Buckwheat is 48 and a fabulous drag artist performer. Her days start at 4am, training 3-4 hours a day, 6 days a week. She prepares all her own food for the whole day ahead. “I’ve trained myself to always have my next meal with me — this saves me from being tempted by rubbish foods while on the run.”
Would she describe her diet as typical of others in the profession? “No, but I’m not typical of others in my profession. I am slightly obsessed with nutrition and fitness. Looking good is paramount for my work so I watch what I eat. When I first started doing drag my lifestyle revolved around late nights, clubs and bars. So to grab a burger or something to eat on the way home from a night out was the norm. There is only so long you can maintain that kind of lifestyle before it starts to cause havoc on your system.
Sometimes it drives my household crazy, but they’re used to my crazy and strange ways. I mean you have to be a bit strange to still be playing dress-ups at my age.”
5am
Half-banana for energy before cardio.
8.30am
Protein shake, 200g steamed chicken and beans.
10.30am
Handful almonds, a nectarine and a small pot of yoghurt. I spent the morning doing housework — you know — that thing that’s never-ending. Enough to work up an appetite.
1pm
Large homemade chicken salad. Celery and carrot sticks. Leftover Christmas cake. This is my biggest meal of the day because getting in to costume after a big dinner never feels good.
4.30pm
Mother Earth baked oaty slice and a handful of almonds.
6.30pm
Time to shower, shave and get make-up on. During the course of the evening I had a glass of champagne and a vodka, lime and soda — rude not to.
12.30am
Can of sardines, a couple of crackers and a cup of tea.
Nadia Lim’s nutrition quick fix
You certainly take your nutrition and exercise seriously! You’re diet is very lean and high in protein which you need for the amount of weight training you are doing. Chicken has a reputation for being the weightlifter’s protein of choice, however other proteins can be just as lean, so don’t forget to include high-in-iron beef and lamb, eggs, and even legumes and tofu. The wider the variety of foods you eat, the more likely you are to cover all your nutrient bases.
Sardines are full of healthy omega-three fats, and high in calcium too, because you eat the soft bones. All in all, keep up the good work — your efforts will pay off.
See Buckwheat performing during PRIDE 2014:
February 8 at the Staircase
February 9 at the Big Gay Out, Coyle Park, Pt Chevalier
February 11 Bluestone Room, Auckland City
February 22 in the Auckland Pride Parade, Ponsonby Rd, Auckland