What Christina Anstead Really Eats In A Day
Christina Anstead is known for her sunny SoCal disposition on hit HGTV show Flip or Flop and its spin-off, which focuses on the busy lady herself, Christina on the Coast. She first rose to prominence opposite now ex-husband Tarek El Moussa, but Anstead is assuredly a star in her own right these days. Given her good looks and healthy appearance, everybody is wondering what the busy mother does to stay in such good shape and what food she eats every day.
In fact, she told House Beautiful the number one topic of conversation in interviews is her diet and exercise regimen, so much so it led her to write a whole book about it with nutritionist and friend Clara Clark, called The Wellness Remodel. As Anstead put it, "I decided that it'd be a great idea for us to write a book together because that's the number one question I always get asked."
Before Christina Anstead had a nutritionist, she wasn't eating enough
If you've ever watched an episode of one of Christina Anstead's shows, you've probably noticed that she's always on the move. But according to nutritionist Cara Clark, when Anstead first sought her services, she needed to make a serious adjustment when it came to her diet. "She was way undereating at that point when I met her," she explained to E! News.
That meant that Clark had to create a customized eating plan that ensured Anstead was getting the proper nourishment for her non-stop and always active lifestyle. "I upped her calories probably like 800 calories immediately," she continued, "and she had a ton of success with my methods of more calories, combining your macros correctly and eating your fats and proteins with carbs." That must have been a relief for Anstead, for sure.
That also freed Anstead from having to worry about counting calories, which meant there's also room in her diet for the occasional margarita. Since she never goes off-plan, Clark says, it's a non-issue.
Christina Anstead eats four to five times a day
If you're a working mother with multiple commitments, chances are you know how difficult it can be to squeeze in healthy meals throughout the day, for both you and maybe even the kids. However, that's something that Christina Anstead has on lock, according to her nutritionist Cara Clark. "Even with two kids and a popular hit TV show, Christina manages to stay healthy and strong," she wrote in a blog post. Hey, if the busy Flip or Flop star can do it, perhaps there's hope for the rest of us!
One of the major reasons that Anstead has the stamina required for her active lifestyle is because of the diet plan that Clark has her follow. "Christina eats four to five times a day every three to four hours to allow her blood sugar to stay stable all day long," she continued. "With the proper balance of carbs, fat, and protein at each meal, her body is a fat burning powerhouse!"
That also explains why Anstead has such a rocking bod, too. She's prioritized her nutritional needs, and she doesn't let anything get in the way of that.
For breakfast, Christina Anstead enjoys overnight oats
When it comes to how Christina Anstead prepares for the day ahead of her, even she needs a bit of a kick before she can hit the ground running. That's why she reaches for the same thing that 64 percent of Americans do every day: coffee. "I start my day with a cup of coffee with some cream and Stevia," she explained in an interview with Cara Clark Nutrition. "I need that coffee!" Girl, same.
Once she's sufficiently caffeinated and ready to face the world, Anstead chows down on her morning meal, which is super healthy and honestly sounds pretty tasty. "For breakfast I always have overnight oats," she continued. "Currently it's [half a cup of] oats, one cup unsweetened almond milk...[one tablespoon] chia seeds, [one teaspoon] cinnamon, and one sliced banana." She added that sometimes she'll mix it up with the addition of either berries or peanut butter.
Smoothies hit the spot for Christina Anstead for snacks or meals
What's a meal that's healthy, easy to prepare, and convenient for folks with super busy schedules? Why smoothies, of course. That's what Christina Anstead reaches for when it's time for a snack or a meal. "I meal prep my smoothies," she told HGTV. "I cut up all the ingredients except milk and put [them] in plastic baggies in the freezer or fridge and just throw them and milk in the blender when I'm ready." That way she can have a nourishing snack or meal in about five minutes.
Furthermore, Anstead has two snacks throughout the day, consistent with her need to eat four or five times per day. "Some of my favorites are: Mother's Market juice Goddess of Greens (it really helps cure my sugar cravings), peanut butter on rice cakes, and healthy granola bars," she shared in a chat with Cara Clark Nutrition. She added that her sister makes really delicious granola bars from scratch, which sounds just heavenly.
