The Programme, week 4: Nutritionist's comments on Sarah

Matt Lovell: Sarah had an excellent Christmas and, as instructed, took an entire week off all guidelines and thoroughly enjoyed herself. She's back on track now and is planning a mini detox under my supervision. This involves no alcohol or caffeine, and avoidance of likely allergens such as wheat and bovine dairy.

She's rejoined her local gym along with her husband who is also getting on a healthy tip, which makes everything a little easier. When I spoke to her earlier this week over lunch, chicken, green leaf and avocado salad were the order of the day.

For the detox, a week of preparation is a good idea to gradually reintroduce healthy eating habits and then get strict on restrictions. A detox can be done for a week or two, and is a good idea at least once a year – some people do them at the change of each season. To help the cleansing process the herb milk thistle is extremely useful, as is the amino acid l-glutamine which helps curb cravings and supports the immune system.