Detoxing has come in for a lot of criticism recently and sometimes with good reason. The key is not to go over the top. If you're planning a detox to hone your bikini body, make sure you do it safely and focus on vitality, health and fitness

Detoxing is not a new invention and most societies and religions have times of dietary abstention which allow the body (and spirit) to revitalise and 'declog'.

A detox is really just a digestive rest period. And in this day and age when we tend to overload on caffeine, alcohol, sugar and food additives while consuming diets that are high in proteins, refined carbohydrates and fat, it is no bad thing to redress the balance occasionally.

But don't invest a detox with more powers than it really has. Some of the things a detox won't do is to change your life, cure all illness or make you slim overnight. What it will do, however, is give you a spring in your step, and get you on the road to trimming off a pound or two!

When you start a detox you may well get a headache (often from caffeine withdrawal), or a furry tongue (as your digestive system throws off toxic compounds). You should not feel hungry, but you should feel digestively 'lighter'. You should never feel unwell on a detox if you are following a sensible plan.

Your urine may change colour but if you are drinking sufficient water then it should be a pale straw colour. You may find you have changes in your bowel movements for the better. You should never attempt a radical detox if you are pregnant, diabetic, have an eating disorder or have a diagnosed medical condition. But eating healthily is always on the agenda.

The following weekend detox plan is really just a healthy eating regime focusing on light, fresh foods. Start your weekend on Friday evening after work and plan to take it easy over the weekend.

Take a reasonably brisk half hour walk each day rather than an intense workout in the gym. Eat as much as you want to satisfy your hunger but only from the recommended foods. Make sure you also get eight hours sleep each night, and take the time to pamper yourself or learn a new technique such as meditation.

This weekend you will be eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, getting your proteins from pulses, beans, nuts, seeds and fresh fish, enjoying wheat-free grains and live yoghurts.

By doing this you won't really miss the caffeine, alcohol, red meat, gluten grains and high-fat dairy products. Some of the food mentioned, such as roast barley coffee substitute or nut butters, can be found in good health food shops rather than supermarkets.

Friday evening

Snack
Fruit and 10-15 unsalted almonds/walnuts

Main meal
A glass of water before your meal
Fresh vegetable soup (low salt)
Steamed or grilled fish, flavoured with ginger, garlic and fresh coriander, and lots of steamed vegetables dressed with two teaspoons of sesame oil
Herb tea such as mint or camomile

Before bed
Live plain yoghurt, a teaspoon of honey and a banana

Saturday

Cup of hot water and lemon on rising

Breakfast
A generous bowl of unsweetened organic rice puff cereal, served with rice or soya milk and fresh strawberries
A small glass of freshly squeezed orange juice A cup of coffee substitute such as Bambu made with soya milk

Snack
A generous handful of dried blueberries (or other dried fruit) and an oatcake

Lunch
A glass of water before your meal
A main meal salad consisting of varied green leaves (be adventurous with ingredients such as lambs lettuce or baby spinach), dressed with lemon and balsamic vinegar, grilled asparagus, halved seedless grapes, halved cherry tomatoes, flakes of fresh grilled tuna (or tuna tinned in spring water if fresh not available) sprinkled with pumpkin seeds
A couple of satsumas
Herb tea

Snack
A couple of rye crackers spread with nut butter (try almond nut butter) and/or 100 per cent fruit jam
An apple

Evening meal
A glass of water before your meal
Lentil soup with lemon
Falafel (chick pea pattie) and roasted Mediterranean vegetables; evenly sized chunks of red onion, tomatoes, aubergine, red and yellow peppers, sprinkled with olives and baked for half an hour in a little olive oil
Herb tea

Before bed
Apricot and plain live yoghurt puree

Sunday

Cup of hot water and lemon on rising

Breakfast
A bowl of porridge made with soya or rice milk. Serve with a sliced banana and a tablespoon of pine nuts
A cup of coffee substitute made with soya milk

Snack
Watermelon and apple juice. Place a generous amount of watermelon flesh, including the seeds which are mineral-rich, in a blender on high speed, and add high quality cloudy apple juice or ideally pass an apple through a juicer.

Lunch
A glass of water before your meal
Chicken breast fillet (no skin) pan-fried in one teaspoon of olive oil with lots of garlic and mixed herbs. Serve with minted salad (large green salad, defrosted but not heated, green peas, dressed with live plain yoghurt with lots of chopped fresh mint and chives)
Herb tea

Snack
Vegetable sticks with hummus

Evening meal
Tomato and spring onion salad dressed with lemon
Corn pasta with pesto, green salad
Herb tea

Before bed
Rice crackers with avocado slices

What next?

It's back to work on Monday and you should be feeling refreshed and revitalised. Before sinking back into old habits see what positive benefits you can take forward with you into the week. After all, the point of this detox is to act as a springboard to healthy eating.

Aim to snack on fresh fruit, nuts and seeds instead of a Danish or biscuits. Keep up drinking herb tea or coffee substitutes at least half of the time to reduce your dependency on caffeine.

Make at least one meal a day vegetarian based on pulses, beans, and salads, without too much cheese, butter and meat featuring in your day. And vary your grains from wheat to incorporate other grains such as rye, oats, rice and barley.