27 *

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Cosmo your body

COSMOPOLITAN BODY * 2928 * COSMOPOLITAN BODY

I was barely able to walk, but I felt all glowy and good (my friends started to think I’d been bodysnatched by exercise-loving aliens).

When Nathalie measured me at the end of my first fortnight, I’d lost a stone and a half – 2.5% of my body fat! I was so shocked, I made her check that she hadn’t misplaced a decimal point somewhere. Amazingly, she hadn’t.

weeK IN, weeK oUTOver the next few months, there were weeks when the weight seemed to fall off, weeks when I thought I’d cry if I saw another piece of kale and times when – no matter how angelic my diet – the dial on the scales refused to move. I tried to focus instead on the small signs that I was shaping up – whether it was being able to use a new notch on my belt, or friends asking me if I’d lost weight.

I learnt to stop saying “yes” every time someone suggested I have a pint and opted for a vodka and soda (less calories and less carbs). I spent one holiday annoying every single waiter in Cornwall by asking if they could hold the chips and give me extra salad instead, with the dressing on the side.

Sometimes, I fell off the wagon (and mostly landed in a pint of cider), but I dragged my sorry ass back to Bodyism every week. Even though I imagined myself doing a Nutty Professor with every step, I was

determined that I would get things back under control.

Soon my size-16 clothes didn’t just fit, they were too big. I retrieved all the size 14s that hadn’t become moth food from the back of my wardrobe (I hadn’t worn them since 2002) and realised that, though I could now get into them, I had really bad dress sense back then. I started running at the weekend. For fun.

I even got so used to bringing my lunch in to work that I stopped pining for Pret.

Five months after starting Clean & Lean, I had to have

my picture taken for this feature. I bought some Levi’s Curve ID Slight Curve Skinny Jeans for the occasion. I can’t tell you how it felt to walk into the shop, pick up a pair of size 12s and know they’d fit. And I’ve been able to try on gorgeous wedding dresses without panicking (too much). They have

even done up. I’m still working out

twice a week with the Bodyism team, and sticking to the diet, but now I’m allowed a Cheat Meal once a week – and

I make sure I drink red wine and eat a piece of the best chocolate cake I can find. I’m not going to lie, changing your routine is as hard as a Cosmo Centrefold’s abs, but I’m getting there. And if you really, really want to, you could soon be too.

read Suzy’s blog at Cosmopolitan.co.uk/lifestyle/wedding-dress-diet.

follow her at twitter.com/Miss_suzy_c �

wouldn’t do up. Not even if I resorted to Spanx and a baggy top. I realised I had gone up to a size 18. I needed help. And fast.

MIrACLe MANI hit the internet to do some research and found an article about the Clean & Lean Diet. Its creator, James Duigan, is Elle Macpherson’s personal trainer; she credits him with changing the way she works out and helping her to achieve The Body of a twenty-something in her forties. I searched some more and discovered that James also trains Hugh Grant, and whipped Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and actress Jennifer Lawrence into shape. (He also gave Nigella Lawson the body that everyone’s talking about.)

I figured that if I ended up looking one millionth as amazing as any of those women, I would be about as chuffed as Kate Middleton’s hairdresser. So I emailed James, explaining my hopeless and rather wobbly situation. And that’s how I found myself, a couple of days later, in his Bodyism gym, with an impossibly beautiful and toned trainer called Nathalie (seriously, check her out on p32). She measured the fat in my bingo wings with giant tweezers while I stood in my pants and wished that I had never been introduced to Messrs Ben & Jerry.

The news was not good. At 5ft 6ins and 13st 7lbs, my body fat was 30.2% – it should be around 19% – which made me ‘borderline obese’. I had ‘concerning levels’ of blubber in all manner of places that they shouldn’t be – from my belly button to my love handles. Nathalie told

me that I needed to make a “major lifestyle change”. I wanted to cry.

I mean, who wanted to be thin anyway? I could so stay the size I was. Look at all the gorgeous curvy role models out there: Christina Hendricks, Adele, Australian

model Robyn Lawley (she’s been on the cover of Vogue Italia and French Elle). None of them is a size 10 and they all look lovely. Except then I looked down just as Nathalie was pinching an inch (and then some) as she remeasured my belly blob and I realised it was time to stop lying to myself. Diet-wise, I was living on the M-Plan (Magners, martinis and McDonald’s). I hated looking at myself in

the mirror. I got out of puff going up stairs. Things needed to change. Not just so that I could get into my old jeans, but also for my health.

When Nathalie said she could get me into shape in three months (like a size-14

‘shape’, maybe a 12 if I worked really hard), I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or hug her. I hadn’t been that size for five years, and the idea of coming out of Topshop with more than an inferiority complex was mind-blowing.

