‘Sugar-free gummy snakes and coconut water’: How an actor fuels her day

Elise McCann is an actor. Here, the 38-year-old shares her day on a plate.

7am I have 250ml of coconut water before doing 30 minutes of power yoga. Later I head to a radio interview and have a soy latte.

8.30am A green smoothie.

12.15pm After a morning with the Groundhog Day, The Musical directors, lunch is a salad of fennel, cabbage, onion, radish, capers, peas, parmesan, basil, parsley, mint, olive oil and lemon vinaigrette, and a peanut protein ball.

5.30pm Between rehearsals and the first preview of the show, another soy latte and some vegies (tomato, cucumber, carrot) with hummus.

7pm During the show, I consume a 50-gram snack pack of sugar-free gummy snakes and more coconut water.

10.30pm The show finished, I eat five chocolate-covered macadamias and drink more coconut water. At home, it’s a cup of tea with soy milk, then bedtime.

Dr Joanna McMillan says

Top marks for… Lunch, as this meal packed in a lovely array of vegies, as well as good fats from the olive oil and wholefood protein from the peas. Your vegies with hummus are a nutritious snack choice, adding much-needed protein, healthy fats and fibre.

If you keep eating like this you’ll… Find it very hard to meet all your nutrient needs, as you eat just one proper meal, with snacks the rest of the time. Women your age have a very high iron requirement and your intake this day is low, your overall kilojoule and protein intakes are low – which may impact your energy and muscle levels over time – and you have few omega-3 fats.

Why don’t you try… Including a substantial breakfast on days you are performing in the evening. In addition to your smoothie, try adding eggs, mushrooms and/or feta with avocado wholegrain toast, or overnight oats with berries, banana and nuts, plus flaxseed or chia for plant omega-3s.

Elise McCann stars in Groundhog Day, The Musical in Melbourne until April 7. She is also the co-founder of wellness app Hey Lemonade.

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