Hi everyone!

Thanks for stopping by on Day 26 of my 28-day detox diet.  I’m almost at the end of the ‘detox proper’.  Come Thursday, I will be going onto the Maintenance Diet.

I’ll be following the Maintenance Diet right up until Christmas, with a break at the end of November, when I go to Dublin for a Hen Weekend.  (There’s no way I’d be able to stick to a detox diet that weekend!  LOL)

I’m looking forward to re-introducing the following foods back into my diet:

• Low fat yoghurt & fromage frais
• Semi-skimmed milk (I can’t abide skimmed – too watery!)
• Low fat cheeses  – I’ve really missed cheese!
• Wholemeal bread  – I can have sandwiches again! (and toast – woo hoo!)
• Wholegrain breakfast cereals
• Chicken, turkey and lean meat
• White fish & oily fish – (Mmmm sardines on toast, tuna sandwiches, mackerel fillets, yum!!)

I’ll still be avoiding the following foods:

• Coffee, tea & other caffeine drinks (including decaffeinated drinks)
• Sugar
• Cakes, buscuits, confectionery
• Eggs
• White bread & rice
• Ready meals
• Salt
• Alcohol
• Artificial food additives
• Fried foods
• Artificial sweeteners
• Hydrogenated fats
• Fizzy drinks
• Squashes & cordials

I’ve had several people asking me what book I’m following for this diet.  I’ve got Carol Vorderman's Detox Recipes, which includes instructions on how to follow the Strict Diet and the Maintenance Diet, as well as lots of mouth-watering recipes.

Carol has written other detox books, which you may like to try:

• Detox For Life

• 14-day Detox

• 30-Day Cellulite Plan


She also has a DVD available – Kick Start Detox and Exercise Plan DVD
.

Thanks for visiting!

Hi everyone!

Thanks for stopping by as I go into the fourth and final week of my 28-day detox diet.

I’m happy to report that I’ve managed to stick to my diet, although I must confess that I’m starting to feel a little bit bored with the same foods.  I’m looking forward to progressing onto the maintenance diet next week, when I can re-introduce lean meat, oily fish, low fat dairy and wholemeal bread.

Today, I had two rice cakes with peanut butter and some Redbush tea for breakfast, lentil soup and rye crispbreads with hummus for lunch, and a pear and a banana for a mid-afternoon snack.

For my evening meal I had bean burger/patty with roasted parsnip and some boiled carrots, brocolli and sweetcorn with my (wine) glass of Welch’s Purple Grape Juice.

I’ve had quite a lot of people contacting me to ask about the diet and to say that they are considering following it.  If you would like to follow this diet, here are some top tips for detoxing:

• Eat food as close to its natural state as possible.
• Try to shop little and often for fresh produce so you get the most goodness from them.
• Avoid processed foods.
• Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily.  (You can include herbal tea in this.)
• Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
• Don’t starve yourself!  Eat when you are hungry.
• Dry skin body brush daily to help your skin glow!

Thanks for visiting!

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Day 10 of my 28-day detox diet.

I’m afraid I’ve got a confession to make……… I’m sorry to report that I digressed from my diet today.  I had some meat a lunchtime!!  It was really unavoidable.  Let me explain…

A couple of weeks ago (before I embarked on this diet) I was invited to a lunch to celebrate the 50th birthday of one of my colleagues.  I had forgotten about it until I received an email two days ago, asking me to select my meal from the set lunch menu of Casa Espanola in Grahams Road, Falkirk.

For my starter, I could easily stick to my diet by having melon and strawberries.  However, it was not so easy to select a suitable main course.

I had thought that I would be alright with the vegetarian option.  However, this was a vegetable bake, cooked in cheese.  Therefore, I opted for the healthiest-sounding dish of pork cooked in a garlic, tomato and white wine sauce.

Anyway, although I was looking forward to meeting everyone at lunchtime today, I was dreading breaking my diet (even slightly) and was worried that I might be tempted to stray further from the detox rules.

It wasn’t the greatest start to the day.  It had been raining heavily all night, and was still raining heavily when the girls and I headed out this morning.  I could see that there was a lot of flooding in the area.  It was just a wet and miserable day!  Therefore, my carefully straightened hair had turned into a windswept and interesting ‘bird’s nest’ by the time I arrived at my office. 

I fumbled in my handbag with one hand, while the other hand struggled to keep my brolly over my head, looking for my swipe card to let me into my office building.  I then realised that I had left my purse at home, which was really silly considering I was heading out at lunchtime for meal.

Once inside my office building, I noticed that we had quite a bad leak in our roof.  There was a huge damp patch on the carpet and a damp stain on the wall.  Water was dripping heavily from the ceiling.

At lunchtime, I had to go home to collect my purse, then stop by the cash machine to lift some money out the bank, before driving to the restaurant in Falkirk.

I had a lovely time, but it took all my self control not to completely cave in and blow the diet.   It all got very tempting after the main course (which was delicious), when the waiter asked if we’d like to hear what today’s dessert menu was.  As soon as he starting rhyming off all the incredibly tasty-sounding puddings, I started salivating like Homer Simpson!  However, with my new-found nerves of steel, I (reluctantly) declined a dessert and a coffee.

I am actually very proud of myself.  Okay, I concede that I still did veer from the diet today.  However, it could have been much, much worse!  All in all, I ate healthily today, and that (to me) is all that really matters.

Thanks for visiting!