English actress and writer Daisy May Cooper has made headlines this week after admitting she was 'shocked at her own appearance' while filming her new BBC comedy.
The 38-year-old, from Gloucestershire, who is best known for her role as Kerry Mucklowe in the hit TV show This Country, has undergone a dramatic transformation shedding an impressive 10-stone.
Even Daisy herself was taken aback by her new look when she saw herself on screen during the filming of the second series of her show Am I Being Unreasonable?. So, what's her secret to weight loss?
Daisy revealed that she followed the Keto diet, a diet that focuses on low carb and high fat meals.
Healthline dietician Lisa Valente recently provided a beginner's guide to the Keto diet, explaining: "It's a high-fat, moderate protein, ultra-low carbohydrate diet – so very different than the way that most people eat."
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PA)She added: "It's set up so that about 70% of your calories come from fat, about 20% come from protein and no more than 10% of your calories come from carbohydrates."
According to Lisa, the "idea behind the Keto diet" is to put your body into ketosis, a metabolic state characterised by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood or urine. Normally our bodies run on carbs, but with the Keto diet, the body uses fat instead due to the reduced intake of carbs.
The dietitian then revealed the types of foods you can enjoy on a Keto diet. "Pretty much anything, as long as it doesn't contain carbs," she said. She recommended foods such as white and red meat, bacon and sausage, nuts, seeds, and low-carb vegetables like spinach and asparagus, along with moderate carb-containing vegetables such as onions and peppers. "It's not zero carbs, it's just low carbs," she clarified.
Lisa also mentioned that when it comes to fruit, berries are generally lower in carbs than fruits like mango, pineapple and bananas. The dietitian explained that you can also incorporate lots of oils into a Keto diet, but you must steer clear of foods like pasta, cakes, ice cream, rice and anything that's "super-starchy" or overly sweet.
Healthline also highlights the benefits of a Keto diet on its website. It states: "Studies have now shown that the diet can have benefits for a wide variety of different health conditions".
These include heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, Polycystic ovary syndrome and brain injuries. However, it cautions: "Keep in mind that research into many of these areas is far from conclusive."
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