Carol Vorderman has admitted she only eats one meal per day.
The broadcaster, 63, fasts intermittently and snacks on brussel sprouts to sustain herself before consuming a full plate of food late in the afternoon.
Intermittent fasting has been praised by celebrities including Jennifer Aniston and Elon Musk for weight loss but has been linked to a 91 per cent increase in risk of death from heart disease.
Vorderman said she “doesn’t give a toss” what other people say about her eating habits and attributed her much-praised figure to a “good bra and sprouts”.
The NHS recommends a daily intake of 2,500kcal for men and 2,000kcal for women to maintain a healthy weight.
Speaking to Saga Magazine, the former Countdown presenter said: “I wear a good bra and jeans that hold you up. I generally have one meal a day – late afternoon.”
She continued: “I don’t give a toss about what people say about how I look. I’m also old enough to not care about what anyone else thinks about me.”
Vorderman has previously revealed she goes on a detox twice a year, which she claims reduces inflammation, purifies her blood, boosts blood circulation and aids weight loss.
In her book, Detox Your Life, the broadcaster claims: “The detox is not about counting calories or fat units, it’s about being aware of the kinds of foods we put into our bodies. It’s about eating more, not less.”
Last year, Vorderman told Jessie and Lennie Ware on the Table Manners podcast that she hasn’t weighed herself since 1999, when she first did her detox.
“Go back to my thirties, and my husband Paddy [Patrick King] who I loved and adored, we loved pasta and all of that, but I was working really hard and I just got to the point where I was eating just to stay alive, stay awake,” she said.
Vorderman then explained how she’d opted to eat no meat, no wheat, no dairy and no sugar for almost a month.
“After the detox diet, I haven’t weighed myself since 1999 – don’t know what I weigh,” she said.
“I won’t let anyone tell me what I weigh – you know when you go for medicals. And by and large, when I’m home, I eat quite well.
“But if somebody’s bought me chocolates or whatever it might be, I’ll just find I’ll just eat them before I’ll go to the vegetables so I can’t have it in the house.
“I’m very happy – that’s all I’ve known for 20 years.”
For anyone struggling with the issues raised in this article, eating disorder charity Beat’s helpline is available 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677. NCFED offers information, resources and counselling for those suffering from eating disorders, as well as their support networks. Visit eating-disorders.org.uk or call 0845 838 2040