Martin Clunes' easy diet plan saw him lose three stone in just three months
Martin Clunes, the beloved 63 year old actor best known for his role in Doc Martin, has wowed fans with his dramatic three-stone weight loss achieved in a span of mere three months. The secret to his success is the '5:2 diet', which Clunes praised in a candid chat with MailOnline.
The star openly discussed his previous struggles, saying, "I was fat – and while I was getting heavy, I had tired knees and stuff," before sharing his dieting revelation, "So I thought I'd try that diet and the weight came off."
The 5:2 diet, commonly known as The Fast Diet, created by the late but respected TV doctor Michael Mosley, involves eating normally for five days and reducing consumption for two, often referred to as 'fasting' days. Healthline experts describe the routine: "You can choose whichever two days of the week you prefer, as long as there is at least one non-fasting day in between them."
Typically, on fasting days women stick to 500 calories while men have 600. "One common way of planning the week is to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, with two or three small meals, then eat normally for the rest of the week."
However, Clunes didn't stop there.He adapted his regime further to include what he calls 6:1 fasting days, while still noting the considerable health benefits, especially regarding cholesterol.
Fasting diets are also favoured by celebs like 'Sherlock' sensation Benedict Cumberbatch and Hollywood's own Jennifer Aniston. "It's easy and seems to keep the weight off me," Martin confessed in a candid chat from 2017.
Not just a fad among the stars, even residents of the globe's mysterious 'Blue Zones'—regions renowned for their long-living locals—practice calorie cutting. They follow what's dubbed the '80% trick', tucking into a modest meal later in the day and intentionally stopping when they're 80% full, thus the moniker.
Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Pharmacy previously shared her insights with the Mirror, suggesting: "Imagine what 80% of your meal would look like, and aim to leave 20% behind."
She delved into why cutting calories could be a game-changer, saying: "Calorie restriction is believed to slow the ageing process. Eating less lowers the metabolic rate. With less metabolic processes underway, less oxidation is taking place. Oxidative stress probably underpins the development of many of the chronic diseases we see today – heart disease, cancer, type-2 diabetes and dementia."
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North Wales Live
12 hours ago
- North Wales Live
'I used Manuka Honey for my hay fever and my eyes and throat thanked me'
A blocked nose, headache and itchy eyes that swell in the morning - like millions of Brits - I grapple with these hay fever symptoms during spring and summer. To see if I could alleviate my symptoms, I decided to put the Manuka honey theory to the test. Touted as a solution to 'help combat allergies and hay fever', Manuka honey is being investigated as a potential remedy for symptoms. While it's not a direct cure, this natural product is packed with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which are believed to assist sufferers with their symptoms. But how much relief does it truly provide? Intrigued by the increasing interest, I decided to give it a go myself. I took a teaspoon of Manuka Doctor MGO honey every morning for 11 days - and I've been taken aback by some of the relief I've experienced. Currently offering a discount in its 'summer wellness sale', Manuka Doctor has slashed its honey price by up to 65 percent. For those like me seeking to alleviate their symptoms, this is an opportunity to get it at a reduced price, reports the Mirror. I sampled three different strengths of honey - a simple multifloral of 70 MGO, a premium quality 540 MGO honey and a 1000 MGO Max Strength honey. Currently on offer, the 55 MGO honey has been marked down from £34 to £11.60. For maximum strength and an enhanced chance to alleviate symptoms, the higher 640 MGO Manuka honey is now available for £40.60, down from its usual price of £116. Manuka Doctor also offers Allergy Relief Supplements at a much more affordable price - £6.30 for 30 capsules. While I haven't personally tried these, they could serve as an alternative for those who aren't fond of honey but still wish to reap its benefits. The honey brand I used: Manuka Doctor Sourced in New Zealand, their bee hives undergo lab testing to ensure they meet standards and are certified for hive-to-home use. The brand reportedly has the backing of experts, including health professionals and doctors, such as ITV's Dr Hilary Jones MBE. A crucial component of this is MGO -- or methylglyoxal. Without delving too deeply into scientific jargon, this molecule plays a key role in aiding the body's natural healing process and regulating its immune response. Of course, it's not the only brand on the market. Holland and Barrett offer 70 MGO honey for £22.49, while LookFantastic also provides a 'Manuka Honey Blend' with 30+ MGO for £9.50. Four ways I incorporated Manuka Honey into my daily diet Each morning, I consumed a teaspoon of the strongest 1000 MGO honey, ensuring consistency and maintaining the same strength each day. However, I did