Cut out unhealthy carbs for super-speedy results: DR MICHAEL MOSLEY helps you to slim down with the Fast 800 summer diet
- Lose up to a stone with the fast 800 summer diet consuming 800 calories a day
- '5:2 diet' is a restricted diet for two days a week, then eating normally for the rest
- Fast 800 Recipe Book by Dr Mosley's wife Dr Claire Bailey and Justine Pattison
The Fast 800 is all about turning your dinner plate from mostly white to mostly green or multi-coloured.
This means ditching the starchy white foods — white bread, pasta, potatoes and rice — and embracing leafy greens and a colourful selection of peppers, tomatoes, aubergines and other vegetables, as well as complex carbs such as lentils and beans instead, all of which contain important nutrients and are an excellent source of fibre.
This is because starchy white carbs contain high quantities of sugar — and as we’ve seen in our exclusive series, which launched in Weekend magazine on Saturday, too much sugar in the bloodstream can lead to excess belly fat and type 2 diabetes, a serious condition where your body struggles to process sugar.
One in four of us is currently classed as obese and around four million Britons now suffer from type 2 diabetes. The figures are rising dramatically all the time and are deeply worrying for all of us.
The Fast 800 is all about turning your dinner plate from mostly white to mostly green or multi-coloured
HIDDEN EPIDEMIC
It’s estimated there are also around seven million pre-diabetics in the UK — people whose blood sugar levels are elevated, but not yet to the point of diabetes diagnosis.
Most of these people are unaware of this — as are an estimated one million diabetics who have few or no symptoms.
And our modern diet — high in sugars and starchy carbs, with constant on-the-go snacking — lies firmly at the heart of this terrible crisis, with its life-changing problems for sufferers.
The discovery that I was one of them, in 2012, launched a quest for a way to improve my condition without medication — and this, fortunately, led to me discovering the original 5:2 intermittent fasting diet that’s now become a household name.
But it didn’t stop there. Despite the success of the 5:2 in helping people all over the world lose weight, we became aware that medical science was moving quickly forwards — and much of the best research was showing exactly how good low-carb diets are for weight loss and overall health.
So I recently revised my 5:2 diet, as I explained in Weekend magazine, and also incorporated all the best new research about how a kick-start programme of several weeks spent eating just 800 calories a day cannot only help you lose more weight, but, crucially, keep it off more successfully.
This led me to publish The Fast 800 diet, serialised earlier this year in the Daily Mail, which includes a fast-track rapid weight loss programme followed by a period of slower weight loss, the New 5:2.
This is where you ‘fast’ for two days a week, then follow a low-carb, Mediterranean-style eating programme without calorie counting or weighing for the remaining five days.
Since The Fast 800 diet appeared, we have been flooded with requests for recipes and more advice as to how to follow the plan — hence The Fast 800 Recipe Book, which we are now sharing with you all this week.
The Fast 800 Recipe Book by Dr Claire Bailey and Justine Pattison is published by Short Books, £16.99
ARE ALL CARBS BAD FOR YOU?
You don’t need to cut all carbs from your diet, but you do need to be choosy about the ones you eat regularly.
On the list of those to cut right back on are white bread, white pasta, potatoes, and sugars, including maple syrup and agave nectar, which are best eaten sparingly, if at all. These are all easy to digest so are rapidly absorbed by the body, creating a big spike in your blood-sugar levels.
Your body responds to this by releasing the hormone insulin, to regulate blood sugars. It moves the excess sugar into your liver, where it is stored as glycogen, (an energy reserve).
The rest is stored as fat, which helps to explain why weight gain, especially around the middle, is common in type 2 diabetes, affecting nine out of ten of those with the condition.
You gain weight — but you also feel the effects of a ‘sugar dip’ as insulin overreacts to bring sugar levels crashing down, making you hungry again. You may experience this as lethargy or tiredness. If you then reach for a biscuit to perk you up, the whole sugar and insulin cycle begins again.
BOOST YOUR GOOD BACTERIA
Over time, your body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin — so sugar continues to mount up in the blood stream (yet you may remain constantly hungry).
Eventually, this causes damage to small blood vessels in vital organs. And this can lead to devastating complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, a stroke, nerve damage or blindness.
Instead, eat carbohydrates that contain lots of fibre. Fibre reduces the blood sugar spike, provides protection against bowel cancer and feeds the ‘good’ bacteria that live in your guts.
Examples include vegetables, legumes — chickpeas and lentils — and wholegrains such as barley, oats, buckwheat, and wholegrain and rye.
Beans and lentils are an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and are good for healthy gut bacteria, too.
Sesame salmon with broccoli and tomatoes
This is wonderful served hot for supper or cold for lunch on the go. If you don’t fancy salmon, any chunky fish fillet will work well.
