NetDoctor weight loss plan

Commit to our four-week plan of healthy eating with regular exercise and you can soon make a difference to your figure.
Our plan, devised by a registered nutritionist, will help you lose weight at a steady rate of about 1lb to 2lb per week. The good news is, the more weight you have to lose, the faster the pounds will disappear.
Be sure to complete the recommended exercise too. It will help you build muscle tissue that will speed up your metabolism. A faster metabolism means you will burn more calories even when you're not being active.

Weight loss plan basics

• The plan works out around 1400kcal per day: 300kcal for breakfast, 350kcal for lunch, 450kcal for dinner and 250kcal for snacks. But these figures are approximations that average out, because people’s ideas of what ‘small’ or ‘thinly spread’ is varies so much.
• Watch your portion sizes - stick to the recommendations. Little changes like using more oil than suggested, having extra meat or using standard margarine or whole-fat milk will add to your daily calorie count and mean weight loss is slower.
• Never skip breakfast.
• Keep hydrated: drink at least six to eight glasses of water each day.
• Dress your salads with fat-free salad dressings or a splash of balsamic vinegar.
• Use low-sugar and low-salt products where you can.
• Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk in drinks.
• Try to use wholemeal breads, pasta and brown rice. There's little difference calorie-wise, but wholemeal versions are higher in fibre so will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
• Try to vary the fruit and veg you have as much as possible so you get the widest range of vitamins.
• All these recipes are for one, but quantities can be easily doubled if you're cooking for more.

Margarine, butter and oil

• For frying use a spray olive oil or vegetable oil such as sunflower or olive.
• We haven't included butter in the plan because it's high in saturated fat.
• If you don't like low-fat olive spread, save the calories and leave it out.
• If the recipe would be dry without, substitute one teaspoon of low-fat mayo.
• If you want to use standard margarine, be aware that this will add around 100kcal per day to your total per slice of bread (most calories in toast come from the butter not bread). Spread thinly and you can halve this amount.

Weight loss plan: mix and match breakfasts

Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible.

Cereal breakfasts

Have each of these breakfasts with a small (110ml) glass of pure fruit juice. Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk for the cereal.

• 40g no-added sugar muesli with milk. Two tablespoons of low-fat natural yoghurt topped with a sliced banana.
• 40g low-sugar breakfast cereal (look for cereals 'of which sugars' is less than 2g per 100g) with milk. One slice of melon.
• Two Weetabix or Shredded Wheat, topped with four chopped dried apricots and four prunes with milk.
• Medium bowl of porridge made with milk, topped with a small pot of fruit in juice.

Hot breakfasts

Have each of these breakfasts with a small (110ml) glass of pure fruit juice. For jam, use low-sugar jam or fruit spread.

Tip

0% fat Greek yoghurt is a great low-fat creamy choice for natural yoghurt.

• One slice of toast, spread with a little low-fat olive spread and jam. A small low-fat natural yoghurt topped with a tablespoon of chopped nuts and seeds and sweetened with a teaspoon of honey.
• Two slices of toast, spread with a little low-fat olive spread and jam.
• One slice of toast topped with a small tin of baked beans and a grilled tomato.
• An English muffin, split and toasted. Top with a poached egg, two rashers of lean grilled back bacon and a grilled tomato.
• Two slices of fruit loaf, toasted and spread with low-fat olive spread. A small low-fat natural yoghurt topped with a handful of berry fruits and a teaspoon of sunflower seeds.

Have each of these breakfasts with a small (110ml) glass of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.

• Two slices of toast topped with a small tin of tomatoes and one poached egg.
• A tin of sardines in tomato sauce, sprinkled with a little Worcestershire sauce, grilled on two slices of toast and a grilled tomato. One piece of fruit
• English muffin toasted, split and topped with one scrambled egg and eight mushrooms boiled in a little water. (You can also spray the mushrooms with one-cal olive spray and grill or fry them in a non-stick pan.) One piece of fruit.

Smoothie

• Blend one banana, half a mango, 150ml milk and three tablespoons of low-fat natural yoghurt. Have with one slice of toast spread with a little low-fat olive spread.

