THERE'S NO TRICKERY: AMANDA HOLDEN, 55, SWEARS BY TWO MEALS A DAY - BUT WHAT DO EXPERTS SAY?

What's your breakfast this morning? A quick piece of marmite on toast? Muesli or porridge? Or maybe it's more of a yoghurt and fruit kind of day. Whatever you choose, it will hopefully power you through to lunch, when hunger pangs strike. But if, like Amanda Holden, you only eat twice a day, breakfast has to be a substantial meal.

The presenter has shared that she chooses an egg white omelette with spinach, feta and avocado with a green juice for breakfast - and doesn't eat again until the evening. 'I'm a vegetarian, so I think I'm probably accidentally pretty healthy,' she revealed in The Daily Mail. 'But I do love my food and I love my alcohol, especially an Aperol Spritz in this weather!'

When - and what - you eat is the subject of much scientific debate. But studies suggest Amanda might be on to something - restricting your 'eating window' can boost health. Professor Valter Longo, author of the best-selling The Longevity Diet, recommends eating just twice a day - breakfast and either lunch or dinner - plus two low sugar snacks; and research suggests that delaying or spacing out meals may help lower insulin and protect long-term health.

'Taking in most of your energy in the morning seems to be better for most people in terms of insulin resistance and metabolism,' agrees Anna Mapson, nutritional therapist and gut health specialist.'So you could eat breakfast and then a late afternoon meal with a longer fast overnight. This tends to work better than skipping breakfast and only eating lunch and a late dinner.' A new study has also suggested that reducing your eating window to nine hours a day could even be linked with a reduced risk of developing dementia for overweight women.

'To ensue two meals a day is healthy, people still need to meet their key nutrition targets - for example, 50g minimum of protein, and 30g of fibre - which can be hard in a shorter time frame,' says Anna Mapson. But, she warns, this can put pressure on your digestion and leave people feeling bloated and full. 'You should still try to get your 5 a day, and stay hydrated; each meal should contain a mix of protein, fibre and healthy fats.'

Amanda is the first to point out that 'there is no trickery' to staying fit at 55. She adds: 'Mum's pretty slim, my nan is, my sister is, so I feel like it's genetic, and I just love getting on my Peloton!'

And she has a handy trick up her sleeve if you wake up having an 'off day'. 'I've always said my makeup is my armour,' she told The Daily Mail. 'You will never catch me without a lash and a bit of lip gloss. I'm mostly always wearing sunglasses as well, because if you are having an off day you just put on a pair of shades and you're a winner straight away.'

2026-08-01T07:52:26Z