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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Eve Rowlands

Carol Vorderman shares diet and fitness tips which include an unusual coffee hack

It's no secret that Carol Vorderman is looking amazing and recently stunned fans with a photo in a bikini and hotpants after her amazing weight loss. Oozing confidence, the 61-year-old had "dropped over a dress size" during a summer fitness regime at a retreat in Portugal.

But it's nothing new. For decades she has voiced her affinity for healthy lifestyles - having brought out a number of books, fitness DVDs and more on the topic - and has banged the drum for diets such as intermittent fasting.

Aside from fitness retreats and PT sessions, what does the former Countdown host do to keep in shape? With interesting diet habits and a variety of workout routines, read on to find out...

Read more: Carol Vorderman teases new project as she returns from holiday

Butter coffee

This doesn't sound like the most appetising addition to your morning coffee, we must admit, but it seems Carol swears by it when she dabbles in the diet technique of intermittent fasting. Inspired by the fad of 'Bulletproof' Coffee - which consisted of a specific type of coffee bean, a liquid high in MCTs, and grass-fed, unsalted butter - Butter Coffee is a more DIY version and sees its fans adding a spoonful of butter and coconut oil to their coffee and blending it.

Speaking of this hack, the star, who only uses a singular knob of butter in her coffee in the morning, took to Twitter last year and said: "I tell you now I have never been less hungry in my life, because of a knob of butter in my coffee in the morning.

"So I'm doing this intermittent fasting thing. I've gone 20 hours without food, not felt a little bit hungry and I'm now having proper bacon – not the rubbish kind – and fresh, fresh, local eggs, everything local and I can't wait.

She added: "And I'm dropping the weight. It's brilliant this."

Of this breakfast method, Healthline has said of its health benefits: "Proponents of butter coffee claim that it suppresses hunger and helps you lose weight by helping you eat less. Butter coffee contains a large amount of fat, which slows digestion and may increase feelings of fullness."

They also note, however, that "butter coffee is not a balanced way to start your day" due to the lack of nutritional value.

Lemon water

In one of Carol's last Instagram posts, she revealed another favourite morning drink of hers as lemon water - a slice of lemon in a glass of warm water.

"My day started with hot water and lemon, carrying on with lots of healthy principles," she wrote. Lemon water, because of the citrus fruit's nutrient content, such as vitamin C and antioxidants, is claimed to boost digestion and support weight loss.

Healthy eating

This may be an obvious one, but Carol's diet of good, nutritious foods plays a massive part in promoting a fit and healthy lifestyle.

For breakfast, she has been known to graze on a bowl a fruit, Greek yoghurt, ground seeds and honey, while lunch sees the star swapping sandwiches or fast food for something a little more colourful and nutrient dense, such as a nicoise salad - its main ingredients include eggs, tuna and leafy green vegetables.

The eggs are heart healthy and provide a good amount of protein to fill you up for the rest of the day. The fish is bursting with brain-boosting omega-3, while the leaves are quite simply a healthy addition.

Carol shared another of her meals on social media recently; fresh prawns and veg cooked in soy for dinner - captioned with the hashtags #health and #happy.

Speaking to the Daily Mail previously, she has said of her love for healthy food: "I actually like eating whole plates of vegetables so sometimes that’s what I’ll eat."

Juice cleanse

Carol has recently finished an 18-day juice retreat - Juice Master Retreats by Jason Vale - in Portugal at which she dropped a dress size and had an energy overhaul. Writing on her social media, she said: "18 days -3 days (going to restaurants) = 15 days on juice here at @juicemasterretreats @jasonvale

"I've dropped over a dress size and bursting with energy. Haven't been into these shorts for a few years and now they're loose. Boommmm."

The prices for the retreat start at a luxuruious £1,475, so reports The Mirror, for the pleasure of working out and giving your body a detox amongst the stunning surroundings - it takes place in a deep forest location overlooking a river.

A typical day includes meditation or morning yoga, swimming in the infinity pool, walks, circuit training, spin classes and HIIT workouts.

Throughout the day, guests can enjoy four healthy juices and have the option to add on treatments such as massages, facials, colonics and cryotherapy sessions.

Read more on juice cleansing here.

Exercise

Carol is an advocate for working out. Having worked with a personal trainer for years, according to The Mirror, she regularly posts videos of her participating in partner gym workouts, HIIT workouts, yoga sessions, paddle boarding - yoga on paddleboards - swimming, and weight training (to name a few) on her Instagram. It's no wonder she's looking so fit and strong.

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