A body and mind starved of nutrients and overloaded with toxins is one of the major causes of poor digestion, blood sugar swings and the resulting fatigue, mood swings and weight gain. The 24-hour 'detox' concentrates on foods and techniques that can help boost your nutrient intake and cleanse your body of toxins naturally. To ensure your 'detox' is nutritionally sound, the plan will involve drinking plenty of lemon juice with water; it will also involve regular snacks of fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Rather than starving you of nutrients, which would just cause your blood sugar levels and your mood to sink really low, you will be eating plenty of cleansing, natural foods and drinking lots of water to support your body's own in-house detox system, which is so effective that even the most sophisticated detox product can't compete with it.

The 24-hour plan is a great way to get back on track if you've fallen off the wagon or to give your digestion a boost and kick-start if you're new to all this. As you follow the plan, never forget that healthy eating to lose weight has nothing to do with dieting - we know that diets don't work in the long term - but everything to do with giving your body the best nutrition it can get. So, for the next 24 hours, and hopefully for the rest of your life, you are going to give yourself the very best, top-quality, premium-grade fuel.

The basis for this 'detox' diet is four glasses of 'fresh' lemonade, lots of water and regular meals and snacks that are as fresh, natural and healthy as possible. Not only will it give you all the nutrients you need to expel toxins naturally and revitalise your digestive system without feeling hungry, you can also lose a minimum of 600 grams to 1 kilo, depending on your height and body weight.

Making your lemonade:

To make your lemonade you will need:
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately 1/2 to 1 lemon)
300 ml (10 fl oz) pure, filtered water (according to taste)
1 tsp organic grade B maple syrup (optional) or a cinnamon stick
Small pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix together the lemon juice, water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Stir well and serve slightly warm at room temperature. As an alternative to maple syrup you could stir a cinnamon stick into your lemon juice.

Research has shown that cinnamon can help balance blood sugar and, if you like the taste, it's a fantastic way to add some sweetness. Use only fresh lemons, organic and vine ripened whenever possible. Never use canned or frozen lemon juice. Mix your lemonade just before drinking. You can, however, squeeze your lemons in the morning and measure out the 2 tablespoons when needed.

The pinch of cayenne pepper adds a zing to the flavour, as well as some stimulating warmth, which speeds cleansing and elimination. Some studies show that the capsaicin in cayenne pepper may increase the body's production of heat for a short time. It may also help to regulate blood sugar levels by affecting the breakdown of carbohydrates after a meal. Based on these studies, capsaicin is being investigated to see if it can be useful in treating obesity.

The grade B maple syrup (grade A is over-processed and refined) adds a sweet taste for those who find the drink too bitter, and a welcome shot of zinc and magnesium to help regulate your appetite and further boost fat metabolism.

Your lemon juice detox day: step by step

On this one day you will take in enough calories to keep your metabolism running efficiently as well as a host of wholesome and healthy nutrients. Moreover, your body will have 24 hours in which to rid itself of the toxins absorbed by overindulgence, or simply through daily life (stress, pollution and processed food products). You should not follow this detox diet for more than one day a week as it is not effective as a general everyday diet. It is, however, highly effective as a cleansing pick-me-up to boost your digestion and get you started on the road to weight loss.

It's best to do this detox on a Saturday or Sunday or on a day when you aren't working and bound by your normal routine; then you'll have time to relax and take your time cooking, preparing and eating your food.

Throughout the day:

Make sure you drink at least six to eight glasses of filtered water with added lemon peel. You shouldn't feel any hunger pangs. If you do, drink more water or herbal teas, or have a banana with a handful of mixed seeds or a bowl of warm vegetable soup that isn't high in sodium, additives or preservatives (homemade soup is probably your best option).

First thing:

Try to get up around 7.30 in the morning if you can, and on rising, drink your first glass of lemonade. It's probably best to drink it slightly warm, as cold water first thing in the morning is a shock to the system and can create gas and bloating. Wait at least half an hour until you eat breakfast or until you brush your teeth.

Breakfast:

5 each of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and cherries
1 apple
1 pear
Organic live yogurt
Handful of raw almonds
Chop up all the fruit, mix with the yoghurt and sprinkle with almonds.

Mid-morning snack:

Drink your second glass of lemonade. Ten minutes later have a banana, plus a handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Lunch:

As much mixed green bean or lentil salad as you like, dressed with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. You can eat any kinds of beans and lentils, including red kidney, haricot, cannelloni, butter, black eye and pinto beans and red, green and brown lentils.

Mid-afternoon snack:

Drink your third glass of lemonade, then 10 minutes later have cucumber, radish and celery crudites, or a handful of raw unsalted nuts and dried fruit.

Dinner:

Grilled fish with steamed vegetables (make sure you include onions). You can eat any vegetables you like, fresh or frozen, such as carrots, turnip, swede, sprouts, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms, sweetcorn, leeks, courgettes, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions. You can also choose any of the following fresh fish: cod, plaice, mackerel, salmon, trout, haddock, tuna, prawns, Dover sole, red mullet, halibut, lemon sole. Make sure you sprinkle your fish with lemon juice before eating. (If you don't eat fish, substitute with soya beans or tofu and avocado.)
OR
Stir-fry a selection of vegetables such as bok choi, spring onions, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts in a little extra virgin olive oil with garlic, lemon juice, ginger and tofu pieces.

About two hours before bed:

Have your glass of lemonade, this time with warm or hot water.

Just before you go to bed
Have a relaxing warm bath with aromatherapy oils. If you feel hungry after your bath try nibbling on some celery stalks as they are loaded with magnesium, which is a calming nutrient.

Try to be in bed before 10pm if you can. A good night's sleep is important for weight loss because lack of sleep disrupts hormones, triggering metabolic changes that mean you don't process food so well. There may also be a link between lack of sleep and increased appetite, so in the weeks and months ahead aim for quality sleep every night; between six and eight hours a night is considered optimum.