To lose weight, you have to use up more energy than you take in from your food - and following this four-week plan will help you do just that. The plan encourages you to avoid fatty foods and the sort of sugary comfort snacks that cause the low sugar dips that make you feel hungry. The meals and snacks here will fill you up so you don't get peckish. Other handy fat-loss tricks are setting a goal weight, which studies show improves your chances of success and will put you in a positive frame of mind as you watch the kilos fall off, and drinking lots of water to help stave off dehydration, which is often mistaken for hunger and leads to snacking.

Monday
Breakfast: 150g low-fat yoghurt. 1 sliced banana. 40g bran flakes. Mug of green tea.
Snack: 1 apple. 6 almonds.
Lunch: 1 can of tuna with salad. 70g brown rice.
Snack:  2 sticks of celery. 50g low-fat cottage cheese.
Dinner: 130g baked salmon steak, 1 baked sweet potato, 2tbsp low-fat coleslaw and 75g garden peas. 2 scoops of sorbet with chopped strawberries.
Daily total: 1,849 calories, 200g carbs, 101g protein, 34g fat

Tuesday
Breakfast: 45g porridge oats made with skimmed milk. Handful of berries. 250ml orange juice. Mug of green tea.
Snack: 1 apple. 2tbsp cashew nut butter.
Lunch: Tuna sandwich on 2 slices of wholemeal bread. 1 Müller Light yoghurt.
Snack: Handful of mixed nuts and raisins.
Dinner: 50g pasta mixed with 85g tuna, 5 cherry tomatoes, ½ a red pepper and black pepper to taste. 1 small glass of red wine.
Daily total: 2,061 calories, 250g carbs, 113g protein, 68g fat

Wednesday
Breakfast: 2 slices of wholemeal toast with 2tbsp cashew nut butter. 1 banana. 250ml apple juice. Mug of green tea.
Snack: 5 dried apricots. 250ml skimmed milk.
Lunch: Small jacket potato with ½ a can of baked beans and 2tbsp grated low-fat cheese. 1 satsuma.
Snack: 120g low-fat yoghurt with 50g blueberries and a handful of jumbo oats.
Dinner: 225g lean steak with 5 new potatoes, broccoli and spinach.
Daily total: 1,912 calories, 273g carbs, 124g protein, 47g fat

Thursday
Breakfast: 45g Special K cereal with 5 chopped strawberries, low-fat yoghurt and a handful of flaked almonds. Mug of green tea.
Snack: Smoothie: blend 50g whey protein, 300ml skimmed milk and 50g blueberries.
Lunch: 1 carton of Covent Garden Soup Co carrot and coriander soup. 1 wholemeal roll. 1 apple.
Snack: 1 mashed banana on 1 slice of wholemeal bread.
Dinner: 100g lean minced turkey with tomato sauce and 1 chopped onion. 70g wholemeal spaghetti.
Daily total: 1,998 calories, 283g carbs, 118g protein, 54g fat

Friday
Breakfast: Handful of raw oats with 200ml skimmed milk and 1tsp honey. ½ a grapefruit. Mug of green tea.
Snack: Handful of mixed nuts and raisins.
Lunch: 1 wholemeal pitta bread with 1tbsp low-fat hummus, 5 cherry tomatoes, ½ a chopped pepper and ½ a grated carrot. Small shop-bought smoothie.
Snack: 1 pear. 2tbsp cashew nut butter.
Dinner: 200g chicken and vegetable stir-fry with sesame seeds and extra virgin olive oil. 70g brown rice.
Daily total: 1,781 calories, 234g carbs, 76g protein, 69g fat

Saturday
Breakfast: 4 scrambled egg whites on 2 slices of wholemeal toast. ½ a grapefruit. Mug of green tea.
Snack: Small shop-bought smoothie.
Lunch: 1 small baked sweet potato with 1 small can of baked beans and 2tbsp grated low-fat cheese. 1 low-fat yoghurt.
Snack: 1 pear. 2tbsp cashew nut butter.
Dinner: 200g baked cod, 5 new potatoes, broccoli and green beans.
Daily total: 1,800 calories, 237g carbs, 139g protein, 43g fat

Sunday
Breakfast: 2 poached eggs on 2 slices of wholemeal toast. 250ml orange juice. Mug of green tea.
Snack: 2 oatcakes with low-fat cream cheese. 1 apple.
Lunch: 1 carton of Covent Garden Soup Co bean soup and 2 Ryvita. Small bunch of grapes.
Snack: 120g low-fat yoghurt with 50g blueberries.
Dinner: 225g fillet steak, pan-fried with garlic and red wine. Serve with peas, broccoli and mushrooms. 1 glass of wine.
Daily total: 1,865 calories, 199g carbs, 129g protein, 56g fat

For more weight-loss plans, check out our weight-loss plans section. There's also a new plan in each issue of MF, so subscribe today.