Victoria Beckham is the epitome of so-called THINspiration in the 00’s. She has been super svelt since she first appeared as Posh Spice when the Spice Girls first formed back in 1994. So what is the Victoria Beckham diet? And what happened when dietitian Abbey Sharp tried it out?
Whether it’s the pressures of now being constantly in the public eye, or entrenched in the fashion industry, she has sustained her super slim physique for decades.
Is it something that people should be aspiring to, or should this ultra thinness come with a warning label?
I’m not sure I would ever aspire to be that thin, but after watching a recent video from dietitian Abbey Sharp, I’m certain that I will never be, and actually don’t want to be that thin!
The Cost Of Thinness
The cost of maintaining this level of lean is high.
I do have to give Victoria some credit though, because at least she is honest about what it takes to remain looking like that. One of my biggest bugbears when it comes to the world of celebrity is that it’s often just a smoke screen of lies. I wish more people were honest about what it takes for them to look that way.
How Celebrities Are Actually Losing Weight
To do it without the assistance of drugs, unless you are more naturally very lean (and some people are) it takes some serious dedication and constant restriction and pretty much eating the same things most days.
To me this is bland and a little bit sad. Sure she has the success and adoration of many, but is that really what it is to live a happy life?
In an interview, David comments on his sadness that she will never share or eat the same foods as the rest of the family.
“Unfortunatly I am married to someone who has eaten the same thing for the last 25 years. Since I met Victoria, she only eats grilled fish and steamed vegetables. She will only very rarely deviate away from that. The only time she has ever shared something that has been on my plate, was actually when she was pregnant with Harper. It was the most amazing thing, it was one of my most favourite evenings” — David Beckham speaking on River Cafe Table 4 podcast
This really speaks a lot to me. For many people, myself included some of my favourite memories with family and friends have been based around amazing meals that we have enjoyed together. Of course good times don’t just have to be around food or drink, but I don’t think we have to completely abstain from it either.
I believe we can find a balance and joy around food and a healthy body.
In the video Abbey also highlights the dangers of eating too much fish and not having enough balance of different protein sources in your diet.
Eating too much fish can lead to higher than safe levels of mercury in the blood stream. It’s actually recommended that you only eat 2–3 portions of fish per week to keep mercury levels lower. Victoria states she is eating fish twice per day!
What Happened When Trying To Eat Like Victoria
In the end, she really didn’t eat at all like Victoria. She refused to do it because she knew that it would not satisfy her own needs. Instead, she used the basic day and decided to fill it out a little more.
A day in Victoria’s diet looks something like this
- Avoids tea & coffee. Has 2 tbs of apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach and lemon juice in warm water.
- Green Monster smoothie – apple, kiwi, lemon, spinach, broccoli, chi seeds and coconut water. OR Avocado toast on Ezekiel bread.
- Salad with avocado, nuts, no oil just balsamic vinegar and grilled fish.
- Grilled fish and steamed vegetables
Abbey refused to put herself through that, and instead showed how she could adapt meals to make them more delicious whilst still remaining nutritious, varied and supportive to having a healthy bodyweight. Also what I believe is key, is to actually be able to enjoy the foods that you eat.
Lessons We Can Take
What it takes to maintain that level of leanness is a LOT!
It takes a lot of exercise, way more than most of us mere mortals have time for. Victoria says she workouts twice a day for at least two hours a day. That’s wonderful if you have the time to do that, but you don’t have to set this unrealistic expectations on yourself.
It takes a lot of restriction and really never getting to enjoy the food that you love or that actually brings real pleasure into your life.
Ultimately, anyone can choose how they want to live their life, I mean this is a woman that has maintained this same physique for years. Maybe she is truly happy, who am I to judge? Whilst I have a lot of admiration for Victoria, I have never thought that she seems like a particularly happy person. But then of course we don’t even really get to know the real her.
My own beliefs about health and well-being are that it’s not just about looking good on the outside. Living a life worth living is also feeling the joys and wonders of life, and some of that includes food.
We don’t have to be so all or nothing, we can learn to take a more gentle approach to health and nutrition and find our own happy balance that serves us both physically and mentally.
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