GI Hip and Thigh Diet by Rosemary Conley

By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

"An all round winner if you want to shift those pounds"

What's the theory?

Rosemary has combined her two best selling diet books – the iconic Hip and Thigh Diet and the GI Jeans Diet – into one new book.

The theory is quite straightforward: a low-fat diet tends to be lower in calories but as more and more low-fat foods have become available, we can no longer rely on them solely to help us lose weight. As a result, we now need to consider calories – and that means reducing portions, particularly of carb-rich foods.

By opting for carbohydrates with a low glycaemic Index (GI), we’ll stay fuller for longer and be less likely to get hungry or suffer with cravings. As a result, choosing foods with a low fat content (that’s anything with less than five percent fat or below 5g fat per 100g) together with a low GI will help us lose weight and inches.

What does the diet involve?

The diet is divided into two phases. Phase 1 is a 14-day ‘Fat-Attack’ programme. Rosemary explains that research reveals that dieters who experience significant weight losses early on in their diet are more likely to stick with their plan in the long term. So that’s what the Fat-Attack phase is designed to do – provide rapid weight loss. The diet provides 1,200 calories daily and includes a milk allowance, three meals and two Power Snacks.

After a fortnight, you enter Phase 2  – the GI Hip and Thigh Diet. The basic diet remains the same and provides 1,200 calories daily. However, during this phase, you’re allowed to add treats, alcohol or desserts every day depending on your calorie allowance.

Before you begin Phase 2, there are charts (for men and women) to help you calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the amount of calories you need to simply keep your body ticking over and is the number of calories Rosemary recommends you have for continued weight loss. For example, a 35 year-old woman who weighs 12st has a BMR of around 1,470 calories. This means in addition to the basic plan (1,200 calories), she is allowed an additional 270 calories of extras, which don’t have to be low-GI or low-fat.

There’s another basic 14-day plan for Phase 2 of the diet (to which you need to add your extra calorie treats) or if you prefer you can put together your own daily menu from the wide range of meal suggestions given. There are also plenty of ideas for treats, desserts and booze, all with calorie counts.

How much weight will I lose?

Expect to lose 3.5kg in the first two weeks. After this, you can expect to lose with 1-1.5kg every week.

What can I eat in a typical day?

Breakfast:

1 slice wholegrain bread with 115g baked beans and a piece of fruit.

Morning Power Snack:

75g grapes.

Lunch:

300ml fresh tomato soup with 1 slice wholegrain bread and a small salad.

Afternoon Power Snack:

1 apple.

Dinner:

Pork and pineapple kebabs with chilli dipping sauce and 200g steamed green veg or salad.

What else does the book include?

There’s a section to help you clarify why you want to lose weight and tips for getting started and staying motivated. There’s also basic information about the principles of healthy eating, focussing on the nutrients we need and why we need them. There are heaps of recipes and, as you would expect from Rosemary, plenty of information about exercise.

Each day of the diet plan comes with an activity challenge based mainly on walking and toning exercises, plus there’s an extensive section, including a toning programme for hips and thighs with pictures of the diet guru showing how to do the moves.

Finally, there are Q&As, covering off a wide range of queries relating to all aspects of dieting, healthy eating and exercising, and a section on staying slim.

Juliette’s verdict

Rosemary has done it again. This book is excellent and is based on sound nutrition and diet advice to help you lose weight. Best of all, it doesn’t shy away from the fact that it’s calories that count when it comes to losing weight.

There’s no science to plough through, nothing faddy about it and it’s incredibly easy to follow.

Men, who are often neglected when it comes to popular diet books, are also considered.

The meals are well balanced and based on healthy eating and it’s great to see a plan that let’s you be flexible and include treats.

An all round winner if you want to shift those pounds and lose weight.