5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Shirley Ballas shares two-ingredient dinner she eats to stay slim
Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has shared her thoughts on dieting while speaking on a podcast, revealing that she only eats once a day and follows a very simple meal plan
Strictly Come Dancing's head honcho, Shirley Ballas, 64, has revealed her strict and much-debated diet plan to maintain her svelte figure.
The 'Queen of Latin' dancer and TV star believes that after turning 60, it's 'impossible' to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, so she sticks to just one meal a day.
During her chat with Grace Dent on the Comfort Eating podcast, Shirley explained her simple daily dinner: chicken flavoured with lemon. She mentioned that she usually forgoes any extra spices: "Just lemon chicken and then I cut it. But it's a hot chicken that has just been baked and that's what I have on Strictly. I have that every year, every week."
On occasion, she'll add some rice to the mix. "I do intermittent fasting," she confessed.
"I don't have anything in the morning and normally around lunch I'll have a juice, and then about 4 or 5pm my mother does a lovely meal.", reports Surrey Live.
What is intermittent fasting?
Popular amongst celebs such as Jennifer Aniston and Carol Vorderman, intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern where you switch between eating and fasting periods. A study released this month indicates that fasting at specific times during the day for three months may be a solid approach for sustained weight management.
Experts have discovered that overweight or obese individuals who limited their eating to an eight-hour "window" each day managed to lose weight and maintain the loss. The fresh research was unveiled at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga.
The study's lead author, Dr Alba Camacho-Cardenosa from the University of Granada in Spain, stated: "Our study found that restricting the eating window to eight hours at any time of the day for three months can result in significant weight loss for at least a year. These benefits can be attributed to the 16-hour fasting window rather than the time of eating."
A previous randomised controlled trial by the same team, published in Nature Medicine, revealed that limiting eating to eight hours per day reduced body weight and enhanced cardiometabolic health.
Their most recent study examined the long-term effects over 12 months on 99 participants. They were divided into four groups for 12 weeks – eating within a 12-hour or longer window; limiting eating to an eight-hour window starting before 10am; limiting eating to an eight-hour window starting after 1pm; and allowing individuals to choose their own eight-hour window.
All groups received advice on following a Mediterranean diet to promote healthier eating habits. The researchers recorded body weight, waist and hip measurements at the beginning of the trial, after the 12-week plan, and again 12 months later.
The research discovered that while those consuming food over a 12-hour period or longer shed an average of 1.4kg, the groups with restricted eating times lost more, approximately 3kg to 4kg.
Shirley's daily treat is quite simple, consisting of "one cup of coffee, in a china cup,' with 'a teaspoon of brandy, Coffee Mate and two brown sugars. That is the highlight of my day."
She also occasionally enjoys a small slice of cake. As reported by the Daily Mail, Shirley has also dabbled with the controversial 'plant paradox' diet which limits certain vegetables.
This diet advises against eating lectins – carbohydrate-binding proteins found in legumes like beans, lentils or chickpeas. However, detractors argue that restricting foods rich in lectin could lead to nutrient deficiencies, as these foods are packed with fibre, vitamins, and essential minerals.
The Mayo Clinic emphasises that grains and legumes are 'a powerhouse of nutrients'. Both she and fellow Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse aim to get their five-a-day through juicing, with Shirley having two per day.
She also takes part in an annual juice retreat, as revealed by the Daily Mail, named Juicy Oasis Portugal, where guests survive solely on juices for seven days.
Since celebrating her 40th birthday, Shirley has been mindful of her diet, as reported by The Sun. Her rigorous approach to diet and exercise drew attention after she shed nearly 5kg in just one week in 2023.
Additionally, she revealed to the Daily Mail that she commits to a yearly weight-loss regimen ahead of the show's premiere.
Shirley has spoken candidly about the biting comments she's faced throughout her illustrious dancing career and their impact on her self-image: 'I've constantly had people tell me I needed to be thinner or that I had to look a certain way. Comments throughout my life have always stuck with me and in the past, they've made me feel conscious of how I look.
Sadly I thought that validation from others was necessary. '.
However, she has since learned to focus on self-validation. "I'm proud of myself and pleased with how I look. I feel good in my own skin. ".