Weight loss plan: lunches

You'll find weekday recipes to make at home as a packed lunch. If you can't make the weekday lunches suggested in the plan, buy any sandwich, wrap or filled pitta (preferably wholemeal) under 350kcal.
Weekend lunches might need a bit more preparation or cooking, but are still very easy.
If you are making sandwiches at home, use wholemeal bread and spread with either low-fat mayo or salad cream, low-fat olive spread or chutney before putting in your filling.
Pack your sandwiches with as much salad as you can, then fill with either:

• 75g lean meat or poultry
• 100g tinned fish
• 1 boiled egg
• 20g cheese or 30g low-fat cheese (grating makes it go further)
• low-fat cream cheese, lightly spread
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat coleslaw.

Fill a plastic box with a salad to eat with your sandwich. If you want to dress your salad, use a fat-free dressing or a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Weight loss plan: dinner

If you don't have time to cook the evening meal, choose a ready meal under 450kcal, 20g fat and 2g salt - but limit these to two a week.
Try to cook some fresh vegetables or have a salad to accompany your ready meal.
You can swap your lunch and dinner meals at the weekend if you prefer to have your main meal at lunchtime.
If you don't like the recipe for that day, you can choose any equivalent recipe from the plan. We've included some extra vegetarian choices at the end of the plan (week 4).

Weight loss plan: snacks

The plan is designed with two snacks per day: one in the morning between breakfast and lunch, and one in the evening between lunch and dinner.
It's best not to skip these snacks to save the calories for bigger treats like alcohol, because you're likely to end up hungry and then ditch your healthy eating habits.

Weight loss plan: treats

You can swap one snack each day for one of these special treats:

• 25g packet of Twiglets
• cereal bar (under 120kcal)
• two-finger KitKat
• two Jaffa Cakes
• 125ml pot low-fat rice pudding
• three squares of good quality chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• small glass (125ml) red or white wine - no more than four each week.

Weight loss plan: exercise

If you're accustomed to more exercise than our plan suggests, rev up your activity levels accordingly. You'll need to push yourself slightly all the time to reap weight-loss benefits.
If you're totally unused to exercise, just do what you can - for example take a ten minute walk each day. But as soon as you're used to this, increase the time and intensity.
If you are on medication or have a medical condition, ask your doctor for advice before starting any exercise or diet plan.

Week 1 basics

Breakfast

Choose one from the mix and match list every day.

Morning snacks

Choose any one of the following each day for your morning snack.

• A piece of fruit such as a banana and a digestive biscuit.
• Two small pieces of fruit - such as apricots, kiwi fruit, plums, satsumas, clementines or mandarins.
• A yoghurt pot filled with veggie sticks and two tablespoons of low-fat dip or salsa.
• Two pieces of fruit, eg an orange and a pear.
• Two wholegrain crackers thinly spread with peanut butter or low-fat soft cheese. Handful of grapes.

Afternoon snacks

Choose any one of the following each day for your afternoon snack.

• One small currant bun/teacake (no icing) or fruit scone spread with low sugar jam or fruit spread.
• A pot of plain home-popped popcorn flavoured with a teaspoon of parmesan cheese or a pinch of paprika.
• Two oatcakes or crispbreads spread with low-fat cream cheese or low fat houmous.
• Cereal bar under 120kcal.

Recipes

You'll find recipes for the some of the dishes at the end of the week's plan.

Exercise

Walk for 10 minutes two to three times a day and for an hour at the weekend. You should walk briskly, taking long strides and focusing on your posture.

Monday

Lunch

• One bread roll spread with a teaspoon of low-fat mayonnaise and filled with two small slices of lean chicken, a sliced tomato, a handful of baby salad leaves.
• Low-fat fruit yoghurt.

Dinner

• Grilled salmon fillet on a bed of watercress, with five boiled new potatoes in their skins, green beans and a mixed salad.
• Two slices of grilled pineapple topped with two tablespoons of low-fat fromage frais or low-fat natural yoghurt.

Tuesday

Lunch

Tip

Avoid 'cream of' soups that can be high in fat.
Aim for less than 1g salt per portion of soup.

• Bowl of vegetable soup and a crusty roll.
• Small pot of low-fat fruit yoghurt and an apple.

Dinner

• Beef and vegetable stir fry served with four tablespoons of cooked rice.
• Half a large mango topped with twp tablespoons of low-fat fromage frais or natural yoghurt.

Wednesday

Lunch

• Tinned salmon, cucumber, tomato and lettuce in a wholemeal pitta.
• Low-fat fruit yoghurt and a piece of fruit.