Serves 2
Per serving: Cals 403 l Protein 31.5g l Fat 26g l Fibre 6g l Carbs 9g
● 2 tsp olive or rapeseed oil
● 2×125g salmon fillets
● 6 spring onions, each cut into 3 pieces
● 12 cherry tomatoes
● 200g long-stemmed broccoli, trimmed
● 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
● 1 tsp sesame oil
● ½ tsp crushed dried chilli flakes
● 1 tsp sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.
Drizzle a baking tray with the oil. Place salmon fillets in the tray, skin-side down, add the spring onions and tomatoes and season with lots of ground black pepper. Bake for 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, third fill a pan with water and bring to the boil. Add the broccoli and return to the boil. Cook for 3 minutes, then drain.
Remove the tray from the oven and add the broccoli. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over the fish.
Sprinkle everything with the chilli flakes and sesame seeds and return to the oven for a further 3-4 minutes, or until the salmon is just cooked. Divide between two warmed plates and serve.
COOK’S TIP
You can test the salmon is ready by prodding with the side of a fork. It should flake into large pieces and look pale pink and opaque on the outside, but slightly translucent in the middle.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Serve with wholegrain noodles or brown rice. Or try pea, bean or lentil pasta for a delicious and gluten-free alternative. Soba noodles work well, too.
Falafel with harissa vegetables
This versatile, one-pan dish makes a hearty supper and can be cooled and served as a packed lunch, too.
Serves 3
Per serving: Cals 358 l Protein 13g l Fat 19g l Fibre 9g l Carbs 28.5g
● 1×400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
● 25g flaked almonds
● 25g wholemeal flour
● 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
● 20g fresh coriander, leaves roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
● 1 tsp ground cumin
● Finely grated zest of ½ small lemon, plus wedges for squeezing
● 1 medium egg yolk
● ½ tsp flaked sea salt
● 4 tbsp full-fat live Greek yoghurt
● 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
For the harissa vegetables
● 1 tbsp harissa paste
● 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
● 1 red onion, peeled and cut into 12 wedges
● 2 peppers (1 red and 1 yellow), deseeded and cut into roughly 2cm chunks
● 1 courgette, trimmed, halved lengthways and cut into roughly 2cm chunks
Preheat the oven to 220c/fan 200c/gas 7.
Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the chickpeas, almonds, flour, garlic, coriander, cumin, lemon zest, egg yolk, salt and lots of ground black pepper in a food processor.
Blitz on pulse setting to a thick, slightly textured puree. Form the mixture into 12 balls and flatten slightly.
To make the vegetables, mix harissa paste with the olive oil in a bowl and add onion, peppers and courgette. Toss well together.
Add sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper then scatter over the baking tray. Nestle the falafel among the vegetables, drizzle with oil and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, turn the veg and falafel over and return for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
Mix the yoghurt with around 1 tablespoon cold water, stir in finely chopped coriander, then drizzle over the veg. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.
COOK’S TIPS
Each falafel contain 66 calories and the veg cooked separately contain 92 calories per serving. Use gram flour or gluten-free buckwheat instead of wholemeal flour for a gluten-free alternative. For extra protein on meat-free days, scatter 25g flaked almonds over the falafel and vegetables for the final 5 minutes of cooking.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Serve with quinoa or bulgur wheat, or add butternut squash to the other vegetables.
Baked Camembert with pears and chicory
A glorious way to serve Camembert, as a low-carb lunch or dip for sharing.
Serves 4
Per serving: Cals 275 l Protein 15g l Fat 20g l Fibre 3g l Carbs 10.5g
● 1×250g round Camembert in a box
● 25g walnut or pecan halves
● 1 tsp runny honey
● 2 firm but ripe pears, cored and cut into wedges
● 2 red or white heads chicory, leaves separated, or assorted vegetable sticks
● Handful fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Preheat oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.
Remove the Camembert from its wooden box and unwrap it. Holding it on its side, cut the top layer of rind off. Return it to box, rind side down. (Put in an ovenproof dish if cooking with gas or if cheese wasn’t in a wooden box.)
Place on a baking tray. Roughly chop the nuts and sprinkle over the cheese.
Drizzle the honey over — to make the nuts lovely and crunchy — and season with black pepper. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and gooey.
Serve it on a platter with the thyme scattered over the top, surrounded with the pear and chicory or vegetable sticks.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Serve as a starter instead of main meal.
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Mediterranean fish bake
Roasted Mediterranean-style vegetables work brilliantly with the fish in this simple traybake. Serve with a generous leafy green salad or a pile of thin green beans.
