The 24 Hour Diet: Lose up to 4lbs in a Day

By Joanna Hall

The UK’s leading diet and fitness expert, Joanna Hall, shows you the healthy way to shed excess pounds in a day. This fantastic plan is a refinement on the typical low GI diet. It is complimented with a 20 day follow-on plan which builds up in very small steps, day by day. Joanna’s mantra is: small steps make big changes.

A totally effective one day diet for any emergency: whether it's a party, beach holiday, or simply when the excesses of Christmas have left you pounds heavier.

The eating plan is very simple. Not only are you restricted from eating carbs after 5pm but you have a specially selected choice of low GI foods. Many diet books simply give you a list of foods and their GI rating. This is a flawed system as foods react in the body in different ways and over different time scales. Joanna's system uses a refinement on the traditional GI diet that helps you lose weight faster.

SMALL STEPS MAKE BIG CHANGES:
The 24 hour quick-fix is followed by one small change you can make each day for a 20 day period to help you change the habits of a lifetime. Every psychologist knows that a human is not designed to make sweeping changes all at once: if you try, they're unlikely to stick.

Joanna's small units of change which work up in a careful sequence to the more challenging are an ingenious strategy. For example:
• Day 1 will simply start with making sure you drink 6 glasses of water;
• Day 2 you'll replace your sugary cereal and/or toast with either a bowl of porridge or unsweetened muesli;
• Day 3 you'll be reducing your coffee intake to one cup a day;
• Day 4 you'll build a half hour walk into your day
The cumulation of these changes mean that by day 20 you'll be living a really healthy, fit, and slim way of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jun 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9780007293094

Joanna Hall

Joanna Hall is one of the UK’s leading Diet and Fitness experts. Her unique philosophy is based on enhancing health, shape and well being within the demands of daily life. Joanna’s expertise is widely sought by journalists. For 3 years she was ITV’s This Morning’s fitness presenter. With extensive academic and practical experience, Joanna Hall is a respected figure and has been sought by a number of celebrity clients including singer Dido and Richard Branson.

Book preview

PART 1

THE 24

HOUR

DIET

We all have times when we need fast weight-loss results. There might be a special occasion on the horizon, and that dress or waistband is just too tight. Or perhaps your weight-loss efforts have reached a plateau, and you just can’t seem to shift those stubborn pounds. Others may need to get rid of a few extra pounds that have crept on after Christmas, a holiday or an excessive weekend. Or maybe you just want to take the first steps to weight loss and you need a kick-start with the weight coming off fast.

These initial motivations are all part of human nature, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If vanity – wanting to look and feel better – is the primary driver for you to take action, well good on you. The 24 Hour Diet can help you do just that. Whatever your reason, your efforts will be rewarded: you’ll lose weight and inches and feel better. What really excites me is that for the vast majority of people who’ve tried it, the diet has been a great kick-start to their long-term weight-loss efforts. With just 24 hours of effort your body will look and feel better.

The 24 Hour Diet is suitable for everybody. However, it’s best to check with your GP first if you are pregnant, breast-feeding or on prescribed medication.

OPTIMIZING YOUR ENERGY

As well as helping you lose a little weight and a few inches, the 24 Hour Diet can actually help energize your body too. A long, hard winter or a really heavy stint at work can leave you feeling lethargic and wanting to lighten up on all levels. A full detox can be a grim chore. But you don’t have to go through such extreme measures to feel lighter and brighter. A simple cleansing programme can increase your vitality, bolster your immune system and leave you with healthy habits to live by all year long.

Detoxing is a perfectly natural process. In fact, your body detoxifies itself as it goes about its business. Think of it as a well-organized sanitation system: the lymphatic, respiratory and urinary systems, gastrointestinal tract and skin work in combination and, ideally, in harmony to neutralize and eliminate potentially harmful outside substances such as pesticides, food additives and airborne allergens. From inside the body there are free radicals and metabolic wastes to deal with. For example, the hydrochloric acid in our stomach kills bacteria; our colon readies wastes for expulsion; our skin secretes toxins via sweat; and the tiny vessels that make up our lymphatic system act like garbage trucks shuttling fluids, fats and waste throughout the body, channelling them to our liver. The liver is often described as the key to life as it constantly filters and purifies the blood, and decides which substances the body needs and which it doesn’t.

All this activity begins at the microscopic level of our cells and with a tiny protein molecule called glutathione. Just as we identify rubbish by placing it in our dustbins, glutathione binds with harmful wastes, labelling them up for expulsion from the cell. Normally the body adjusts levels of glutathione according to the amount of toxins present in the body. However, there are limits.

As we are exposed to ever-increasing levels of toxins, our bodies need to work harder. Glutathione gets used up more quickly and faster than we are able to replace it. If too many harmful agents accumulate, the body is unable to expel them. The mercury your liver can’t eliminate may well end up in your hair, while destructive hormone-like substances called xenoestrogens may make a home for themselves in our fat cells. This ‘body burden’ can result in immediate problems like fatigue, headache and lower back pain. Over time, some experts believe it may create conditions ripe for disease.

By following the 24 Hour Diet and Three-day Cleanse you will be helping to restore your body’s normal functions and elimination processes.

You may wish to use the 24 Hour Diet and Three-day Cleanse as a time to think about your body and your health. Clearing your schedule allows you to watch, moment to moment, the effects of food and lifestyle choices that often remain unnoticed in our busy day-to-day lives. It also provides an opportunity for fresh insights into how diet and lifestyle habits are serving to support or undermine your health.

