Doorstep Challenge: Can delivery diets solve today's weightloss dilemas?

IF YOU are a wealthy, slender-framed celebrity, the chances are you have a chef working round the clock preparing nourishing, calorie-counted meals to keep you that way.

The good news is the rest of us can now experience this A-list approach to dieting. Embraced by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kirsty Gallacher, who swear they lost their baby fat through diet delivery services, these cutting-edge eating plans are designed to help overeaters get their willpower back by working out exactly what you should be eating. There's no calorie counting, no planning and no fuss. And it's all delivered direct to your door.

While the menus on offer vary (as do the prices), a day's meals can cost as little as many people spend in the canteen or cafe for lunch.

So do they work and are they really as healthy as the companies would have us believe? According to nutritional therapist Sarah Stelling, at the Edinburgh Centre of Nutrition and Therapy, the main problem is that they don't change people's perceptions about food. "Successful weight management is all about making lifestyle changes," she says. "Often all these doorstep diets rely on is popping a ready meal in the microwave. That doesn't teach people how to prepare healthy food or develop a passion for eating the right things. In fact, microwaving can destroy some nutrients.

"Diet delivery companies might re-educate dieters to accept smaller portions, and it's true they can stop you falling into the high-calorie trap of relying on takeaways or eating out," she continues, "but I'm not convinced they are better for you in real terms. The vast majority are also hugely expensive."

Former Edinburgh lawyer Hannah Sutter launched Scottish diet delivery service Go Lower after giving up law to study nutrition and metabolic science in 2005. Unlike many doorstep diets, her company focuses on the importance of learning new eating habits, as well as losing weight in the short-term.

"We want to encourage our dieters to think about food in a different way," she says. "It isn't just about losing weight quickly, although that can happen. It is about working out what you need to eat to have the strong and healthy body you want.

"We deliver nutritionally balanced meals to your home. All our clients have to do is add their choice of vegetables, which we advise them on too. That way they can learn what a healthy meal should consist of and have a degree of input themselves.

"If they have any questions they can speak to their assigned diet consultant and when they have reached their goal weight we wean them off the pre-made meals by giving them recipes and advice instead. We prefer them to start making meals from scratch, but if they want to stick to ready meals, we advise them on the best ones to buy and where."

But Stelling urges caution. "As a way to kick-start a new regime, doorstep diets may be helpful, but losing weight is also an opportunity to eat better. Learning how to do that should be your first step. Some of the diets might be better for you than others, but they should not be seen as a long-term solution"

Edinburgh Centre of Nutrition and Therapy, www.ecnt.co.uk

Detox in a box

The diet: A detox, with no wheat, no dairy and no red meat, to help you feel healthier and more energised.

The dieter: Those who like the idea of giving their body a good clean-out at the same time as losing weight.

The dish: Could include anything from coconut and chickpea bhajis with curried potato salad to nut roast with thyme and lemon stuffing, and roasted vegetables and gravy.

Cost: 16.50 per day for three meals, plus delivery, see www.detoxinabox.com.

Go lower

The diet: Takes the no-carb, high-protein diet to a healthier level, with meals low in saturated fats.

The dieter: Those who wish to achieve a leaner body.

The dish: Options would include meals such as Thai prawn green curry and Moroccan-style lamb meatballs.

Cost: 10 per day, tel: [phone] or www.golower.co.uk.

Pure package

The diet: Based on a balanced diet and controlled portions, it aims to banish snacking and break bad food habits.

The dieter: Those who are short on time and prone to picking.

The dish: You could be feasting on anything from asparagus and smoked chicken salad to spiced swordfish with black bean salsa.

Cost: 36.95 per day for a minimum of ten days including delivery, visit: www.purepackage.com.

Diet chef

The diet: Calorie and portion-controlled meals.

The dieter: Busy people and fussy eaters - you can choose your own meals.

The dish: You can dine on some usually forbidden comfort foods, such as macaroni cheese, mushroom risotto, hot pasta salad and lasagne.

Cost: 190 per month, or 47.50 per week, plus 4.95 delivery, visit www.dietchef.co.uk.

Soulmate foods

The diet: Tailored meals created using 'American Diet Specific Technology'.

The dieter: Picky eaters — the plan is put together with an individual's specific likes and dislikes in mind. A team of chefs then create a different meal for you every day.

The dish: Could include chicken koftas, with bombay new potatoes, spinach and butternut squash and sesame chicken.

Cost: Prices start at 25 per day for a minimum of a week, visit: www.soulmatelifestyle.com/food.

• This article first appeared in Scotland on Sunday, September 12, 2010