Lose weight and cut your cancer risk with the Mail's 2-Day New Year Diet

On Saturday we launched the Mail's 2-Day New Year Diet, with the promise that it will make losing weight easy.

The good news is that as well as  helping to slim you down, the diet could make a real difference to your health.

It's well known that being overweight raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and many cancers. But finding a diet people can stick to has been the issue. 

As well as helping to slim you down, the Mail's diet could make a real difference to your health

That's why the 2-Day Diet is so revolutionary. It was developed by two eminent British doctors to reduce the risk of breast cancer - not only does it do this, but research shows it's more effective and easier to stick to than standard diets.

This is because it's designed to stop you feeling hungry - you have to watch your food intake for only two days a week and you're allowed treats such as biscuits and wine!

The principle of the diet is simple: for two consecutive days a week you eat a high-protein, low-carb diet; for the rest of the week, you switch to healthy Mediterranean- style cuisine. 

 

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This dramatically lowers insulin levels, triggering weight loss (about 2lb a week) and reducing unhealthy abdominal fat, while ensuring you get the right balance of nutrients to protect you against disease.

As countless women and men have discovered, the 2-Day Diet works. The authors are in discussions to see if it can be used in the NHS.

This week the Mail is offering readers a simpler, more streamlined version of the diet plan, with 54 specially commissioned recipes to make it even easier to follow. 

Today, we bring you six deliciously healthy meals - three for your diet days and three for non-diet days - that can be easily adapted for the whole family to enjoy.

2-Day Diet  in a nutshell

On your non-diet days, enjoy a Mediterranean diet with plenty of lean meat/fish, salad and veg

On your two diet days every week, stick to high-protein, low-carb meals.

On each of these two days, eat the equivalent of one to three chicken breasts, five portions of salad and low-carb vegetables, one piece of fruit, three portions of low-fat dairy, plus up to five healthy fats (six for men), such as a dessertspoon of olive oil, nuts and seeds.  

On your non-diet days, enjoy a Mediterranean diet with plenty of lean meat/fish, salad and vegetables, making sure that every day you have two pieces of fruit, three portions of low-fat dairy and up to five healthy fats (seven for men) plus wholegrain carbs (equivalent to a maximum of nine slices of bread for most women, 13 for men).

On the non-diet days you can have three treats a week (crisps, chocolate or biscuits) and up to ten units of alcohol.

Amanda was advised that losing weight would reduce her breast cancer risk

My husband's cholesterol level was slashed in just six months

'Going on the 2-Day Diet has transformed our lives - and health,' says Amanda Edwards. Six months ago the 47-year-old teacher from Chorlton, Manchester, persuaded her husband, John, 45, to join her on the diet after his cholesterol levels got worryingly high.

'My main motivation was John's cholesterol,' she says. 'But I had been advised that losing weight would reduce my breast cancer risk.'

Amanda has a strong family  history of breast cancer - her mother had been affected twice, her aunt and cousin died of it (her cousin was just 51). 

Amanda's sister died of ovarian cancer at 42 and her grandfather of prostate cancer. Amanda has had regular check-ups at the Genesis Prevention Centre at the University Hospital of South Manchester since 2003. This is the centre where  Dr Michelle Harvie and Professor Tony Howell, the doctors who created the 2-Day Diet, work. 

In six months on the diet, engineer John has gone from 13st to 11½st - at 5ft 10in, his body mass index (BMI) dropped from 26.11 (just outside 'normal' of 24.9)  to 23.1. His cholesterol levels dropped from 7.3 to 5.7.

Meanwhile, Amanda has gone from just under 12st to 11st 2lb. She is now in the healthy weight category for her height (5ft 8in) with a BMI of 23.8 - previously it was 25.5. 

She has also reduced her risk of breast cancer by 40 per cent.

The couple, who have two  children Sam, 12, and Beth, ten, picked Tuesdays and Wednesdays as their diet days. 'When we cooked non-diet day recipes, such as turkey burgers, we'd all eat together, but on diet days I'd cook separately for the children - they need to gain weight, not lose it!' says Amanda.

The couple are thrilled with the effect on their health. 'I'm back to the weight I was in my 20s and have lost a huge amount of weight from my abdomen,' says John.   

