Diet and Exercise

Bikini Diet

Britain’s Top Nutrition Expert Has Calcium-Packed Plan to Get You Ready for the Beach!

A two-year study revealed that overweight people who had two cups of yogurt a day in place of a snack lost an extra 11 pounds of body fat in a year. And the dairy diet group had a 66 percent trunk fat loss against 19 percent fat loss in the control group, which was on a calorie diet.

Well, it’s time to head to the beach, but if you put on a few extra pounds last winter, the thought of donning that bikini has you wishing for snow. Don’t panic yet. Britain’s top nutrition and fitness expert Monica Grenfell, author of the highly acclaimed book “Five Days to a Flatter Stomach,” is offering a unique new diet plan, packed with lots of dairy, that will have you shedding 15 pounds in just one month.

“I’ve always incorporated dairy in my diet books, and my exclusive Bikini Diet is backed by 22 years of top research which proves that a dairy calcium diet aids fat loss faster than other diets,” says Grenfell.

To bring on faster weight loss, Grenfell has slashed calories and at the same time crammed her diet with the kind of nutrition most women need for health and vitality. The result: You can shed a staggering 10 pounds in just two weeks and 15 pounds by the end of the month. And once again, Grenfell provides a no-nonsense approach to dieting. She has eliminated all the junk or “empty foods” such as sugar free chocolate bars and low calorie desserts that are typically added as treats in most diets.

The Rules

For the first two weeks, use only nonfat yogurt and nonfat milk with your food.
For the second two weeks, you may use lowfat or whole milk yogurt with your food.

Every day you should have three portions of dairy foods, any combination of the following (they should be incorporated into your meals or used as snacks):

8-ounce glass nonfat milk
6 ounces nonfat yogurt
1-ounce piece of hard cheese or 2 ounces lowfat cottage cheese

Breakfast

Choose from:

Strawberries (4 ounces), 1 kiwifruit, half an apple, half an orange. Chop and top with nonfat plain yogurt.

2 pieces shredded wheat with handful of mixed nuts and raisins and 8 ounces nonfat milk.

Any smoothie from “Ten Sensational Smoothies” below.

Lunch

Choose from:

1-ounce piece of cheese, small bunch grapes and an apple.
Cottage cheese and fruit platter using small carton of lowfat cheese.
Smoothie (see Ten Sensational Smoothies)

1 to 11⁄2 ounces soft cheese like Brie, 3 celery sticks, grapes and a pear.
Snacks:

Keep hunger at bay with some nonfat fruit yogurt anytime. Or a nonfat milk latte or cappuccino and an apple.

Dinner

Here are three of our favorites among Grenfell’s nutritious, filling and slimming dinner recipes.

Tarragon chicken (Serves 1)

6 ounces chicken sliced into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon low-fat creme fraiche
or sour cream
1 pinch dried tarragon

Pan fry chicken strips in oil until nearly cooked. Lower the heat and mix in the cream and tarragon. Remove from heat when cream just begins to turn brown. Serve on a bed of pureed carrots with broccoli spears.
Calories: 290

Spicy Lamburger (Serves 4)

1 lb. lean ground lamb
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
A few mint leaves
Two sliced tomatoes
Two cups shredded lettuce.

In a large bowl, mix lamb, onion, garlic, cilantro and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and shape into four burgers. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the burgers for 5 minutes on each side or to taste. Top each burger with a dollop of yogurt and some mint leaves and serve with tomatoes and lettuce.
Calories: 449 per serving

Spanish Omelet (Serves 1)

Vegetables for one portion of stir-fry
2 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 ounce. Edam or other low fat cheese, grated.

In a pan with an oven-proof handle, stir-fry the vegetables. Leave in pan. In a small bowl, stir together 2 egg yolks and 4 whites. Add the egg mixture to pan and cook until omelet begins to solidify. Place pan under a hot broiler for about a minute. Sprinkle cheese on top. Serve with a mixed salad.
Calories: 393

Ten Sensational Smoothies Under 250 Calories

A meal in themselves, these fabulous smoothies will spoil you with so many choices. Simply whiz the ingredients all together in a blender or food processor, adding crushed ice if desired.

Banana Honey Smoothie

1 cup nonfat milk, 1 banana, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon nonfat yogurt.

Almond Banana Smoothie

1 cup nonfat milk, 1 banana, 6 almonds, 1 teaspoon honey.

Berry Smoothie

5 ounces nonfat milk, 4 ounces strawberries, 2 ounces blueberries, 1 tablespoon nonfat yogurt.

Strawberry Mango Smoothie

1 cup nonfat milk, 3 tablespoons nonfat yogurt, 2 ounces strawberries, 2 ounces mango.

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

11⁄2 cups nonfat milk, 2 tablespoons nonfat yogurt, 2 ounces mango, 2 ounces pineapple.

Oatmeal Honey Soy Smoothie

1 cup soy milk, 1 banana, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon oatmeal and soy yogurt.

Soy Mango Almond Peach Smoothie

5 ounces soy milk, 2 ounces mango, 6 almonds, 1 skinned and pitted peach.

Peanut Butter Honey Smoothie

5 ounces nonfat milk, 2 tablespoons nonfat sour cream, 2 tablespoons nonfat yogurt,
2 teaspoons honey, 1 tablespoon peanut butter.

Almond Honey Soy Smoothie

1 cup soy milk, 1 ounce ground almonds. 2 tablespoons soy yogurt, 1 teaspoon honey.

Prune Fig Smoothie

1 cup nonfat milk, 3 tablespoons nonfat yogurt, 2 dried figs, 3 ounces prune juice.