At the time, Carol also said she practised OMAD – an eating regime that creates a calorie deficit
Carol Vorderman has a surprisingly simple secret behind her enviable physique. The former Countdown publicly discussed her quest to maintain a ‘size 9’ – just below a size 10 – though she couldn’t care less what others think.
Following the release of her hard-hitting book, ‘Now What?: On a Mission To Fix Broken Britain’, she spoke to Saga magazine in 2024 about her go-to health habits. These include munching on raw sprouts as nibbles, whilst doing ‘squats for the bum’, as she describes it.
“I wear a good bra and jeans that hold you up,” the 65-year-old explained at the time. “I generally have one meal a day – late afternoon – and I do three 45-minute sessions in the gym a week, which I love.”
Carol said she practised OMAD – an intermittent fasting approach which generally stands for One Meal A Day. It’s an eating regime that creates a calorie deficit, supporting weight loss whilst potentially reducing the risk of heart disease.
Within Earth’s rare Blue Zones, which reportedly house many 100-year-olds, some inhabitants also follow a similar eating habit, known as the ‘80% trick’ or ‘Hara Hachi Bu’. Generally, this means consuming just one modest meal daily in the late afternoon or early evening, whilst only eating until 80% satisfied.
Dr Deborah Lee, a GP at Dr Fox Pharmacy, previously told the Mirror: “Calorie restriction is believed to slow the ageing process. Eating less lowers the metabolic rate. With less metabolic processes underway, less oxidation is taking place.
“Oxidative stress probably underpins the development of many of the chronic diseases we see today – heart disease, cancer, type-2 diabetes and dementia… Nutritionists believe that when you look at your plate, if you eat mindfully, eating slowly and chewing every mouthful thoroughly, you can feel satisfied by eating only 80% of that is on your plate.”
Crucially, counting calories isn’t part of Carol’s regime, though she does partake in a bi-annual ‘detoxing’. In her 2001 book ‘Detox Your Life’, she penned: “The detox is not about counting calories or fat units, it’s about being aware of the kinds of foods we put into our bodies. It’s about eating more, not less.”
Is intermittent fasting always safe?
While intermittent fasting is considered safe for healthy adults, there isn’t enough research to understand its long-term effects. Bupa UK also suggests that there are some circumstances in which fasting isn’t suitable at all.
This includes:
- If you are pregnant
- Have type 1 diabetes
- Have a history of disordered eating
- Have anxiety or depression
It’s advisable to consult a doctor before fasting if you have any other health issues or concerns. Laura Giraldo Cardona, Registered Associate Nutritionist at Bupa UK, previously wrote: “The idea behind intermittent fasting is that it gives your body a break from digesting food. This can potentially lead you to have less calories than if you were eating more regularly.
“Also, eating less often can have positive effects on your blood sugar levels which can be useful if you have prediabetes or type two diabetes.
“Intermittent fasting may also trigger a process called autophagy. This is where your body works to remove damaged cells from your body. Your body does this when it doesn’t have to focus on digesting food.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
