Expert explains whether Victoria Beckham's ruthless diet is actually healthy

Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham sticks to a strict diet and relentless exercise regime, but is this good for the body?

Victoria Beckham is a woman who has it all. Aside from a successful marriage to football icon David Beckham and raising four children, she was also in one of the most coveted girl bands in history and now runs a successful fashion line. The former Spice Girl, 50, is clearly a hard worker, and this too extends to her ruthless diet and exercise regime, but is her fitness example one to follow?

The mum-of-four recently shared a photo of her toneD physique in her home gym, wearing sweatbands and with her hair slicked back, clearly meaning business. Victoria certainly does not mess about in the gym.

Back in 2014, Victoria told the Guardian that she starts the day with a 7k run on the treadmill at 5:30 a.m. before a gruelling hour-long session with a personal trainer. "Thirty minutes legs, 30 minutes arms, toning and conditioning, then loads of planks and that kind of thing for my core," she revealed. I work out every day when I’m at home. It’s part of who I am now, and I really enjoy it."

Clinical Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer tells the Mirror that while it is healthy to work out if Victoria does particularly strenuous exercises, she should factor in rest days. “If she does a really heavy training day where she's using very heavy weights, or she does a very intensive cardio session, then it may be better that she has a rest day after that because the body repairs and recovers which is as important,” explains Suzie.

In an interview with the Telegraph in 2019, it was revealed that Victoria “now eats three or four avocados a day” because it is the key to glowing skin. Additionally, her husband David admitted that her dinner choices are fairly consistent. “Since I met her she only eats grilled fish [and] steamed vegetables. She will very rarely deviate from that,” he said. While grilled fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, and avocados are also a good source of fat and nutrients, Suzie says that eating the same foods isn't the most healthy route for nourishing your body: “It's about having a wide variety of foods in the diet. So the body needs 45 different nutrients in a day, including water. So if you're only having a mono diet, then you're probably going to struggle to get all those nutrients,” she said.

“Victoria Beckham is 50. I don’t know her personal circumstances but she's coming into the average age for menopause, which is 51. That is when women tend to notice that they have a nutritional deficiency. Its when it can really rear its ugly head and manifests itself in some very strange ways. Particularly where you're trying to balance hormones, nutrient deficiencies can really disrupt things - that may happen or not,” explains Suzie. In an interview with Net A Porter magazine the designer said that she “takes a lot of supplements” so hopefully has this in check.

“I eat lots of fresh fish, fresh vegetables and salads, as well as seeds and nuts. I also love fruit but don’t eat too much, as it can make me feel quite bloated,” Victoria, whose diet lacks dairy, added to Net A Porter. “I am disciplined with my eating – that’s how I find I get the most out of my body. " Victoria also doesn't eat many refined carbs, with an insider telling Heat Magazine it was “practically a banned word for her.” Suzie says that although she doesn’t want to hazard a guess at how much Victoria is eating, and that some of the vegetables might be high in carbohydrate, “You can't miss out completely on one, macro nutrients.”

Victoria has been known to have green smoothie for breakfast, and while this is healthy Suzie explains protein is important in a morning meal. Suzie say, “She would need to have some form of protein, ideally, with that. When you're ‘breaking the fast’ you need to have some form of routine because it about balancing blood sugar levels."

"Her diet is very low in calories," says Suzie, but what works for the mega-rich Victoria may be unhealthy for others. " I'd guess she's very much on top of her nutrient levels she'll be having loads of blood work done to check her nutrient levels." She adds, "It's a shame because food brings people together. It's not just about fuelling us, it's about enjoying it as well. And, and it's a shame because it sounds like food just becomes a necessity to her rather than something that she still enjoys."