Dinner

• Spicy chicken breast: remove the skin and sprinkle with Cajun or Jerk seasoning before baking for 20 minutes until cooked through.
• Serve with a medium baked potato (150g) topped with 15g low-fat olive spread and a green salad.
• Small tin of fruit in juice.

Thursday

Lunch

• Medium bowl of tuna and pasta salad with six cherry tomatoes.
• Small pot of low-fat fromage frais.

Dinner

• Grilled lamb chop (brushed with mint sauce before grilling) with four new potatoes in their skins, green beans and broccoli.
• Baked apple: cut out the core of an apple. Stuff the empty core with one tablespoon of dried fruit mixed with a pinch of cinnamon. Bake in an oven (180ºC/gas 4) for 40 minutes until soft.

Friday

Lunch

• Spicy chicken and salad wrap.
• Small low-fat fruit yoghurt and a piece of fruit.

Dinner

• Baked fillet of white fish (choose one that's sustainably caught) with 115g low-fat oven chips, green veg of your choice and a grilled tomato.
• Stewed apple: peel and chop an apple. Cook in saucepan until soft. Serve with two tablespoons of low-fat natural yoghurt and four walnut halves, chopped.

Saturday

Lunch

Jacket potato filled with either:

• 100g prawns and half a red pepper finely chopped, mixed with two teaspoons of low-fat mayo and a pinch of chilli powder or paprika
• small tin of low-sugar low-salt baked beans (spice them up with a dash of Worcestershire sauce).

Green salad served with two tablespoons of low-fat coleslaw.

Dinner

• Chicken and vegetable pasta and a large mixed salad.
• Fresh fruit salad.

Sunday

Lunch

• Two-egg mushroom and parsley omelette cooked in half a teaspoon of oil.
• One small crusty roll lightly spread with low-fat spread.

Dinner

• A 150g grilled steak, 115g low-fat potato wedges, two grilled tomatoes, green beans and broccoli.
• Three fresh plums.

Week 1 recipes

Tuesday beef stir-fry

• 100g lean beef finely sliced
• 200g your choice of vegetables
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• good pinch of Chinese five-spice

Recipe

Stir fry the beef for 2 mins. Remove from the pan.
Add the garlic, then fry the veg for 3 mins. Stir in the soy sauce and five-spice.
Return the beef to the pan and cook for 2 mins.

Thursday tuna pasta salad

• 65g pasta shapes (dry weight) or 150g cooked weight
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• half a green or red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 10cm piece of cucumber, chopped
• handful of torn lettuce leaves
• 1 small tin of tuna, drained

Recipe

Cook pasta shapes according to the packet instructions, drain and cool.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Dress with 1 tablespoon of oil-free French dressing and ground black pepper.

Friday spicy chicken wrap

• 75g cold spicy cooked chicken (from the supermarket or cooked at home)
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 8 slices cucumber
• handful lettuce leaves
• 2 teaspoons of low-fat mayo
• 1 flour tortilla

Recipe

Combine the chicken, mayo and vegetables in a bowl.
Lay the filling on the tortilla and roll up. Cut into two.
Make the spicy chicken by sprinkling a small skinless chicken breast with Cajun spice. Bake for 20 minutes until cooked through. When cold, cut into slices.

Saturday chicken and vegetable pasta

• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small yellow pepper, cut into strips
• 1 small chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 small can of chopped tomatoes
• pinch of sugar
• large pinch of dried oregano
• ground black pepper
• 40g pasta (dry weight)

Recipe

Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
Gently fry the onion and pepper for 2 mins. Add the chicken and cook for 2 mins.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, oregano and black pepper. Simmer gently for 15 mins.
Cook the pasta, drain, then add to the sauce once it's ready.

Week 2 basics

Breakfast

Choose one from the mix and match list every day.

Morning snacks

Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible.

• Piece of fruit, eg a kiwi fruit, or a tablespoon of sultanas. A digestive biscuit.
• Pot of veggie sticks - carrot, cucumber, pepper, celery - with three wholemeal breadsticks and two tablespoons of salsa.
• Two pieces of fruit, eg apple and a handful of fresh berry fruits.
• Four ready-to-eat dried apricots and three Brazil nuts.
• Pot of plain home-popped popcorn flavoured with a pinch of paprika or a teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese.

Afternoon snacks

Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible.

