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WHEN CHAT-SHOW HOST AND SERIAL DIETER OPRAH WINFREY SIGNS UP FOR A NEW WEIGHT-LOSS REGIME, YOU KNOW IT’S GOING TO BE GOOD. BUT CLAUDIA CONNELL, 41, DIDN’T REALISE JUST HOW TOUGH THE 21-DAY VEGAN CLEANSE WOULD BE

 

She’s weighed as much as 17st, as little as 10st 2lb, and she’s yo-yoed to every size in between.

That qualifies 54-year-old Oprah Winfrey as a diet expert in my book.

So when I heard she was embarking on a 21-day vegan ‘cleanse’, I thought I should join her and lose some weight too.

I’m 5ft 5in, 10st 9lb and a meat-eater, so this wasn’t going to be easy.

No dairy, no caffeine, no alcohol, no meat, no sugar, no wheat. No fun, either.

Oprah has a personal chef to whip up her meals, so I chose the next best thing – daily meal deliveries from detox-to-your-door experts Pure Package.

Each morning they’d leave me a hamper full of the day’s meals on my doorstep.

All I had to do was stick to their menu, and in just three weeks Oprah and I should have shed a ton of weight…

 

Claudia’s vegan diet

Breakfast (one per day)
* Mixed berries and passion fruit
* Organic rice bread and hazelnut butter; fresh oranges
* Gluten-free cereal, soya yoghurt and fresh pineapple
* Rye bread with peanut butter and fresh melon
* Pear and Bircher muesli
* Gluten-free bread and cashew butter; fresh pineapple
* Orange and granola muesli

Lunch (one per day)
* Raw carrot with houmous
* Mushroom and lentil salad
* Basil tofu with an orange and mint salad
* Coconut butter beans and coleslaw
* Vegetable soup
* Tofu and herb quinoa salad
* Asparagus and sunflower seed salad

Dinner (one per day)
* Vegetable stir-fry
* Tofu and spinach curry
* Bean burger with carrot and swede mash and broccoli
* Pesto butter beans with Mediterranean vegetables
* Mixed bean goulash
* Mushroom stroganoff
* Roasted field mushrooms with spicy lentils

Snacks (two per day)

* Piece of fresh fruit
* Grapes and cashew nuts
* Satsuma and pistachio nuts
* Corn chips and salsa
* Fresh figs
* Banana and sunflower seeds
* Mangetout with a tomato and bean dip

 

 

CLAUDIA'S DIET DIARY

WEEK ONE

Sunday:
It’s my last night of food freedom and I intend to enjoy it. I tuck into crisps, pizza, chocolate, wine and cheesecake until my stomach resembles that of a professional darts player.

Monday:
Breakfast – mixed berries and passion fruit
Snack – banana
Lunch – raw carrot with hummus
Snack – peach
Dinner – veg stir fry.

It’s the first day of my detox and delivery company Pure Package are making my meals for me.

The bad news is they can’t start until tomorrow and so today I am on my own.

I decide it’s best to stick with fruit and veg but by dinner time, I am craving something more substantial. I don’t want to cheat so I end up going to bed at 9pm

Tuesday:
Breakfast – Fresh oranges with organic rice bread and hazelnut butter
Snack – grapes & cashew nuts
Lunch – mushroom and lentil salad
Snack – butternut squash dip with corn biscuits
Dinner – Tofu and spinach curry

I feel like a kid on Christmas day as I go downstairs to see if my food has been left on my doorstep. It’s there!

All packed in a smart black cool box with a posh typed menu.

Because I woke up so early, I find myself eating lunch at 11am.

I never thought I’d put the words ‘tofu and ‘delicious’ in the same sentence but my dinner time curry is amazingly tasty

Wednesday:
Breakfast – Fresh pineapple, Soya yogurt and gluten free cereal
Snack – Satsuma and pistachio nuts
Lunch – Basil tofu with an orange and mint salad
Snack – Corn chips and salsa
Dinner – Pesto butter beans with Mediterranean vegetables

Knowing there is a goodie bag of food on my doorstep is making me leap out of bed an hour earlier than usual.

 I know to expect the dreaded caffeine withdrawal headache today and sure enough it kicks in with a vengeance.

My stomach already feels flatter and less bloated.

I check Oprah’s blog to see how she’s fairing – and she claims to be doing ok but is missing meat, for me it’s definitely the caffeine.

