In a video released to her YouTube channel this week, The Lion King star Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has teamed up with trainer and exercise physiologist Marco Borges to launch a meal plan based on what she followed in preparation for her 2018 Coachella performance.
The meal plan, 22 Days Nutritional Meal Planner, is a plant-based meal plan that allows you to customise your recipes to suit your health goals, whether that be to optimise performance, create new healthy habits or literally follow in the footsteps of Beyoncé.
In the promotional video posted to YouTube channel the video opens with a clip filmed by the singer as she steps onto a scale to weigh herself.
“Good morning. It’s 5am and this is day one of rehearsals for Coachella,” she says to the camera, panning down to her the weight on the scale – 175 pounds (79.3kg).
“Long way to go,” she says, “let’s get it.”
The video, which is two-and-a-half-minutes long, then documents the Grammy Award-winning singer and her backup dancers as they undertake preparations for the performance.
“I’m back onstage after giving births to twins,” she says.
“I was a woman that felt like my body was not mine.”
Marco Borges, who is also a long-time friend of Beyoncé’s, explains the idea of the plant-based diet in the video saying: “We know the power of vegetables, we know the power of plants, we know the power of foods that are unprocessed.
“Plant-based is really about eliminating all the overtly processed foods that don’t do us any good anyways.
“When you’re eating plant based you will definitely have more energy. You will definitely sleep better. You’re definitely going to have improved complexions.
“Your mood is going to change completely.”
Beyonce previously admitted to struggling on such a restrictive diet, yet has now launched a meal plan based on the diet. (Image: Getty)
The launch of meal plan, which the video explains Beyoncé followed for 44 days, comes just months after she dropped her Netflix documentary Homecoming, which gave a behind-the-scenes look at the lead up to Beyoncé’s Coachella performance.
It’s notable because in Homecoming Beyoncé admitted struggling with the restrictive diet and intense work out regime, yet the meal plan is marketed as the same plan Beyoncé followed pre-Coachella.
“I’m hungry,” she was filmed saying in the doco, after revealing that in order to reach her goals she was limiting herself to no bread, carbs, sugar, dairy, met, fish and alcohol.
In the documentary she also admitted that she probably pushed herself too far when it came to trying to juggle the demands of the intense preparation along with her role as a mother.
“It’s not like before when I could rehearse 15 hours straight. I have children. I have a husband. I have to take care of my body. I definitely pushed myself further than I knew I could and I’ve learned a very valuable lesson: I will never push myself that far again.”
Adding: “I feel like I’m just a new woman in a new chapter of my life and I’m not even trying to be who I was.
“It’s just so beautiful that children do that to you.”
It does then seem a little bizarre that something she vowed to never do again is something she’s actively promoting, however it should be noted that the actual meal plans, even the ones that allow you to follow in Beyonce’s footsteps do include carbs and do not seems as restrictive as the regimen she had put herself through during the lead up to Coachella.
This didn’t stop the release of the 22 Days Nutritional promo video from garnering some criticism from some of her own fans.
One Twitter user tweeted: “I love Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Carter with my whole heart but I don’t want her giving any diet/nutritional advice to anyone… crash dieting ain’t normal safe, or healthy.”
Canadian TV host Joelle Tomlinson, who calls herself a huge Beyoncé fan, also took to Twitter to express her disappointment writing: “Y’all know I love Beyonce. Perhaps a little too much.
“But, I’m disappointed to hear her calling her weight post-twins every “woman’s nightmare”, and promoting a VERY restrictive diet.
Adding: “Perhaps use your star power to promote body positivity and beauty and any body size. #IMHO.”
The meal planner promises to offer personalised meal plans and support from professional food coaches and boasts convenience by providing subscribers with pre-made shopping lists and even grocery delivery in select areas.
A yearly subscription will cost you US$99 (NZD $149) or US$14 per month (NZD $21).
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
