Shirley ballas' 'strict' diet with two ingredient meal as gets older

Strictly Come Dancing's head judge, Shirley Ballas, 64, has disclosed her rigorous and contentious eating routine that she follows to keep her figure trim. The 'Queen of

Latin' dancer and television personality has said that once you reach 60, it becomes 'impossible' to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so she opts for just one meal a day. In

conversation with Grace Dent on her Comfort Eating podcast, Shirley shared that her evening meal often consists of just two ingredients: chicken and lemon. She typically doesn't add

any other seasonings: "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." However, occasionally, she includes a serving of rice. "I do intermittent fasting," she revealed. "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. WHAT IS INTERMITTENT FASTING Intermittent fasting (IF) – a dietary pattern favoured by celebrities like

Jennifer Aniston and Carol Vorderman – involves alternating between periods of eating and fasting. Research revealed earlier this month suggested that fasting earlier or later in the day for

three months could be an effective strategy for long-term weight loss. Experts found that overweight or obese people who restricted eating to an eight hour “window” per day shed pounds and

managed to keep it off. The new research was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga. Lead author Dr Alba Camacho-Cardenosa, from the University of Granada in Spain, said:

“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 researchers published in the journal Nature Medicine found that

restricting eating to eight hours per day decreased body weight and improved cardiometabolic health. Their latest study looked at the long-term effects over 12 months for 99 people.

Individuals were split into four groups for 12 weeks – eating in a 12-hour or more window; restricting eating to an eight-hour window starting before 10am; restricting eating to an

eight-hour window starting after 1pm; and allowing people to select their own eight-hour window. All groups were given tips on a Mediterranean diet to help them eat healthier. The

researchers measured body weight, waist and hip circumferences at the start of the trial, after the 12-week plan, and 12 months later. The study found that, while those eating over 12 hours

or longer lost an average of 1.4kg, the time-restricted groups lost more, at around 3kg to 4kg. Shirley's daily indulgence is rather modest, 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 savours a small piece of cake. According to

the Daily Mail, Shirley has experimented with the contentious 'plant paradox' diet which restricts certain vegetables. This diet recommends avoiding lectins – carbohydrate-binding

proteins found in legumes like beans, lentils or chickpeas. However, critics suggest that limiting lectin-rich foods could result in nutrient deficiencies, as these foods are rich in fibre,

vitamins, and essential minerals. The Mayo Clinic underscores that grains and legumes are 'a powerhouse of nutrients'. She and fellow Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse aim to consume

their five-a-day by juicing, with Shirley having two per day. She also partakes in an annual juice retreat, as revealed by the Daily Mail, called Juicy Oasis Portugal, where guests subsist

solely on juices for seven days. Since turning 40, Shirley has been 'quite vigilant about what I put in my mouth', according to The Sun. Her strict diet and exercise routine have

drawn attention after she lost nearly 5kg in a week in 2023. She also disclosed to the Daily Mail that each year, she adheres to a weight-loss programme in the run-up to the show's

premiere. She opened up about the harsh remarks she's endured throughout her successful dancing career and how they've affected her self-perception: '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.' Now, though, she's learned to depend more on self-validation. "I'm proud of myself and pleased with how

I look. I feel good in my own skin. "