Amanda says: 'If I have reduced my cancer risk that much by changing my diet, that is wonderful.'
Most women have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of one in nine - Amanda's family history meant her risk was one in three. Thanks to the diet, it's one in four or one in five, according to Professor Howell.

'In 2012, after my mother died, my son found a letter from the Family History clinic and spotted the word cancer and became terribly frightened for me,' she says. 'But I was able to reassure Sam I am lucky to be part of the Genesis programme. 

'It means I have regular mammograms, I've been put on the cancer-fighting drug Tamoxifen, I was part of a trial screening programme for ovarian cancer and the team told me about the 2-Day Diet.
'Even though I do have a horrible family history of the disease, I am lucky to have all those experts looking out for me. 

'I'm very pleased that their diet is protecting me even further.'

Recipes for the 2-Day New Year Diet

Diet days

Add fiery wasabi (sold in large supermarkets) to liven up this salmon dish

Salmon stir fry
Add fiery wasabi (sold in large supermarkets) to liven up this salmon dish, and serve with brown rice or wholemeal noodles to the rest of the family (or on a non-diet day).

Serves 4

4 salmon fillets, skin removed, each weighing 125 g to 150 g (4½–5½ oz)
Juice of 1 lime
2.5 cm (1 in) fresh root ginger, grated
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
320 g (11 oz) broccoli florets
320g (11 oz) pak choi, sliced
320g (11 oz) mangetout, trimmed
1 dsp sesame seeds, toasted
1-2 tsp wasabi paste  (depending on taste)
2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
Handful of coriander leaves, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180 c (160 c fan)/350f/gas mark 4. Place the salmon pieces on a lightly oiled sheet of foil and drizzle over half of the lime juice and half of the ginger. Season with black pepper and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a wok or large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger and  stir-fry briefly before adding the broccoli. Stir-fry for two minutes, until beginning to soften, then add the pak choi, mange-tout and sesame seeds. 
Stir-fry for a further one or two minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften but still retain their crispness and bright green colour.

Mix one or two teaspoons of wasabi paste into the mayonnaise to taste and serve alongside the salmon and  stir-fried vegetables. Drizzle over the remaining lime juice and scatter with coriander leaves to serve.

Servings per portion: 4½ protein;  2 fat; 3 vegetables.

Substitute the leeks for wholemeal pasta sheets for non-diet days

Vegetable lasagne

Substitute the leeks for wholemeal pasta sheets for  non-diet days, or make two - one with leeks for you, and one with pasta for the rest of the family.

Serves 4

320 g (11 oz) trimmed leeks
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 large courgettes, finely diced
160 g (6 oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 400 g (14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Handful of basil leaves
60 g (2oz) mozzarella, grated
60 g (2oz) low-fat cheddar, grated

Preheat the oven to 200c (180c fan)/400f/gas mark 6. Cut the leeks lengthways through to the middle and unfurl each leek to create wide ribbons. You may need to trim the length of the leeks to fit your ovenproof dish.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add the onion and celery. Cook for five to eight minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Add the courgettes, mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, for two to three minutes, until softened. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano and Worcestershire sauce and season well with black pepper. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Meanwhile, place the leek ribbons in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for five minutes, until the leeks have softened, then drain and run under cold water to refresh. Pat dry and set aside. If using wholemeal pasta, prepare as  per packet instructions. 

Spoon a third of the vegetable sauce into a deep overproof dish (approximately 20 cm x 30 cm/8 in x 12 in) and place leek ribbons over the top, overlapping slightly, until completely covered. 
Scatter over a third of the mozzarella and cheddar and a few basil leaves. Repeat with the remaining sauce and leek, cheese and basil, ending up with a layer of leek on the top. Scatter over the remaining cheese and basil leaves before transferring to the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Leave to cool for five minutes before serving.

Servings per portion: 1 dairy,  4 vegetables.

Divide the berries between four glasses and pour over the jelly mix

Lemon & Berry jellies

Serves 4

6 sheets of fine leaf gelatine
450 ml (16fl oz) diet lemonade, at room temperature,  in a measuring jug
160 g (5¾ oz) berries  (fresh or frozen)

Place the gelatine in a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for five minutes to soften.

Remove the gelatine from the bowl and place in a pan with 25ml (¾ fl oz) cold water. Place over a low heat and allow to dissolve, stirring occasionally. 

