Science

How do Heidi Klum and Jennifer Aniston stay thin and beautiful AND retain a healthy glow' Apparently these body beautiful celebrities swear by The Lemon Diet. Sarah Horrocks finds out more... Lemon can have staggering effects on weight loss, so if you want to increase your vitality, eliminate toxins, get rid of excess pounds and boost your glow, get zesting!   Here's our 7-day plan from nutritionist Dr Andre, with complete menus, recipes and daily targets. 7 days on the lemon diet is all it takes to cleanse your body, recharge your batteries and drop a jeans size!  |The benefits of detox |[pic]◄ [pic]► | | | Before you start your diet for real, you need to rid your body of the toxins that are hampering it and kick-start your digestive system. This doesn't mean fasting! Starving yourself puts your body into a state of deprivation, which, instead of cleaning you out, actually makes your body produce more waste. So have a whole day eating lots of natural foods which will aid the detox process, along with water to help the draining process and eliminate toxins. Boost the cleansing process by drinking glasses of lemonade at room temperature throughout the day. To make your lemonade, mix 2tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice, 300ml filtered water and either 2 tsp quality (Grade B) organic maple syrup or a stick of cinnamon and a pinch of Cayenne pepper. You can also drink herbal or fruit tea and home-made vegetable soup. At the end of your detox day, you'll feel light and energetic, and you'll have lost 500g to 1kg (depending on your weight and body shape). MONDAY Monday: kick-start your digestive system Monday's target is to drink loads of lemonade, from the minute you get up to just before bed.  Why' Like water, lemon is excellent at kick-starting your digestive system, helping bowel movements along and eliminating toxins. It's also a natural appetite suppressant. How' As soon as you get up, have a glass of freshly-squeezed lemon juice and filtered hot water. For the rest of the day, focus on hydration! Carry a bottle of water around with you if it helps, with your 6-8 big glasses' water in. Try and drink outside of mealtimes to help suppress your appetite. Tuesday's target: burn fat Today, use the fat-burning power of Vitamin C to your advantage. Why' Dyanmising, immunising Vitamin C is one of the most effective nutrients for fat burning and weight loss. We mainly find it in fruit and veg, which just so happen to be the best low-calorie, high-fibre slimming allies out there...  How' Along with your morning lemon drink, get at least 5 portions of fruit and veg throughout the day. To reach your target, mix fruit with cereal, use frozen or preserved fruit and veg, and snack on dried fruit and raw crudités if you're hungry.  Wednesday's target: regulate your blood sugar Wednedsay's target is to regulate your blood sugar levels. Why' Because it's one of the best ways of losing weight! If you have excessively low or excessively high blood sugar, you're more likely to comfort eat and you'll store the sugar you eat as fat. How' First of all, drizzle your meals with 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, or mix lemon juice and zest into your cooking. Like vinegar, lemon helps break sugar down gradually into the bloodstream. To get your blood sugar under control, eat protein at every meal (protein delays the breakdown of carbs and fat), eat at regular intervals, don't skip breakfast and opt for low-GI foods whenever you can (rice, wholemeal bread and pulses) as well as high-fibre foods (fruit, veg and all things whole grain). Thursday's target: less sugar, more carbs Today, concentrate on eating less sugar. Why' Sugar stimulates insulin production and increases your appetite for calorific foods like chocolate, biscuits and sweets. It also encourages fat storage and makes the liver work harder, which disrupts the digestive process. How' If you have to have a sugar hit, don't just binge on cake: opt for low GI carbs instead, such as a slice of wholemeal bread, rice cakes or oat biscuits. Remember that processed food has the same effect as sugar on the body, so avoid it like the plague. Fruit is also high in sugar, so eat a few walnuts, almonds or seeds with your fruit to minimise the effects. And sweeteners tend to make you crave sugar, so go for maple syrup or honey instead: they may contain more calories, but they're healthier. Friday's target: eat good fat Today, make sure you don't neglect your fat requirements. Why' Fat may be high in calories (1g fat contains 9 kcal), but it's essential for the body. For proof, we should get 25% of our daily calories from fat! A very low-fat diet can cause mood swings, bad skin, joint pain and - yes - weight gain. If you eat good fat, though, you'll actually lose weight because healthy fat slows down the passage of sugar in the blood. How' Ideally, 20-25% of our diet should be made up of good fat, i.e. essential fatty acids (nuts, seeds, oily fish, rapeseed oil and walnut oil) and monounsaturated fat (extra virgin olive oil). Saturday's target: eat natural foods Today, go wholemeal and whole grain. Why' Whole grains, whole wheat and wholemeal foods are packed with nutrients that are essential for health and weight loss: fibre, vitamins and minerals. They don't contain any hidden sugars or artificial substances that hinder digestion, overload your liver and stop your body from burning fat. How' Cut out all refined, processed food in any form. Eat only whole grain or wholewheat pasta, rice, bread and cereals. Make your own juice, soup and purée using fresh produce, and eat organic if you can (organic produce contains very little, if any, chemical substances). Sunday's target: be good to your digestive system On the final day of your diet, concentrate on helping your digestive system. Why' Bad digestion deprives the body of essential nutrients it needs for metabolism and weight loss. How' First of all, chew each mouthful slowly, coating your food in saliva to start the digestion process off well. Eat in moderation, at regular times, taking your time, and watch what you eat when you're over-tired (mentally or physically). Have a break before pudding, don't eat in front of the TV and don't carry on troughing during lengthy conversations after dinner - leave the table. And make sure you get regular exercise to improve your digestion and keep you regular!