By registered dietician and TV nutritionist Azmina Govindji

The busy girls' six-week diet plan

1. The rules

2. Smart carbs

3. Meal swaps

4. Snack swaps

5. Recipes

Breakfast swaps

Hungry days:

Smoked salmon with avocado and soft cheese: Mix three slices of smoked salmon, chopped, with 100g of ricotta cheese, season and pile into half an avocado. Scatter with a teaspoon of sesame seeds and serve with firm cherry tomatoes and lemon wedges.

Cooked breakfast: One poached egg, one rasher grilled lean bacon, grilled mushrooms or mushrooms sautéed in five sprays of spray oil, char-grilled tomatoes or canned tomatoes, one slice multigrain toast.

Vegetarian cooked breakfast: One poached egg, half a small can of baked beans in tomato sauce, grilled mushrooms or mushrooms sautéed in five sprays of spray oil, chargrilled tomatoes or canned tomatoes, one slice multigrain toast.

Savoury French toast: Have three triangles for breakfast and save one triangle for a snack later.

Granary bread: Two slices with low-fat spread, two scrambled eggs and fresh tomato wedges.

Just cereals:

Five tbsp All Bran and semi-skimmed milk (1/3 pint).

Two Shredded Wheat and semi-skimmed milk (1/3 pint).

Five tbsp Special K and semi-skimmed milk (1/3 pint).

Four tbsp Muesli (reduced sugar) and semi-skimmed milk (1/3 pint).

Five tbsp Cornflakes and semi-skimmed milk (1/3 pint).

Two Weetabix and semi-skimmed milk (1/3 pint).

Five tbsp Bran flakes and semi-skimmed milk (1/3 pint).

Five tablespoons puffed wheat with sliced strawberries and 200ml (1/3 pint) skimmed or semi-skimmed milk. Add an artificial sweetener if you like.

Four tablespoons bran flakes with 200ml (1/3 pint) skimmed or semi-skimmed milk. Glass of tomato juice with a dash of Worcester sauce.

Things on toast:

Two slices of granary bread with low-fat spread and one boiled egg.

Two slices of Burgen soya and linseed bread with low-fat spread and one slice of reduced-fat Edam cheese.

Two teaspoons peanut butter and half a sliced banana on one slice of bread or toast. Put the other half of the banana in the fridge for a snack later.

Glass of unsweetened fruit juice (150ml), one slice of multigrain bread toasted, with a scraping of half-fat unsaturated or low-fat spread. One level teaspoon reduced-sugar jam.

Two boiled eggs with fresh or canned tomatoes on a slice of granary toast.

Two slices of granary or seeded bread with two poached eggs.

Two slices of wholemeal bread with low-fat spread and a banana.

Settle for some nuts and sultanas (or raisins) on the way to work. Mix two tablespoons of peanuts with a tablespoon of sultanas.

Munch through a small banana and four dried dates on the train.

Try this at work: Two oat cakes with low-fat spread and a small tub cottage cheese.

Chuck some almonds into a pot of diet yoghurt.

Lunch Swaps

Quick 'n easy:

Pot Noodle 300 gm.

1/4 slice of vegetarian pizza (12"/30 cm pizza) plus mixed salad with 95 per cent fat-free dressing.

Supermarket sandwich - check the label and go for any 350 kcalories sandwich. One fresh fruit of your choice.

Supermarket salad - check the label and go for 250 kcalories salad. Granary roll. One diet yoghurt.

Takeaway cheeseburger and regular orange juice.

Small tub of cottage cheese, two crisp breads, tomato and cucumber, and one large banana.

Sandwiches and wraps:

Two slices of granary bread with low-fat spread, two slices of ham and salad. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Two slices of granary bread with low-fat spread, one slice of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and tomato. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Two slices of Burgen Soya and linseed bread with low-fat spread, small can of tuna and cucumber. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Two slices of wholemeal bread with low-fat spread, small tub of cottage cheese and grated cucumber and lettuce. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Two slices of pumpernickel or rye bread and low-fat spread filled with two slices of ham and mixed green salad. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Two slices of wholemeal bread with low-fat spread, one slice of melted low-fat Edam and tomato. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

One wheat tortilla with one slice of mozzarella cheese, beef tomato and basil. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

One wheat tortilla with three slices of chicken and mixed green salad. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

One small baguette with low-fat spread with three slices of roast beef, lettuce and mustard. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

One small baguette with low-fat spread, a small tub of prawns and mixed green salad. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

One pitta bread and two heaped tbsp reduced-fat hummus and mixed salad. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Jacket potatoes:

Jacket potato with low-fat spread, a small tub of cottage cheese and green pepper. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Jacket potato with low-fat spread, small can of tuna and sweetcorn. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Jacket potato with low-fat spread, one slice of half-fat cheddar cheese and grated carrot. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Jacket potato with small can of baked beans and a few olives and salad (oil-free dressing). Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Salads:

A small tub of cottage cheese with pineapple, mixed green salad, two oat cakes and low-fat spread. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Tomatoes with 50g feta cheese cubed, lettuce, cucumber, six olives plus one small bag lower-fat crisps. One diet fromage frais.

