Snack swaps: the busy girls' six-week diet plan

No calorie counting, no fat counting, and you can still have takeaways, ready meals and alcohol – all you have to do is follow the rules. Start your weight loss now with the six-week diet plan.

By registered dietician and TV nutritionist Azmina Govindji

This plan is based on eating little and often, not going hungry and allowing some treats, too. Snacks can be good for your mental performance; they're helpful in keeping you alert throughout the day. With GI eating, they can be your best friends as they help you to keep blood sugar steady. What's more, they can positively help you watch that waistline, since a feeling of fullness means you're less likely to raid the fridge as soon as you get home.

You are allowed two snacks per day, so choose away.

Warm and cuddly

Bowl of canned cream of tomato soup

Bowl of instant noodle soup (use half a packet)

Bowl of lentil soup (less mushy means lower GI)

Mug of reduced-fat hot chocolate

Mug of latte made with skimmed milk, no sugar (use a sweetener if you like)

Sweet stuff

Low-fat diet yoghurt

150ml low-fat Greek style natural yoghurt

Small pot of reduced-fat mousse (100 kcal or less)

Small pot of soya alternative yoghurt

Jelly, sugar-free

Drinks

Glass of drinking yoghurt (choose reduced-fat variety)

Glass of flavoured milkshake, reduced fat 

Tesco probiotic orange or cranberry drink

Knorr Vie Shot orange/banana/carrot

200ml chocolate Nesquick made with semi-skimmed milk

Munchy Snax (choose nuts only once a day)

Half a large can of canned fruit, canned in juice or water

Piece of fruit 

Handful or grapes                        

Four dried dates or apricots

Handful of sultanas                                      

Half an avocado with lemon and black pepper

Around 20 olives, drained (you could add a few picked onions or gherkins)                      

Handful (25g) of roasted soya nuts

10 almonds

10 peanuts in shells (they take longer to eat!)

Eight to 10 cashews

Six halves pecans

Five halves walnuts

Carrot sticks with low-fat natural yoghurt

Cucumber with two tbsp guacamole

Teatime snacks

One oat cake  

One Jacobs Essentials - wholewheat crackers with sesame seeds and rosemary

One rich tea biscuit

One cream cracker with ricotta cheese and cracked black pepper 

One rye crisp bread, topped with cottage or very low-fat soft cheese

Two wholemeal crackers                                                                  

Cold yet filling

Warburtons All in One white sandwich roll with a little ricotta cheese

Small can baked beans, canned in tomato sauce

Half a can chick peas, flavoured with Tabasco and lemon juice

Half a can of Tesco mixed beans Italienne

Small tub of cottage cheese (any flavour, throw in some diced cucumber if you like)

Mini Babybel light

Small can drained tuna mixed with One tbsp canned sweetcorn

Light salad dressed in fat-free dressing

‘Free' snack attack box (have as often as you like)

Simply throw together any combination of the following: courgette sticks, cucumber sticks, baby gherkins, radishes, cherry tomatoes, celery, baby sweetcorn, sugar snap peas, pickled onions, peppers, water chestnuts.

Free veggies

Asparagus

Bamboo shoots

Broccoli

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Celeriac

Celery

Celery

Courgette

Cucumber

Gherkins, pickled and drained

Leeks

Lettuce

Marrow

Mushrooms

Onions

Peppers

Radish

Spinach

Sweetcorn: baby, canned or fresh

Tomatoes: canned, juice or fresh

Watercress, raw

Free flavourings

Artificial sweeteners

Chilli sauce

Salad dressing, fat-free

Horseradish sauce

Herbs, fresh or dried

Mint sauce

Mustard

Oil, spray oil

Pepper

Salt (don't overdo it, for health reasons)

Salt substitutes

Soy sauce (try reduced-salt types)

Spices fresh (garlic, ginger, chilli, etc)

Spices ground (paprika, chilli powder, curry powder, etc)

Spices whole (cumin seeds, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, etc)

Stock cube

Sugar-free drinks

Tomato purée

Vinegar (rice, balsamic, malt, wine)

Worcestershire sauce

Yeast extracts and Bovril (no need to add salt if used in cooking, as they're quite salty)

Continue the busy girls' six-week diet plan

1. The rules

2. Smart carbs

3. Meal swaps

4. Snack swaps

5. Recipes

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