If Christina Anstead eats poorly, she feels it the next day
One of the main reasons that Christina Anstead is so careful about what she eats is because of her medical conditions. She discovered that she had them after seeking the advice of a naturopath doctor, while struggling with her health during pregnancy. "She did a huge panel of blood work and talked with me for over an hour," she revealed in an interview with Parade. "That's when we discovered that I had autoimmune issues that had started to flare up." Specifically, she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and Hashimoto's Disease, which made her feel sluggish, foggy, and stressed.
That's why Anstead makes sure to stick to her diet plan at all times, as the consequences of veering off just aren't worth it for her. "I just make sure that I'm constantly getting my bloodwork rechecked and eating the right foods," she continued. "If I go to dinner with Ant and I eat badly, I feel horrible the next day."
Christina Anstead has a healthy and balanced lunch every day
It's often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it kickstarts your metabolism and keeps you healthy. But that doesn't mean you should sleep on a healthy lunch, either, and that's clearly something Christina Anstead believes. "With a full filming schedule and being a mom to two littles, lunch can often be overlooked," nutritionist Cara Clark penned in a blog post, "but Christina is prepared with go to salads or simple one pan or crockpot dishes." She added that combining lean meat, grains, and vegetables are a surefire way to get the nutrition you need from your afternoon meal.
Specifically, Anstead prefers a classic lunch staple with a bit of a healthy spin. "Her fave is a traditional Cobb salad with extra veggies or a quinoa salad loaded with veggies," Clark continued. That way Anstead doesn't hit a slump in the middle of her long work day, and she can power through until her next snack or meal.
This is the one food Christina Anstead really craves
Almost everyone has a favorite food, the one that you could eat every day and never get sick of. Whether it's chocolate, burgers, or pasta, nothing quite hits the spot like your No. 1 comfort food.
So what is the one food that Christina Anstead simply can't live without? "The only thing I really crave (which is the only thing I craved during pregnancy too) is peanut butter," she revealed in an interview with Cara Clark Nutrition. "I am obsessed!" Given that it's creamy, versatile, and satisfying, that's a pretty healthy pick, according to Healthline.
Of course, being that it's Anstead, who is super health-conscious, she's not chowing down on peanut butter cups or peanut butter cookies every day — far from it. "[Every day] I have a peanut butter 'perfect bar,' and also ... a snack of rice cake with peanut butter," she continued. "I don't know what it is, I've never [liked] peanut butter this much before." We bet Anstead's more than familiar with what happens to your body when you eat peanut butter every day.
Christina Anstead refuses to eat this
With important medical conditions to consider and energy levels to balance out properly, Christina Anstead has to be very careful about the kinds of food that she consumes on a daily basis. That means that some foods are completely off the menu at all times. "I don't eat fast food, I don't eat fried food," she told Parade, adding, "I don't eat anything processed." That means you'll never catch Anstead at the McDonald's drive-thru or chowing down on fair foods like deep fried candy bars.
That's not all that Anstead cut out of her diet, either, as she had to ax yet another item when she started feeling poorly again. "I went back to my naturopath doctor and we discovered that I have an intolerance for gluten now, so I cut that out," the Christina on the Coast star continued. "Things are constantly evolving for me, and I think that's kind of how it is for everyone." Hey, whatever makes you feel your best is best for you, right?
There are some foods Christina Anstead doesn't mind eating every day
Some people like to have a ton of variety in their diet, noshing on different foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. That ensures that they won't get tired of any one specific food. But when it comes to Christina Anstead's approach to her daily menu, nutritionist Cara Clark says that's just not the case for her. "She could eat the same thing every day," she explained in a chat with E! News. That includes the overnight oats she eats every morning and the peanut butter snacks that keep her fueled throughout the day.
Cook says that Anstead is especially a fan of one super healthy, lean protein. "If she didn't eat salmon at lunch, she's eating it for dinner," she continued. "She pretty much eats salmon every day. I don't know how she doesn't get sick of it!" While that's not quite as extreme as Mariah Carey's diet of only salmon and capers, as noted by another article in E! News, that's still a lot of fish, for sure.
