I like to do some kind of cleanse and fast from time to time, to rejuvenate my body, lose weight and detox. My weight has often fluctuated in my life, with a tendency to comfort-eat. This year, I noticed that my weight was creeping up at an alarming rate, probably due to being peri-menopausal and my metabolism changing, as well as comfort eating. So I decided I had to do something about it, as I felt uncomfortable in an overweight body, and knew I had a photo shoot coming up for my new website, so that was a strong incentive!

To kick start the process, I started with a water fast. I have done these at home, but if its your first time, and if you can afford to spend a week at a retreat centre, then I really recommend suradetox.com for their level of expertise, comfort and care to support and guide you through the process. I chose to go there, rather than have a holiday – it is like a holiday, since you certainly get to rest and recharge, over-looking the sea in Devon. If you do it at home, you can either get a home colonic kit or visit your local colonics centre. You don’t get physically hungry, since you are consuming regular amounts of bentonite clay and psyllium husk (which fill you up), and a little broth later if need be, for the salts. I combined it with a liver flush, and lost a stone in one week.

After this I dived into a diet called ‘Bright Line Eating’, and have stuck with it ever since. I was inspired by a friend who followed it and had lost a couple of stone in the spring. It’s brilliant for anyone who needs to lose weight and tends to comfort eat, or has food cravings or addictions. The basic ‘bright lines’, are no sugar, no flour, 3 weighed meals a day, no snacks. The biggest game changer for me was giving up smoothies and juices, even though they were mostly plant based, and taste so good and healthy, I hadn’t realised what a ‘sugar spike’ they were giving my body. It seemed like it would be difficult due to having to weigh meals, but I soon got used to the routine, even though I travel a lot with my Feng Shui and Space Clearing work – I just have to come prepared. I am always satisfied with the meals, especially with a big pile of salad with a tasty dressing, and only get hungry just before I eat.

I have combined ‘Bright Lines’ with raw recipes from the Suradetox team, and recommendations for a diet that suits my body and blood type, as prescribed by David Nassim. He is based in Glastonbury, and offers excellent body work and Tai Qi/Qi Gong lessons, as well as nutritional advice – contact David on 07810 886442.

Because I do regular ‘work’ on myself, with lots of healing sessions, I am also addressing the underlying seasons for comfort eating.

Not only have I got back to a weight that I am comfortable with, within just 2-3 months, my previous digestive issues like bloating have completely vanished, and I enjoy looking slim & fitting my clothes better – but its having a wonderful liberating effect on other aspects of life too – feeling more clarity, more organised, regained enthusiasm and youthfulness. Now I enjoy yoga and exercise much more too. Since my photo shoot, I have lost another stone and am back to the weight I was when I returned from Pachamama, 3 years ago (a lush retreat centre in Costa Rica to detox and much more). As I continue this eating plan, I feel I can regain the leaner body I had (at times) in my twenties/thirties.

I know that some people are happy with larger bodies, and I fully respect and admire that, but I am sharing this, in case someone reads this who has been feeling sad that they cant seem to lose weight and wish that they could and don’t know how – and I know the shame/embarrassment/self-consciousness/self-loathing/restrictions/health problems/stuckness/depression that can go with that. Bright Lines isn’t one of those yo-yo diets, they have the best record of people losing weight and keeping it off. I truly feel that I will never be overweight again. You can buy the online ‘boot camp’ or ’14 day challenge’ if you want and can invest in that level of support, or you can just buy the book: Bright Line Eating – the Science of Living happy, thin and free (by Susan Pierce Thompson) for less than a tenner. If you don’t have a spare tenner, just email me and I’ll send you my diet sheet. Check out the website: brightlineeating.com – From my experience, this is a method that really works.