Once you’ve made the commitment to lose weight, you know you will have to step away from sugary puddings, say ‘no’ to biscuits and chocolate, and eat much less food than you’re used to.
There is no easy way to dieting. It’s good to know that I used scientifically-based information on hunger and fat metabolism in order to devise a quick weight loss plan that won’t only work quickly, but will also reduce your cravings and pain.
My exciting new Fast 800 Keto formula, as I outlined in Saturday’s Daily Mail in the first part of this major series, is based around eating more protein and less carbs. You will lose stubborn and difficult to shift fat rather than muscle.
The science shows when you cut back on carbohydrates your body goes into a state called ‘ketosis’ where it actively burns fat.
Dr Michael Mosley, his wife Clare Bailey and Dr Clare Bailey are both GPs. Dr Mosley has revealed his revolutionary Fast 800 Keto diet, and has offered low-carb comfort foods to keep you on track
You must stop eating sugary carbs or foods that raise blood sugar to achieve ketosis. You should cut carb-rich food like potatoes, bread, cake, biscuits, cakes and cereals from your diet.
A small amount of chocolate or biscuit could help you get out of ketosis.
In this first stage of weight loss we advise avoiding all starchy foods and fruit, except berries. But that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in meals which are just as satisfying as carbohydrate-rich dishes.
My Fast 800 Keto book was written by Dr Clare Bailey. She worked with Kathryn Bruton, a health writer, and Caroline Barton, a nutritional therapist, in the kitchen creating clever and calorie-counted recipes that will keep you satisfied.
While I may not be their chief tester of recipes, they have some clever no-carb comfort meals here.
I’m a convert to cauliflower rice, deliciously doughy pizza made from almond flour and no-carb cheesy biscuits — there’s no reason to miss classic carbs at all!
Good news: Once you’ve reached stage 2 of Fast 800, you will have greater flexibility with your diet. You’ll be striving for ketosis throughout the week and will have the option to enjoy healthy complex carbs like brown rice, pulses and some sourdough on weekends.
Although your weight loss may slow down, you’ll continue moving in the right direction. You will burn fat, improve your health and establish sustainable eating habits to ensure you stay healthy.
This stage requires that you keep your fast days consecutive so that ketosis is achieved and maintained. This new regimen will quickly be absorbed by your body, which allows you to easily transition between ketosis and the normal state. You’ll also find your cravings for sugary foods and processed carbs have diminished.
If you stick to a keto diet in the week and add more protein and carbs at the weekend (even the occasional alcoholic drink), you will be ‘keto cycling’, regularly flipping the metabolic switch and going in and out of ketosis. You will find it easier to do this because it is what your body evolved to do. These non-fasting days, we suggest a Mediterranean-style healthy diet with slightly higher carbohydrate (between 50g and 120g daily) and greater protein.
The carbs you add should be fibre-rich ‘complex carbohydrates’, including root vegetables (carrots, parsnips), wholegrains, lentils and beans. A slice of brown-seeded bread or sourdough bread can be added to the meal as a dessert or addition.
Fluorless spinach, cheese, and ham muffins
Serving size: 151 kcals, 11g Protein, 1g Carbs
It makes 6
55g cream cheese
4 medium free-range eggs
30g ground almonds
¾ tsp baking powder
50g Cheddar or Gruyere, grated
50g Ham, roughly chopped
1 block frozen spinach, 50g approximate, defrosted, excess liquid squeezed and removed
This easy recipe makes six flourless spinach, cheese, and ham muffins.
Pre-heat the oven at 200c/180c fan/gas 6. You can also line a muffin tray by using six cups of muffin cases or a silicone mold. Blend the cream cheese and eggs with the ground almonds, egg whites, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add the rest of ingredients to the bowl and stir until well combined. Season with freshly grated black pepper and salt. Place the ingredients in a muffin pan and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
Raspberry and pear crumble
Serving size: 193.5kcals. 4g Protein, 9g Carbs.
Serves two
100g frozen or fresh raspberries
Two pear halves, taken from a can. Drain and slice.
