Kick Starting 2014 with the ilumi 'Boost Your Energy' Diet
In my quest to get Fabulous for February I spent the first two weeks of 2014 on the ilumi Boost Your Energy Diet.
Designed to increase energy levels and rid your body of common allergens, this gluten-free diet plan is delicious, easy-to-follow and full of tasty dishes to keep you on track.
I opted to follow the ilumi Boost Your Energy Diet for two weeks to give my system a really good chance of recovery from being glutened. I also opted to go dairy-free, as in recent years I have discovered that whilst I love dairy - my body doesn't.
When the box arrived with the first week's meal plan we were pleased to see that everything was individually packed. Nothing needed weighing out, nothing needed freezing or fridge space and everything was detailed for the days of the week.
The whole plan is designed for the microwave, to cut down time and effort, making it really easy and convenient for anyone on limited time or a busy schedule. Personally I don't own a microwave through choice and opt to cook my meals with a live flame (I am not cooking on an open fire - the gas cooker will suffice). For the ilumi Energy Boost Diet this does not present a problem as all the packets can be emptied into a saucepan and heated on the hob. Rice pouches can be submerged in boiling water to heat but I chose to empty the rice into my steamer and heat through for a few minutes to ensure it was piping hot.
Every morning for breakfast I enjoyed a small bowl of Nairn's gluten-free porridge oats. On the first day I was surprised to see just how small - but equally amazed to find that the portion kept me going until elevenses, when I snacked on a packet of the Nairn's Oat and Syrup Biscuits that ilumi also supplied.
The inclusive lunches are always a heated meal (even if it is soup) and for me this is what made the diet plan so easy to follow. After what I felt was a shallow breakfast and a mid-morning snack I was looking forward to lunch with a passion for the first few days. 
With the evening meals I added a medley of vegetables, as suggested, to my casseroles and stews to make the meal go further and leave me fuller, so that I could last the evening through. In fact by about Day Six I was beginning to feel like I was constantly eating and had to reduce the amount of added bread and vegetables mountains I had been using to fill me up.
For the first week I did experience some upset in my digestion. I had a bad case of heartburn and indigestion early on and my stomach took a while to balance my IBS. I personally think this is due to the shift to a cleaner diet and the symptoms were caused by any residue gluten and lactose passing through. I am happy to say that all is well now and to be honest it is nice to feel human again after months of wind, indigestion, gas and bloating.
Although this diet plan is not designed for weight loss it would seem that by simply following it you probably will drop a few pounds because it is high in protien, low in sugars and low in salt, while delivering that home-cooked flavour you would want to expect from a meal.
On the science side, we did a comparison to the recommended allowances per 100g for fats, saturated fats, sugars, salts and sodium and the ilumi Boost Your Energy Diet came out well within the limits; with many items coming in well below the low. In terms of exclusion, you will be removing gluten, milk and nut from your diet. You are encouraged to include fresh fruit, vegetables and dairy products into the diet plan to ensure a completely balanced diet but if, like me, you want to go dairy-free simply use free-from alternatives.
Of course ilumi cannot match having someone in your kitchen cooking you a fresh, 'from scratch' meal but in terms of packaged food, especially free-from packaged foods, these are some of the best ready meals we have encountered to date - for value, ease, and flavour.
Aside from many other benefits, this diet helped me to start the year with ease because it took away my need to think about planning my meals and gave me a few weeks to get used to the regime before I had to start planning my diet. And because after a few weeks I am starting to think more clearly I am now more able to approach my continued diet with a clearer mind.
ilumi use only 100% natural products in their meals and by cooking each dish pre-sealed they ensure none of the goodness escapes. By combining the recipe ingredients in individual pouches or trays, sealing them and then gently heating them using high pressure and steam until they are cooked, it keeps all of the flavours, aromas and goodness inside and protects the contents from any contamination.
Could it be any easier? You simply pop along to the ilumi website, order your meals (or the Energy Boost Diet Week Plan) and then store them in the kitchen cupboard at home. You pop them in the microwave if you have one, serve and then sit back, relax and enjoy a delicious meal in no time. Steam some vegetables to add more variety and goodness and enjoy the fact that someone else has done the calculations.
I am not one for faddy diets and I can honestly say the ilumi Boost Your Energy Diet is not faddy in any way. I would definitely be inclined to have a few pouches in the cupboard for when I am short of time or at a loss for dinner ideas. By keeping some meals to hand I will find it a lot easier to keep on my healthy eating plan on days I am pushed for time.
For more information and to stock up on some great tasting meals visit www.ilumiworld.com