incorporate additional doses with my meals. My next favourite method of consumption was at breakfast, either drizzled over a yoghurt bowl or blended into a smoothie. The latter proved an easy way to disguise the taste for those less keen on the flavour. Incorporating it into my meals was a breeze. I simply added a teaspoon of honey to homemade salad dressings three or four times. For those who enjoy cooking, it could also be used in a meat marinade. One dish I particularly enjoyed was halloumi hot honey, to which I just added some chilli flakes. How long did it take for the hay fever relief to begin? At the time of writing, I've been consuming Manuka honey for 11 consecutive days. I began on July 13 and have consistently taken a spoonful of honey each morning (sometimes straight, other times mixed into my breakfast or morning brew). By the eighth day, I could confidently say that I'd experienced some alleviation in my hay fever symptoms, with less itching in my eyes and fewer sneezes. The most noticeable improvement, which began around day three, was with my throat. Hay fever often leaves me with a dry and inflamed throat, but trialling the manuka honey has certainly helped. In addition to its high MGO content, I believe this is likely due to the simple fact that honey is soothing, and even shop-bought honey is a popular remedy for colds - like hot honey and lemon tea. Is Manuka Honey enough to help ease Hay fever symptoms? After 11 days, I've noticed a significant reduction in my symptoms. Primarily, the absence of a blocked nose, itchy eyes, and sore throat. All of which have nearly vanished. However, it hasn't alleviated the skin symptoms I experience with hay fever - namely, puffiness around the eyes and rashes. I also found that the taste of stronger MGO honey is quite different from the overly sweet supermarket honey I'm accustomed to - it took some getting used to. I hasten to add that Manuka honey shouldn't be viewed as a straight cure, but rather as something to try in order to alleviate symptoms. In the future, I plan to take an antihistamine daily for relief - such as Allevia, which can be purchased on Amazon for £7.59 (please consult your doctor first).
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
Ozzy Osbourne's final days revealed after air ambulance raced to save him
An air ambulance was dispatched to Ozzy Osbourne's Buckinghamshire estate on Tuesday morning in a final bid to save the legendary rock star's life. The 76-year-old Black Sabbath frontman died at his Grade II-listed mansion, Welders House, near Chalfont St Giles. Ozzy – real name John Osbourne – died on July 22, with his family sharing a statement confirming the news. While it was known that the rocker was in poor health, fans and family alike were shocked that he died just weeks after he appeared on stage for the final time, during the Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham. His daughter, Kelly Osbourne, shared a video of Ozzy on social media just two days before his death in which he appeared in good spirits while eating breakfast. Emergency services were alerted around 10:30am after a critical incident was reported at the property, prompting Thames Valley Air Ambulance to send their helicopter from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, some 27 miles away, according to MailOnline. The chopper landed in the grounds of Ozzy's sprawling 350-acre estate and specialist paramedics remained on-site for around two hours. A spokesperson for the air ambulance confirmed to the publication that they had been deployed to deliver 'advanced critical care.' Tragically, despite efforts by the emergency crew, Osbourne could not be revived. Locals in the nearby village of Jordans noticed the red helicopter circling and landing near the mansion, with one resident recounting to MailOnline: 'We immediately feared it may be for him as he was known to be in fragile health.' The helicopter was seen departing again around 12:30pm. Thames Valley Air Ambulance, which operates without government or NHS funding, relies entirely on public donations. The service recently logged its 20,000th callout since becoming an independent healthcare provider in 2018. A source has said that Ozzy was in peace at the time of his passing, telling People: '[Sharon's] deepest hope was fulfilled, and this is her focus now. Ozzy's final days were spent in England, surrounded by family, music and in the place he called home. He was in peace.' They added that his farewell concert 'meant everything,' and 'brought his career full circle.' Osbourne had been open in recent years about his complex health challenges, including being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2019 and spinal issues that limited his mobility. In preparation for his final years, he and wife Sharon oversaw an extensive renovation of Welders House, which included installing a rehabilitation wing and other modifications to support his care. More Trending The air ambulance call-out offered a rare glimpse into the final moments of a star whose career spanned six decades and revolutionised the landscape of heavy metal music. Known for his electrifying stage presence and rebellious spirit, Ozzy was also a devoted family man. His wife Sharon and their children Aimee, Jack, and Kelly were reportedly at his side when he passed. Ozzy's death left the music world in mourning, with stars lining up to pay tribute to the rock legend on social media. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Hollywood superstar worth $1.4 billion admits he had to financially cut off family members MORE: Matthew Perry's doctor pleads guilty to supplying Friends star with ketamine before his death MORE: Justin Timberlake slammed for doing 'bare minimum' at his concerts
