An author was so impressed by the success of her “part-time” diet she has written a book about it.

Novelist Kate Harrison has already lost 17lb since starting the 5:2 diet six months ago.

The diet uses a method where people eat whatever they like five days a week and then fast for two.

On those two days people eat very small and low calorie meals instead.

The theory is that simply by eating less for one or two days a week you can trigger physical and mental changes that can lead to losing weight and helping your body and brain repair itself.

Ms Harrison, 44, from North Laine, Brighton, said: “I had been a yo-yo dieter for years and nothing really seemed to be working.

“At first I was not sure because I thought fasting would mean having no food at all and I like my food too much, but then I realised it was not quite like that.

“It is about educating your body and learning how to cope with restricting calories at times.

“It takes a few days to get used to it but after a while you get used to it and it really does start to work.

“Knowing that I can eat what I like on other days makes it easier to adapt.

Alternative way

“It is an alternative way to lose weight instead of methods like slimming clubs. Obviously they can do a great job and work for many people, but this is certainly something different to consider.”

Ms Harrison set up a Facebook page about the diet which quickly attracted attention but found very little useful information to support what she was doing.

She said: “I was looking for something that would offer advice and tips but there was nothing really suitable so I decided to write it myself.”

The 5:2 Diet Book is full of suggestions and success stories which Ms Harrison compiled following interviews with more than 40 men and women who have been trying it.

Working out

She said: “I’ve found that men in particular seem to like it. It is quite simple and straightforward and there are no rigid rules. It is really flexible.

“It is certainly working for me and I have not put any weight back on since starting it, even though I’ve been out more because of Christmas.”

The book, which is currently only available as an e-book, was launched at the end of November and is consistently at number one in the Diets and Weight Loss section on Amazon.

Ms Harrison is better known for her Secret Shopper series of novels, which have been shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan Comedy Romance Award.

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