Operation Transformation hit our screens last week and no doubt thousands of readers will be glued to the programme again this Tuesday and Wednesday to see how our leaders are getting on. While the hard talking nutritionist Dr Eva Osmond is no longer part of the team of experts, her presence on the show over the last few years means many may reach for her new book, ‘Dr Eva Orsmond’s 10lb Diet.’ So what’s it all about?

By following her plan, Dr Eva says you can drop up to 10lbs in three weeks, or if you want to take it a bit easier, she also has a 12 week plan which isn’t quite as intense.

Both are very carefully monitored plans where you track your calorie in-take for each meal as well as your exercise. It has a handy diary that you can fill in yourself and she also lists a full week’s menu for both plans, making them easy to follow. If you’re someone who likes a plan that is very controlled, this could be the one for you.

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You couldn’t say her menu suggestions aren’t varied and you would not get bored. However, if you’re not into trying new foods or exotic cuisines, then perhaps this isn’t the book for you.

As Dr Eva grew up in Finland, went to university in Italy and also lived in South Africa, the recipes very much reflect a varied cuisine. There are some meals which may be outside your comfort zone such as seafood rice paper rolls, Solyanka-a type of Russian soup, Portuguese squid, carrot and beetroot muffins and a lasagne made with leeks instead of pasta. A trip to the local health shop to find some of the more unusual ingredients is a must with this book. Also there is an argument that it is quite an expensive plan with ingredients such as caviar gracing some recipes, although cheaper alternatives are given.

However, she also has some tasty recipes which we are a bit more used to such as Summer Soup filled with delicious vegetables, a Farmers Pie (a version of Shepherd’s Pie), an Easy Fish Pie, Chicken Fried Rice and a Sweet and Sour Stir Fry.

If you are up for it, don’t be put off by some of the foreign names. After all, one of the dishes Skagen is a Swedish speciality but it’s simply prawns on bread with mayonnaise, soured cream and mustard. If anyone has lost 10lbs with this book, we’d love to hear how you got on.