1. Easy Start Diet

This is a safe diet to start with while you are finding out more about your needs

A low GI diet suitable for persons in reasonably good health with no known intolerances, who are reasonably sure that they are not overweight. Vegetarians can choose plant proteins instead of chicken, fish etc.

What you put in your food space to last for a week:

[This is enough food for one person for one week. The left column contains all you need for carbohydrates, some vitamins, minerals and oils. The right column contains all you need for protein, some vitamins, minerals and oils. IF IT IS NOT MENTIONED ON THE LIST, DON'T EAT IT, AND THAT INCLUDES SALT AND SUGAR.]

Obviously you won't need to buy things like flour and custard powder every week! What you should do is restock your space each week so it contains all the above. If you have any main foods left over, you bought too much the first week and should reduce your portions.

You'll notice that many of the 'staples' [e.g., rice, pasta, corn (maize), potatoes] are missing from this diet. That's because they are not the healthiest sources of carbohydrate. If you're doing heavy physical work though, you'll need to add them in –see section 6 below.

Try to get organic protein, otherwise it will contain pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and Bovine Growth Hormones. Wash fruit and veg even if it is organic (because insects don't climb off the plant to go to the toilet.)

How Much Do You Have?

First, have a look at your hand. It should be on the end of your arm, somewhere. Close your fingers and keep your thumb close in. Now imagine a lump of meat that size. Or a lump of cheese that size. Make a fist for a rounder view, get a good idea of what sort of size we are looking at here. Okay that is one measure for you. You carry your fist with you, so you always know what size it is. (For those with overactive front brain networks or obsessive weighing habits, we are talking 8 ounces, or 0.55 pounds, or 250grams.)

In every main meal you have two measures of food from the column on the left, and one measure of food from the column on the right. For snacks, you have one measure from the left and half a measure from the right. Your plate or bowl should be two thirds full of vegetables and/or fruit, and one third full of protein. (Weighing addicts: that's 500g from the list on the left, and 250g from the list on the right).

You can have up to three main meals and two snacks per day. If you don't want to eat this much, eat until you are almost full and then stop. Try as much as you can to eat when you are hungry, not because of what time it is.

"FORGET counting calories, with a low GI diet, you won't have to." - Morfeus, The Meatrix

If you don't have much imagination, here are some examples of how to put the foods together.

Sample Main Meals/Puddings:

• Meat & veg stew with grated cheese on top + 2 slices buttered toast /flapjacks with honey & custard
• Fried pork chop with stir fried veg, garlic mushrooms & gravy /fruit crumble & custard made with honey
• Cold roast chicken with coleslaw salad /fresh fruit yogurt with honey or fruit & cream
• Pork & veg stir fry with noodles /pancakes with honey & lemon
• Fish with veg in a cheese sauce /fresh fruit with custard or cream

Sample snacks:

• Tuna or egg mayonnaise & coleslaw sandwich on wholemeal
• 2 pieces wholemeal toast with cheese + onions or mushrooms
• Oatcakes with soft cheese & salad
• Oatcakes spread with honey, soft cheese and fruit
• Muesli with honey, yogurt, fruit, cream, milk or any combination
• Cold pork & salad sandwich on wholemeal with mayonaisse
• Cheese, oatcakes, fruit & wine
• Pancakes with honey, fruit & cream

Drinks

Tea, fruit juice, wine, water. DO NOT drink milk except in tea (you can use milk for making sauces, pancakes etc).