DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...DIETS....DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...DIETS...

TRYING TO DECIDE ON THE BEST SLIMMING PLAN? WELL WE HAVE THE ANSWER, THANKS TO TWINS SUE AND KAREN WHO’VE JUST FINISHED A MONTH-LONG TRIAL OF THE TWO BIGGEST DIETS

With the same cravings, eating habits, metabolism and body shape, 40-year-old identical twins Karen Pritchard and Sue Stringer are perfect recruits for the Fabulous slimming war.

"We both love huge portions of carbohydrates like creamy carbonara," says Karen.

"We could eat things like that in our 20s, but we've both piled on the pounds since we had kids."

"We both used to be size 12," Sue adds. "But now we're a generous 14, so we're happy to be diet guinea pigs."

Nutrition expert Judith Wills, author of The Diet Bible (Quadrille, £12.99), designed two special diet plans for the twins, who live in Derbyshire.

"We read a lot in the papers about the Atkins and GI diets, and there's been plenty of debate about which approach is better," says Judith.

"So I've devised two plans, based on those diets, for the twins to try out.

"Karen chose the GI diet, favoured by celebs such as Kylie Minogue, which regulates blood sugar using foods low on the glycaemic index (oats, wholegrains, vegetables), and avoids foods which are high GI (refined sugar, white bread, refined cereals).

"Sue tried the Atkins diet, used by Jennifer Aniston, a high-protein plan which also tends to be high in fat.

"Carbs are limited to 20g per day for the first two weeks and 50g a day after that. Bread, potatoes, rice and fruit are banned."

Karen's GI diet experience

Karen's vital statistics

Height: 5ft 2in
Start weight: 10st 13lb
Weight now: 9st 13lb
Weight loss: 1st

Karen's sample Low-GI meal plan

Day 1 Breakfast Porridge topped with chopped fruit or berries.
Lunch Chicken and salad sandwich on wholegrain bread, and an apple.
Dinner Grilled beefburger or veggie burger with 125g potatoes, veg and 1tbsp low-fat mayo.

Day 2 Breakfast 100g pot low-fat fromage frais, 1/2 pink grapefruit, slice of wholegrain toast with low-fat spread and Marmite.
Lunch 100g low-fat houmous with 3 oatcakes and salad.
Dinner Grilled tuna steak, 125g new potatoes, salad or green veg, and 1tbsp tomato salsa.

Day 3 Breakfast 2 slices wholegrain toast with low-fat spread and low-fat soft cheese, and an apple.
Lunch Tuna and tomato salad with butterbeans, onion and French dressing.
Dinner Spaghetti Bolognese (made with 150g extra-lean mince, 1 small chopped onion, 4tbsp Bolognese sauce from a jar, and 60g wholewheat spaghetti), plus a green salad.

Day 4 Breakfast Muesli (with 45 per cent nuts) served with 125ml skimmed milk, seeds and chopped fruit.
Lunch Open sandwich, made with 1 thick slice of granary or rye bread, low-fat spread, 100g canned salmon/tuna or cooked chicken, low-fat mayo, 1 tomato and watercress.
Dinner Medium turkey steak (skin removed), sliced and stir-fried in a drop of olive oil, with Mediterranean veg (red pepper, courgette, aubergine), served with 3tbsp pasta.

Day 5 Breakfast 4tbsp All Bran with skimmed milk, topped with chopped orange and sunflower seeds.
Lunch 300ml New Covent Garden Tuscan Bean Soup with a slice of wholegrain bread, plus 100g fromage frais.
Dinner 1 medium chicken breast marinated in 2tbsp natural low-fat yoghurt and 1tbsp tandoori paste, then grilled. Serve with 3tbsp brown basmati rice and large green salad; plus 100g strawberries.

KAREN'S DIET DIARY

"My six-year-old, Aimee, grabbed my belly last month and said: ‘Mummy's having another baby,' so I was determined to lose weight. I found the month a breeze because it just feels like healthy eating. I lost 5lb in the first week, and the weight loss has been steady ever since. I've been enjoying the lunches especially, but everything's been tasty. I'll definitely carry on. I've lost a stone and I feel and look better than I have in years. My jelly belly's gone and I have bags more energy – which helps with three kids!"

Sue's Atkins experience

Sue's vital statistics

Height: 5ft 3in
Start weight: 11st 4lb
Weight now: 10st 2lb
Weight loss: 1st 2lb

Sue's sample Atkins meal plan

Day 1 Breakfast Scrambled eggs with grilled bacon.
Lunch 125g mixed salad with olive oil and selection of cheeses.
Dinner Roast chicken/turkey with 125g permitted veg, dressed in 1tbsp sour cream.

Day 2 Breakfast Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon or button mushrooms.
Lunch Prawn salad.
Dinner Grilled steak and permitted veg with 1tbsp soy sauce.

Day 3 Breakfast Platter of cream cheese, Cheddar and mozzarella slices.
Lunch Salad with hard-boiled egg, crisp-cooked bacon and mayo.
Dinner Permitted veg stir-fried with prawns or chicken with chilli, garlic and lemon juice.

Day 4 Breakfast Cheese omelette (made with butter or vegetable oil).
Lunch Canned tuna, salmon or sardines (avoid fish in tomato sauce) with salad.
Dinner Roast turkey and permitted veg.

Day 5 Breakfast Plate of cheese and ham.
Lunch Salad with ham or chicken.
Dinner Pork chops seasoned with Chinese five-spice and permitted veg.

Note: Unless stated, Sue chose her portion size to suit her appetite. Permitted vegetables are: green beans, mushrooms, cabbage, spinach, leeks, cauliflower, courgettes, broccoli and green peppers.

SUE'S DIET DIARY

"I needed something drastic to lose weight, and this diet was it. I found it hard – no carbs for a month was torture. Lunch was salad with ham or cheese. Two weeks in, I could have mugged someone for a sandwich! Dinner's been boring too: bacon, chicken or turkey with veg. For the first week I was ravenous, had a headache and was constipated, but I stuck at it. After two weeks I'd lost 9lb, but then I fell off the wagon and binged on chips! But I managed to get back on track and it was worth it: I'm a size 12 again!"

The verdict

"The Atkins diet produced the best result – but not by much," says nutritionist Judith. "Sue lost a lot of weight because a high-protein diet increased the rate at which she burns fat. But bingeing on carbs as she did – even just a couple of times – can ruin the effect. The problem with the Atkins diet is that it takes serious willpower and any slip-ups mean it won't work as well. In the long run, the GI diet plan is better as it's more sustainable. Don't forget, Karen lost a stone too – without losing her mind!"

 

words: ruth tierney photography: jamie hughes, lancton hair & make-up: sara bowden, sadie hewlett & caroline piasecki at time