Closer’s 30-day challenge makes it easier than ever to blitz that tum. You could shift up to 10lbs in a month – that’s a dress size!
With easy recipes using everyday ingredients, the diet plan couldn’t be simpler. You’re still allowed a daily choccy treat and you can even substitute in the odd ready meal when you’re short of time.
Here’s what to do…
Simply follow the daily menus. You’ll see we’ve given vegetarian options to add variety. If you don’t like some of the suggested meals, swap them for ones from other days that you do like. But vary your choices so you get a good mix of nutrients.
Check out our 30 Day Flat Tummy Challenge fitness plan- complete with videos
As well as each daily menu, have an extra 300ml skimmed milk each day to use in tea, coffee or to make fat-free lattes and cappuccinos. Try blending it with some of the fruit in the menus to make a shakes, too. Don’t skip it as milk provides bone-building calcium. Plus studies show low-fat dairy products help to speed up weight loss, especially helping us to lose belly fat.
As well as your breakfast, lunch and dinner, you’re also allowed ONE snack and ONE treat each day. You can eat these when you want but the snack is especially good to have around an hour before exercising to give you energy for your workout. Alternatively, it’s a great choice to have once your workout has finished when you might need an energy boost.
Can’t be bothered to cook or prefer to grab breakfast or lunch on the go? No problem!
-For breakfast, choose something with around 250 calories – fruit, yogurt, a cereal bar or a porridge pot are all good options.
-For lunch, choose a sandwich, roll, wrap, salad or sushi tray with around 350 calories
-For a quick and easy ready meal for dinner, choose one with around 400 calories and serve it with lots of salad on the side.
-If you find you’re hungry, add extra veg or salad to meals. Toss salads with balsamic vinegar or a little fat-free dressing. And remember, veg aren’t just full of fibre to fill you up – they’re also rich in vitamins to keep your skin, hair and nails looking good.
Catch up with part TWO of our 30 Day Flat Tummy Challenge meal plan
-Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and fill you up. It’s fine to drink tea, coffee and herbal and fruit teas for variety. For a fizzy fix, choose sparkling water with a dash of fresh lemon or lime juice.
This plan provides around 1,400 calories a day (that includes your main meals, snack, treat and extra milk). This should be enough to help you lose around 2lb a week, especially if you’re following our exercise plan. If you have more than 3 stone to lose or are exercising especially hard you might want to add an extra 100-200 calories to your daily intake – the easiest way to do this is to add in one extra snack each day.
Closer 30 day challenge week 3 meal plan
1 of 9DAY 1
BreakfastBlueberry Shredded Wheat. Serve 2 Shredded Wheat with 2 handfuls of blueberries, 1tsp honey and skimmed milk.Lunch Wholegrain roll, filled with ½ can tuna, 2tbsp tzatziki, 2tbsp sweetcorn and sliced cucumber. Plus 1 kiwi fruit.DinnerSweet and sour veg with rice. Fry 1 small onion, ½ green pepper, 1 carrot, and handful each of baby sweetcorn and mushrooms in 1tsp sunflower oil until soft. Add ¼ jar light sweet and sour sauce and heat through. Serve with 6tbsp cooked brown rice. Plus 1 pear.
2 of 9DAY 2
BreakfastScrambled egg and tomatoes on toast.Scramble 1 egg with 1 chopped tomato and serve on 1 slice wholegrain toast topped with 1tsp low-fat spread. Plus 1 small glass orange juice.LunchOpen chicken and avocado sandwich. Top 1 slice wholegrain bread with 1 chopped and grilled skinless chicken breast mixed with ½ small avocado and a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve with mixed leaves. Plus 1 clementine.Veggie option: replace the chicken with the other half of the avocado and add an apple.DinnerRoasted pepper, mushroom and mozzarella pizza.Cut a 10cm piece granary baguette in half lengthways. Top with 6tbsp passata, chopped roasted red peppers from a jar (in water), a handful of sliced mushrooms, mixed herbs and ½ sliced small ball reduced-fat mozzarella. Place in a preheated oven until the cheese melts and the pizza is hot. Serve with mixed leaves.
3 of 9DAY 3
BreakfastCream cheese bagel.Fill 1 toasted granary bagel with 1tbsp low-fat soft cheese and a handful of blueberries.LunchTurkey and watercress pitta.Fill 1 wholemeal pitta with 2 slices turkey, watercress and 1tsp cranberry sauce. Plus 1 orange and 1 small pot fat-free fruit yogurt.Veggie option: replace the turkey and cranberry sauce with 4tbsp tzatiki.DinnerCreamy salmon and broccoli spaghetti.Mix 150g cooked wholewheat spaghetti with steamed broccoli, ½ small can pink salmon and 3tbsp low-fat garlic and herb soft cheese. Heat through and serve with salad.Veggie option: replace the salmon with ½ can lentils.