One medium cooked potato, cold, mixed with one chopped egg, one chopped vegetarian sausage, tomato and reduced-fat mayonnaise. One light chocolate mousse.

Mixed salad with diced feta cheese, tomatoes, red onion and a few olives dressed in lemon juice and served with a large crusty roll or a chunk of French bread. Diet yoghurt or fresh fruit.

Dinner swaps

Feeling fishy?

Cod kebabs with fresh dill, two servings of steamed vegetables or a large salad (oil-free dressing). Chunk of crusty granary bread or one pitta bread. One reduced-calorie choc ice.

Haddock with Thai green pepper and basil sauce, two servings of steamed vegetables or a large salad (oil-free dressing). Three tbsp boiled rice. One fruit.

Fresh tuna steak (four oz) cooked with lightly roasted vegetables (bake vegetables in oven with little spray oil) and three small new potatoes, cooked in skins. Meringue nest filled with three peach slices (canned in juice) plus squirt low-fat aerosol cream.

One medium jacket potato topped with one small can salmon (100gm) mixed with chopped onion. Serve with watercress and orange salad, with 95 per cent fat-free dressing. One small scoop vanilla ice cream with cubes of melon.

Salmon steak (6oz) baked in foil and served with four small new potatoes in skin, tomatoes and green vegetables. One small baked apple with one tbsp natural yoghurt.

Lemony cod strips with spicy bulgur wheat and large green salad (oil-free dressing). Diet yoghurt and handful of fresh strawberries.

Meaty dinners:

Sweet and sour chicken drumsticks, grilled corn on the cob, tomato salad (oil-free dressing) and fresh fruit.

Three slices roast chicken with four boiled new potatoes in their skins, carrots, three tbsp peas, stir-fried baby corn and three tbsp instant gravy.

Grilled lean rump steak (four oz), with four tbsp oven baked frozen chips (five percent fat), three tbsp mushrooms (stir fried in a little oil) and mixed 'free' salad vegetables. Fresh fruit.

Sausage and mash: two grilled lower-fat sausages with three heaped tbsp mashed potato, two tbsp peas, courgettes and three tbsp instant gravy. One diet fromage frais.

Spaghetti Bolognese: 180 g sauce, using minced beef and jar of sauce; One cup boiled spaghetti, One tbsp parmesan cheese. Mixed green leaves salad with oil-free dressing. Fresh fruit.

Grilled turkey or chicken breast or pork fillet (125 g): use thinly sliced meat and stir-fry in a non-stick pan with a few sprays of one-calorie spray oil and lots of stir-fried vegetables (try a pack from the supermarket). Flavour with 'free' flavourings. Serve with 50 g noodles (dry weight) or five tbsp cooked rice.

Very veggie:

Penne with roasted vegetables, diet yoghurt.

Mixed pepper couscous mixed salad, half a grilled banana.

Grilled mushrooms with cheesy topping and grilled tomatoes. Glass of unsweetened apple juice. Two jaffa cakes.

Vegetarian cottage pie: minced Quorn (four oz), onion, tomato and spices as liked. Top with three heaped tbsp mashed potato (instant or fresh), no added fat. One banana.

Vegetable curry: use a selection mixed vegetables, stock, curry powder. Serve with six tbsp cooked rice, and accompany with one tbsp natural yoghurt. Two tbsp stewed apple with one tbsp sultanas.

Veggie fried rice: using six tbsp cooked rice, lightly cooked with one egg in a pan with a little spray oil. Add generous quantity of chopped raw or cooked vegetables. One diet yoghurt.

Spanish omelette: using two eggs and skimmed milk, fill with selection of cooked vegetables, including a small cooked potato, tomatoes and red peppers. Serve with green salad dressed with 95 per cent fat-free dressing. Small bowl of tinned fruit in juice and a pot of natural yoghurt.

Takeaway at home:

Sizzling turkey burgers, piles of salad leaves and cucumber slices, granary bap, two tsp ketchup and mustard.

Instant noodles with prawns and garlic, six canned lychees, drained.

Any ready meal up to 450 calories. Serve with two servings of steamed veg or a large salad (oil-free dressing). One scoop of reduced-calorie ice cream and fresh berries.

Beef chow mein, glass of tomato juice with Worcester sauce. Sliced oranges.

1/2 thin-based pizza topped with extra sliced peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, served with green salad and oil-free dressing. Fresh fruit.

Continue the busy girls' six-week diet plan

1. The rules

2. Smart carbs

3. Meal swaps

4. Snack swaps

5. Recipes