Sasha McNeil TV3

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

Sasha is a TV3 news reporter and presenter. She is the daughter of veteran journalist Bob McNeil, and has worked in broadcasting for the past eight years including stints on ONE news, Breakfast and Tonight.

She currently fronts the Sunrise news bulletins and 3 News at 12pm, a half hour round-up which screens during the week.

Sasha says 'I am a creature of habit when it comes to food during the week, probably because I work such unsociable hours and miss out on many a mid-week dinner or drink out'.

4am My alarm rudely awakes me and I head to work.

6am After make-up I head down to the newsroom and hoover my breakfast which is usually cereal or porridge with yoghurt and fruit.

7.30am After coffee I need something to keep my energy up through the rest of the show, so I grab a pear and some almonds

8.30am I seem to eat every hour in the morning. I have some hummus and crackers and an apple.

10.30am I am a vegetarian so I have some soy yoghurt or cottage cheese with corn thins, bread or whatever else I can find in my top drawer, plus a mandarin. Often some kind soul from Sunrise brings in baking and unveils the treat at this time, it’s quite a good sugar hit before I read 3 News at 12.

1.30pm I am hungry by this time and try to have some of my five plus a day......so a salad, some veggie soup or maybe sushi and a couple of feijoas.

4.30pm It makes for a very long day getting up at 4am so the eating goes on..... and if I’m attempting some exercise I’ll have a banana or toast with peanut butter or Marmite to get me on my way.

6.30pm Dinner time (finally!). I use some free range eggs for an omelette or frittata with salad or veggies. I am very partial to a red wine and some dark chocolate in the evening. Eating right is vital when you get up as early as I do so that you can make it to the other end of the day. I try to be as good as I can during the week and then indulge during the weekend,

Jacquie says

Sacha eats a good breakfast and spaces several meals evenly throughout the day. This is a great strategy for weight maintenance because her energy levels will be more constant and she’ll be less likely to over-eat later.

Keeping healthy snacks at work is another simple thing we can all do to prevent the dreaded mid afternoon sugar binge. The dark chocolate in the evening may help reduce blood pressure, however, researchers recommend just 6-7g of chocolate a day and 100ml of wine. That’s only one square of chocolate and a very small wine glass. (shame)

Keeping healthy snacks at work can help prevent the dreaded mid-afternoon sugar binge.

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.