Thursday:
Breakfast – Fresh grapes, rye bread and peanut butter
Snack – Two plums and pumpkin seeds
Lunch – Butter bean salad
Snack – Cereal Bar
Dinner – Mushroom cakes with green beans and asparagus

A skin break out is not unusual when you detox but this is ridiculous – Amy Winehouse has a peaches and cream complexion next to me.

I hope the clear, glowing complexion I’ve been promised follows soon.

Tonight will be my first big test as I’m off to see the Take That musical and I usually like to munch through a family size pack of Revels.

My constant diet of fruit and beans is also having a very unfortunate effect.

The audience at the theatre are in danger of being blown away….and not by the actors.

Friday:
Breakfast – Dried figs with Soya yogurt and gluten free cereal
Snack – Fresh pineapple
Lunch – Mushroom and cashew nut salad
Snack – Two plums and pumpkin seeds
Dinner – Basil pesto tofu and roasted vegetables

Have really hit a low. Enjoyed my breakfast but lunch of mixed leaves just doesn’t feel substantial enough.

I am not thinking about chocolate or crisps but really longing for some read meat or chicken.

Usually when you start a diet constipation can become an issue, well let me tell you that it is absolutely NOT an issue in this case.

Gillian McKeith would be proud of me.

Saturday:
Breakfast – Rye bread with peanut butter and fresh melon
Snack – banana and sunflower seeds
Lunch – Basil Tofu and roasted veg salad
Snack – fresh figs
Dinner – Bean burger with carrot and swede mash & broccoli

Definitely feel as though my stomach has gone down. I grade my jeans into three categories: Comfortable, tight and agony.

The ‘agony’ ones feel much looser and are in danger of being upgraded to ‘tight’

Sunday:
Breakfast – Fresh mango, soya yogurt and gluten free cereal
Snack – Grapes and sunflower seeds
Lunch – Chickpea spaghetti served with veg and pesto
Snack – Stuffed vine leaves
Dinner – Mixed Bean Goulash

It’s official – I am all seeded out. Surely even Jack Duckworth’s pigeons don’t eat this many.

The money I’m saving on caffeine, sugar and meat I’m spending on extra toilet roll.

WEEK TWO:

Monday:
Breakfast – fruit bircher muesli
Snack – kiwi fruit
Lunch – mixed bean salad
Snack – blueberries
Dinner – vegetable pie

Had an erotic dream about sausages and ketchup and awoke feeling ravenously hungry.

Starting to miss meat and the prospect of another bean and seed filled week doesn’t thrill me.

Tuesday:
Breakfast – fresh plum, rice toast and peanut butter
Snack – pear and pumpkin seeds
Lunch – veg and tofu salad
Snack – corn chips and hummus
Dinner – mushroom stroganoff

I am a third of the way there and there’s no doubt I feel lighter.

Waist bands are looser and my thighs don’t rub together quite so much.

The caffeine cravings have gone but the impure thoughts about meat are still with me.

Wednesday:
Breakfast – fresh melon, soya yogurt and granola muesli
Snack – Apple & walnuts
Lunch – coconut butter beans and coleslaw
Snack – fig soya yogurt
Dinner – vegetable burger and stir fry.

My skin is finally clearing up and my eyes seem to look brighter.

I’m also convinced that my double chin is starting to beat a retreat.

All the same, I couldn’t help feeling how nice it would be if the veggie burger was made of beef and came with a side order of fries.

Thursday:
Breakfast – fresh plum, rice toast and hazelnut butter
Snack – grapes and sunflower seeds
Lunch – hummus on rice bread with salad
Snack – snow peas with a tomato and bean dip
Dinner – roasted field mushrooms with spicy lentils

Today I feel as though I have hit rock bottom and wonder how much longer I can continue.

Attended a friend’s birthday and felt like the biggest party pooper in town as I sipped water and couldn’t eat a thing from the buffet.

Being the only sober one at 2am I, naturally, ended up driving everyone home.

Friday:
Breakfast – Apple and Blackberry pot
Snack – mango and pumpkin seeds
Lunch – pesto salad
Dinner – Yorkie bar, pkt of Haribo star mix, 2 x San Miguel beers, pepperoni pizza.

Oh dear, I’ve fallen off the wagon in spectacular style.

A trip to the newsagent ends with me buying a chocolate bar and a bag of Haribo sweets, back at the house I crack open a bottle of beer and order a pizza…somebody stop me!

