When you’re in your 50’s and still maintain the waistline you had in your 20’s, surely you must have won the genetic lottery, right? Or perhaps you discovered the elixir of youth? For Elle “The Body” Macpherson, it’s a little of both. So what’s her secret? Just a little thing called the ‘alkaline diet’! It’s a whole-food based diet that keeps Elle looking as stunning and radiant as ever at 55 years old!
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What Is An Alkaline Diet?
An alkaline diet encourages a healthy intake of fruits, vegetables and other natural plant-based whole foods. The theory behind the diet is that these foods (plus organic supplements) provide a healthier level of alkaline in your body, which is good for immunity and your bones.
This is in comparison to a highly-acidic diet (red meat, dairy, grains and alcohol) which can cause negative health effects. The key is to balance your body’s pH to tilt towards more alkalinity for better absorption of nutrients. According to this theory, better absorption equals better nutrition.
Elle swears by the alkaline diet. “I firmly believe in the saying, ‘You are what you absorb’’ and when the body’s pH is balanced and nutrients come from absorbable quality whole foods, the cells are nourished right down to the mitochondria,” the supermodel and mother-of-two revealed.
When Elle Macpherson switched to the alkaline diet she immediately felt the changes in her body. In an interview for Vogue in 2018 she describes the transformation: “What I’d always thought were sunspots – actually, they were sugar spots – started to clear, and my skin looked tighter, dewier, plumper.” She adds, “I started to lose weight, probably because my sugar cravings had subsided. My digestion improved. I felt more emotionally balanced.”
The Elle Macpherson Diet
Her morning ritual usually begins with a few minutes of guided meditation followed by a cup of hot water and lemon mixed with cayenne, ginger or stevia. She’ll also have a glass of water mixed with her own Super Elixir green powder.
Elle consumes a healthy mix of whole natural foods including grains, nuts, seeds, greens, almond and hemp milk. On occasion, she’ll indulge in a poached egg or goat cheese.
Here’s an example of what Elle Macpherson eats on a daily basis:
Breakfast: An egg omelette, heaps of spinach and avocado or flaxseed pudding made with almond milk and berries. Another good starter would be warm oatmeal topped with kiwi, stewed rhubarb, organic peanut butter and a sprinkling of bee pollen.
If you are in a rush, just take half an avocado, fresh mineral water, 2 spoonfuls of nourishing green powder, a scoop of Super Elixir, blend them in quickly and presto: Elle’s Breakfast Chocolate Mousse!
Lunch: Salmon with lemon, olive oil, beetroot salad, and pearl barley
Dinner: Sea bass with a Greek salad topped with goat’s cheese or halloumi
Snacks: A couple of dates and green tea
If she gets a sugar craving, Elle will make a smoothie from 400 ml of almond milk, a scoop of WelleCo’s plant-based nourishing protein, half a frozen banana pus a handful of berries. 1-2 squares of chocolate aren’t off the list, believe it or not.
Elle’s Exercise Routine
Elle also realised that she had to adjust her fitness routine to match her diet. She revealed this at a Business Chicks speaking tour at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2019: “When I was younger, wellness was more like fitness. Looks were important – especially in my job – but I don’t think I truly understood what it meant to balance inner and outer beauty.” She continued, “I quickly realised that I was doing the same things over and over, unconsciously, and expecting different results.”
She switched from high-intensity activities like boxing to power yoga or Vinyasa. She also loves swimming, paddle boarding, and water skiing. Elle loves the ocean and considers walking in seawater one of her favourite low-impact exercises.
“It tones the legs and the waist, it’s great for minerals, and if you have any water retention, it’s a great diuretic,” she said. “I walk in about thigh-deep or knee-deep water for 40 minutes to an hour.”
Will This Diet Work For You?
Unfortunately, Macpherson’s weight loss tips have been criticised by health experts and nutritionists, especially because the supermodel demonised carbs and promoted a singular standard of beauty.
In addition to this, there has been no evidence that an alkaline diet can actually improve health by rebalancing your pH. The major benefit of the diet is that it encourages healthy eating by reducing meat and increasing your vegetable intake – and it’s that (not your body’s pH) which makes you healthier and slimmer.
Eat Like Macpherson: A Quick Breakdown
Whatever your goals are for seeking for trying out this new diet, here’s a quick guide:
- Reduce intake of processed meats, sugar, wheat and gluten, red meat, dairy, coffee
- Increase intake of leafy green vegetables, fruits, lean animal protein from fish and eggs, plant-based proteins, gluten-free grains like rice and buckwheat and good fats like avocado, coconut oil, nuts and seeds
Get ‘The Body’ Of Your Dreams
Elle Macpherson has learned how to listen to her body, adjusting her diet, exercise, and skincare routines to cater to her older (yet still fabulous) self. Then and now, she still mesmerises us with her hair, bone structure, glowing skin and lithe silhouette. She still is, decades later, ‘the Body’.
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