The rules of the Clean & Lean Diet are simple: instead of counting calories, you cut down on the amount of C.R.A.P. (carbohydrates, refined sugar, alcohol, processed food) in your diet. The theory is that your body stores toxins in your fat cells, making it hard to lose weight. Clean up your diet and your fat cells will release fat – and you’ll drop dress sizes.

GYM’LL fIX ITFor the next two weeks, I stuck to the diet like a WAG to her man, following a hardcore 14-day kick-start plan (see p30) full of protein, but with no carbohydrates, booze or sugar – not even any fruit. I shunned the pub, replaced Diet Coke with fizzy water (trust me: it works), learnt to love nuts and left the room every time someone said the C-word (chocolate, obvs).

I went to Bodyism three times a week. I lunged, I squatted, I planked. I ran on the cross trainer and even lifted the occasional weight. At times,

Suzy loves her Levi’s Curve ID jeans after spending four months following the regime devised by James Duigan. Left: Nigella, Jennifer Lawrence and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are among James’s celebrity clients

NowThe fAT GUIde Your body-fat storage areas

say a lot about your dietSuprailiac skin fold: Love

handles are a sign you eat too many carbs and too much sugar.

Subscapular skin fold: Back fat under shoulder blades can show low genetic tolerance to carbs. Umbilical skin fold: Fat in the

bellybutton area indicates your body is making too much of the stress-induced hormone cortisol.

Pectorales skin fold: Eating non-organic dairy products (full of female steroids), soy products and alcohol can increase your

oestrogen levels; this causes your liver to be overloaded and fat to be stored on your bum and legs.

“A t 30.2%, my body fat

was way too high…

Before

… and I hated my bingo wings and belly”

Cosmo your body

COSMOPOLITAN BODY * 3130 * COSMOPOLITAN BODY

The Good foodS Chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, duck, liver, pork, fish and shellfish. Lemons, limes, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, green beans, mangetouts, kale, rocket, watercress, Brussels sprouts (see, they’re not just for Christmas), cucumbers, courgettes, avocados and all herbs. Almonds, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia and cashew nuts, sesame and sunflower seeds.

 CooKING TIPS Try to steam all your veggies

to retain nutrients (microwaving

can destroy 97% of the

flavonoids and boiling 66%). Use

coconut oil (ideal for cooking on

a high heat) or extra virgin olive

oil (best for salads), because

they’re high in essential fatty

acids and contain a more

balanced ratio of omega 3 to 6.

The 14-dAY KICK-STArT dIeTThis is a basic food plan, so you can add extra veg, and mix and match the meals from the different days. It’s tough, but if you stick to it, it does work. 

dAY 1Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg and 50g smoked salmon. Lunch: 100g

grilled sea bass served with a salad of mixed leaves, red peppers, green beans and broccoli, with a dash of olive oil and lemon juice. Snack: 6 Brazil nuts. dinner: 100g fillet of beef with steamed broccoli and spinach, and ¼ avocado. Snack: Chopped raw veg.

dAY 2Breakfast: 100g smoked salmon with cucumber or raw or steamed

veg. Lunch: 100g sliced turkey with chopped tomato, cucumber, spinach leaves and ¼ avocado, with a dash of olive oil. Snack: 50g sliced chicken with mixed raw veg. dinner: 150g grilled cod fillet with steamed green beans. Snack: 15 almonds. 

dAY 3Breakfast: 50g sliced turkey and ¼ avocado. Lunch: 50g spinach

omelette (made with 2 eggs) served with mixed green vegetables. Snack: 50g sliced ham. dinner: 100g grilled lamb chops with spinach, broccoli and red peppers. Snack: 10 walnuts.

dAY 4Breakfast: 50g sliced ham with grilled vegetables. Lunch: 100g

smoked mackerel served with a salad of tomato, baby spinach and green beans, drizzled with olive oil. Snack: 50g sliced ham and a handful of almonds. dinner: 100g grilled chicken breast with steamed courgettes. Snack: 8 cashew nuts.

dAY 5Breakfast: 2 boiled or scrambled eggs and ¼ avocado. Lunch: 75g

pan-fried prawns with sautéed spinach or vegetables. Snack: 100g sliced beef or turkey with two oatcakes. dinner: 1 chicken breast stir-fried with mixed vegetables. Snack: 50g sliced ham and a handful of sunflower seeds.

dAY 6Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg with spinach cooked with olive oil.

