The Dukan Diet

The Dukan diet is a low fat low carb, high protein diet. Protein (meat, fish, etc) takes a long time to digest so you shouldn’t feel too hungry.

Choose a good time to start, You may feel tired by day 3 so let that coincide with a day off work.

 Take a look at The Dukan Web Site.There is lots of advice on it and I like the 'calculate your true weight' link.

On this diet you can eat as much of the allowed foods as you like and carbs in moderation mainly from veg. Eat 2-3 tablespoons of oatbran daily either as porridge or in you yogurt/cream frais,or in your galette. There are 4 stages to the diet. You cannot eat: fat, fruit or sugar.

 Allowed foods

 Meat Beef steak, Fillet of beef, Sirloin steak, Roast beef, Rump steak, Tongue, Bresaola, air-dried/wind-dried beef, Veal,Kidney, Calf's liver, Pre-cooked ham slices (without any fat or rind), Pre-cooked chicken and turkey slices (without any fat or rind),  Game (venison, pheasant, partridge, hare, grouse) Rabbit/hare

Fish Bass Cod (fresh), Crab/ocean sticks (surimi), Dab/lemon sole, Dover sole, Grey mullet, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Herring, Mackerel, Monkfish, Plaice ,Pollock/Coley, Rainbow trout/salmon, trout, Red mullet, Salmon, Smoked salmon, Sardines, Sea bream, Skate, Swordfish, Tuna, Turbot, Whiting, Fish roe (cod, salmon, herring, nitillet).
Seafood Calamari/squid, Clams, Cockles, Crab ,Crawfish/crayfish, Prawns, Lobster Mussels, Oysters, Scallops, Shrimps, Whelks.
Poultry Chicken, Chicken liver, Guinea fowl, Ostrich, Pigeon, Quail, Turkey.
Veg Artichoke, Asparagus Turnip, Soya beans, Aubergine, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Chicory, Courgette, Fennel, French beans, Mange Tout, Leek, Mushrooms, Onion, Palm hearts, Pumpkin, Marrow, Squash.

Salad All the Salad leaves like lettuce, rocket, etc. Cucumber, Radish, Spinach, Swede, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes.

Dairy All zero fat dairy foods, yogurt, fromage frais, quark,tofu etc. and hen eggs.

Drinks tea, coffee, skimmed milk, zero sugar fizzy drinks (not fruit ones)

Suggested Shopping List (Cruise phase)

All of you shopping should be fat free or very low fat <1% if poss. and sugar free: a lot of low fat foods have hidden sugar. Read the labels of everything you buy.

Matthessons turkey rashers (I prefer the smoked)

8 chicken breasts without skin

prawns

low fat ham

no drain tuna (oil or brine is fine so long as it is the no drain)

lean steak

soya mince

salmon fillets

any other low fat meat or fish

I cal oil spray

Oxo cubes

Sugar free jelly

14 zero fat plain fromage frais or yogurts (not the fruit ones)

flavourings for above, lemon juice, vanilla etc.

Splenda granulated sweetner, (Splenda has the least impact on blood sugar)

Eggs

Oat bran Vegetables for soup

Salad stuff include iceberg lettuce

1-2 pints Skimmed milk

sugar free gum. (No more than 6 sticks a day)

1 calorie salad dressing ( lots of low fat ones have added sugar) or balsamic vinegar

diet drinks coke, lemonade etc. ( I drink these to ward off hunger but no more than 3 a day)

Suggested Menu (Cruise Phase)

Everything must be grilled griddled roasted or boiled without adding fat you can use 1 cal oil spray then wipe with kitchen roll to lubricate the pan. Drink plenty of water. Tea ,coffee, diet drinks. Sugar free gum.