• Two rice cakes topped with three tablespoons of cottage cheese with pineapple.
• Slice of malt loaf.
• Two Scotch pancakes.
• One small currant bun/teacake (no icing).
• Two oatcakes or crispbreads spread with low-fat cream cheese or low fat houmous.

Recipes

You'll find recipes for the some of the dishes at the end of the week's plan.

Exercise

Get yourself a pedometer - try to walk 10,000 steps each day. At the weekend, walk for an hour one day and swim, rollerblade, or cycle for 30 minutes on the other.

Monday

Lunch

Pitta filled with tinned salmon, salad vegetables and 2 teaspoons of low-fat mayo.

• Pot of low-fat fromage frais or a small low-fat fruit yoghurt.

Dinner

• Home-made vegetable chilli served with four tablespoons of cooked rice and a salad.

Tuesday

Lunch

• Chicken salad sandwich.
• Small pot of low-fat fromage frais.
• Handful of grapes.

Dinner

• Mustard salmon: spread wholegrain mustard on the top of a salmon steak and bake.
• Four new potatoes, green beans, a grilled tomato and mangetout or other green veg of your choice.

Wednesday

Lunch

150g cottage cheese with pineapple on four crispbreads.

• Large bowl of mixed salad.
• Piece of fruit or handful of grapes.

Dinner

• Baked pesto chicken breast: remove the skin and spread green pesto over the chicken breast and bake for about 20 minutes until cooked all the way through.
• Serve with a medium jacket potato (150g) topped with 15g low-fat olive spread and a mixed salad.
• Tin of fruit in juice.

Thursday

Lunch

• Lean ham and salad wrap.
• Handful of grapes and a low-fat fruit yoghurt.

Dinner

• Chicken curry made with a low-fat cooking sauce and using 100g chicken.
• Serve with four tablespoons of cooked rice, a tomato salad and one tablespoon store-bought mint and cucumber raita.
• Two slices of grilled apple or pineapple topped with two tablespoons of low-fat natural fromage frais.

Friday

Lunch

Tip

Avoid 'cream of' soups that can be high in fat.
Aim for less than 1g salt per portion of soup.

• Bowl of vegetable or lentil soup with a crusty wholemeal roll.
• Piece of fruit and a low-fat fruit yoghurt.

Dinner

• Baked fillet of white fish (choose one that's sustainably caught) topped with a sliced tomato and a tablespoon of grated half-fat mature cheddar cheese.
• 150g mashed potato (mashed with a splash or milk, no butter or spread), peas and broccoli.

Saturday

Lunch

Trout fillet or small tin of salmon with a salad and a crusty wholemeal roll.

• Bowl of berry fruits topped with three tablespoons of low-fat natural yoghurt.

Dinner

Lean grilled pork chop served with grilled apple slices, four new potatoes cooked in their skins, carrots, sweetcorn and peas. If you want to liven up your chop, before grilling:

• brush it with oil and dust it with a little paprika
• spread with wholegrain mustard or a little curry paste.

Sunday

Lunch

• Two oatcakes spread with low-fat cream cheese.
• Low-fat natural yoghurt with a tablespoon chopped nuts, plus a teaspoon of honey if you like.
• Piece of fruit.

Dinner

• Three slices of roast chicken breast, two medium roast potatoes (lightly sprayed with oil and roasted), carrots, cabbage and broccoli. Serve with a little gravy.
• Three fresh plums.

Week 2 recipes

Monday vegetable chilli

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 medium carrot cut into chunks
• 6 mushrooms, halved
• half a red pepper, sliced
• small can of chopped tomatoes
• 150ml vegetable stock (made with a stock cube)
• large pinch of chilli powder (or to taste)
• small tin red kidney beans, drained

Recipe

Place oil in a non-stick pan and gently fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
Add the carrot, mushrooms and red pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock and chilli powder to the pan, then simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Add the kidney beans and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Thursday curry in a hurry

• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 2 teaspoons curry paste, eg korma or rogan josh
• small can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 100g cold cooked chicken
• 1 tablespoon of sultanas or raisins
• 75g spinach or peas (optional)
• 100ml water

Recipe

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the rest of the ingredients then bring to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Simple raita
Combine 3 tablespoons natural yogurt with 1 tablespoon of finely chopped cucumber and 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh mint (or half a teaspoon of mint sauce from a jar).

Week 3 basics

Breakfast

Choose one from the mix and match list every day.

