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DAY 7

Today’s mantra: Taking action is making me feel better about myself.

Today’s step target: 7000

Tip/testimony from volunteer: Don’t be despondent if the weight doesn’t come off right away. I found the real difference came during the last few days of the plan. Melanie, 30

On rising	1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon
Suggested activity zone	30-minute walk (step target 3500)
Breakfast	2 glasses of water breakfast grill: broil 3 tomatoes and a handful of mushrooms (sprayed with oil) and serve with 1 poached egg and a slice of wholewheat toast
Mid-morning spruce juice	choose a juice from those listed
Suggested activity zone	rest
Lunch	1 glass of water a lunch from the options suggested in this book
Mid-afternoon	2 glasses of water
snack	a snack from the options listed
Suggested activity zone	rest
Satisfying soup	1 bowl of FOG or Immune-boosting soup
Dinner	2 glasses of water a Starch Curfew meal from the selection in this book
Suggested activity zone	30-minute walk (step target 3500)
Bedtime drink	chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon

THE IMPORTANCE OF REST

Did you notice that today’s walking schedule is a bit easier? Everyone needs time to recover and adapt to new demands and that’s why the plan incorporates this easier day. This is the perfect time to reward yourself for the hard work you’ve done so far with a relaxing hot bath, a massage or simply putting your feet up with a good book. You’ll also feel refreshed and motivated to get back to business tomorrow.

DAY 8

Today’s mantra: Today is a new day and I feel great.

Today’s step target: 10,000

Tip/testimony from volunteer: At first, my skin got worse and I caught a cold but my pimples soon vanished and I didn’t have any stomach problems, which I normally have on a regular basis. By the end of the 14 days my stomach was much flatter and I had lost inches. Natasha, 28

On rising	1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon
Suggested activity zone	15-minute walk (step target 1800) plus abdominal and core stability exercises
Breakfast	2 glasses of water porridge: ⅔ cup oatmeal cooked with ⅔ cup semi-skimmed milk and garnished with 4 chopped dried apricots cup of tea or coffee
Mid-morning spruce juice	choose a juice from those listed
Suggested activity zone	20-minute walk (step target 2400)
Lunch	1 glass of water a lunch from the options suggested in this book
Mid-afternoon snack	2 glasses of water a snack from the options listed
Suggested activity zone	30-minute walk (step target 3600)
Satisfying soup Dinner	1 bowl of FOG or Immune-boosting soup
	2 glasses of water a Starch Curfew meal from the selection in this book
Suggested activity zone	15–20-minute walk (step target 2200)
Bedtime drink	chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon

NOT BOTHERING WITH THE BEDTIME DRINK?

You may find the bedtime drink helps you sleep better and wake up refreshed. Warm fluids are more soothing than cold drinks at this time, when you want your body to relax. Milky drinks, including soya-based ones, are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, consumption of which can boost brain serotonin levels, leaving you feeling relaxed and sleepy. Chamomile is a soothing herb, which can aid relaxation and help banish insomnia. If nothing else, your bedtime drink will add to your daily hydration.

DAY 9

Today’s mantra: I am feeling stronger and fitter.

Today’s step target: 10,000

Tip/testimony from volunteer: Even on days when I didn’t have time to fit in all the activity zones, I tried to do something – even 10 minutes is better than nothing at all. Sharon, 26

On rising	1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon
Suggested activity zone	15-minute walk (step target 1800) plus abdominal and core stability exercises
Breakfast	2 glasses of water fruit and yogurt: chop up 1 apple, 1 peach, 1 pear and 1 plum (or substitute ⅔ cup of red grapes for any of these), add a 4oz pot of natural yogurt and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sunflower seeds
Mid-morning spruce juice	choose a juice from those listed
Suggested activity zone	20-minute walk (step target 2400)
Lunch	1 glass of water a lunch from the options suggested in this book
Mid-afternoon	2 glasses of water
snack	a snack from the options listed
Suggested activity zone	30-minute walk (step target 3600)
Satisfying soup Dinner	1 bowl of FOG or Immune-boosting soup
	2 glasses of water a Starch Curfew meal from the selection in this book
Suggested activity zone	15–20-minute walk (step target 2200)
Bedtime drink	chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon

ABDOMINAL WORK TROUBLESHOOTING

Problem: Neck Pain

Many people put off doing abdominal exercises as they complain of feeling neck pain. This generally relates to the fact that the abdominals are weak and the neck muscles are helping to lift the body up. Here are two quick and simple solutions to relieve discomfort and safeguard your neck as you build up strength, tone and flatten your abdominals.

1. Take a towel and place behind the head. Hold both ends taut so it supports the neck. Keep the towel taut as you curl up and down.

2. Place a towel open on the floor and lie on it so the back of your ribs secures the bottom of the towel to the floor. Reach your arms above your head, hold onto the ends of the towel with your hands and pull it taut as you complete your curls.

DAY 10

Today’s mantra: I feel really proud of my actions.

