Carol Vorderman has shared the surprisingly straightforward secret to her impressive physique. The former Countdown presenter recently discussed her approach to slimming down to an ideal ‘size 9’, a notch below size 10, and insists she’s not concerned with what others think.
In an interview with Saga magazine following the release of her new book, ‘Now What?: On a Mission To Fix Broken Britain’, she divulged her unique health routines. This includes munching on raw sprouts for snacks and performing ‘squats for the bum’, in her words.
“I wear a good bra and jeans that hold you up,” the 64-year-old explained in September. “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 follows the OMAD diet, short for One Meal A Day, as reported by Healthline. This eating style helps create a calorie deficit, promoting weight loss and potentially reducing heart disease risk.
Similar dietary habits are also found in the Earth’s Blue Zones, home to a high number of centenarians, where many residents practice the ‘80% trick’ or ‘Hara Hachi Bu’. This typically involves consuming just one modest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and eating until only 80% full, thus the technique’s moniker.
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.”
Importantly, counting calories isn’t part of Carol’s regime, though she does partake in a bi-annual ‘detoxing’. In her 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.”