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
turkey rashers with tomatoes	1-2 chicken breasts. Salad with 1 calorie spray dressing or balsamic vinegar. 500grm tub 0% fat yogurt. Flavour yogurt with lemon, vanilla flavouring and 3 teaspoons Splenda and a tablespoon oat bran.	Homemade vegetable soup. Tin tunafish (no drain) flavour with black pepper or a little fine chopped onion. Salad with 1 calorie spray dressing or balsamic vinegar. 500grm tub of 0% fromage frais. Flavour with lemon, vanilla, 3 tsp Splenda and a tablespoon oat bran.
Galette recipe below	Low fat ham slices. yogurt or fromage frais & tablespoon oat bran and flavour/sweetener	Grilled steak with  and oxo gravy. Sugar free jelly with sweetened fromage frais
Oat bran porridge recipe below	Chicken wrapped in ham. Salad. Sugar free jelly with sweetened fromage frais	Chilli Soya mince. Shredded iceberg lettuce. You can kid yourself the lettuce is rice. homemade egg custard
Galette	Hard boiled eggs. 500grm yogurt or fromage frais flavoured/sweetened	Grilled salmon 500grm tub of 0% fromage frais & tablespoon oat bran flavoured/sweetened.
Grilled turkey rashers with tomatoes	Chicken breast. salad 500grm Yogurt or fromage frais & tablespoon oat bran flavoured/sweetened.	Chicken breast curry Shredded iceberg lettuce. 500grm tub of 0% fromage frais & tablespoon oat bran flavoured/sweetened.
Scrambled eggs	Tin tuna or sardine (in Brine). 500grm Yogurt or fromage frais flavoured/sweetened	Chicken breast Galette with oat bran flavoured/sweetened
Oat bran porridge	Ham & egg salad 500grm Yogurt or fromage frais & tablespoon oat bran flavoured/sweetened	Grilled salmon with lemon and salad. Yogurt and fromage frais mixed 500grm. Flavour of choice.

 Recipes

 Galette

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of oat bran (or 2 of oat bran and 1 of wheat bran)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of low fat yogurt or skimmed milk
• If liked you can flavour with cinnamon and sweetener before cooking.
• 1 spray of some spray oil – or a couple of drops of oil in the pan then mopped with kitchen towel

Method

Crack and egg into a bowl of oat bran and mix well. Add the yogurt/milk and continue to mix. You want the mix to be a bit thicker than pancake batter. If it is too thick then add a drop more skimmed milk.

Heat up a non-stick pan and spray on some oil.

Pour the mixture into the pan. When things start firming up, gently lift the oat bran and flip it. I find it easier to grill this side rather than turn.

Serve with lemon juice and sweetener or fill with ham etc. Can be served cold with filling like a wrap.

Oat Bran Porridge

Ingredients:

• 2 – 3 tablespoons of oatbran
• milk
• sweetener

Method:

1. Put 2-3 tablespoons of oatbran into a microwave safe bowl
2. add milk so the oatbran is covered, give it a stir with a spoon
3. put bowl in the microwave and cook for 1 minute
4. take the bowl out, the oatbran should have absorbed all of the milk
5. add more milk, (not too much or it will be runny), stir
6. put the bowl back in the microwave for another 1 minute
7. check you are happy with the thickness of the porridge, if too runny cook for another 30 seconds
8. stand for a minute
9. sprinkle with sweetener

Slim.Fast - Meal Replacement Diet

Slim•Fast is a brand of shakes, bars, snacks, packaged meals, and other dietary supplement foods sold by Unilever. Slim.Fast is a calorie controlled meal replacement diet. You will usually eat about 1400 calories a day on this plan. You substitute 2 meals a day with their meal replacement shakes or bars. You also choose 3 snacks a day. The Slim.Fast website has lots of support and ideas to help. 

 Daily Menu

2 meal bars or shakes

Choose two Slim·Fast shakes or meal bars. Use these to replace breakfast and lunch or Dinner.

Snacks

Choose three 95 calorie snacks a day – either Slim  Fast 95-calorie snacks, or fruits and/or veggies, or nuts and seeds to the value of 95 calories. 

1 Sensible Meal

A 600 calorie  balanced meal per day. 

Examples of a 600 calorie balanced meal:

serves 4 

Ingredients:

800g potatoes, peeled and quartered

400g (14oz) good quality pork sausages

1 tablespoon oil

2 red onions, sliced

300ml beef stock, made with 1 beef stock cube

½ teaspoon cornflour

3 teaspoons redcurrant jelly

Black pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

30g low cal margarine for mashing

Directions

Step 1

Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and keep warm.

Step 2

Cook the sausages until golden brown and cooked through.

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat the oil, add the onions and cook for about 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and beginning to turn golden brown. Add the stock and simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half.

Step 4

Mix the cornflour with a little water to make a smooth paste and stir into the onion mixture. Bring back to the boil and simmer gently for 1 minute. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and season to taste.

