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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