The 24 Hour Diet and Three-day Cleanse provide the benefits of fasting without the physical hardships, which can often be quite uncomfortable. For example, when toxins are released from the fat cells during a fast, the body has insufficient nutrient support to rid itself of them. This often results in headaches, fatigue and other problems, which is one reason why anyone tempted to fast should consult their doctor first.

GETTING STARTED

The 24 Hour Diet is rich in nutrients and low in calories. By following the diet for 24 hours, the aim is that you will lose some weight and inches. As a consequence, this is a targeted plan that requires some organization and planning to get the most from it. To help you I have included a shopping list, recipes and instructions for taking your measurements. When I have followed the diet I have lost three pounds and just under three inches over my waist, belly and hips. Some people have lost more, others a little less, but everyone loses something!

BEFORE YOU START

Here are some considerations to help you get the most out of the diet.

1  Since your calorie intake will be less than normal I don’t recommend you do any vigorous exercise on the day of your 24 Hour Diet. However, it’s important you are still physically active as this will assist your body’s cleansing process and aid your digestion. Being inactive will slow down your internal system and make you feel less comfortable. Walking and light yoga stretches first thing in the morning and in the evening are advisable. I have detailed three yoga stretches for you to do if you desire (see page 14). If you wear my pedometer, aim to walk at least 6,000 steps on the day of the diet, but anything more than 12,000 steps may make you feel a little tired (12,000 steps equates to six miles).

2  Avoid drinking alcohol the night before your 24 Hour Diet or keep to fewer than two units.

3  It’s very important to keep well-hydrated before and during the diet. This is necessary to help you achieve inch Loss. The diet consists of liquid foods and other easy-to-digest meals. This enhances your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, aiding your energy and the body’s cleansing process.

4  You may experience a slight headache. The first time I did the diet I had a mild headache in the afternoon, but I’ve been fine on subsequent occasions. Some people report a slight headache while others don’t. A headache is a natural response; part of your body’s cleansing process. Keeping your water intake up as well as your elixirs and teas will help.

5  Please follow the plan as closely as possible. The blending of the meals enhances absorption so you may well feel more energized. Some people feel more energetic throughout the whole day while others feel a little tired in the afternoon, but everyone wakes up the following day feeling really good – and that’s before they’ve seen their decreased measurements and weight loss.

6  All the nutrients have been specially designed to assist your body to cleanse itself whilst helping to optimize energy. This is not a detox; it’s more of a cleansing plan. The timing of the food is also important; you shouldn’t go for more than four hours without consuming something. You’ll find out more in the ‘Nutrient Know-how’ section, on page 9.

7  If your digestive system is sluggish and you suffer from constipation, you may wish to take a natural tea laxative the night before the diet.

8  If you have been advised by your doctor not to follow a special eating or exercise plan, it’s important to seek medical advice before starting this diet.

9  It’s a good idea to do the diet at the weekend. If you want to do it during the week, try to choose a day when it will be convenient for you, perhaps when you don’t have to be madly rushing here, there and everywhere.

10  You’ll find a comprehensive shopping list with everything you’ll need on page 18. In Part 4 you’ll find other recipes using these ingredients, which you can use in the 20-day Follow-on Plan.

NUTRIENT KNOW-HOW

I’ve designed the plan so that it is high in nutrients and low in calories. The 24 Hour Diet:

• is rich in essential antioxidants – to boost your immunity and help your body cleanse itself and reduce excess fluid and body fat

• provides slow-releasing energy, helping you feel satisfied and energized

• is rich in the important omega 3 and 6 fats – these are vital for your health and make you feel full and satisfied

• is free of artificial sugars

• is naturally low in sodium

• helps stabilize your blood sugar levels

• is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

You may feel a little hungry as your calorie intake will probably be a little lower than normal. However, the specific combination of nutrients means you will feel satisfied and nourished without feeling bloated.

The plan is supported by some dietary supplements. These have been specifically chosen to energize your body and help it eliminate excess fluid and weight.

LECITHIN

Lecithin granules are obtained from soya beans and have a distinct, pleasant, nutty flavour. They are naturally rich in choline, an important nutrient for controlling dietary fat, which is why lecithin is an important supplement for people following a low-cholesterol diet.

NEEM

An Ayurvedic herbal extract, neem can be added to a little cold water to be taken as a tincture. It has powerful cleansing properties, and is particularly beneficial to the liver and for internal inflammation. As it has a rather bitter taste, adding some honey to the Morning Elixir (see page 21) will make it easier to drink. Stick with it as it is highly efficient supplement to your diet.

LIVING GREEN FOOD

Powdered living food is a blend of green foods, herbs, fruits and other botanicals. The powerful phytonutrients in these living raw foods are believed to assist your cells receive deep nourishment. Taken daily, it is thought to help regenerate and sustain mental and physical energy, enhance immunity and support the active recovery of your cells. This is one product where you get what you pay for, so it’s worth investing in a good brand. I personally recommend Pure Synergy, available at Fresh and Wild, Planet Organic and other good health-food shops.

TEAS

Detox teas are often a blend of botanicals that help cleanse the body. These may include dandelion root, burdock root, milk thistle, liquorice root, peppermint, spearmint, artichoke and ginger root. These teas are prepared in convenient tea bags. Although you can buy the fresh herbs yourself and make your own teas, these can be very powerful and exceedingly bitter. The prepared detox teas can be drunk with a little honey to sweeten if necessary, although it’s better to avoid this if you can.