Morning snacks

Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible.

• Two satsumas or other small citrus fruits.
• Pot of veggie sticks with two tablespoons of salsa to dip them in.
• Pot filled with home-popped plain popcorn seasoned with a large pinch of paprika or a teaspoon of parmesan.
• Two pieces of fruit, eg a banana and a plum.

Afternoon snacks

Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible.

• Two oatcakes or crispbreads spread with low-fat cream cheese or 100g cottage cheese.
• Small scone spread with low sugar jam or fruit spread.
• Slice of malt loaf and a small piece of fruit, eg a kiwi or a tangerine.
• Two Scotch pancakes and a pear.
• One slice of wholemeal bread, lightly spread with mustard and topped with a slice of ham.

Recipes

You'll find recipes for the some of the dishes at the end of the week's plan.

Exercise

• Walk for a total of 30 minutes each weekday.
• Keep up the daily exercise at the weekend. Don't let the rain and cold put you off - put on your favourite aerobics or dance exercise DVD if you can't face the outdoors.

Monday

Lunch

• Salmon and cucumber baguette and a large green salad.
• One slice of melon or other piece of fruit.

Dinner

• 100g lean pork, pepper, tomato, mushroom and pineapple threaded onto skewers and grilled, served with four tablespoons of cooked rice (preferably brown) and a salad.
• Baked or poached pear topped with two tablespoons of low-fat natural yoghurt.

Tuesday

Lunch

• Wholemeal pitta filled with a sliced hardboiled egg, a teaspoon of low-fat mayo, lettuce, cucumber and tomato slices.
• One pot of low-fat fromage frais and a handful of grapes.

Dinner

• Chicken and vegetable noodles.
• Two Scotch pancakes topped with a handful of berry fruits and two tablespoons of low-fat natural yoghurt.

Wednesday

Lunch

• Salmon, tuna or prawn pasta salad. Use the recipe in week one and substitute one small tin of drained salmon or 150g cooked prawns for the tuna.
• Piece of fruit.

Dinner

• Vegetable tagine with four tablespoons of couscous and a salad.
• One slice of melon.

Thursday

Lunch

• Chicken and salad wrap.
• Piece of fruit and a glass of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.

Dinner

• Chicken breast spread with wholegrain mustard and baked. Serve on a bed of stir-fried strips of onion, pepper and courgette with 150g mashed potato (mashed with a splash of milk) or boiled new potatoes.
• Small baked apple stuffed with a tablespoon of dried fruit.

Friday

Lunch

• Chicken and pasta salad with six cherry tomatoes.
• Small low-fat fruit yoghurt and a piece of fruit.

Dinner

• One small spicy pan-fried fresh tuna steak (sprinkle the fish with Cajun seasoning before cooking) with four boiled new potatoes, plus two green veg of choice eg sugar snap peas and broccoli.
• One slice of melon.

Saturday

Lunch

• Bowl of vegetable soup with a wholemeal crusty roll.

Dinner

• Vegetarian bangers and beans.
• Small low-fat natural yoghurt topped with fresh berry fruits.

Sunday

Lunch

• Bagel topped with low-fat cream cheese, watercress, 50g smoked salmon and six cherry tomatoes.

Dinner

• Three thin slices of lean roast beef, two medium sized roast potatoes, carrots, cabbage and broccoli.
• Fresh fruit salad topped with two tablespoons of low-fat fromage frais or natural yoghurt.

Week 3 recipes

Tuesday chicken and vegetable noodles

• 50g instant noodles (dry weight)
• 1 chicken breast, cut into strips
• 2 teaspoons (tsp) oil
• 1 scant teaspoon of chopped root ginger from a jar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 green or red pepper, chopped
• 1 small carrot, cut into match sticks
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• 6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon (tbsp) white wine vinegar or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• juice from half an orange
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander

Recipe

Cook the noodles, drain and set aside.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok and fry the chicken for 4 minutes until cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and stir fry the ginger and garlic for 1 minute.
Add the vegetables and fry for 4 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan, then add the soy sauce, orange juice and vinegar or dry sherry.
Cook for 2 minutes, stir in the noodles and the coriander. When the noodles are hot, serve.

