They love a glass of wine and a chocolate bar like the rest of us, so could these real women drop a dress size in just a month?
The points-and-power-plate plan
Aisling McIntyre, 35, is a hairdresser from Streatham, London. She followed the Weightwatchers Discover Plan (Weightwatchers.com; £40.90 for first month, £10.95 after) and had 12 one-hour Power Plate sessions at a Virgin Active gym (Virgin active.com; membership from £39.95 per month).
Aisling says: "During the week, my diet's fairly saintly, but at weekends, I indulge in creamy curries and a roast, washed down with lager. Four years ago, I was a size 10, but thanks to weekend binges, I'm now a 14. I'm unhappy with my shape, especially my wobbly tummy and thighs, and want to lose weight. I've heard celebs such as Kylie Minogue and Gemma Arterton use a Power Plate. You stand on a vibrating platform and it tones you up - how hard can that be?"
DIET BEFORE
Breakfast: Muesli with semi-skimmed milk
Lunch: Chicken, avocado and mayo sandwich, crisps and biscuits
Dinner: Chicken korma with naan bread, 2 pints of lager
Exercise: 45-minute power walk three times a week
DIET AFTER
Breakfast: Special K with skimmed milk
Lunch: Ryvita with cottage cheese
Dinner: Vegetable curry
Exercise: Power Plate and running
WEEK ONE:
"I was so wrong about the Power Plate. I could barely walk after my first session of stretches and lunges! Compared to that, the diet's easy. The Weightwatchers website helped me work out I was allowed 21 'Points' worth of food every day. I used the online tracker to record what I'd eaten, then the calculator to work out how many Points were in each meal."
Weight lost: 2lb
WEEK TWO:
"I fell off the wagon at Easter. It wasn't chocolate that did it, but booze. I had six gin and diet tonics, which are one point each. At least I avoided lager - each pint is three points! The Power Plate is getting easier, and I'm feeling more toned already."
Weight lost: 2lb
WEEK THREE:
"I tried on a size-12 dress that's been in my wardrobe for two years - and it fits! All I wanted for dinner was a curry, but I resisted - finding out I'd lost more weight stopped me ordering a takeaway. My thighs and bum feel rock hard since I've been on the Power Plate."
Weight lost: 3lb
WEEK FOUR:
"I can't believe how much weight I've lost! My friends are so impressed. My boyfriend, Andre, loves my body, too. My Power Plate sessions have got me hooked on exercise so I've taken up running, and I'm also going to stick to the diet."
Weight lost: 3lb
TOTAL WEIGHT LOST: 10lb
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The direct-to-your door diet
Becky McLaren, 36, is an operations manager from Reading, Berkshire, where she lives with her husband, Angus, and daughter Megan, five. She followed the BeautifulBreak Detoxini, where three balanced meals totalling 1,200 calories are delivered to your door (Beautifulbreak.com; from £18.50 per day).
Becky says: "Last year, I lost a lot of weight before my holiday. I was a size 10 and felt confident in a bikini. Since then, I've piled on the pounds. I hate Angus seeing me in my underwear."
DIET BEFORE
Breakfast: Nothing
Lunch: Cheese and ham sandwich, cola
Dinner: Large bowl of pasta and stir-in sauce, large glass of wine
Exercise: Toning class once a week
DIET AFTER
Breakfast: Porridge with soya milk
Lunch: Vegetable curry with brown rice
Dinner: Carrot and orange soup
Exercise after: Toning class once a week and plans to go to the gym twice a week
WEEK ONE:
"The diet contains no meat, dairy foods or fish and I'm not allowed fizzy drinks, alcohol or caffeine. I've been delivered a box containing labelled parcels and a menu guide, and I have to put together each day's meals. So far, my favourites include a spicy hotpot and a veggie Bolognese. The recipes are inventive and the portions filling. It's hard watching Angus and Megan tuck into fish and chips, but it'll be worth it. It's having an effect already - I'm more, er, regular than before!"
Weight lost: 7lb
WEEK TWO:
"I'm yearning for beans on toast! But I'm not going to give up. On Saturday, Megan and Angus had chicken Kiev while I was stuck with cabbage soup and I was so jealous. I was a bit naughty on Sunday - I cooked a roast chicken and had a piece with a potato and veg. I'm still losing weight though - 10lb so far!"
Weight lost: 3lb
WEEK THREE:
"To me, semolina looks like frogspawn, so a berry semolina dessert goes straight in the bin. However, there have been a couple of nice stews packed with veg. I've not lost as much weight this week. On Wednesday, Megan tells me: 'You're still a bit fat, Mummy!' Charming."
Weight lost: 1lb
WEEK FOUR:
"The diet's changed my outlook - you can eat well, enjoy filling, tasty food and lose weight. In fact I'm eating more than I used too, but it's all really healthy. I'm going to stick to a low-fat regime from now on and start going to the gym twice a week, too. I'd love to get down to 10st, and this was just the kick-start I needed."
Weight lost: 4lb
TOTAL WEIGHT LOST: 1st 1lb
The personalised plan
Vanessa Griffiths, 38, is a financial advisor from Raynes Park, London, where she lives with her husband, Max. She followed a diet and exercise plan devised by personal trainer and nutritionist Lucy Wyndham-Read of LWR (Lwrfitness.com; £40 per session).
