Lose your post-baby belly

Determined to lose your post-baby belly, but need something to help you shift a few lbs quickly and spur you on? Follow this plan and see results in days
 
Whether you’re trying to shift the post-pregnancy lbs for the umpteenth time, or you want to finally get going on the healthier-eating-plan you’ve been promising yourself you would do – this four-day plan could be just what you need to get you on the right track.

There’s no complicated formula and you can still eat the foods you normally would. Just choose from the meal suggestions and keep to the right portion sizes, and you’ll soon feel healthier and look trimmer.

Health notes: The kick-start diet should not be followed for longer than the four days stated. You should not follow this diet if you are still breastfeeding.
 
 Each day, choose one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner, plus one snack to give you a total of 1,250 calories.

 If you’ve overindulged recently and need to lose more than 1st, add an extra 150-calorie snack each day.

 Interchange lunches and main meals for more choice, as they are all 400 calories.
 
4 day diet plan
 
day 1

Breakfast

Fruity cereal 40g wholegrain cereal (for example, Weetabix, Bran Flakes, Wheat Flakes, Shreddies, Shredded Wheat or malty flakes), topped with a medium banana, sliced, 10 fresh or frozen raspberries, strawberries or other fruit and 175ml semi-skimmed milk.
 
Lunch

couscous & bean salad Cook 50g couscous and drain. Mix with 1tsp coriander, 40g cucumber, 50g red pepper, and 100g canned, drained kidney beans. Cube 50g avocado, add 1tbsp lemon juice, drizzle with 1tsp olive oil, mix with  couscous. Add 1tsp mint sauce jelly to 65g low-fat fromage frais.
 
Dinner

steak and veg mash Peel and chop 125g potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 leek and 1 clove garlic. Boil until soft, drain. Add 15g low-fat soft cheese and mash. Put 115g beef topside or pork steak with 125g quartered peppers in dish. Drizzle 1tsp olive oil and sprinkle 1tsp herbs. Cook under medium-hot grill. Serve with 125g French beans.
 
Day 2
 
Breakfast

Toast, low-fat yoghurt and fruit 125g low-fat yoghurt; 1 thick slice wholemeal toast spread with 1tsp jam, honey or marmalade; 125g fruit salad made from fresh, frozen or canned fruit in natural juice (eg sliced apple, satsuma, grapes) or 2 small pieces fresh fruit.
 
Lunch

Filled baguette and fresh strawberries Spread 75g French bread with 1tsp Dijon mustard. Top with 50g lean ham plus 75g salad (eg tomato, lettuce, cucumber, onion and carrot). Follow with 10 fresh strawberries topped with 1tbsp Greek-style yoghurt and 1/2tsp sugar.
 
Dinner

Veg stir-fry Heat 1tsp groundnut oil. Add 1 clove garlic, chopped, 1 onion, chopped, and 25g peanuts. Cook for 1 min. Add 400g stir-fry veg, 1tbsp orange juice and 1tsp Chinese five-spice powder. Toss and cook for 3 mins. Add 1tbsp soy sauce, bring to the boil and serve with 40g (dry weight) basmati rice, cooked.
 
Day 3

Breakfast

Choose whichever of the two breakfast options you prefer from day 1 or DAY
 
Lunch
 
Dips with oatcakes and crudités Mix 50g drained tuna, canned in brine, with 30g reduced-fat houmous and 1/4tsp chili sauce or Tabasco. Serve with 2 30g oatcakes and 3 breadsticks, plus 1 apple, 1 carrot and 2 sticks of celery, cut into dipping sticks.
 
Dinner

Pan-fried salmon Heat 1tsp olive oil, add 1 clove garlic, chopped, plus 65g salmon steak. Sizzle for 2 mins, turn, add 200g spinach. Cover pan and cook on medium heat for 5 mins. Toss spinach in fish juices; season. Cook for 5 more mins. Serve with salad and 1 slice wholemeal bread.
 
Day 4

Breakfast

Choose whichever of the two breakfast options you prefer from day 1 or DAY2
 
Lunch

packed lunch Two medium slices wholemeal bread spread with 1tbsp peanut butter or 40g low-fat cream cheese. Add 10 grapes to the sandwich. Plus 1 small orange or apple and 125g pot low-fat yoghurt.
 
Dinner

QUORN COTTAGE PIE

Dry-fry 100g Quorn mince and 1tbsp canned sweetcorn with onion, chopped. Stir in 200g can tomatoes. Simmer. Top with 170g potatoes, boiled and mashed with milk. Serve with green beans.
 
Snacks
 
Banana and honey bagel Spread half a toasted bagel with 1/2tsp honey, half a banana, sliced. 

Apricot yoghurt 125g apricots in natural juice with 125g pot low-fat fruit yoghurt Houmous and veg Serve 75g reduced-fat houmous with 2 sticks celery, 65g cucumber. 

Wrap snack Spread a 40g tortilla wrap with 15g low-fat soft cheese plus 1/3tsp Marmite. Top with lettuce.  fruit ‘n’ nut 20g apricots with 20g peanuts.  Egg & tomato 1 medium-boiled egg, 1 medium slice wholemeal toast; 1 medium tomato, uartered, on the side.
 
Small changes go a long way

Make small cutbacks – a few hundred cals less a day is enough to stop weight-gain.

If you feel cals creeping back, keep a food diary for a week (see pg72).

Plan food intake to avoid impulse eating.

Normal portions are best – large portions are one of the major causes of obesity.

Build exercise into your daily routine. Even a brisk walk will help burn calories.