I blame Oprah, I read her blog and she admits to having a sneaky glass of wine.

Saturday:
Breakfast – Melon, soya yogurt and gluten free cereal
Snack – grapes and cashew nuts
Lunch – Maharaja Tofu
Snack – Cereal bar
Dinner – stuffed butternut squash.

Feeling thoroughly ashamed of myself I vow to stick rigidly to the last week of my diet.

I can’t believe I ruined 11 days of hard work with one moment of weakness.

Sunday:
Breakfast – Fresh fruit and soya yogurt
Snack – plum
Lunch – vegetable soup
Snack – stuffed vine leaves
Dinner – vegetable patty with green beans

I attend a big family barbecue today but resist everything despite the tempting smells.

Well, ok – I did lick a Pringle but I didn’t actually eat it.

Everyone admires my determination and a few comment on my slimmer figure and glowing skin which gives me a much needed boost

WEEK THREE:

Monday:
Breakfast – banana and sultana bircher muesli
Snack – apple and almonds
Lunch – basil tofu salad
Snack – stuffed vine leaves
Dinner – Moroccan patty and date cassoulet

I’m in the home strait and am determined to see it out.

The looser waist bands and compliments are proving a big help, plus the delicious food parcels from Pure Package are a life saver.

I’d never be able to come up with so many tasty menus if I were to do it myself.

Tuesday:
Breakfast – Fresh orange, rice bread and peanut butter
Snack – grapes and sunflower seeds
Lunch – tofu and herbed quinoa salad
Snack –   fruit yogurt
Dinner – vegetable patty with beans

I haven’t exercised nearly enough and decide to remedy that today with a 90 minute early morning power walk.

I always thought that I needed caffeine to get me going in the morning, now I realise that isn’t true at all.

Wednesday:
Breakfast – kiwi with yogurt and cereal
Snack – fresh berries and pecan nuts
Lunch – oriental tofu salad
Snack – salsa and corn chips
Dinner – Asian pesto tofu

I have to cancel a planned trip to the cinema because the embarrassing wind problem has returned, I’m producing more than David Cameron’s rooftop turbine.

Thursday:
Breakfast – papaya, yogurt and cereal
Snack – banana and pistachio nuts
Lunch – sunflower seeds and asparagus salad
Snack – fresh mango
Dinner – mushroom risotto

I deliberately steer clear of the beans today.

What’s the point in being slim and healthy if you also end up friendless?

The rescheduled cinema trip goes well and I easily resist all offers of popcorn and ice cream.

Friday:
Breakfast – pear and bircher muesli
Snack – Satsuma and hazelnuts
Lunch – tea infused tofu salad
Snack – stuffed vine leaves
Dinner – tomato curry

One of the revelations of this eating plan has been just how delicious healthy food can be if cooked well.

The tofu I’d previously eaten had been like eating a month old newspaper.

Tonight’s curry is melt in the mouth delicious.

A naan would be nice though.

Saturday:
Breakfast – Pineapple, gluten free bread and cashew butter
Snack – Grapes and sunflower seeds
Lunch – roasted vegetable salad
Snack – cereal bar
Dinner – mushroom pie

It’s the big weigh in tomorrow and I’m getting nervous, even though I’ve eaten healthily I still feel like I’ve eaten a lot.

And the daily exercise I promised I’d undertake hasn’t happened.

What if it’s all been for nothing?

Sunday:
Breakfast – Orange and granola muesli
Snack – mango
Lunch – veg and rice noodle salad
Snack – kiwi
Dinner – vegetable and ale pie

 

DAY 21.
I’ve done it! The first week was hell and I’m still angry about my slip up but when I get on the scales and see I’m eight pounds lighter it is all forgotten.

Considering I have eaten very well and only managed two or three bouts of exercise I am very happy with the result.

My hair looks glossier, my stomach is flat and my skin is glowing.

But most disturbing of all is that I actually DON’T want to rush out and binge on chocolate.

 

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Photography: AP, Rex, Giles Park, Paul Webb. Hair & make-up: Sara Bowden. Pure Package food delivery service costs £36.95 per day. For more information visit purepackage.com

 

“Oprah Winfrey’s health month  is on DIVA TV throughout July, every week day at 4pm and 8pm on Sky Channel 282 and Virgin Channel 192”