Wednesday vegetable tagine

• 2 teaspoon oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 100g butternut squash, cut into chunks
• 1 carrot cut into circles
• 100g baby new potatoes, cut into chunks
• quarter teaspoon (large pinch) ground cumin
• quarter teaspoon (large pinch) ground cinnamon
• 1 large chopped tomato
• 1 small tin of chick peas, drained
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp harissa or chilli paste

Recipe

Heat oil and gently fry the onion, garlic, squash, carrot and new potatoes for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the spices, tomato and chick peas.
Stir in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
Stir in the harissa or chilli paste.

Friday chicken and pasta salad

• 150g cold cooked pasta shapes
• 3 spring onions, chopped
• 1 small beetroot, diced
• 10 slices of cucumber
• 100g cold cooked chicken
• 2 tsp oil-free French dressing or low-fat mayo
• mixed salad leaves to serve

Recipe

Combine the cooked pasta shapes with the vegetables and chicken.
Toss with the oil-free French dressing or low-fat mayo.
Arrange on a bed of lettuce or baby mixed salad leaves.

Saturday vegetarian bangers and beans

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 vegetarian sausages
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• small tin of reduced salt baked beans
• 6 mushrooms, quartered
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 80ml water
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley to serve (optional)

Recipe

Heat the oil and fry the sausages until they are lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Fry the onion for 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms and tomato and fry for 5 mins, stirring from time to time.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, beans and water.
Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the chopped parsley or coriander and serve.

Week 4 basics

Breakfast

Choose one from the mix and match list every day.

Morning snacks

Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible.

• Pot of veggie sticks and two tablespoons of low-fat dip, cottage cheese or salsa.
• One apple and an oatcake.
• Two small pieces of fruit.
• Two oatcakes spread with low-fat cream cheese, plus a handful of grapes.
• One kiwi fruit or small citrus fruit with a digestive biscuit or slice of malt loaf.

Afternoon snacks

Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible.

• Small currant bun spread with low-sugar jam or fruit spread.
• Small scone spread with low-fat spread.
• Two warmed scotch pancakes with a drizzle of honey.
• One slice of wholemeal bread spread with low-fat cream cheese and salsa.
• Two crispbreads lightly spread with low-fat houmous or olive spread and marmite.

Recipes

You'll find recipes for the some of the dishes at the end of the week's plan.

Exercise

• Keep up your steps, and walk for a total of 40 minutes each day.
• At the weekend do the exercise DVD one day, and take a 30 minute cycle ride or go for a swim on the other.

Monday

Lunch

• Chicken salad wrap.
• Slice of malt loaf.
• Small low-fat fruit yoghurt or fromage frais.

Dinner

• Stir fried prawns and vegetables (using 125g prawns and a bag of stir-fry vegetables) with noodles.
• Mango mousse: blend a small sliced mango with three tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt.

Tuesday

Lunch

• Tuna bean salad: mix one small tin of tuna with half a chopped onion and half a tin of drained cannellini beans. Serve with lettuce and tomato.
• Four crispbreads or a crusty wholemeal roll.
• Handful of grapes

Dinner

• Baked chicken breast with warmed mango, onion, and pepper salsa.
• Serve with a medium baked jacket potato topped with 15g low-fat olive spread and a large green salad.
• Pot of low-fat fromage frais topped with a sliced peach or a small tin of fruit in juice.

Wednesday

Lunch

• 150g cottage cheese with pineapple on four crispbreads.
• Mixed salad.
• Low-fat fruit yoghurt and a piece of fruit.

Dinner

• Grilled lamb chop with 150g mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans and a grilled tomato.
• To add flavour to the chop, serve with lemon and parsley: whisk the juice of half a lemon with one teaspoon of olive oil then add a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley.
• Three poached plums with two tablespoons of low-fat fromage frais or low-fat natural yoghurt.

Thursday

Lunch

• Salmon and salad pitta or sandwich, with six cherry tomatoes.
• Low-fat fruit yoghurt.

Dinner

• Beef or vegetarian chilli with four tablespoons of rice (preferably brown) and a large mixed salad.
• Piece of fruit.

Friday

Lunch

• Bowl of salad topped with 150g cottage cheese plus a crusty wholemeal roll or four crispbreads.
• Piece of fruit.

Dinner

• Fillet of white fish (choose one that's sustainably caught) topped with a small tin of tomatoes, four sliced olives, a teaspoon of parsley, and baked until cooked through.
• Serve with four new potatoes and two green veg of your choice, eg green beans and asparagus.
• Kiwi and melon salad.

