The City girl diet

So after a little more research, I found a new programme that could be incorporated into a hectic lifestyle, and which could potentially put my body on track for spring.

The Urban Detox at Hydrohealing - a holistic Notting Hill clinic - promises that a combination of juice fasting, herbal supplements and colonic hydrotherapy - not for the faint-hearted, this one - will leave you feeling "restored, refreshed and revitalised".

Monday (The Day Before)
The detox pack is delivered to my house, and I nervously read about what the next five days have in store. On each day of the fast, four 500ml freshly prepared meal replacement juices will be delivered to my office, as well as lotions and potions to stagger throughout the day.

To ease the transition into detox, the programme requires some preparation. Unfortunately I am only learning this now, while happily enjoying a pizza and a glass of red wine. Apparently I should have cut out alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, meat and refined sugars for two to seven days prior to the programme.

I go to bed with a concessionary cup of chamomile tea.

Tuesday (Day 1)
It's 7.30am and I'm given the option of drinking hot water and lemon or a glass of Greens Plus. Intrigued by the "highly potent superfood", I go for the latter. The green powder tastes like grass and extracts of acai, pomegranate and goji - overall, not too bad.

The cleansing drink which contains bentonite clay (to attract and absorb toxins) and psyllium husks (a great intestinal cleanser) follows at 8.30am. It is deceptively lacking in smell but the cardboard-like texture really makes me gag.

By 9.30 I'm ravenous and it's only day one. I savour my first juice of the day. It's delicious but I wonder how just four of these a day will keep me going.

After another glass of sawdust cleansing mixture at 11am I'm ready for my next treat, the detox herbal tincture. This runny brown liquid comes in a bottle without a label and several colleagues make revolting suggestions about what it might contain. The information pack warns me that this will taste bitter but that doesn't do the potency of this liquid justice.

It's a busy day at work and I continue to alternate the products as instructed. The best part about the detox is that I feel no pressure to go to the gym after work. In fact, I skip "dinner" and go to bed.

Wednesday (Day 2)
I am starving, freezing and concerned about having the energy to get through a day on the trading floor. I can't face starting the day with dried grass so I make myself a cup of the supplied detox tea, which tastes of peppermint.

I make it through another day at work and in the evening prepare my permitted vegetable broth. This involves boiling up the prescribed carrots, beetroot, celery and potatoes before removing them and drinking the water. Insanely, I feel guilty for nibbling a cube of beetroot.

Thursday (Day 3)
I'm feeling a distinct change now. My stomach is flat and I feel unusually alert - the benefits of avoiding my nightly glass of red or is this detox starting to work?

I follow the routine as usual, with no sense of deprivation, and after work go to a friend's birthday drinks. I eye the champagne as I sip two cranberry juices throughout the evening.

Friday (Day 4)
I am totally in the swing of things today. I feel light and energetic and almost think I could do this for another week. I just wish I could chew something!

Saturday (Day 5)
It's Saturday and I leave the house to go flat-hunting before my next lot of juice arrives, putting my schedule into disarray. I end up missing out the auxiliary potions and start on the juice late. By 5pm I have consumed two juices, one herbal tea, and am feeling wiped out.

I have yet another night in.

Sunday (The Day After)
I wake up feeling invigorated and, better still, I have lost 4lb in five days!

The programme finishes with a colonic hydrotherapy session, which I am assured is essential to the detox, and afterwards I feel totally cleansed.

I nip to Daylesford Organic to meet my immaculate, health-conscious friend who comments on the brightness of my skin. I decide to live dangerously, ordering myself a chicken salad. To my delight, I am unable to finish it.

There has been much debate about the benefit of detox but if consuming only juice for five days makes me this energised, my skin clear and my mind alert, I'm not complaining. In fact, I'd do it again - though next time in summer.

Hydrohealing, 216a Kensington Park Road, W11 (020 7727 2570, www.hydrohealing.com)