Lunch: 100g beef burger (skip the bun) with pan-fried mushrooms, onions and grilled tomato, and a small side salad. Snack: Chopped raw vegetables. dinner: 100g salmon fillet baked with dill, garlic and paprika, served with steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Snack: 7 walnuts. 

dAY 7Breakfast: 1 poached egg and 50g smoked salmon. Lunch: ¼

roast chicken with steamed vegetables or a small mixed salad. Snack: 50g turkey with 2 thick slices of avocado. dinner: 100g rump steak with pepper and garlic served with steamed green beans and broccoli. Snack: Handful of mixed seeds.

dAY 8Breakfast: 75g turkey with a

mixed salad. Lunch: 50g ham and spinach omelette (made with 2 eggs) served with mixed green vegetables. Snack: Sliced raw vegetables. dinner: 100g grilled lamb chops with sautéed kale, cabbage and red peppers. Snack: 7 macadamia nuts and a handful of blueberries.

dAY 9Breakfast: 1 kipper and 1 poached

egg. Lunch: 75g steamed sea bass served with a salad of tomato, baby spinach, cucumber, olives and green beans, with a dash of olive oil. Snack: 50g sliced ham and 7 blanched almonds. dinner: 150g grilled chicken with steamed asparagus and courgettes. Snack: 12 almonds.

dAY 10Breakfast: 100g smoked trout with 1 raw or steamed carrot

and green peppers. Lunch: 100g pan-fried prawns with sautéed spinach and coriander. Snack: 100g sliced chicken with steamed vegetables.

dinner: 100g chicken in a casserole with mixed vegetables. Snack: 70g sliced turkey.

dAY 11Breakfast: Ham and 2 scrambled or poached eggs with raw red

peppers. Lunch: 100g fillet steak with steamed broccoli and green beans. Snack: 10 walnuts. dinner: 100g grilled chicken breast with green vegetables. Snack: 50g sliced turkey and 2 slices avocado.

dAY 12Breakfast: 1 organic sausage, 1 poached egg and 2 grilled

tomatoes. Lunch: 100g grilled cod with rocket, red onion and

mangetouts. Snack: 50g sliced chicken with celery and cucumber. dinner: 150g roast turkey with roasted peppers, carrots and onion. Snack: 7 cashew nuts.

dAY 13Breakfast: 1 poached

egg and 50g smoked salmon. Lunch: 100g grilled chicken with steamed vegetables or a small mixed salad. Snack: 50g turkey with 2 thick slices of

avocado. dinner: 100g fillet steak with pepper and garlic served with steamed green beans and broccoli. Snack: Handful of mixed nuts and seeds.

dAY 14Breakfast: 100g smoked salmon with cucumber.

Lunch: 100g sliced turkey with ¼ avocado and 2 large tomatoes with a dash of olive oil. Snack: 50g chicken with raw vegetables. dinner: 1 salmon steak with steamed green vegetables. Snack: 12 almonds. �

dIeT-frIeNdLY (ISh) BoozeAvoid alcohol for the first

fortnight. After that stick to vodka and soda. Vodka

(especially Grey Goose) is kinda ‘clean’ because it has fewer

chemicals. Vodka doesn’t have as much sugar as darker spirits

like whisky, so it has fewer calories. Soda is like fizzy water

(so there’s no added sugar), plus it’s hydrating, so you won’t get such a Hades-level hangover (and we all know a hangover =

cravings for chips, crisps, cheese... basically, any food you

can think of that is yellow and high in fat). An extra tip? Add

a squeeze of fresh lime, because it stimulates your digestive

system and helps you to break down toxins from

alcohol more quickly.

The rULeS• No more skipping breakfast or grabbing

a croissant. Instead, have a ‘protein source’

every morning (salmon, ham or eggs).

• Ditch foods labelled low fat (these are

processed and therefore difficult for your body

to digest) and eat more good fats (for example,

extra virgin olive oil, nuts and avocado).

• Make sure your snacks always contain some

form of protein (try a slice of ham or chicken,

or a handful of raw nuts or seeds).

• If you have a major carb craving, go for

rye bread, sweet potatoes or quinoa.

• Don’t eat anything that comes in a tin

or a jar. And if you can’t even pronounce the

ingredients, they ain’t good for you.

• Whenever possible, it’s best to buy organic.

The diet

The eXCITING BIT! After your first fortnight, you’re allowed a Cheat Meal once a week. That’s a meal of whatever you want to eat and drink (and yes, that includes cake). Whoop!