Step 5

Spoon a couple of tablespoons of mash onto each serving plate and serve with the sausages and red onion gravy.

Step 6

Add the mustard to the drained potatoes and mash with the milk and margerine.

Eating Out on a Low Calorie Diet

The first tip to remember If you're eating out at a restaurant or cafe, is that whatever and wherever you're eating, you don't need to clear your plate. Instead, eat slowly and stop when you are full. 

Eating out tips
More and more restaurants are putting calories for their food and drink onto their menus. Like Wetherspoons. You can use this information to help you decide which dish to have and help you keep track of the number of calories you're eating. Remember, if you can't tell from the menu how a dish is cooked, you can always ask.

·         Say no to bread or other nibbles before your meal arrives.

·         Have a glass of water with your meal.

·         Dilute your wine with fizzy water

·         When you're ordering a variety of dishes to share, make sure you don't order too many. Ask the staff how many dishes they would recommend.

• If your meal doesn't come with vegetables, order some as a side dish or have a salad with your meal. This can be instead of a starter.
• Wait until you've eaten your main course before you order a pudding. When you've finished the main course, you may be full.

Food Choices

·         These choices can make your restaurant or cafe meal healthier.

·         chicken without the skin, or lean meats like ham, fish (not fried) don’t choose pies, bacon or sausages

• tomato and vegetable sauces instead of sauces based on cream and cheese  
• rice that is steamed or boiled instead of fried rice, such as pilau rice and egg fried rice
• potatoes that are baked or boiled without added salt or butter instead of chips or creamy mashed potatoes
• fruit salads, sorbets and low-fat yoghurts instead of cakes, chocolate or creamy puddings, biscuits, sweets and ice cream 
• vegetables and salads served plain instead of served with butter, oily dressings or mayonnaise  
• salad dressing on the side, so you can add only as much as you need

Healthier puddings
If you'd like something sweet, there are healthier options.

Fruit is an especially good choice and can count towards your recommended five daily portions of fruit and vegetables.

Fruit that is baked into puddings, such as rhubarb crumble, also counts towards your five a day. choose fruit-based puddings instead of puddings with cream or chocolate fillings.

Instead of having a dessert with cream or ice cream, ask staff if you can have a sorbet, low-fat yoghurt, fruit purée, or custard made with lower-fat milk.

Healthy lunch out and about

Many of us eat lunch on the go, whether it's from a sandwich shop, cafe, supermarket or the work canteen.

The right choices can ensure your lunch is healthier.
Making your own lunch mean you know exactly what's in your lunchbox and you can save money.

Lunch salads
Pre-packed salads often have a nutrition information panel on the label so you can check how much total fat, saturated fat, calories and salt they contain. Go for salads that are lower in fat, especially saturated fat and salt (or sodium).

Lunch sandwiches

·         Choose brown or wholemeal bread.

·         When buying pre-packed sandwiches, look at the nutrition information. Choose a sandwich that is low in fat – 3g or less per 100g, and 1.5g saturated fat per 100g. Watch out for the salt content too – food is high in salt if it contains more than 1.5g salt per 100g.

• Have your sandwich without butter, spread or mayonnaise, especially if the filling is moist. Or have a small amount and go for low-fat mayonnaise. If the sandwich is being made for you in the shop or cafe.
• Go for a sandwich with salad in it. Ask for extra if the sandwich is being made for you in the shop or cafe.
• Choose healthier sandwich fillings such as lean meats (ham, beef, turkey and chicken without the skin), tuna, smoked mackerel and hard-boiled egg.
• If you want cheese, go for edam, emmental, gruyère, mozzarella and low-fat cream cheese. They are usually lower in fat than other cheeses.

Hot food

• Baked potatoes are a good lunchtime choice, but cut out the butter or use low-fat spread. Healthy fillings include baked beans and cottage cheese. Avoid ready-mixed fillings that contain lots of mayonnaise as these can be high in fat.
• Pasta can be a healthy choice, but avoid dishes with a creamy or cheesy sauce, or mixed with lots of oil, because these can be high in fat. Tomato or vegetable-based sauces are a healthier choice and will count towards your recommended five daily portions of fruit and veg. Avoid adding cheese, or add only a little.
• Soups; try a soup with chunky vegetables, and to make it a filling meal add a wholemeal bread roll.