The Complete 2-Day Fasting Diet: Delicious; Easy To Make; 140 New Low-Calorie Recipes From The Bestselling Author Of The 5:2 Bikini Diet

• Use the simple recipes in this book for healthy days too. Just add some extra carbohydrates such as rice and potatoes.

• Prepare food in advance if you can.

• Take a salad or last night’s leftovers in a lunchbox, rather than buying sandwiches for lunch.

Ten ways to be good AND have fun

1 Have set alcohol-free days every week.

2 Remove all biscuits from the house but vow to make your own at the weekend.

3 Go crisp-free.

4 Allow yourself a ‘treat’ on a Friday if you have been good all week.

5 Give yourself a time and/or drinks limit when you go out.

6 Read the ingredients and calories of any junk food before you eat it.

7 Switch from beer to spirits with a diet mixer.

8 Walk or cycle instead of taking the car.

9 Go to the greengrocer instead of the supermarket and be inspired to make something simple and different.

10 Make a home-made takeaway, such as Chicken tikka masala (#litres_trial_promo) or Chinese chicken stir-fry (#litres_trial_promo).

Sample 7-day meal planner: Spring

Here is a sample weekly planner, showing both diet days and normal days. Diet days are Monday and Thursday. The season is Spring.

All of the recipes can be found in the Spring chapter of this cookbook (see here (#u10876729-299c-49b4-9546-d70f340cfec8)). Take a look at the Plate fillers (#litres_trial_promo) section for more ideas of good carbohydrates to include in your normal days. Notice how I have made sure no food is wasted. I have made two person recipes and eaten the second portion for lunch or dinner, either the next day or on subsequent days. I have also made a batch of soup and frozen portions for later in the week.

Shopping list for full seven days

Meat and fish

2 × 90g (3¼oz) lean lamb leg steaks

50g (1¾oz) streaky bacon

2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

400g (14oz) skinless chicken breasts

400g (14oz) skinless smoked haddock

200g (7oz) raw king prawns (shrimp)

4 sausages

Fruit and veg

2 small sweet potatoes

2 large potatoes

700g (1½lb) new potatoes

2 Little Gem (Boston) lettuce

1 cos (Romaine) lettuce

Bag baby spinach

Bag mixed salad leaves

Cucumber

2 medium tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes

6 spring onions (scallions)

5 leeks

Mushrooms

1 celery stick

1 lemongrass stalk

1 green chilli

Frozen peas

Garlic

3 lemons

1 banana (men only)

Dairy

900ml (4 cups) skimmed milk

4 eggs