Vanessa says: "Since I got married last year, I've put on half a stone and no matter how much exercise I do or how healthily I eat, I just can't shift it. Marriage has made me a bit too relaxed about my body and I'm eating the same portion sizes as Max. Now I've tipped the scales at over 14st, I'm worried it's getting out of control."
DIET BEFORE
Breakfast: A large bowl of muesli with semi-skimmed milk
Lunch: A prawn mayonnaise sandwich, biscuits
Dinner: A man-sized portion of chilli
Exercise: Two or three exercise classes, such as circuit training or spinning, every week
DIET AFTER
Breakfast: Yoghurt and fruit with granola
Lunch: Wholemeal pitta with tuna and salad, bowl of fruit salad
Dinner: Fish or lean meat with vegetables or green salad
Exercise: Power walking, gym sessions, strength exercises
WEEK ONE:
"I had nightmares about how I would survive on nothing but celery, but I felt better after Lucy spoke to me about my diet and lifestyle. She told me I was still allowed fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, a tuna and salad pitta for lunch, and steak with vegetables for dinner. I also swap my 4pm biscuit fix for oatcakes and avocado or a crunchy granola bar. There's not a celery stick in sight - and it still fits in with my lifestyle. We're doing three one-hour training sessions a week: a 20-minute power walk, then 40 minutes of lunges, squats and stretches. I can't believe I've lost 2lb and 3in from my hips, waist and thighs already."
Weight lost: 2lb
WEEK TWO:
"It was our wedding anniversary this week, so we went away for the night to celebrate. Rest assured, we engaged in plenty of calorie-burning, ahem, exercise! For dinner, I had a small portion of beef and lots of green vegetables, with a glass of white wine. Max could hardly believe it when I refused pudding. I've lost another 2lb and 3in! I bought a Creme Egg at the weekend, but saved it until Tuesday, when I really wanted it. Then I savoured every gorgeous, chocolatey bite. Delicious."
Weight lost: 2lb
WEEK THREE:
"I've been a bit naughty this week. At a hen do, I couldn't resist the sticky toffee pudding and a few large glasses of wine. Nevertheless, by the end of the week, I've lost another 2lb and 3in - amazing!"
Weight lost: 2lb
WEEK FOUR:
"I've lost 8lb and a whopping 10n. Max has promised me a trip to New York if I hit my goal of 13st. This is just the beginning of the new me."
Weight lost: 2lb
TOTAL WEIGHT LOST: 8lb
The celebrity diet
Kirsty McKibbin, 29, is a fashion buyer from Kingston, Surrey, and lives with her fiancé, Simon. She followed the diet and fitness book How To Get A Celeb's Body (Michael Joseph, £14.99) by Coleen Rooney's personal trainer, Elise Lindsay, and Coleen's exercise DVD, Brand New Body Workout (Universal Pictures, £9.99)
Kirsty says: "I'm desperate to lose 1st before my wedding to Simon in August, but my downfall is my love of bread, potatoes, pasta and desserts. And I eat the same size portions as Simon, a 6ft rugby player! At uni, I weighed 7st, but over the past couple of years, the stress of work has led me to comfort eat. Coleen's got a great body - if mine ends up looking like hers, the diet's worth a try."
DIET BEFORE
Breakfast: White toast with butter
Lunch: Cheese and pickle sandwich, crisps, fruit juice
Dinner: Thai chicken curry with rice, two glasses of wine
Exercise: Gym once a week
DIET AFTER
Breakfast: Weetabix and soya milk Lunch: Edamame bean salad, packet of Snack-a-Jacks
Dinner: Quorn chicken fillet with beans and potatoes
Exercise: Coleen's DVD workout twice a week
WEEK ONE:
"For the first week of the plan, I can't eat dairy foods, pasta, meat, fish, crisps or chocolate. I lunch on Ryvitas and houmous and munch on carrot sticks while Simon tucks into stew and mash. On Wednesday, I try doing the exercise DVD and, by the end of it, I'm aching all over and sweaty. Keeping to the diet over Easter is torture - I crack and indulge in a hot cross bun and a Creme Egg and, at dinner, get through of a bottle of white wine and a huge plate of stew."
Weight lost: 4lb
WEEK TWO:
"I'm back to eating healthily. This week, I'm allowed skinless chicken and potatoes. I do the workout twice, but on Thursday I do it after dinner, so don't give it my all, and on Saturday, Simon and I go to a friend's wedding. I eat goats' cheese salad, lamb with potatoes and ratatouille, and finish with chocolate brownie and ice cream. I tell myself I must stick to the diet properly next week!"
Weight lost: none - 1lb gained!
WEEK THREE:
"Every morning I have muesli and soya milk, and dinner is something like salmon fillet with stir-fried vegetables. On Friday, it's a friend's birthday meal. I take the skin off my chicken and don't have any cake. I feel very virtuous!"
Weight lost: 2lb
WEEK FOUR:
I do the workout two nights in a row and am surprised by how much easier I'm finding it. And I now fit into the size-12 jeans I've not worn for two years! I'm going to carry on eating healthily and doing the DVD twice a week to keep up my weight loss."
Weight lost: 2lb
TOTAL WEIGHT LOST: 7lb
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