Anna Fitzpatrick

Each week a celebrity tells us what they're putting in their mouth - and our nutritionist gives them a report card in the award winning Sunday Star Times Escape section.

2009 winner - Health Section Qantas Media Awards

Anna Fitzpatrick is an Auckland model and TV presenter. She has graced the catwalks of both New Zealand and international designers, from Karen Walker to Christian Dior. Anna hosts The Seen, New Zealand’s first and only dedicated fashion show and is studying towards a Bachelor of Communications at University.

Being at uni, I am often confined to eating what is closest.

8am: I have an early start at university today and am running late. I don’t have time for my usual toast or cereal, so I have two strawberry low fat yoghurts, which I can eat on the go, and a glass of peach iced tea, before walking 15 minutes to uni.

10am: I have a 15 minute break before I have to be in class again. I am more of a snacker throughout the day rather than having three large meals, so I buy a banana and a bottle of water from the dairy to keep me going until my next break at 1pm.

1.15pm: Being at uni, I am often confined to eating what is closest and what will take the least amount of time. Today I am lucky and have an hour long break so I head to Bien (a sushi restaurant) and have five pieces of vegetarian sushi and two cups of green tea.

3pm: I finish uni for the day and have to walk 15 minutes uphill to get home again. I’m a huge herbal tea fan, once home I have three cups of peppermint tea over three hours and snack on a wholemeal sandwich with fat-free ham, a little bit of mayo and some gherkins.

5pm: I have a bottle of Powerade over the course of my Pump class at Les Mills.

6.15pm: A small snack. I have four plain rice crackers to nibble on when I get home and while I start preparing for my TV show, The Seen.

9pm: I finish presenting The Seen and a friend wants to take my boyfriend and I out for dinner at Tanuki’s cave, a Japanese restaurant on Queen Street. The four of us share a small jug of sake and I have two of the little shot glasses worth and a water. To eat I have the edamame beans to snack on, some eye fillet kebabs, the grilled sweetcorn and one small slice of kumara marinated in a delicious butter sauce which I steal from my boyfriend’s plate!

Jacquie says

Some people instinctively make better choices with food and Anna is one of them. It’s easy to skip breakfast when you’re running late, settle for greasy food in a rushed lunch break and surrender to the vending machine over the afternoon.

Lack of planning and time restraints can lead to poor food choices, that is why it’s good to see Anna doesn’t use her busy day as an excuse to eat badly. The yoghurt was a good choice providing calcium and protein. Mid morning Anna chose a banana and a bottle of water over a muffin and a latte, this saved more than 400 calories! However, Anna could eat more during first half of her day, she would then have enough energy to complete her pump class without the added sugar in the Powerade. Plain water should suffice over a one hour class, followed up by a more substantial meal.

Each week a nutritionist from Real Nutrition looks over a celebrity's diet. For award winning health articles and a really good read - check out the Sunday Star Times each Sunday.