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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz

Inside Gary Lineker's strict 'one-meal-a-day' diet plan followed by Chris Martin

Footballer turned BBC Sport presenter Gary Lineker has managed to keep to a similar weight as he was during his 16-year football career – but it's been no easy feat.

The 62-year-old credits his lean physique to the controversial One Meal a Day diet, which is famously hailed by the likes of Coldplay singer Chris Martin and Bruce Springsteen.

Former Tottenham Hotspurs striker Gary told the Evening Standard : "I only really eat one major meal a day.

"Breakfast I don't eat, and then I'll either pick in the evening if I've had lunch, or pick in the daytime, with nuts and fruits."

Gary also does a lot of exercise (The FA via Getty Images)

This hasn't been easy for the self-declared "big cook" – but coupled with "intense exercise" – he finds it works. He added: "I work out really hard. I do at least three sessions in the gym every week, and then I'll do Pilates as well."

Many proponents of One Meal a Day diet, or OMAD, say it helps them manage their weight easier and keep fit.

As you're only eating one meal a day, you're likely to consume significantly less calories, which usually results in weight loss.

Other diets, such as the 16:8 diet, are based on the same principal, but you can eat during an eight-hour window.

The OMAD diet is a lot more extreme, as those who follow it often go for much longer period without food – sometimes as much as 23 hours.

Chris Martin follows the same plan (Getty)

The diet is followed by other celebrities, such as Coldplay's Chris, who revealed: "I actually don't have dinner anymore. I stop eating at 4[pm] and I learned that from having lunch with Bruce Springsteen."

It's essentially a more extreme version of other types of fasting diets, such as intermittent fasting. With OMAD, instead of having breakfast, lunch and dinner, you only have one main meal a day.

However, several nutritionists have warned about the diet, with nutritionist Abigail Roberts previously telling The Mirror : "Eating just one meal per day can be considered an extreme form of intermittent fasting. Unless the meal contains all the necessary nutrients and calories required by the body, it's unlikely to be a healthy approach to eating, especially if done over a long period.

"Research has shown that consuming only one meal a day can lead to inadequate nutrient intake, causing deficiencies that may lead to various health problems such as fatigue, weakened immunity, and impaired cognitive function.

"Additionally, eating one meal per day may increase the risk of binge eating during that meal, causing digestive discomfort such as bloating and constipation. Furthermore, some studies suggest that intermittent fasting can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm and negatively affect sleep patterns, which can lead to physical and mental health problems."

Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk

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