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'I had a spoon of Manuka Honey every day to help with hayfever - the results shocked me'
There are claims that Manuka honey and its antimicrobial MGO can help ease the symptoms of hayfever, but does it work? Editor Harriet Morphy-Morris tested it for 11 days A blocked nose, headache and itchy eyes that swell in the morning - like millions of people in the UK - I struggle with these hayfever symptoms in the spring and summer. To see if it was possible to ease my symptoms, I tested out the Manuka honey theory. Dubbed a solution to 'help fight allergies and hay fever', Manuka honey is being explored as a potential relief for symptoms. Although not a straight cure, the natural product is filled with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which are said to help sufferers with their symptoms. But how much relief does it give? Intrigued by the growing attention, I tried it out for myself. Taking a teaspoon of Manuka Doctor MGO honey every morning for 11 days - and I've been left shocked by some of the relief I've felt. Currently offering a discount in its 'summer wellness sale', Manuka Doctor has cut its honey price by as much as 65%. For those like me looking to try and relieve their symptoms this is a chance to get it for less. I tried three different strengths of honey - a simple multifloral of 70 MGO, a premium quality 540 MGO one and a 1000 MGO Max Strength one. On sale as we speak, the 55 MGO honey is reduced from £34 to £11.60. For a max strength and boosted chance to help with symptoms, the higher 640 MGO manuka honey is now £40.60 instead of its usual £116 price. It's not only honey, Manuka Doctor also offers Allergy Relief Supplements for a much cheaper price - £6.30 for 30 capsules. Now, I haven't tried these out for myself, but they could be an alternative for those who don't like the taste of honey but still want the benefits. The honey brand I used: Manuka Doctor Harvested in New Zealand, their bee hives are lab-checked to meet standards and certified for hive-to-home use. The brand is reportedly backed by experts, including health professionals and doctors, including ITV 's Dr Hilary Jones MBE. The key part of this is MGO—or methylglyoxal. Without going into too much scientific waffle, the molecule is vital in helping the body's natural healing process and regulating its immune response. Of course, it's not the only brand around. Holland & Barrett offers 70 MGO honey for £22.49. LookFantastic also offers a 'Manuka Honey Blend' with 30+ MGO for £9.50. Four ways I added Manuka Honey to my daily diet I took a teaspoon of the strongest 1000 MGO honey each morning, this way I kept it consistent and made sure I was having the same strength each day. But I did add in other doses with my meals. My next favourite way of having it was for breakfast, drizzled over a yoghurt bowl or blitzed up in a smoothie. The latter was a simple way to mask the taste for those not keen on the flavour. It was also simple to do during my lunches and dinners. Three or four times, I added a teaspoon of honey to homemade salad dressings. Keen cooks out there could also use it in a meat marinade. One of my favourite dishes was halloumi hot honey, to which I just added some chilli flakes. How long did it take to feel hayfever relief? At time of writing I've been having helpings of Manuka honey for 11 days straight. I started on July 13 and have consistently taken a spoonful of honey each morning (some neat, others added into my breakfast or morning cuppa). By day eight, I could confidently say that I'd felt some relief in my hayfever symptoms, my itchy eyes had reduced, and I was sneezing less. The most improvement, which I started to feel on day three, was with my throat. Dry and inflamed, hay fever has always given me a sore throat, but trialling the manuka honey has definitely helped. As well as the high MGO contents - I think that this is likely down to the simple fact that honey is soothing, and even shop-bought honey is a popular remedy for colds - like hot honey and lemon tea. Is Manuka Honey enough to help ease Hayfever symptoms? After 11 days, I have felt a huge lift in my symptoms. Mainly, the lack of blocked nose, itchy eyes, and sore throat. All of which have nearly disappeared. However, it has not helped the skin symptoms I get with hayfever at all - which is puffiness around the eyes and rash. Another thing I noticed is the taste of stronger MGO honey is so different to the sickly sweet supermarket honey I am used to - the taste took getting used to. This is where I agree that Manuka honey shouldn't be seen as a cure but rather something to try to help ease the symtoms. And going forward I will start taking an antihistamine daily to help - like Allevia which is available at Amazon for £7.59 (please consult with your doctor first).