Today’s step target: 10,000

Tip/testimony from volunteer: Before I started the plan, I would often feel hungry between meals and have some chips or candy. I’ve found that drinking 2½ quarts of water a day suppresses the need to eat when I’m not genuinely hungry. I was amazed by what this simple action did for my hunger and energy! Alec, 33

On rising	1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon
Suggested activity zone	15-minute walk (step target 1800) plus abdominal and core stability exercises
Breakfast	2 glasses of water 1 grapefruit followed by a slice of stoneground wholewheat bread with a scrape of butter and yeast extract
Mid-morning spruce juice	choose a juice from those listed
Suggested activity zone	20-minute walk (step target 2400)
Lunch	1 glass of water a lunch from the options suggested in this book
Mid-afternoon	2 glasses of water
snack	a snack from the options listed
Suggested activity zone	30-minute walk (step target 3600)
Satisfying soup Dinner	1 bowl of FOG or Immune-boosting soup
	2 glasses of water a Starch Curfew meal from the selection in this book
Suggested activity zone	15–20-minute walk (step target 2200)
Bedtime drink	chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon

SORE SHINS?

If you’re not accustomed to walking, you may find that the area along the front of your shins is sore or tender, particularly if you’ve been walking mainly on hard surfaces like concrete. This soreness is usually a result of inflammation of the anterior tibialis muscles, which lie along the front of the shin. These muscles are often weak and are prone to inflammation when we increase their usage.

To combat this problem, try this shin-strengthening exercise.

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Lift your toes off the floor, drawing them into your shins. The heels stay on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds and release. To make this harder you can attach a dynaband over the top of the foot and secure against a post as you lift your foot – you will then have the extra resistance of the band to work against.

DAY 11

Today’s mantra: I feel in control.

Today’s step target: 10,000

Tip/testimony from volunteer: The hardest recommendation to follow for me was to exercise. I now exercise every day for at least 30 minutes, including a speed walk/jog first thing in the morning. That alone means I start the day with a strong sense of positive achievement. Vanessa, 55

On rising	1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon
Suggested activity zone	15-minute walk (step target 1800) plus abdominal and core stability exercises
Breakfast	2 glasses of water apricot and banana smoothie: soften 6 dried apricots in boiling water, then place a ripe banana, a 4oz pot of natural yogurt, a spoonful of honey and ⅔ cup semi-skimmed milk into a blender, add the softened apricots and blend until smooth
Mid-morning spruce juice	choose a juice from those listed
Suggested activity zone	20-minute walk (step target 2400)
Lunch	1 glass of water
	a lunch from the options suggested on pages 71–9
Mid-afternoon	2 glasses of water
snack	a snack from the options listed
Suggested activity zone	30-minute walk (step target 3600)
Satisfying soup	1 bowl of FOG or Immune-boosting soup
Dinner	2 glasses of water a Starch Curfew meal from the selection in this book
Suggested activity zone	15–20-minute walk (step target 2200)
Bedtime drink	chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon

EAT TO GET SLIM

If you’ve followed the plan correctly it’s likely that you haven’t felt hungry. You may even have felt tempted to skip your spruce juice or miss out an afternoon snack. After all, the more calories you can cut, the better, right? Wrong! The very process of digestion actually increases your metabolism and contributes significantly – roughly 5 percent – to your daily energy expenditure. So skipping meals and snacks denies your body the chance to rev up its metabolism in order to digest them. If you feel over-full and really don’t want to eat as much as is suggested, try reducing the amounts at all meals rather than cutting out specific ones altogether.

DAY 12

Today’s mantra: I feel like a new person!

Today’s step target: 10,000

Tip/testimony from volunteer: Don’t get disheartened if, from time to time, you fail to stick with the plan. A realistic and flexible approach is just as important as being disciplined. Tom, 29

On rising	1 glass of water plus cup of coffee, green tea or tea, or hot water and lemon
Suggested activity zone	15-minute walk (step target 1800) plus abdominal and core stability exercises
Breakfast	2 glasses of water
	3 rye crispbread with 1 mashed banana and 2 tablespoons peanut butter cup of tea or coffee
Mid-morning spruce juice	choose a juice from those listed
Suggested activity zone	20-minute walk (step target 2400)
Lunch	1 glass of water a lunch from the options suggested in this book
Mid-afternoon snack	2 glasses of water a snack from the options listed
Suggested activity zone	30-minute walk (step target 3600)
Satisfying soup Dinner	1 bowl of FOG or Immune-boosting soup
2 glasses of water
	a Starch Curfew meal from the selection in this book
Suggested activity zone	15–20-minute walk (step target 2200)
Bedtime drink	chamomile tea, hot milk or soya milk, or hot water and lemon

EVERY STEP COUNTS

Walking is about the best exercise we can do. It is the simplest, least expensive and most effective exercise for the vast majority of individuals. The health benefits of walking have been known for a long time, but now research has quantified the number of walking steps we should be taking each day to achieve specific activity goals. It has been shown that 4000 steps a day is the minimum we should all be taking to have a positive impact on our health, whereas 7000 steps a day can positively improve our fitness levels and 10,000 steps a day can contribute to weight loss. Hopefully, you’re beginning to see opportunities for quick walks throughout the day, so that you can break the 10,000 steps down into bite-size chunks.