The Harcombe Diet

Your friends use sofeminine, discover what they have read

The Harcombe Diet

Zoë Harcombe came up with the Harcombe Diet based on her belief that calorie-counting and cutting out nutrients only makes you crave food more.

She reckons that many "eat less, do more" diets could actually cause you to put on weight because of this.

Her motto? "Eat better and do whatever you like."

How it works
The Harcombe Diet involves replacing processed foods with fresh foods, and is all about not combining fats and carbs in the same meals.

You can still eat both food groups, just not together.

Zoë has created a diet plan consisting of three phases to lead you through the lifestyle change, and she insists that you shouldn't feel hunger pangs or cravings.

The Diet was designed to fight three health conditions that may play a key role in obesity: food allergies; and hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and an imbalance of Candida, a yeast in your digestive system that can cause hunger cravings.

A typical day
What you eat depends on what phase of the Diet you're on.

Phase 1: This lasts just 5 days and is a bit of a detox to kick-start your new eating plan. You cut out sugary foods, cheese, pickled foods and grains (except brown rice), but eat plenty of fish, meat, eggs, yoghurt, salads, and most veg.

Phase 2: This phase can go on for as long as you like, depending on how much you're looking to lose. You have to avoid processed foods, and the main point is not to mix carbs and fats in the same meal. So you can eat both ham and bread during this phase, for instance, but not together in a ham sandwich!

The good news is, you can eat whenever you're hungry on the Harcombe Diet - just don't go for foods you know cause you cravings.

Phase 3: The final stage is about incorporating your healthy eating into your everyday life. Processed foods are still a no-no, but the occasional treat is allowed. "Be alert and stay in control" is the main principle.

Results
This diet claims to shift 5-10lbs (2-5kg) in the first five days, with steady weight loss thereafter.

Plus points
You can eat when you want, and as long as you steer clear of processed goods you don't have to cut out any major food groups.

Downsides
This diet requires commitment if you want to do it properly, as it's a long-term plan. And if you go out a lot or share food with other people, it can be tricky to stick to meals that don't combine fats and carbs. The no- processed foods rule can also be limiting, especially if you're not into cooking.

Find out more
You can find out more about the Harcombe Diet from Zoë's book, The Harcombe Diet: Stop Counting Calories and Start Losing Weight.

More Diets
Check out a huge selection of diet plans in our comprehensive Diet A-Z.