Esther Passaris vows to eat once a day for 40 days as she prepares to turn 62
By Steve Ireri, September 10, 2026Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has vowed to eat only one meal a day for the next 40 days as she embarks on a strict fitness and wellness routine ahead of her 62nd birthday.
In a post shared on X from Addis Ababa on Thursday, September 10, 2026, Passaris announced that she had begun a 40-day countdown to her birthday, which she cheekily described as “Sexy two loading”.
The legislator said her new routine would combine intermittent fasting with several physical activities, including walking, golfing, dancing and weight training, as she seeks to improve her fitness in the weeks leading up to her birthday.
“Greetings from Addis; today marks Day One of my 40-day journeys. Forty days to my birthday. Sexy two loading,” she wrote.
Passaris said she had started the first day with green tea before embarking on a 30-minute walk, following a walking strategy recommended by Dr Mike Diamonds.
She also revealed that her first day of the one-meal-a-day routine would see her wait until dinner before having her main meal.
“I am committing to one meal a day, walking; golfing; dancing; and weight training. Today started with green tea and a 30-minute walk, following Dr Mike Diamonds’ walking strategy. My One Meal A Day today my meal will be dinner,” Passaris said.
The legislator further announced that she would begin tracking her daily steps as part of the 40-day challenge, setting herself an ambitious target of increasing her average daily steps from about 5,000 to 10,000 before eventually pushing the figure to 15,000 by December.
Passaris, however, admitted that the new eating routine had already presented its first challenge, revealing that she was beginning to feel hungry despite having only started the programme.
“Need to raise my average of 5k steps to 10k steps and 15k steps by December. I first learnt about intermittent fasting through the late Dr. Michael Mosley and his 5:2 approach. I remember him dearly. And yes, I am already feeling hungry!” she said.
She reflected on the psychological aspect of changing one’s eating habits, noting that the mind can quickly begin to play tricks on a person once they decide to stop eating.
“It is amazing how quickly the mind begins playing tricks on you once you decide not to eat,” she said.
Despite the early hunger pangs, Passaris said she remained committed to completing the challenge and documenting her progress throughout the 40 days.
“But the journey has begun, and I intend to document it honestly, one day and one step at a time,” she said.
The legislator also revealed that her interest in intermittent fasting dates back several years, saying she first learnt about the approach through the late British doctor and television presenter Dr Michael Mosley.
Passaris specifically recalled Mosley’s 5:2 approach to intermittent fasting, in which people alternate between normal eating and restricted-calorie days.
“I first learnt about intermittent fasting through the late Dr Michael Mosley and his 5:2 approach. I remember him dearly,” she said.
