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We all look upon chocolate as a guilty pleasure, but now you can eat it three times a day and still lose weight! Simply follow our brilliant new diet for two weeks over Easter - the biggest chocfest of the year - and watch as much as 7lb, a dress size, melt off.

Think chocolate, and most of us instantly think about piling on the pounds. But there's good news for chocolate lovers - especially with Easter around the corner.

For new research has shown that far from causing waistlines to expand, enjoying a little chocolate may actually help us stay slim!

A study by the University of California has found regular chocolate scoffers have less body fat because while it contains more calories than many other foods, it appears to make your metabolism work harder, offsetting the fat that otherwise might hang around.

For many years, research has revealed that chocolate has numerous health benefits, which include reducing your blood pressure, keeping your skin smoother, protecting against type 2 diabetes and even lowering cholesterol.

Indeed, a recent study from the University of Cambridge found people who enjoyed chocolate every day were 29% less likely to have a stroke and 37% less likely to suffer with heart disease than those who avoided it most of the time.

It is the flavonoids in cocoa beans - a key ingredient in chocolate - that seem responsible for the health benefits of chocolate. These flavonoids (also found in tea and red wine) act as antioxidants, which help mop up an excess of cell-damaging free radicals.

As a rule, the higher the cocoa content, the more flavonoids and the greater the health benefits - dark chocolate with 40% cocoa solids contains five times more flavonoids than white chocolate and twice as many as milk chocolate.

So with this in mind, we've put together a 1,250 calories a day diet that let's you enjoy chocolate morning, noon and night - and better still, rather than gaining weight, in just two weeks you'll find yourself up to half a stone lighter.

By nutritionist Juliette Kellow

Here's what to do..

1 Choose one breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Each meal contains chocolate. It's fine to save chocolate treats for between meals or the evening if you prefer.

2 Have an extra 300ml skimmed milk each day for hot drinks or to drink on its own. Try mixing it with 1tsp cocoa powder and artificial sweetener to make a hot chocolate drink. Or use it to make a skinny cappuccino and top with a sprinkling of drinking chocolate powder.

3 Fill up on veg and salad with meals - serve salads with fat-free dressing.

4 Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to fill you up and keep you hydrated.

(Image: Getty)

Breakfasts(around 250 calories)

Banana and chocolate nut spread on toast

1 slice wholegrain toast topped with 2tsp chocolate nut spread and 1 small banana.

Fruit salad and pain au chocolat Fruit salad made from 1 kiwi fruit, 7 strawberries, 1 satsuma and a handful of blueberries topped with 3tbsp low-fat plain yogurt. Plus 1 Sainsbury's Mini Pain Au Chocolat.

Strawberry and chocolate cereal 40g Nestle Coco Shreddies with skimmed milk and 7 strawberries. Plus 1 small glass of orange juice.

Scrambled egg on toast and hot chocolate 1 slice whole grain toast with 1tsp low-fat spread, 1 scrambled egg and 2 grilled tomatoes. Plus 1 sachet Options Belgian Choc instant hot chocolate drink.

Breakfast on the run 1 Alpen Fruit And Nut With Milk Chocolate Bar and 1 small bottle of fruit smoothie.

Chocolate wheat biscuits with banana 2 chocolate wheat biscuits with skimmed milk and 1 small banana.

Chocolate porridge 1 sachet Quaker Oat So Simple Indulgent Chocolate Brownie Porridge made with skimmed milk. Plus 1 apple.

(Image: Getty)

Lunches (400 calories)

Prawn salad pitta and Maltesers 1 wholemeal pitta bread filled with salad leaves and a handful of cooked prawns mixed with 2tsp reducedcalorie seafood dressing. Plus 1 kiwi fruit and 10 Maltesers.

Vegetable soup with a cheese roll and chocolate cake ½ carton fresh vegetable soup with 1 wholemeal roll filled with 2tbsp low-fat soft cheese and 1 tomato. Plus 1 Mr Kipling Chocolate Slice.

Tuna and sweetcorn sandwich and milk chocolate mousse 2 slices whole-grain bread filled with ½ small can tuna in water mixed with 2tbsp sweetcorn and 2tsp reducedcalorie mayonnaise. Plus 1 pot Cadbury Light Chocolate Mousse.

Cheese and tomato bagel and chocolate ice lolly 1 toasted whole-grain bagel with 3tbsp grated reduced-fat cheese and 1 tomato. Plus 1 apple and 1 Walls Chocolate Mini Milk.

Spicy chicken and new potato salad and chocolate buttons Salad made from 1 skinless chicken breast, 4 boiled new potatoes in their skins, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, ½ green pepper and 3tbsp hot salsa. Plus 12 Cadbury Chocolate Buttons.

Baked beans on toast and mini eggs 2 slices wholegrain toast topped with 1 small can baked beans. Plus 7 strawberries and 6 Cadbury Mini Eggs.

(Image: Getty)

Salmon and rice salad and Jaffa Cakes Salad made from ½ small can pink salmon, 3tbsp cooked brown rice, cucumber, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, radishes and 3tbsp tzatziki. Serve with a green salad.

Main meals (500 calories)

Roast pork and Curly Wurly 2 thin slices lean roast pork, 2 medium-sized roast potatoes, vegetables and fat-free gravy. Plus 1 Curly Wurly.

Veg and pasta pesto and chocolate fingers 7tbsp cooked whole-wheat pasta mixed with lightly-steamed broccoli, 3tbsp peas and 1tbsp pesto, heated through and served with 1tbsp Parmesan cheese and salad. Plus 3 chocolate fingers.

Turkey stir-fry and Kit Kat Stir-fry made with 1tsp sunflower oil, garlic, ginger and chilli to taste, 1 turkey fillet, ½ pack stir-fry veg and 1tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce. Serve with 6tbsp cooked brown rice. Plus 2 bar Kit Kat.

(Image: Getty)

Greek supper and Flake Salad made using 50g reduced fat feta cheese, 1 tomato, 5 black olives, cucumber, ½ green pepper and ½ red onion, served with 1 wholemeal pitta and 1tbsp tzatziki. Plus 1 Cadbury Flake. ck per ziki.

Beef fajitas and Smarties Fajitas made using 100g lean beef, ½ red onion, ½ red and green pepper and Cajun seasoning and fried in 1tsp sunflower oil. Serve with 1 flour tortilla, 1tbsp each of salsa, reduced-fat creme fraiche and reduced-fat grated Cheddar cheese, and salad. Plus 10 Smarties.

Roasted veg with mozzarella and Easter egg ½ small courgette, ½ small aubergine, ½ red pepper, and cherry tomatoes roasted in 2tsp olive oil then topped with ½ small ball reduced-fat mozzarella. Serve with a 5cm piece granary baguette. Plus 30g of any Easter egg shell.

Steak and salad and Crunchie 1 grilled small steak with 1 grilled tomato, grilled mushrooms and salad. 1 Crunchie.