I was asked by the Huffington Post to comment on Joanna Lumley’s diet. She doesn’t eat regular meals but grazes througout the day on nuts and crisps.
Now there is a big part of this that I like… and a part I don’t like.
Eating in response to your hunger cues is a good thing. So many people are not in touch with hunger and thirst. Overeating, not stopping when full, eating when not hungry and not hydrating enough can all lead to confusion. The body will still send signals to the brain, but if we ignore them enough we can block them out. So I completely agree with Joanna’s approach of eating when hungry.
I also like the little and often approach. For some people grazing throughout the day can work. For others it is a disaster and leads to eating too much, too often and eating the wrong foods. I’m a bit of a grazer myself. I eat a good breakfast and dinner, but my lunch is spread out into smaller grazing episodes. If you are going to do this then the key is to eat the same amount you would eat with 3 larger meals and to stick to healthy foods.
Where I disagree with Joanna Lumley’s approach is the foods she is choosing. Snacking on nuts and crisps is not going to provide all the nutrition she needs. Choosing oatcakes and cottage cheese with some raw veggies or dry wholegrain cereal with fruit are examples of healthier snacks that will sustain her blood sugar and energy levels whilst providing a better balance.
I found this really interesting… I’ve found eating three normal meals plus three healthy snacks to be the best way for me. I think it’s when I eat less at meals or cut out the snacks in an effort to lose weight that I start getting over-hungry and then get a bit piggy! 😉
I found this really interesting… I’ve found eating three normal meals plus three healthy snacks to be the best way for me. I think it’s when I eat less at meals or cut out the snacks in an effort to lose weight that I start getting over-hungry and then get a bit piggy! 😉