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We'd all like to look great for summer, but probably most of us lack the willpower and time to follow seemingly endless diets and boring exercise regimes. Instead, what we all want is instant shape, fitness and glamour.

Step forward, fitness and nutrition expert Monica Grenfell who believes people can look Fabulous In A Fortnight - the title of her successful book.

It's based on her own experience of having to shape up in that short space of time to look glamorous for her wedding.

She lost 3kg, had glowing skin, shiny hair and says: "I felt great, looked better than I had done in years and it hadn't been hard at all. Frankly, it proved to me that absolutely anybody can look transformed in that time."

Inspired she formulated her diet, exercises and style tips into an easy-to-follow plan.

"No one these days has time for complicated diets, counting calories or buying special food," she says.

"Actually all you need are things which are free, a bit of organisation and commitment. The even better news is that there's certainly no need to spend hundreds of euros or splash out on a whole new wardrobe."

Instead Ms Grenfell says: "Looking fabulous is all about feeling fabulous, and that means feeling confident, but it's hard to feel like that if you have to hide a midriff bulge day after day.

"So don't put off taking action about yourself any longer. It's about time you started living for now, not in the future, and constantly postponing dieting, exercising or waiting to sort out your skin or health problems is depressing in itself. Do something about it today and you'll feel the benefits."

And she adds encouragingly: "Everybody has what it takes to look good because that something comes from within. All you need to do is recognise your good points, sharpen up your image, get a great shape and let your new-found confidence do the rest."

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Diet

• Drink unlimited water but avoid alcohol, only one glass of wine a day (no spirits) maximum. You can drink tea, decaffeinated coffee, or fruit and herb teas.

• Follow a food separation diet, keeping starchy foods separate from proteins (see the groups below). Eat two small protein-rich meals for breakfast and lunch, and fill energy stores with a starchy dinner using maybe potatoes or pasta.

• Follow this basic portion guide: for cereal, porridge oats, casseroles, cottage pie etc, no more than three heaped tablespoons; for salads, one medium bowl; for dressings: no more than two tablespoons vinaigrette or one dessertspoon mayonnaise.

• No eating between meals, and no puddings. Combine food from Group 1 and 2 or foods from Group 2 and 3, but never mix groups 1 and 3. Make sure your evening meal uses food from groups 2 and 3.

Group 1: Protein - Beef, lamb, pork, shellfish, fish, dairy (cheese, cream, eggs, milk, yoghurt, butter), soya beans and Tofu.

Group 2: Versatile - Vegetables (low carb ones, eg cauliflower, broccoli, white cabbage, spinach), nuts/seeds (almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, brazils, pumpkin seeds, sunflower, sesame), fats and oils (butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, low cholesterol spread, pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil) and all pulses.

Group 3: Starch - Bread, cereals, oats, pasta, potatoes, biscuits, sweet pastry, gravy, savoury and sweet sauces, sweet pies, vegetables (high carb ones, eg any red, green, yellow vegetables), starchy fruits (eg bananas, mangoes, sweeteners, syrup, honey, sugar).

Group 4: All fruits ‒ Only eat these for breakfast or a couple of hours after dinner: Fresh fruit and dried fruits.

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Sample menu

Breakfast: Fresh fruit salad with two tablespoons fromage frais, or two oranges and one segmented grapefruit.

Lunch: Tuna or cold salmon salad; or bacon and walnut salad; or two slices cold chicken and salad with orange vinaigrette dressing.

Dinner: Vegetable curry with rice and salad; or two slices wholegrain toast topped with tomatoes; or two cakes of bubble and squeak.
Small pot yoghurt.

Supper: Winter fruit salad (225g serving) of prunes in fruit juice, apricots, pear halves and blackberries with optional fromage frais topping.

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Exercise

• Always have a stretch once you wake up, your muscles need it and your circulation and energy levels will also benefit. You will also move more freely and gracefully.

• Do at least 10 minutes of warm-up stretching exercises before eating, or in the evening before a meal. While it won't alter your weight to any noticeable degree, stretching can change your figure taking inches off arms, midriff and hips by toning and tightening the outer layers of muscles.

• Double exercise by walking to work or taking a brisk walk at lunchtime: aim for at least one and a half miles in half an hour. Walk instead of driving to shops and use stairs instead of escalators or lifts.

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Easy image-improving tips

1. Check your bra as a correctly fitting bra can transform your shape.
2. Practise a lovely smile - it's one of your best assets.
3. Pamper your neck and chest, with a nightly covering of moisturiser and cleanse off in the morning.
4. Have a good haircut.
5. Improve posture. Place a large, but not too heavy, book on your head. Move it about until it feels comfortable and stable. Walk around the room for a few minutes each day, remembering to relax your shoulders.
6. Improve legs. Reduce puffy ankles by drinking two extra pints of water a day, as water reduces fluid retention. Wear tights and shoes of the same shade so legs look slimmer and longer.
7. Walk like a model. Practise this daily by walking for 20 paces. Let arms hang and place palms on thighs. Saunter forwards, allowing hips to lead. Hold in tummy and lift ribcage off waist. Cross each foot over the other so your walk is almost pigeon-toed until you're comfortable with it.

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