Nutritionist and fat loss mentor, Fiona Kirk knows and understands that during the warmer months when we can’t cover up the excess pounds with baggy jumpers and generous jackets can see us despairing of our slightly-expanded waistlines so has a diet plan designed to turn the fat burning furnace up a notch or two and see some very satisfying results!
Her New 2 Weeks in the Fast Lane diet offers the chance to lose up to 10 pounds in weight, 4 pounds of stubborn fat whilst shaving inches off hips, bums and bellies in just 14 days by making a number of easy-to-adopt changes to eating, exercising, shopping, cooking and sleeping habits – here’s a short video to give you a flavour…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4ZknJrt16E
And here’s an extract from her delicious and nutritious eating plan to get you off to a great start…
Choose one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner and follow her advice on ‘drinks throughout the day’. You may also have one mid morning and/or one mid afternoon snack – these are optional and are only recommended if you are fighting hunger or cravings or feeling a bit woozy! You may also wish to take one of Fiona’s recommended supplements…
First Thing in the Morning (whenever possible):
- Exercise for 30 to 45 minutes – preferably outdoors
- Have a small, dark, rich cup of freshly-brewed coffee (no milk or sugar) before you head out (optional)
- Drink a large glass of still water when you return to base
- Have a mug of Hot Lemon and Ginger (mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plenty of grated fresh ginger, a pinch of sea salt crystals and a teaspoon of Manuka honey into boiled water) while you get showered and dressed whether you have had time to exercise or not
Breakfast/First Meal of the Day
TOP TIP: Don’t get into a sweat about breakfast! If you can’t function without some sustenance before you head out the door, go for it but if not, have your first meal of the day when you actually feel hungry which may be an hour or so into your day..
- Scrambled Eggs on Toast: top 1 thick or 2 thin slices of toasted and buttered sprouted grain bread with 2 lightly-scrambled free range eggs.
- Mixed Fruit with Crunchy Yoghurt: mix a couple of tablespoons of sugar-free and dried fruit-free muesli mix and a tablespoon of mixed, fresh nuts and seeds into 3 tablespoons of dairy or non-dairy natural yoghurt, top with a generous helping of fresh fruit of choice and sprinkle some powdered cinnamon or nutmeg over the lot.
If time is not on your side and you have to ‘grab and go’ occasionally:
- a small pot of natural yoghurt topped with mixed fresh fruit and mixed fresh nuts and seeds
- a pot of instant or ready-made porridge plus honey or spice topping
- a ‘no sugar added’ fruit smoothie plus a couple of oatcakes topped with a couple of slices of hard cheese
- 2 seeded rye crackers with half a banana, mashed or a good spreading of ‘no sugar added’ almond butter topped with a few slices of apple or strawberry
Lunch
TOP TIP: Your best plan is to prepare ahead whenever possible and ‘transport’ your lunch or have it ready and waiting in the fridge if you are at home.
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Bowl: mix 2 tablespoons ready-cooked chickpeas, half a de-seeded and diced red, yellow and orange pepper, half a very finely sliced red onion, a good chunk of cucumber, sliced or diced, a tablespoon of crumbled feta cheese, 6 cherry tomatoes and a tablespoon of pitted, halved black olives. Season to taste, dress with a good drizzle of avocado oil and a splash of lemon juice and box or bag to let the flavours all come together.
- Crisp Breads with Topping: top 2 plain or seeded crisp breads with creamy goats cheese, sliced avocado and tomato or hummus, sliced cucumber, grated raw carrot and toasted nuts
- Lentil and Bean Salad: mix 50g cooked Puy lentils, 50g tinned kidney beans, 20g natural cottage cheese, 20g raisins, 10g chopped dried apricots, 10g chopped fresh cashew nuts, ½ tablespoon top quality mayonnaise, ½ tablespoon natural yoghurt, a dash of lime juice, a pinch of sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper together in a bowl. Serve on a bunch of crisp watercress leaves
If time is not on your side and you have to ‘grab and go’ occasionally:
- an ‘off the shelf’ bowl or single serving of soup: go for those that are rich in vegetables plus beans, lentils, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or tofu and avoid those that are creamy or with pasta, noodles, rice and other grains
- an ‘off the shelf salad’: go for those that are rich in vegetables and salad leaves plus beans, lentils, rice, quinoa, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or tofu and avoid those with creamy dressings, pasta or noodles
- stuffed avocado: fill a small, halved and stoned avocado with natural cottage cheese, diced apple or pear and plenty of freshly ground black pepper or fresh, cooked prawns or white crab meat mixed with a couple of spoonfuls of natural yoghurt, seasoned and topped with flaked, toasted almonds
Dinner
TOP TIP: This is often the one time of the day you may be able to sit down and enjoy the ‘eating experience’ so make some ‘kitchen time’ and have one of the following:
