Start of the fasting period:

Lose ten kilos in 40 days – without starving yourself!

"Get rid of the flab" was the motto of a successful "Krone" self-experiment.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Vergil Siegl)

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is based on Jesus' 40-day fast in the desert. "Krone" editor Vergil Siegl has already undertaken a successful self-experiment with the aim of losing ten kilos in 40 days - without starving himself. We show you the ten rules he followed. Plus: a dietician gives tips for healthy weight loss.

The initial situation, after several years of uncontrolled and often unhealthy eating: instead of a six-pack, I have six-pack fat, instead of a washboard stomach, I have a raccoon belly. My middle often looks like a stretched balloon. I have fat pads on my left and right that look like I've had a few portions of meatloaf planted under my skin. I have eaten far too unrestrainedly in recent years. However, the initial spark to tackle the "slim down" project was a vacation experience: when I went through baggage and security control at the airport, the security employee only inspected my stomach area with his hands. When I said that I wasn't hiding anything under my sweater, he said: "I thought you had a fanny pack."