Treat yourself thin!

There's no such thing as an easy diet. And when you've been good all week, weekends are for treats - aren't they?

Yes, indeed. And with this incentiviser diet, you can have the weekend off, but still lose weight.

Experts have discovered that if you're forever denying yourself the food you love, you're more likely to break your diet. But if you reward all your hard work, you're pretty much guaranteed to shift those stubborn excess pounds.

"Weight loss is a powerful incentiviser, but the results often aren't immediate enough to keep us motivated," says Gillian Riley, author of Beating Overeating: The Easy Guide (Newleaf, £9). "Instead, you're more likely to succeed if you get instant feedback for your good efforts. And daily treats may keep you motivated."

We've come to the rescue with this genius eating plan. Simply be good for five days of the week, be bad all weekend - and still lose up to 5lb in a fortnight.

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

Choose one breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack, plus 300ml skimmed milk for drinks, each day. You can replace these meals with shop-bought sandwiches, wraps, salads or ready meals - just make sure they're around the same calorie count as those below.

Good breakfasts (Allow 250 calories)

• 2 slices wholemeal toast with 2tsp peanut butter, 1 small glass orange juice.
• 3 tbsp unsweetened muesli with ot low-fat natural yoghurt and 1 apple.
• 1 banana, 1 orange, 1 pear and 1 apple.

Light lunches (Allow 350 calories)

• 2 slices wholemeal toast with 1 small can baked beans and salad. Plus 1 nectarine.
• 1 medium jacket potato with mall can tuna in water, mixed with 2tsp reduced-fat mayo and salad. Plus 1 bowl of strawberries
• Half a carton vegetable soup with 1 small wholemeal roll filled with 2tbsp low-fat soft cheese, 1 slice lean ham, salad. Plus 1 orange.

Dutiful dinners (Allow 450 calories)

Dutiful dinners

• Pasta and vegetable bake made with steamed veg, 6tbsp cooked wholewheat pasta, half a jar low-fat tomato sauce and mall ball reduced-fat mozzarella. Salad.
• 1 grilled tuna steak with 1 medium jacket potato, 1tsp low-fat spread and salad. Plus 1 peach.
• Spaghetti Bolognese made from 75g extra-lean minced beef, onion, 1 carrot, 4 mushrooms and half a jar low-fat Bolognese sauce with 150g cooked wholewheat spaghetti, 1tbsp Parmesan cheese and salad.

Saintly snacks (100 calories each)

• 3 rye crackers topped with 1tbsp low-fat soft cheese, 1 tomato.
• 1 pot fat-free fruit yoghurt, plus a handful of grapes.
• 1 sachet low-calorie instant hot chocolate, 1 chocolate-chip cookie.
  
  

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Relax and treat yourself! Choose one breakfast, lunch and dinner each day plus have up to SIX snacks. Stick with 300ml skimmed milk daily - blend it with some fruit to make a shake or have a skinny cappuccino or latte. And you're allowed to let your hair down with a glass or two of vino - just don't drink more than 3 units on any one day. Your weekend calorie count is 4,000 across 48 hours.

Naughty Breakfasts (Allow around 350 calories)

• Full English: 1 grilled low-fat sausage, 1 grilled rasher lean bacon, 1 scrambled egg, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, 2tbsp baked beans, 1 slice wholemeal toast.
• A cream cheese and smoked salmon bagel: 1 wholegrain bagel, 1tbsp low-fat soft cheese, 2 slices smoked salmon. Plus 1 small glass orange juice.
• Bacon and egg sarnie: 2 slices wholemeal bread, 2 grilled rashers lean bacon, 1 fried egg, tomato ketchup.

Lazy lunches (Allow around 500-550 calories)

• 1 6in Subway Cub sandwich, 1 Subway oatmeal cookie.
• 1 Burger King Cheeseburger, small fries, large Diet Coke.
• 3 slices of lean roast beef, pork or chicken with 2 roast potatoes and vegetables.

Delicious dinners (Allow around 600-700 calories)

• 1 carton beef chow mein or half a portion boiled rice and a portion of chicken and black bean sauce.
• 1 Pizza Hut individual pan Seafood Lovers pizza.
• 1 KFC Original Recipe chicken breast with regular fries and regular BBQ beans.

Sumptuous snacks (100 calories each - you can have up to six over the weekend)

• 2 small biscuits eg custard creams, Jaffa cakes, choc-chip cookies.
• 1 small packet reduced-fat crisps or other savoury snack (around 100 calories per pack).
• 1 small (150ml) glass red wine, dry white wine or champagne (1 alcohol unit).
• 2 single (25ml) measures of vodka, gin, rum or whisky with a low-cal mixer eg. diet cola or slimline tonic (2 alcohol units).
• Half a pint regular strength lager or cider (1 alcohol unit).
• 2-finger Kit Kat, 5 Jelly Babies or 10 Maltesers.
• 8 tortilla chips with salsa.
  
  

WANT TO EAT MORE?

A little bit of exercise equals a lot of treats

• 20-minute jog (185 calories) = packet of Maltesers.
• 30-minute front-crawl swim (280 calories) = large (50g) packet of crisps.
• 15-minute brisk walk (70 calories) = single (25ml) gin and slimline tonic plus 7 olives.
• 2 hours of dancing at a club (820 calories) = McDonald's Big Mac and medium fries.
• 1 hour of housework (245 calories) = 50g bar of milk chocolate.
• 15 minutes of energetic sex (70 calories) = a scoop of reduced-fat ice cream.

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