Serves 2
Per serving: Cals 384 l Protein 24g l Fat 23.5g l Fibre 7g l Carbs 15g
● 1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into 12 wedges
● 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 2cm chunks
● 1 medium courgette, trimmed, halved lengthways and cut into roughly 2cm slices
● 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
● 1½ tbsp olive oil
● 2×100g sea bass or sea bream fillets
● 40g pitted black olives (preferably Kalamata)
● Juice ½ large lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.
Scatter the onion, pepper, courgette and tomato quarters over a large baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and toss everything together.
Season with sea salt and lots of ground black pepper and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and nestle the fish among the vegetables, skin-side down, and season with pepper.
Scatter with the olives and squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Return the tray to the oven for a further 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked through.
Divide the fish and vegetables between two warmed plates, drizzle with the remaining oil and serve with lemon wedges.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Roast small cubes of butternut squash with the other vegetables in the first step. Add a dressing to the salad, if serving one alongside, or drizzle the fish with extra olive oil at the end. A sprinkling of pine nuts would also be lovely — add to the baking tray for the final 2-3 minutes of cooking time.
Ratatouille and halloumi bake
This ratatouille is wonderfully versatile — it’s delicious served warm or cold. It can be easily reheated in the microwave, so also makes a handy packed lunch. Serve with a large leafy salad.
Serves 4
Per serving: Cals 321 l Protein 16g l Fat 22g l Fibre 5g l Carbs 12g
● 2 peppers (1 red and 1 yellow), deseeded and cut into 2cm chunks
● 1 medium aubergine (around 250g), cut into roughly 2cm chunks
● 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 12 wedges
● 3 tbsp olive oil
● 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
● Large handful fresh basil leaves (about 10g), thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
● 1×400g can chopped tomatoes with herbs
● 225g block halloumi, cut into 8 slices
Preheat the oven to 220c/fan 200c/gas 7.
Place the peppers, aubergine and onion in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper.
Toss everything together, then scatter into a shallow baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, turn the vegetables, then cook for a further 5-10 minutes, or until well softened and lightly browned.
Remove the dish from the oven, stir in the garlic, basil and tomatoes, arrange the halloumi on top, drizzle with the remaining oil, season with more ground black pepper and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, or until the halloumi is hot and lightly browned.
Scatter with more fresh basil to serve.
COOK’S TIP
If you don’t have canned tomatoes with added herbs, simply stir ½ teaspoon dried oregano through the tomatoes before adding to the vegetables.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Add a 400g can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans to the ratatouille at the same time as the tomatoes. Drizzle the halloumi and vegetables generously with olive oil when you serve.
Garlic and herb stuffed mushrooms
A lovely light lunch or supper. Mushrooms are low in starchy carbs and have been found to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Serve with a generous mixed leaf salad, drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
Serves 2
Per serving: Cals 232 l Protein 8.5g l Fat 16.5g l Fibre 1g l Carbs 11.5g
● 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
● 4 large, flat mushrooms (around 250g, such as Portobello)
● 25g wholegrain breadcrumbs
● 25g ground almonds
● 10g Parmesan, finely grated
● 85g medium-fat garlic and herb soft cheese (such as Philadelphia)
● Small handful thyme leaves (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6 and lightly grease a small baking tray.
Twist the stalk out of each mushroom and place the mushrooms, dark-side up, on the tray. Mix the breadcrumbs with the almonds and Parmesan in a small bowl and season with sea salt and lots of ground black pepper.
Using half the breadcrumbs, sprinkle some into each mushroom, then dot with small pieces of the soft cheese.
Top with the remaining breadcrumbs. Drizzle with the oil and bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the crumbs have become crisp.
Divide the mushrooms between two plates, sprinkle with fresh thyme, if using, and serve.
COOK’S TIP
To make your own crumbs, simply blitz some wholegrain bread in a food processor. Any extra can be frozen for another time.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Increase the portion size. Sprinkle the mushrooms with a couple of tablespoons of flaked almonds before baking. Drizzle with olive oil to serve.
For clever alternatives to starchy foods such as pasta and rice, you might like to try some of the following suggestions.
Cauliflower makes an excellent substitute for rice, roast potatoes and mash, as it’s very low in calories and high in nutrients. It’s also remarkably flexible. We love it. But other vegetables such as courgettes and cabbage can be great options, too.
CAULIFLOWER ‘RICE’
34 cals per 200g
Hold a small cauliflower at the stalk end and coarsely grate in short, sharp movements in a downward direction to create tiny shavings of cauliflower that resemble grains of rice.
You can also do this in a food processor, but don’t let the pieces get too small or they will turn to a paste.
To cook, add raw cauliflower rice to a stir-fry, or steam or sauté it for 3-4 minutes. You can do it in the microwave — place in a microwave-proof bowl and cook on high for 2-3 minutes.
The rice should retain a bit of bite, like al dente pasta. Stir in chopped parsley or coriander, or fresh lemon juice for added flavour.