As soon as the gelatine has dissolved, pour into the lemonade and stir quickly to combine.
Divide the berries between four glasses and pour over the jelly mix. Transfer to the fridge and leave to set for a minimum of two hours before serving.

Servings per portion: ½ fruit.

Non-diet days

Toss the sweet potato in oil and paprika on a non-stick baking sheet

Pork burgers, sweet potato chips

Serves 4

480g (1lb 1oz) lean  pork mince
1 tsp dried thyme
2 rashers lean back bacon, finely chopped
60g (2¼oz) low-fat  cheddar, grated
1 medium egg, beaten
1 tbsp barbecue sauce
540g (1lb 3½oz) sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
2 tsp olive oil
640g (1lb 6oz) steamed green vegetables, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200 c (180 c fan)/400 f/gas mark 6.

In a large bowl mix together the pork mince, thyme, bacon, cheddar, egg and barbecue sauce and a few grinds of black pepper until well combined. Form into eight small burgers and transfer to a grill pan.

Toss the sweet potato in the oil and paprika on a non-stick baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Place the burgers under the grill. Cook the burgers and wedges for 15 to 20 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking, until the burgers have cooked through. 

The wedges may need five minutes more in the oven to crisp. Serve the burgers and wedges with green  vegetables and a wedge of lemon.

Portions per serving: ½ carbohydrate; 4½ protein; ½ dairy; 2 vegetables.

Chicken & tarragon crumble

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
480 g (1 lb 1 oz) chicken breasts, skin removed,  in 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium leeks,  finely sliced
160 g (5¾ oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
300 ml (10 fl oz) low-salt chicken stock, heated
125 g (4½ oz) low-fat cream cheese
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
4 slices wholemeal bread, blitzed in a food processor to make breadcrumbs
1 tsp finely chopped parsley
640 g (1 lb 6 oz) steamed green vegetables, such as pak choi, broccoli, kale or mangetout
Preheat the oven to 200 c (180 c fan)/400f/gas mark 6.

Heat half of the oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for three to four  minutes, turning occasionally, until golden all over. Tip onto a plate and set aside. Add the garlic, leeks and mushrooms to the pan and cook for three to four minutes, until  softened. Return the chicken to the pan, remove from the heat and stir in the stock, cream cheese and tarragon. Season well with black pepper and transfer to a deep ovenproof baking dish (measuring about 20cm x 30 cm/ 8 x 12 in).

Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining oil and parsley and season with black pepper. Scatter the crumbs over the chicken.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until golden and piping hot. 

Check the crumb topping after 15  minutes - id it is golden, cover loosely with foil and return  to the oven.

Serve with two portions of steamed green vegetables.

Portions per serving:  1 carbohydrate; 4 protein; ¼ fat;  1 dairy; 3 vegetables.

Make the salad dressing by mixing the oil and vinegar together

Smoked ham & spinach pizza

Serves 4

2 medium thin-crust wholemeal pizza bases (150–200 g/5½–7 oz each)
400 ml (14 fl oz) passata with garlic
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp dried oregano
8 medium slices of lean smoked ham,  roughly chopped
160 g (6oz) baby leaf spinach, washed
125 g (4½ oz)  mozzarella, sliced
2 tbsp torn basil leaves
320 g (11 oz) salad leaves
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 220 c (200 c fan)/425 f/ gas mark 7.

Place the pizza bases on two baking sheets; in a bowl mix together the passata, tomato puree and oregano. Spread this mixture onto the bases, almost to the edge of each crust and top with the ham pieces. 

Steam the spinach for one minute in a pan with a little water and squeeze out the excess water over a sieve. Scatter over the ham and top with the mozzarella slices. Transfer the pizzas to the oven and bake for eight to ten  minutes, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and scatter over the basil leaves.

Make the salad dressing by mixing the oil and vinegar together and drizzle over the salad leaves. Serve alongside the pizza.

Portions per serving: 3 carbohydrates; 1 protein; 1 dairy; 2½ vegetables.

What you should eat on diet and non-diet days

You should aim to eat the following on each diet day

* Four to 12 portions of protein (up to 14 for men);
* Up to five portions of fats (up to six for men);
* Three portions of low-fat dairy;
* Five portions of low-carb vegetables;
* One portion of fruit.