4 of 9DAY 4
BreakfastPeanut butter on toast. Top 2 slices wholegrain toast with 1tbsp peanut butter.LunchChickpea and rice salad.Mix 6tbsp cooked brown rice, 4 spring onions, cherry tomatoes, ½ red pepper, ½ can chickpeas, fresh coriander, a handful of rocket and 2tbsp fat-free dressing.DinnerTurkey fajitas.Slice and fry 1 small turkey breast in 1tsp sunflower oil with fajita seasoning to taste. When almost cooked, add 1 sliced small red onion and ½ sliced green pepper and fry for a few more minutes until cooked through. Serve with 1 wholemeal tortilla, shredded lettuce, and 1tbsp each of grated reduced-fat soured cream and guacamole.Veggie option: replace the turkey with ½ can mixed beans and add 1 kiwi fruit for dessert.
5 of 9DAY 5
BreakfastBacon and scrambled egg.Serve 2 grilled lean rashers of back bacon with 1 grilled tomato, a handful mushrooms fried in a spray oil and 1 scrambled egg.Veggie option: replace the bacon with 1 small pot reduced-sugar, reduced-salt baked beans.LunchZesty prawn jacket potato.Top 1 large jacket potato with a 100g pack of cooked prawns, mixed with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice and lemon zest. Serve with salad. Plus 1 clementine and 2 handfuls of blueberries.□Veggie option: replace the prawns with 2tbp low-fat cottage cheese mixed with chives.DinnerSpicy chicken with rice.Marinate 1 skinless chicken breast in 2tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt mixed with curry powder (adjust to taste), then grill. Serve with 6tbsp cooked brown rice and a salad made from ½ small red onion and 1 chopped tomato, plus raita made from 3tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt mixed with grated cucumber and fresh mint and coriander.Veggie option: Replace this dinner with a 400-calorie vegetarian ready meal.
6 of 9DAY 6
BreakfastFruity muesli.Serve 3tbsp unsweetened muesli with 1 handful of blueberries and skimmed milk. Plus 1 satsuma.LunchCheese, apple and walnut coleslaw pitta.Fill 1 wholemeal pitta with a mixture of 3tbsp grated reduced-fat cheese, 1 grated apple, 2 chopped walnut halves, 1 finely sliced celery stick and 2tsp light mayo.DinnerRoast beef dinner. Enjoy 2 slices of lean roast beef, 2 roast potatoes (roasted in sunflower oil), steamed broccoli and carrots and fat-free gravy. Veggie option: replace the beef with 3 slices Quorn Family Roast.
7 of 9DAY 7
BreakfastBeans and poached egg.Serve 1 poached egg with 1 small pot reduced-sugar, reduced-salt baked beans and a handful of mushrooms, fried in spray oil.LunchPasta and pesto salad.Mix 6tbsp cooked wholewheat pasta with steamed broccoli, 5 cherry tomatoes and 1tbsp green pesto. Plus 1 kiwi fruit.DinnerChinese noodles. Fry 3 sliced spring onions in tsp vegetable oil until softened, with garlic and chilli to taste. Add a handful each of sliced chestnut mushrooms and pak choi and fry for a few more minutes. Add 1tbsp cashew nuts, ½ tin bamboo shoots, 1tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce and 1 individual pack of wok-ready noodles. Heat through and serve. Plus 1 handful of blueberries.
8 of 9SNACK ATTACK
Enjoy one a day1 small pot fat-free yogurt and 1 small banana1tbsp unsalted peanuts mixed with 1tbsp raisins4tbsp branflakes with skimmed mill1 slice wholegrain toast with 2tbsp low-fat soft cheese, 1 sliced tomato. Plus 1 clementine4tbsp guacamole with ½ sliced red pepper and 1 carrot
9 of 9TUCK INTO A TREAT
Enjoy one a day1 mug low-fat instant hot chocolate drink and 2 small choc chip cookies1 scoop of ice cream with 1tbsp chocolate ice cream sauce1 small packet crisps1 French fancy cake and 1 mug low-fat instant hot chocolate drinks2 single (25ml) measures of spirit with diet cola, slimline tonic or diet lemonade. Plus 2 breadsticks
Always consult your doctor before embarking on any diet or fitness regime