COURGETTI SPAGHETTI
20 cals per 100g
Allow one courgette per person. Use the large noodle attachment of a spiraliser or a potato peeler to make the courgetti. Steam, boil or microwave the courgetti for about 1 minute, or until al dente. If you have the spare calories, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan and cook the courgetti for about 1 minute, or until softened, and season with salt and black pepper.
CABBAGE LINGUINI
27 cals per 100g
Use one quarter of a Savoy cabbage for 2 people. Remove the core, finely slice the cabbage, then steam for 4–5 minutes or cook in the microwave for less. You want it to be al dente.
KONJAC ‘ZERO’ NOODLES
Originally from Japan, these are made from glucomannan, a type of fibre found in the Asian konjac plant. They contain remarkably few calories and plenty of fibre. They are available in most large supermarkets.
Chicken, pepper and chorizo bake
A simple chicken bake, full of healthy Mediterranean-style ingredients and wonderful Spanish flavours. Serve with a large leafy salad.
Serves 2
Per serving: Cals 421 l Protein 47g l Fat 17g l Fibre 7g l Carbs 17g
● 1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into 12 wedges
● 4 medium tomatoes, quartered
● 2 peppers (any colour), deseeded and cut into roughly 3cm chunks
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 400g)
● ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
● 25g chorizo, diced
Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.
Place the onions, tomatoes and peppers on a baking tray.
Drizzle with the oil and toss these lightly. Nestle the chicken thighs among the vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika, season with sea salt and lots of ground black pepper and roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
Remove the tray from the oven, add the chorizo and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes, or until the chorizo is hot and beginning to brown.
Serve piping hot.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Increase the portion size and add a 400g can of butterbeans, drained, at the same time as the chorizo.
Orange and almond loaf
An irresistible, tangy cake. Amazingly, it’s cooked using whole oranges with no need to peel them. Serve warm in thin slices.
Serves 10
Per serving: Cals 326 l Protein 12g l Fat 24g l Fibre 1.5g l Carbs 14.5g
● 2 medium oranges (each around 150g), well washed
● 8 soft pitted dates, roughly chopped
● 4 tbsp olive oil
● 4 medium eggs
● 300g ground almonds
● 1½ tsp baking powder
● 15g flaked almonds
Prick each of the oranges 20 times with the tip of a knife and place in a microwave-proof bowl. Cover with a plate and microwave on high for about 10 minutes or until very soft.
Preheat the oven to 190c/fan 170c/gas 5.
Line the base and sides of a 900g loaf tin with non-stick baking paper. Leave the oranges until they are cool enough to handle, then cut them into quarters and remove any seeds.
Place the oranges and dates in a food processor, add the olive oil and eggs and blitz until thoroughly blended.
Add the ground almonds, baking powder and 4 tablespoons water and blend again to a thick batter. Pour into the prepared tin, spreading to the sides.
Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until risen, golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then turn out and cut into thin slices to serve.
COOK’S TIPS
If you don’t have a microwave, gently simmer the oranges in a loosely covered saucepan of water, without pricking, for 50-60 minutes instead.
Top up with water when needed. After cooking, keep the loaf wrapped tightly in foil, or save extra slices in the freezer. You can warm them in the microwave before eating, if you like.
5:2 NON-FAST DAYS
Serve thicker slices or top with a berry compote and dollops of crème fraîche.
CUNNING WAY TO CUT THE SUGAR IN CARBS
Many people find it hard to give up all starchy carbs. Fortunately, new research suggests how you cook these foods can reduce the amount of sugar you absorb.
The cook-cool-cook technique is a way to convert some starch in foods such as potatoes, pasta and rice into ‘resistant starch’, which resists digestion and behaves more like fibre. Microbes in your gut thrive on it and you can eat these foods with a lower blood sugar spike.
Remember, this method only converts some starch, though, so you still need to eat it in moderation!
First, cook your pasta, rice or potatoes as you would normally. Cool them, ideally for 12 hours in the fridge. When you reheat them, some starch is converted into the non-digestible resistant starch. If you are using the cook-cool-cook method, follow these tips:
- Make sure you always choose brown versions of rice or pasta in the first place.
- Store portions in the freezer, so you have them ready to defrost and heat up. You can also scatter pre-cooked grains on a salad or eat them with a meal. Pre-cooked rice is ideal in a stir-fry.
- For your non-fast days, you can make delicious pasta dishes or bakes in advance and reheat portions as needed.
- Keep brown bread in the freezer (a great way to avoid the urge to finish the loaf) and put it straight in the toaster.
To order a copy of The Fast 800 Recipe Book by Dr Clare Bailey and Justine Pattison for £13.60, call 08445710640.
Offer vaild until June 22, 2019.