At restaurants, Christina Anstead isn't afraid to customize her order
According to Harvard Medical School, people who cook at home a lot are more likely to have a healthier diet than folks who dine out at restaurants or eat takeout food on the reg. They're also less likely to have conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes. But that doesn't mean that dining out has to be unhealthy, as we can customize our orders to suit our nutritional needs, says nutritionist Cara Clark. "We all have the rights to order the way we want," Clark told E! News. So there's no shame in asking for your dressing on the side, or opting to have something grilled instead of fried.
That's a skill that Christina Anstead, who's had a stunning transformation over the years, presumably deploys every time she dines out. "Most people don't take advantage of it, but she does," Clark continued. "Plus, she is going to places that have health-conscious restaurants and people."
Chili is Christina Anstead's go-to dinner
We get it. After a long day at work, shopping for, preparing, and cooking a healthy and nutritious dinner for everyone in your household can sometimes seem like a monumental task. That's why Christina Anstead has some go-to recipes that take the guess work out of nightly meal prep, says nutritionist Cara Clark. "Typically for dinner, she alternates between a vegan chili recipe she loves, salmon and quinoa with veggies, or another lean protein with veggies," she penned in a blog post. "Or another loaded salad recipe, like the ones we have in our Salad Book." That way Anstead is never caught off guard, stuck eating whatever random foods are in the house.
That being said, there's one thing that Anstead loves even more than her usual dinner staples, as noted by Clark. "She's totally a sucker for any dinners I make her," she continued, explaining that Anstead basically loves leaving the healthy cooking up to other people. We wonder if Ant ever picks up a cookbook!
Christina Anstead says there's never an excuse to eat junk food
If there's one thing that Christina Anstead makes sure to do every week, it's to plan out what she and her family will be eating for all of their meals. To that end, Anstead keeps her kitchen stocked with everything she might need in order to put healthy and delicious food on the table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. "It just leaves out like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm starving, there's nothing to eat,'" she shared in an interview with Us Weekly. "'I'm gonna order pizza,' right?"
That's why Anstead is not afraid to flex a little bit of her judgment muscle, especially when she sees people around her eating whatever they want whenever they want and seeing "people snacking on all this junk." So, to make sure her family stays healthy and doesn't give into temptation around unhealthy foods, she sticks to a meal plan. That way, they won't regret eating certain foods later on.
When she was pregnant, Christina Anstead didn't like this food
Christina Anstead is a mother three times over, according to Us Weekly. She has three kids: two with ex-husband Tarek El Moussa and one with husband Ant Anstead. Interestingly enough, when Anstead was pregnant with her first child, she developed a food aversion that stuck around for a while. "I didn't like meat when I was pregnant with Brayden," she explained in a chat with Cara Clark Nutrition. "I'm still not feeling it yet either." Given that meat is a common food aversion experienced during pregnancy, as noted by Healthline, that's not all too surprising.
Fortunately, some of Anstead's protein-packed food favorites didn't make her ill during pregnancy. "However, fish is still on my list of things I love," she added. "So luckily I'm still getting my protein in there." Anstead also became a diehard fan of peanut butter while pregnant, so it's doubtful that a lack of protein was ever much of an issue.
Christina Anstead believes in moderation
It's pretty clear that Christina Anstead has her day-to-day diet on lock. With an incredible body and enough discipline to stick to a regimented yet healthy meal plan, Anstead's eating habits are goal worthy. But all of that being said, Anstead isn't just doing all of it for herself — she very much has other people in mind. "Nutrition is very important to me for both my own health and wellness, but also for my children," she revealed to People. "It's all about everything in moderation." Louder again for the people in the back, Christina!
That means a few nights a week Anstead is indeed human and indulges in a sweet snack or a beverage to help her unwind. "If I want a glass of wine I'm going to have it, or some chocolate — sure why not!" she continued. "For me, my nutrition routine is a way of life, and I have so much energy when I exercise and eat a healthy balanced diet." That's plenty of motivation for Anstead to treat her body like a temple, which she very much does.