Let me be honest from the start. This is not a wellness blog. There is no magic meal plan here, and I am certainly not trying to be aspirational. This is just real life. Mine, specifically. Somewhere between good intentions and a bag of Minstrels.
People often ask what I actually eat when I say I am doing intermittent fasting and eating a bit more Mediterranean-ish. Emphasis on the ish. So here it is. Not every day, but two kinds of days that happen often enough to paint a picture.
A Typical Good Day
Morning
I fast clean until around 2 in the afternoon. This is mainly because I like a glass of wine or a G&T (or both) after dinner so I don’t start fasting until about 10pm. The clean fast is just water (still or sparkling but not flavoured), green tea, black coffee and supplements, if I remember them. I am trying to do a little exercise, mostly because it feels like something I can tick off. Nothing fancy.
Lunch (around 2.30)
A salad made of what I have in the fridge or leftover. Spinach, tomato, cucumber, spring onion, and any herbs left lying around. Chicken or pork if we had it the night before. I usually add something creamy like guacamole or feta, something salty like parmesan, something crunchy like croutons made from old rolls, and a nut crumb I make by briefly blitzing the nut mix I have. I hate walnuts so shop bought ones won’t encourage me, we currently have shelled pistachio, peanuts, macadamia and hazelnuts. I often throw in some fruit too. Grapes, strawberries, satsumas, maybe a square of my healthier tiffin. That keeps me going.
Dinner (7.30 or so)
Tuscan-style chicken with courgettes, spinach, tomato and herbs. A side of smashed potatoes with olive oil, maybe a tomato and parsley salad. One or two glasses of wine.
This kind of day feels good. I have moved, hydrated, eaten well, and maybe even remembered to take my supplements.
If you like a score (I have a CustomGPT with my goals, example of my Zoe scores and my Medish aims):
- ZOE: 75
- Mediterranean-ish: 80
- Tania score: 85
I do not eat this well every day. I am not perfect or super human and living life sometimes gets in the way.
A Less Good Day
Morning
This one usually follows a social night with wine, gin and staying up far too late. I wake up tired, maybe forget to drink water, skip the supplements and feel a bit meh. So I eat earlier.
Breakfast (11am-ish)
Tea with milk and toast with peanut butter, I do at least try to have seeded bread here and reassure myself peanut butter scores well on Zoe. Comfort food. No veg in sight.
Lunch
Crisps and a couple of chocolate digestives. This is often because I am tired, distracted or just cannot be bothered, mainly the latter.
Dinner
Chicken and mushroom pie with chips or pizza. Absolutely hits the spot but not a single vegetable involved, except maybe mushy peas or some pepper on a pizza. A couple more glasses of wine or cider to finish.
No exercise. No water. My gut is unimpressed. So is future me.
Scores if we are going there:
- ZOE: somewhere around 30
- Mediterranean-ish: not really
- Tania score: best not to say
It Is a Rhythm, Not a Rulebook
Both days happen. That is the point.
I eat better when I fast. I tend to crave more nourishing food. I do not follow a strict plan. I follow a rhythm. I aim for 16:8 most of the time, and when I do, my tastes shift. I still love chocolate and crisps, but I want other things too. Food that fills me up and makes me feel good after I have eaten it.
When I am in that rhythm:
- I feel better in my body and in my head
- I snack less
- I cook more
- I listen to my hunger and fullness cues properly
- I find it easier to make good choices without making it feel like a punishment
Small Shifts That Help
- Add spinach to everything
- Grind nuts and use them like a savoury topping
- Bulk meals with beans or pulses like cannellini, butter, haricot or chickpeas (I hate chickpeas so I stick to beans I like)
- Keep frozen veg in the freezer
- Cook double when I have the energy and live off the leftovers
- Drop the guilt when the bacon sandwich happens
I do not do perfection. But I do try. And most days, trying is enough.
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