Achieved your weight-

loss goal? Then celebrate by

turning to p102 to find the perfect

pair of jeans for you

Cosmo your body

32 * COSMOPOLITAN BODY COSMOPOLITAN BODY * 33

BreakfasthUGh GrANT’S PoAChed eGGS wITh ASPArAGUS ANd PArMeSANSERvES 4

Ingredients 2 bunches of asparagus Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil, for drizzling 4 fresh organic eggs Parmesan, to serve Method1 Preheat the grill to hot. Fill a pan with water and bring to the boil.2 Place the asparagus on a baking tray, season with salt and black pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Grill for approximately 10 mins, until cooked.3 When the pan of water is at boiling point, stir rapidly to create a whirlpool and crack the first egg into the centre. Cook for 3-4 mins; the swirling water should bring the egg together. Repeat with the remaining eggs.4 Serve each poached egg with a quarter of the asparagus spears and grate a little Parmesan over the top.Ph

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Taken from Clean & Lean Diet Cookbook by James duigan (£12.99, Kyle Cathie) ◆

DinnerBAKed SeA BASS wITh roAST ToMAToeSSERvES 4

Ingredients 8 large vine tomatoes, halved 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 sea bass fillets (about 100g each) 1 lemon, cut into quarters 4 stems rosemary 200g organic rocket

Method1 Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F, gas 6).2 Place the tomatoes on a baking tray, press garlic slices into them, drizzle over 1tbsp oil and season. Bake for 35 mins.3 Lay the fish on tin foil on a baking tray. Place 1 slice of lemon and 1 stem of rosemary on each fillet, drizzle with most of the remaining oil, season and bake in the oven for the last 8 mins of the tomatoes’ cooking time.4 Serve the fish and tomatoes on a bed of rocket with a drizzle of olive oil.

LunchherB-CrUSTed LAMB CUTLeTS wITh ToMATo, ALMoNd ANd GreeN BeAN SALAdSERvES 4

Ingredients 1 bunch (each) parsley, mint and basil 12 lamb cutlets 3tbsp olive oil 200g green beans 6 vine tomatoes Juice of 1 lemon 1 bunch fresh basil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 100g flaked almonds, lightly toasted

Method1 Preheat the grill to medium.2 Finely chop the herbs. Rub the cutlets with 1tbsp oil and roll in the herbs. Grill the cutlets for 3-4 mins on each side.3 Blanch the beans in boiling salted water for about 4 mins and drain.4 Cut the tomatoes into wedges and toss with the green beans, lemon juice, basil leaves, salt and pepper. Add the rest of olive oil. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top and serve with the cutlets.

The exercises

SIde STreTChfab for: your upper body mobility and loosening you up.1 Lie on your side with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle, and with your arms out at your sides.2 Slowly rotate one arm up and then towards the opposite side, keeping your legs still.3 Repeat 10 times on each side.

hIP eXTeNSIoNSfab for: your bum and lower back.1 Lie on your back. Bend your knees, keeping your heels on the ground with your toes pointing to the ceiling.2 Lift your hips off the ground 20 times (squeezing in your bottom and belly). Don’t let your bum hit the ground on the way down.3 Next, repeat the same move, but with one leg lifted at 90 degrees to your body, knee bent. Raise and lower 10 times. 4 Repeat the same thing with the other knee lifted.

The MAGIC eIGhT-MINUTe worKoUTThe Clean & Lean theory is that you can get real results in a mere eight minutes a day (how cool is that?). This is the routine I’ve been doing at home three times a week on top of two trips to the gym. For some of these exercises, you’ll need an exercise band, which you can buy at most sports shops or online at Bodyism.com. If you don’t want to buy one, you can do 20 squats instead.

The Y&T Movefab for: your posture. This switches on all the postural muscles of the upper back, helping you to stand straighter.The Y: 1 Lie on your stomach with your arms up and out above your head so that your whole

body is making a ‘Y’ shape.2 Slowly draw your shoulder blades together and lift your arms off the floor.3 Repeat 10 times.The T: 1 Lie on your stomach with your arms extended out to the sides so that your whole

body is making a ‘T’ shape.2 Slowly draw your shoulder blades together and lift your arms off the floor.3 Repeat 10 times.Taken from Clean & Lean Diet by James duigan (£12.99, Kyle Cathie)

The BANd wALK fab for: lifting your bottom. This exercise might look dead easy, but it kills!1 Put your exercise band around your ankles and stand up straight with your hands on your hips. 2 Lock your legs and walk sideways from one side of the room to the other. You will feel silly, but within seconds your bottom muscles will be burning.3 Now move the band up so it’s just above your knees. Get into a half squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart, weight over heels, knees bent and shoulders back.4 Walk from side to side for 20 more steps.

The BANd: The NeXT LeveLfab for: your hip, thigh and core (stomach) muscles.1 With your exercise band just above your knees, get into a half squat position again.2 Move one knee in towards the other knee 15 times. Try to keep the rest of the body still. 3 Repeat with the other knee 15 times.

Good

posture can

make you look

5kg slimmer

by unbunching

your middle

section

The recipes

1

1 1

2

2 2

1

Y1 Y2 T1

3

2

3

4