- One Pot Chicken or Fish: Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark. Spread 200g peeled and diced sweet potato and 3 unpeeled garlic cloves over the base of a small, deep roasting tin and place 2 organic chicken thighs (skin side up) on top. Pour 40ml chicken or vegetable stock in, pop a couple of lemon wedges around the tin, drizzle 1 tablespoon of light olive or avocado oil over the whole lot, season with a good pinch of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper and place the roasting tin (uncovered) in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and add 1 small wiped and diced courgette, half a de-seeded and finely sliced red chilli and 50g sliced chorizo, mix everything well but still keep the chicken (skin side up) on top and return to the oven for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are still slightly crisp. Remove the tin from the oven again, squeeze the flesh from the garlic cloves, mix it through and discard the skins before stuffing half a small bag of baby spinach leaves and 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley leaves in and around everything then return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. NB: If using fish (2 fresh, white fillets) instead of chicken, wait until 15 to 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time before adding them. You can also omit the chorizo and replace it with 200g cooked chickpeas. This recipe serves 2 but can be kept in the fridge overnight and makes a great ‘tomorrow’s lunch’ when cold
- Very Quick Salmon: grill a salmon fillet or salmon steak until cooked through, sprinkle with Worcestershire Sauce and lemon juice and serve with at least 3 steamed vegetables or a lightly-dressed mixed salad
- Very Quick Lamb: rub a lamb steak with lemon zest, a pinch of cinnamon and a splash of olive oil mixed. Grill under a moderate heat for 4 minutes each side if you like it pink, longer for well done. Put on a warm plate and leave to rest for a few minutes while you heat through a little fresh orange juice with very finely diced red chilli then pour this over the lamb. Serve with at least 3 steamed or roasted vegetables or a lightly-dressed mixed salad
- Very Quick Tofu: cut firm tofu into cubes or slices and stir fry quickly in a little olive oil mixed with crushed garlic and grated fresh ginger. Add a squeeze of runny honey and top with toasted flaked almonds. Serve with at least 3 steamed or roasted vegetables or a lightly-dressed mixed salad
- Quinoa Vegetable Bake: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Warm 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a deep sauté pan, add 1 small peeled and finely chopped onion, 1 small wiped and diced courgette, 1 small peeled and diced or roughly grated carrot, 1 small de-seeded and finely chopped red pepper, 6 drained and roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 1 peeled and crushed garlic clove, 1 teaspoon sea salt crystals and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Cover the pan and sauté over a very gentle heat until all the vegetables are cooked through but still have a bit of bite (15 to 20 minutes). Stir in 125g baby spinach leaves and continue to cook until the leaves have just wilted then turn off the heat. Stir in 1 heaped tablespoon chopped parsley leaves, 100g thoroughly rinsed quinoa, 2 heaped tablespoons natural cottage cheese and 1 lightly beaten egg and thoroughly mix before transferring to a shallow ovenproof dish. Bake, uncovered until the egg is just set – around 45 minutes but check after 35 minutes by using a skewer – it will come out clean when the egg is set. Serve with a lightly-dressed mixed leaf green salad. This recipe makes 3-4 servings but can be kept in the fridge for a day or two and gently re-heated or eaten cold for lunch.
Mid Morning and/or Mid Afternoon Snacks (optional):
- a small pot hummus with a selection of raw vegetable sticks
- a small bowl mixed olives with feta cheese
- a glass fresh tomato juice with a handful of fresh, mixed nuts
- 2 rice cakes topped with nut butter or mashed avocado
- 2 slices hard cheese with a handful of green grapes
- a small carton natural cottage cheese mixed with diced fresh fruit and crushed nuts
Drinks Throughout the Day
TOP TIP: Always have a large glass of still water 10-20 minutes before each meal and snack (a great strategy for putting the brakes on hunger!) and choose some of the following between rather than with meals and snacks:
- still and sparkling water with added fresh fruits, vegetables and/or herbs
- coconut water (great with ice, lime and coconut flakes)
- teas (black, white, red, green, fruit, herb, matcha, chai, kombucha) – no sugar
- fresh vegetable juices – make your own or get them off the shelf but watch the salt content
- coffee made with fresh beans (no sugar but perhaps a dash of cream!)
- milks (dairy and non-dairy) – maximum one large glass per day
- an occasional glass of rich, dark, ruby red wine before or after dinner (optional but sometimes essential!)
Supplements (optional)
TOP TIP: There is good evidence that the following can help to improve blood sugar control, manage hunger and blunt sugar cravings.
- Chromium: Biocare Liquid Chromium
- Magnesium: Floradix Magnesum
- Curcumin: Theracurmin
Fiona Kirk’s New 2 Weeks in the Fast Lane diet is available in paperback, eBook and iBook formats. See www.fionakirk.com for stockists and to get your copy
NB: if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have a medical condition, please seek professional advice before changing your diet or exercise regime.
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