25g Dark Chocolate, chopped into smaller pieces
25g desiccated coconut
50g broken walnuts
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
Try this sweet dessert, pear and Raspberry Crumble, with only 193.5 Calories per Serving
Heat the oven at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Split raspberries among two ramekins. Add a half-pear to each stack. Sprinkle the walnuts, chocolate chunks and coconut over the top. Bake for about 10 minutes or until just lightly toasted. Serve the yogurt with it.
Pizza with rocket dough, tomato, chorizo and mozzarella
Each serving contains 313kcals and 9.6g of protein. 12g carbs.
Topper per Serving: 160kcals (12g protein, 2g carbohydrates).
Makes 5 pizza bases
For 1
140g ground almonds
60g psyllium husk
2 Tablespoons of baking powder
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
3 eggs whites
Warm water 200ml
50ml olive oil
2 tsp cider vinegar
The topping
1 tsp tomato puree
15g chorizo diced
¼ ball mozzarella, torn
½ tsp dried oregano
A few rockets
Dr Mosley’s low carb pizza is a great take-out option. It uses rocket dough instead of regular heavy dough.
Pre-heat the oven at 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the dry ingredients with the warm water and olive oil. Add in the egg whites and cider vinegar. Stir until combined. You should get a soft ball.
Use a couple of drops of olive oil to help prevent it from sticking. Now divide the mixture in five equal parts. Put one of the balls on a sheet of nonstick baking paper. Next, place another baking paper over it.
Next, press down using your hands. Then use a rolling board to make the base 1-2mm thick. You can continue with the rest of the balls, or keep them in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to use them. Spread the nonstick baking paper on a baking sheet. The tomato puree should be spread on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the chorizo cheese and mozzarella all over.
Season the pizza with oregano, salt and freshly grated black pepper. Bake the pizza for about 15 minutes or until it is golden brown and crispy around the edges. After the pizza has been removed from the oven, sprinkle with rocket. Salad should fill half of the plate.
WAIST-FRIENDLY NIGLES
Cheesy biscuits
Serving: 100kcals; 6g protein, 1g carbohydrates
Makes 10 biscuits
60g coarsely grated Cheddar
60g Finely grated Parmesan
60g ground almonds
Mix 3 Tbsp of mixed seeds
1 medium egg yolk
Pre-heat the oven at 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Season with freshly grated black pepper.
To scoop out the batter, use a teaspoon to flatten each biscuit with the back. Bake the mixture for about fifteen minutes, or until it is golden. Cool on a wire rack after you have removed the pan from oven.
This low-carb recipe by Dr Mosley makes these yummy cheesy biscuits. It also includes three tasty dips (smoked mackerel and lime, blue cheese and beetroot) and pea, mint and blue cheese pate.
3 DIPPERS
Lemon and smoked mackerel
Each serving contains 165kcals and 12g of protein.
You can add fresh herbs like parsley or dill, as well as finely chopped rocket and spinach.
Serves two
100g cooked, smoked mackerel, skin removed
2 Tbsp Greek full-fat yoghurt
Zit of 1 lemon
Use a fork to mash the mackerel fillets. Once they’re broken down, mix the yoghurt with lemon zest in a bowl. Finally, season the dish with freshly grated black pepper.
Blue cheese and beetroot
Per Serving: 189kcals/7g Protein, 3g Carbs
Serves two
1 medium-sized cooked beetroot
2 Tbsp Greek full-fat yoghurt
Blue cheese 25g, like Stilton
Chunky 30g walnuts
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl. Season with freshly grated black pepper and a good pinch of salt. Use a stick blender or a food processor to blend the mixture until it is smooth.
Mint and pea pate
Serving size: 119kcals. 6.5g protein. 13g carbs.
Serves 4.
150g canned peas
1x400g of butter beans, drained
1 large handful of chopped parsley (approx. 5-7g).
One large bunch of mint leaves, chopped and chopped to approximately 5-7g
1 tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
¼-½ tsp chilli flakes
Blend all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until they form a fine paste. Add salt and freshly grated pepper.