Beach diet

Summer’s more or less here, which can only mean one thing: we’ll soon be jetting off to warmer climes in search of some serious rays! If your beach body isn’t all it should be and you need to get into that slinky bikini, here’s how to get in shape in time for take-off.

Because there’s no time to lose, this express diet is designed to blitz 3 kilos (6.6lb) using a fat-burning plan with a low glycaemic index. As always consult your GP before beginning a new diet plan.

The best way of losing the weight quickly

The best way is to combine lean protein (fish and poultry, which have a naturally low glycaemic index) with other low-GI foods and fat-burning superfoods. This will not only burn fat: it will also build muscle to replace the fat you lose. You don’t eat any less and there’s no calorie counting. Swap oily fish and fatty meat for lean fish and meat, eat low GI carbs and favour fat-burning superfoods.

Obviously you’re going to have to swap your steak for lean fish, your ordinary rice for basmati and your wholemeal bread for white, but you’ll soon see that little changes make a big difference. Hyperglycaemia (low blood sugar) is what makes dieters hungry and exhausted. Because the beach diet is based on low-GI foods, it will keep your blood sugar levels stable and balanced. This keeps a constant energy supply to your brain and muscles. By swapping your morning biscuit or slice of white toast for wholemeal bread, you avoid that 11am sugar low.

You’ll lose weight fast for 15 days by eating a diet of lean protein and vegetables with low-GI carbohydrates, keeping your GI index and calorie intake down. At the end of the beach diet, you’ll need to reintroduce high GI foods back into your diet gradually, going for medium-GI foods such as potatoes to start with, for example. To avoid putting the weight back on straight away, continue eating low-GI foods - not just to get your bikini body but for the good of your health.

Low GI Foods

GI has brought about a revolution in the way we look at carbohydrates. Simple sugars and complex carbohydrates are yesterday’s news; these days it’s all about the glycaemic index (a number between 1 and 100 used to classify foods according to how quickly they are released into the blood as sugar). The higher the GI, the faster sugar is released into the bloodstream - and the more likely it will be stored as fat. The lower the GI index, the slower the sugar is broken down - and the better for your waistline. Make sure your diet includes low GI foods: green vegetables, pulses, wholegrain cereals, soya, fruits of the forest, nuts, dark chocolate, eggs, fish, fructose, cottage cheese and meat. Reduce your intake of high GI foods: biscuits, crisps, cakes, white bread, breakfast cereal, chips, mash, fizzy drinks, sugar and white rice.

The GI index varies according to how you cook and season your food. It’s best to cook al dente, mix carbs with vegetables and use acidic vinegar or lemon-based dressings. These low-GI superfoods also have fat-burning properties.

- They’re low in fat and burn fat.
- They help prevent storage of fat and help build muscle.
- They stop the body from absorbing fat.

Increase your intake of: aubergines, mushrooms, low-fat yoghurt, fat-free cottage cheese, oily fish, lean meat, pepper, celery and apples.

Avoid mayonnaise, cakes, anything in breadcrumbs, sausages, fried food, quiches and ice cream.