorporate two choices per day as morning tea or afternoon tea, including:

• Two wholegrain crackers and one slice of low-fat cheese;

• A tub of low-fat yoghurt;

• A piece of fresh fruit eg: orange, apple, snack pack of peaches;

• Low-fat milk cappuccino;

• One cup of home-popped popcorn.

ABOUT FATS

Three to four teaspoons of added oils per day can be used, including:

• Canola oil;

• Olive oil;

• Sunflower oil;

• Margarine.

Summer Kick-Start meal plans

In the lead-up to the holiday season thoughts turn to shedding the kilos. With that in mind, we bring you meal plans for the first two stages of the Kick-Start diet for summer.

While stage one of Kick-Start for Summer is ideal for those who are anxious about their weight gain and unsure they'll be able to lose it, stage two is for those who want a gradual loss and aim to drop a dress size by Christmas.

STAGE ONE MEAL PLAN

The original Kick-Start soup still plays a large part in this weight-reduction technique however for a cool summer treat you can serve it chilled, similar to a gazpacho-style soup.

• Eat the soup whenever you want.

• By days three and four you can slowly increase your carbohydrate intake.

• On days five and six have more protein.

• On this stage of the kick-start you can mix and match the soup with a poached, boiled or scrambled egg on a single slice of grainy bread with a small piece of bacon, either microwaved or lightly fried. You can finish this off with a piece of fruit such as an apple, peach or pear.

• Other breakfast options include three-quarters of a cup of low-GI cereal such as Kellogg's Guardian cereal, a couple of strawberries and a dessert spoon of low-fat yoghurt.

• While you may not lose as much weight as those who stuck to the original plan, it may suit you better.

STAGE TWO MEAL PLAN

Dietician Geraldine Georgeou devised the Kick-Start for Summer stage two eating plan. When accompanied by 30 to 60 minutes of steady walking every day it will help you in your weight loss.

MONDAY

• Breakfast: A low-GI cereal such as Sanitarium Up and Go, a medium apple, a cup of tea or coffee with low-fat milk and sweetener if needed.

• Lunch: A smoked salmon, onion, rocket and cucumber sandwich on a slice of low-GI wholegrain bread such as Burgen.

• Dinner: A 200g lean minute steak with cracked pepper and a side dish of rocket, cherry tomatoes and onions doused in oil-free dressing. You can finish this off with a nice cup of tea.

TUESDAY

• Breakfast: A poached egg and two lean short cuts of bacon either microwaved or lightly fried with a slight spray of canola oil served on a slice of low-GI wholegrain bread.

• Lunch: One wholegrain roll, 100g of turkey and a thin scraping of cranberry sauce topped with lettuce.

• Dinner: 200g of lamb backstraps (very lightly sprayed with Canola oil) with fresh basil and steamed vegies such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower and a medium orange to follow.

WEDNESDAY

• Breakfast: 3/4 cup of low-GI cereal such as Kelloggs' Guardian with 200ml of low-fat milk and half a banana.

• Lunch: 100g of poached chicken on wholegrain bread with a thin scraping of low-fat Philadelphia cream cheese and a generous slice of tomato and cucumber. Spice it up with cracked pepper but avoid salt.

• Dinner: 200g of grilled fish and a Greek salad with three small squares of low-fat fetta cheese. Finish off with one scoop of a low fat, low GI ice cream. If you're still hungry have a pear.

THURSDAY

• Breakfast: Two medium grilled tomatoes topped with mixed herbs and a very light spray of Canola oil on a slice of low-GI wholegrain bread sprinkled with a teaspoon of reduced-fat cheese. Finish off with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

• Lunch: A chicken Caesar salad with reduced-fat mayonnaise and a small tub of fruit salad. Finish off with a small handful of walnuts.

• Dinner: 150 to 200g of roast beef with 1/2 a cup of sweet potato. Serve with steamed snow peas, cauliflower and spinach and a handful of pistachios.

FRIDAY

• Breakfast: Start with a grapefruit then have a slice of wholegrain bread with Vegemite and a small mango to get you on the track.

• Lunch: Try the Kick-Start soup with a slice of wholegrain bread with 25 per cent reduced-fat cheese.

• Dinner: 200g of skinless chicken teriyaki stir-fried with Chinese greens and a small serving of corn.

SATURDAY

• Breakfast: Two eggs scrambled on a slice of low-GI wholegrain bread with mushrooms, cracked pepper and a few slices of capsicum. Finish with a snack pack of fruit.

• Lunch: Home made hamburger with lean mince served on a slice of toasted sourdough bread with cucumber and beetroot and dressed with a little mustard or tomato sauce.

• Dinner: A good old Aussie barbecue with lean red meat, no larger than a stack of cards, fish or skinless chicken - don't forget your herbs! And grilled tomato, sweet corn and eggplant over the flames.

SUNDAY

• Breakfast: Two to three slices of smoked salmon on grilled Burgen soy and linseed bread followed by an orange.

• Lunch: Serve the Kick-Start soup chilled with a dash of chilli sauce. Finish off with a handful of tree or Brazil nuts or walnuts.

• Dinner: A Thai beef salad made with 150g of thinly sliced beef and by shallots, cherry tomatoes, coriander leaves, mint leaves, cucumber and lettuce. It's Sunday, so finish off with low-fat custard topped with two medium strawberries.

Most importantly, don't forget to make use of those walking shoes. Exercise is the key to successful weight loss but don't feel guilty if you miss a day, just get back on track the next.

Snacking with low-GI fruit, low-fat yoghurt and nuts is a great idea, provided you don't make it the reason for your existence.

If you feel a little light headed or unwell a slice of low-GI wholegrain bread such as Burgen, lightly coated with hommous and two slices of tomato, will restore your blood sugar to its usual level.

Don't forget the soup and if your pantry is bare hop up to the greengrocer and get started again.

Finally, hide the scales in the garage.

If you want to weigh yourself once a week take your waist measurement instead; slowly but surely it will start to fall and this is even more important than your weight.

---