Diary of a detox

Good Food Blog

What is RSS?

Posted at 2:30PM, 07 January 2011 by Caroline Hire - Food editor, bbcgoodfood.com

According to my favourite radio station this morning, the average person put on five pounds over Christmas. This made me feel slightly better about my festive weight gain as it seems I'm below average, but after a month of mince pies I'm feeling in need of a health kick to restore the balance. Editorial assistant Roxy came to the rescue, pushing a copy of a detox plan across the desk. Designed to be 'easy, affordable and flexible' and 'manageable for even the busiest of people' - could this be just the kick-start required?

Some of us at bbcgoodfood.com have decided to take the baton and run with it. Garfield once said the word 'diet' is just D - I - E with a 't' stuck on the end, but this isn't one of those miserable diets where you live off cabbage. It's more of a healthy eating plan and it only lasts for two weeks. OK, so not sure how much we'll achieve in that timeframe, but seeing as most of us have dropped our new year's resolutions already, it's a positive step in the right direction.

The idea is to eliminate sugar, caffeine, alcohol, cheese, cream, wheat-based foods, potatoes, fizzy drinks (even diet ones) refined carbs, red meat and salt, and eat plenty of veg (half your plate), fruit (including tropical and dry fruit in moderation) fish and pulses.

Two weeks is starting to feel like a very long time

Shouldn't be too difficult, right? Well you should work at Good Food. So far from the kitchen today we've been offered two different types of cake, Lemon meringue pie, Chocolate arctic roll and a chocolate and honeycomb dessert. Two weeks is starting to feel like a very long time... we'll let you know how we get on.

Are you on a health drive this January? If so, tell us what you're doing and how it's going.

Comments

Emily

7 January 2011, 3:30PM
Emily

Between Caroline writing this blog and me publishing it, I've fallen off the wagon in dramatic style. It seems by trying to deny myself things like chocolate, I just want them even more. Plus I've still got Christmas cake and biscuits to eat up and it would be a shame to waste them... January is miserable enough, I think I deserve a few treats to get me through it.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Elaine

7 January 2011, 7:39PM
Elaine

I'm full of good intentions, but my fridge is still full of festive leftover cheeses and chocolate, and there's mince pies, Christmas cake AND a Christmas pud in the cupboard. Plus it's wet, cold and grey. My head tells me I'll ultimately feel better if I don't scoff the lot, but it's difficult to resist. More exercise could be the key!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Helen McBain

8 January 2011, 2:45PM
Helen McBain

Before Christmas I lost 2st 1oz and decided to give myself a break for Christmas being a real foodie I wasn't about to miss out on the festive treats that were around especially considering I'd made the most of them! I am struggling to get back on the wagon but come Monday I'm giving myself no option! I have a mantra that always seems to work well when I'm tempted "if i eat that then how much harder will i have to work to get rid of it"

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
Ali S

22 January 2011, 9:37PM
Ali S

We're giving January a break, and cracking on with 'healthy/exercise' once the mmmmmmmmmmmmm, I'd forgotten how additictive THAT is foodgroup has mysteriously vanished from the house! Savoury is our downfall here - those biscuits that are club, heart and diamond shapes are a bit more-ish... but on a plus note, we have finished the dry roasted peanuts! Hubby has run out of lovely things in the house, I've just got to slowly run the crisp supply down, then hey presto - diet time!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
jvcg

28 February 2011, 3:26PM
jvcg

'Eliminate sugar, caffeine, alcohol, cheese, cream, wheat-based foods, potatoes, fizzy drinks (even diet ones) refined carbs, red meat and salt...' How hard can it be? Are you kidding? This is a seriously hard target... I'd be less strict and do a bit more exercise...

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
gilly

5 March 2011, 9:00PM
gilly

I've given up sugar, and as tea and coffee make me reach for something sweet I've changed to herbal teas. I've never enjoyed fizzy drinks so no stress there. Already a veggie. I've also dropped 'added fat' i.e butter on bread but if fat is integral to a dish I eat and enjoy it. The plus side of the restraint is the weight is dropping off me. I think sugar is like a drug - one sweet thing sends me into a spiral of over indulgence - so it's best to avoid it.

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
lynne

21 May 2011, 3:06PM
lynne

Got to agree with Elaine always full of great intentions. Getting married in August and been on a healthy eating plan from last year and some how managed to put more on than i started but what can you do when you just love to eat good food. And well done gilly your a stronger person than me!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:
LiesbethM

30 December 2012, 10:52PM
LiesbethM

In my opinion dieting isn't the right way to lose weight. I've been struggling with it for a few years myself. I'm 19, 20 in a month's time. I'm in my second year of university and I live alone. Last year I gained 8kg (I'm from Belgium) because all I ever ate was pasta. This year I gained 3 more kg in about 3 months. Yet everytime I say I'm going on a diet and lose weight, I crave chocolate and pasta with cheesy sauces and food like that. Last month I decided I wasn't going to diet, I was going to eat! I was going to eat vegetables that I like (peppers, onions, tomatoes, chicory, ...), no more waffles and pancakes, instead once every two weeks I would make French toast. I lost 2kg already! In 1 month! Including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! So don't diet, EAT!

Flag as inappropriate

Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Your name: Reason:

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons to sign up:

You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
You can add your own recipes to this site for others to try; plus, rate and make comments on recipes, and share your views on our blog.
You can sign up for our weekly newsletter (sent out on Wednesdays) - it's packed with recipes, special offers and competitions.