Saturday

Lunch

• Wholemeal pitta pocket filled with 20g half-fat cheddar or feta cheese, one tablespoon of low-fat coleslaw, four halved cherry tomatoes and salad leaves.
• Piece of fruit.

Dinner

• Easy egg and tomato bake with a large mixed salad and a small crusty roll.
• One mango, sliced, topped with two tablespoons of low-fat fromage frais and one tablespoon of chopped nuts and seeds.

Sunday

Lunch

• One small jacket potato filled with 100g prawns and a teaspoon of low-fat mayo, plus a large salad.

Dinner

• Three slices of roast chicken or one baked chicken breast with roasted root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, sweet potato) and cherry tomatoes served with four boiled new potatoes in their skins.
• Kiwi and melon salad.

Week 4 recipes

Monday chicken salad wrap

• 75g cold cooked chicken (from the supermarket or cooked at home)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 8 cucumber slices
• half a grated carrot
• handful of baby lettuce leaves
• 2 teaspoons (tsp) low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 flour tortilla

Recipe

Combine the chicken and salad vegetables with the mayonnaise.
Spread the filling onto a flour tortilla and roll up. Cut into two.

Monday prawn and vegetable noodles

• 40g dry instant noodles
• 1 tsp oil
• 4 spring onions
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 10cm cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• half red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 6 broccoli florets, sliced
• 150g cooked prawns (defrosted if frozen)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon (tbsp) sweet chilli sauce.
• 3 tbsp water

Recipe

Cook the noodles and set aside.
Place the oil in a pan or wok and fry the spring onions and garlic for 1 min.
Add the vegetables and fry for 3 mins.
Add the prawns, soy sauce, water and sweet chilli sauce. Cook for 1 min.
Stir in the noodles and cook until the prawns are heated through.

Tuesday mango salsa

• half a mango, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• half a red pepper, diced
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

Recipe

Mix the vegetables in a bowl. Sprinkle with vinegar.
Warm the salsa in a pan or microwave for 50 seconds.

Thursday chilli

• 100g lean mince (beef or veggie mince)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• half tsp chilli powder
• small tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tsp tomato puree
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• small tin of red kidney beans
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley or coriander (optional)

Recipe

Dry fry the mince, onion and garlic for 5 mins. (Add 1 tsp oil for veggie mince.) Drain any fat from the meat.
Add the tomatoes, puree, chilli powder and stock. Stir, then add the red pepper.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the kidney beans and some water if the sauce is too thick. Cook for 10 mins. Add herbs to serve.

Saturday egg and tomato bake

• 1 egg
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 8 mushrooms
• 3 cold cooked new potatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• half tsp Cajun spice mix

Recipe

Put vegetables and garlic in a small ovenproof dish. Add the oil and spice, then stir to coat. Bake in oven (180ºC/gas 4) for 15 mins.
Remove from the oven. Make a space in the centre and break an egg into it.
Cover the dish with foil, return to the oven and bake until the egg is set.

Make it veggie

Speedy cheesy pasta

• 40g (dry weight) pasta shapes
• 100g green beans, cut into short lengths
• 50g frozen peas
• 6 tomatoes, halved
• 3 tbsp skimmed milk
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 25g low-fat cream cheese, eg garlic and herb

Recipe

Cook the pasta, drain and return to the pan.
Boil the green veg, drain and add to the pasta.
Add the tomatoes, milk, garlic and cheese to the pasta.
Heat over a low heat until the cheese has melted and everything is warmed through.
Serve with a large green salad.

Mixed bean and vegetable casserole

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• half tsp chilli powder
• large pinch ground cumin
• small can chopped tomatoes
• 100ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 carrot, sliced
• handful of green beans, halved
• 6 mushrooms, halved
• small can of drained mixed beans

Recipe

Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion for 2 mins. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min.
Stir in the chilli powder and cumin. Cook for 1 min.
Add the tomatoes, stock, sugar and vegetables.
Bring to the boil, and simmer gently for 10 mins. Stir in a little extra water if needed.
Add the mixed beans. Simmer gently for 10 mins.
Serve with 150g mashed potato made with a splash of skimmed milk.
Tip: you can substitute 150g frozen mixed veg for the fresh vegetables in this recipe.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/dietandnutrition/weight-loss-plan-week-4.htm