I’ve always had a healthy approach to food. I never restrict myself, count calories, or own a set of scales.
I’m a petite size 10 and don’t eat rubbish – though I never say no to dessert and can’t live without my daily Diet Coke.
So when David Beckham revealed on a recent podcast that his wife Victoria had eaten the same meal of roasted fish and steamed greens every day for 25 years, I wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or horrified.
Victoria backed up his claim, sharing a TikTok video of a butler serving her an ultra-healthy plate of salmon and greens.
Sure, she looks fantastic for it, all dewy skin and a svelte figure. But eating the same meal every day for a quarter of a century is a serious commitment.
It made me wonder whether a mere mortal like myself – a working mum to Millie, six, and Andre, four (without a butler) – could survive on the same.
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As a passionate anti-diet advocate (life’s too short!), it will be a serious test of my willpower. But I’m up for the challenge!
DAY ONE
I wake at 6am, full of enthusiasm. VB’s often suggested it’s her diet – which excludes dairy, sugar, “normal bread”, pasta, potatoes and rice, and is instead packed with supergrains, nuts, seeds and oily fish – that keeps her looking and feeling great. I like all those foods, so what do I have to lose?
I fill up my kettle, but panic when I realise my usual sugary brew has to be replaced with hot water and lemon followed by a shot of apple cider vinegar, à la Victoria. I take a large swig and struggle to keep it down. I now understand why it’s an appetite suppressant!
The burning sensation stays with me until lunch, as I prepare to eat my first meal of the day – a super-green salad of edamame beans and broccoli. It’s less than I’m used to, so I’m looking forward to Posh’s go-to salmon fillet and veg for dinner.
DAY TWO
I love avocado on toast as much as the next millennial, but using Victoria’s fave flourless Ezekiel bread – a nutrient-dense “sprouted” bread made from whole grains and pulses – doesn’t sit right. At £6 a loaf, I’d hoped it would fill the carb-shaped hole in my stomach, but it doesn’t.
Lunch of salmon sashimi – from my local Yo! Sushi counter at Tesco – is washed down with a black coffee and Skinade collagen supplement (costing a mind-blowing £128 for 30 days), which Victoria swears are the key to her dewy complexion.
Dinner is grilled sea bass and green veg. I go to bed missing my evening Magnum and, to be honest, feeling a tad gassy.
DAY FOUR
Today we head to a kids’ party, with pizza, ice cream and beer in abundance. A margherita and a soft-scoop 99 is my death-row meal, but all I can eat here is tomato and rocket salad.
I get home starving and fed up. As I chew on a cooked frozen cod fillet and veg pouch, I can’t help but feel this is not the same standard of food VB is used to.
DAY SIX
The added fibre and lack of carbs have definitely taken their toll on my digestive system! Despite this, I’m getting into having fish and veg for dinner.
I realise I’ve not been thinking about my own diet much since having kids – I’m so used to eating their leftover fish fingers and half-chewed chips. But this is making me cook for myself, and I like that.
DAY EIGHT
Tonight, the thought of yet more fish makes me feel queasy. I’m longing for a roast dinner or a bag of crisps. Looking at the cod on my dinner plate, I feel my stomach turn. I manage a couple of bites before gagging.
I’ve read that VB uses mints and coconut water to curb hunger pains, so I sit on the couch making my way through a pack, torturing myself by Googling dessert recipes.
DAY 10
It’s a beautiful, sunny day, so we head to a community barbecue at the local pool. The Pimm’s is flowing, but I can’t drink – and I’m suddenly desperate for a cocktail.
VB does have alcohol on special occasions, but as I’m only on her diet for two weeks, I’ve gone teetotal to reap the benefits. I snack on strawberries and watch enviously as other mums enjoy their cocktails.
DAY 13
The end is in sight and we celebrate at a local fish restaurant, where staff happily accommodate my dietary requests. I devour fresh grilled mackerel, but miss a glass of wine.
That said, I notice my sugar cravings have almost gone, my energy levels are up and I’m sleeping better.
THE VERDICT
Do I feel great? Yes. Is my skin glowing? Possibly – I’m using far less foundation. But would I continue? No.
This diet sucks the joy out of life, plus it’s impossible in the current cost-of-living crisis. I’ve spent a fortune – £10-£12 a day on fish alone!
Add in veg, nuts, avo, coconut water, mints and £30-a-week collagen supplements, and it’s more than £150 a week for just my food, never mind the kids’!
But being forced to look after myself feels empowering and liberating, so I’ll pay more attention to what I’m eating. I didn’t realise how many chips I stole from their plates until I stopped doing it.
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I have no idea if I’ve lost weight, but my jeans feel looser and any bloating has gone.
But, ultimately, I can confirm that the old Kate Moss saying “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” is a lie. A million things taste better, and I don’t want to miss another day of them.
A TYPICAL DAY’S DIET FOR VICTORIA BECKHAM
BREAKFAST: Hot water and lemon, apple cider vinegar shot and a Skinade supplement; avocado and Ezekiel bread or smoked salmon with tomatoes and a black coffee
LUNCH: Plant-based salad with avocado and a coconut water
DINNER: Grilled fish and vegetables
SNACKS: Fruit, nuts, sugar-free mints
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