Protein (meat/fish)

One typical protein portion is the same as: 2 fish finger-sized pieces of fish; 45g /1 ½ oz prawns or tinned tuna; 1 playing card-sized slice of chicken, turkey, beef, pork or lamb; 1 rasher of lean bacon, 2 medium slices of ham, 1 egg or 50g/1 ¾ oz tofu.

You can also snack on 1 portion of vegetable protein, which is the equivalent of one heaped tbsp of low-fat hummus or 60g/2oz of soya or edamame beans. 

Fat

One portion is equivalent to a dessert spoon of olive oil in your cooking; oil-based dressing on your salad; a dessert-spoon of nuts or seeds; ten olives; ¼ avocado; or a teaspoon of low-fat spread, pesto, peanut butter or mayonnaise (or 1tbsp of low-fat mayonnaise).

Low-fat dairy

One portion is equivalent to 200ml/ ¹∕³ pint) semi-skimmed or skimmed milk or soya milk; 1 pot of diet yogurt or quark, 2 heaped tbsp of cottage cheese or full-fat yogurt, 1tbsp light cream cheese or 30g/1oz reduced-fat cheddar or halloumi, edam, feta, camembert, ricotta and mozzarella cheese. 

Fruit and vegetables

One portion is equivalent to two florets of broccoli, three sticks of celery or a cereal bowl of lettuce. On diet days, you should avoid eating high-carbohydrate vegetables (such as carrots, parsnips or sweetcorn), but you can enjoy a huge variety of other vegetables - including asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, leeks, mushrooms, green peppers, pumpkin and tomato.

On diet days, you can have one of the following fruits: apples, oranges, kiwis, peaches, pears, two clementines, plums, half a grapefruit; one slice of melon, pineapple, papaya, or a handful of berries, such as raspberries, blackcurrants or strawberries.

You can even eat stewed fruit such as apple or rhubarb, as long as it is sweetened with artificial sweetener not sugar. 

Drinks

Enjoy as much tea, coffee and water as you like, and up to three litres, or nine cans, of sugar-free or diet drinks per week.

What you can eat on non-diet days

Use the simple table from Saturday's glossy 2-Day New Year Diet booklet - and reprinted here - to work out your portion allowances for non-diet days. 

You can enjoy carbohydrates and a wider selection of proteins and fruits than diet days, as follows:

Carbohydrates

Ideally, you should eat wholewheat pasta, rice or bread. One portion of carbohydrates is the equivalent to: a slice of wholemeal bread; 2tbsp cooked wholewheat pasta, brown rice, couscous or quinoa; a small potato or sweet potato; 1 oatcake or 2 wholewheat crackers or Ryvita; 3tbsp of wholewheat or oat breakfast cereal; one tbsp of porridge oats or sugar-free muesli, or 1 Weetabix.

Protein

As well as lean meat and fish, you can include baked beans, lentils and pulses. For example, 1 vegetable protein portion is the equivalent of 2tbsp baked beans or 1½tbsp cooked lentils, chickpeas and beans.

Vegetables and fruit

You can eat as much salad and vegetables as you like. And with the updated version of the 2-Day Diet, you can also now enjoy two pieces or portions of fruit - any type you like. One of your portions can be in the form of fruit juice.

For a reminder of the  simple rules and portion sizes for the 2-Day New Year Diet,  go to www.dailymail.co.uk/2daydiet

PLEASE NOTE

You should not attempt the 2-Day Diet if you are  a child, teenager, pregnant, breastfeeding or have a history of eating disorders. The moderately high levels of protein in this diet may pose problems for anyone with or at risk of kidney disease. If you have diabetes or any other medical condition or if you are taking medication, seek advice from your GP before embarking on any diet and exercise programme.

Get your 2-day diet magazine

Missed the 2-Day Diet booklet in Saturday's Weekend magazine? Here's how to get one. Simply log in to your Mail Rewards Club account or join at mailrewardsclub.co.uk. Then redeem the  2-Day New Year Diet reward for just 50 Mail Points and we'll send it to you. If you're a new member, you'll need to collect 50 Mail Points - enter the Unique Number from the back page of your Mail today and every day until Friday to do so.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2534836/Lose-weight-cut-cancer-risk-Mails-2-Day-New-Year-Diet.html#ixzz2pg1ytnLK 
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