Ashleigh Vallis is fashion brand founder. The 34-year-old shares her day on a plate.

7.20am After a reformer Pilates class, I have toasted sourdough with chilli scrambled eggs and a long black coffee.

12.15pm The morning was spent launching my new fashion collection online with huge success. I stop for lunch, which is a teriyaki chicken rice-paper roll and prawn sushi.

1.30pm A much-needed caffeine hit in the shape of an iced dirty chai. I continuously drink water throughout the day to ensure I hit my intake daily.

6.00pm I go to my mother-in-law’s place for dinner. She makes my favourite crumbed chicken with mushrooms, roast potatoes and salad.

6.30pm A big glass of red wine to end the day.

Dr Joanna McMillan says

Top marks for… Your dinner is a beautifully balanced plate – lean protein, vegies and hearty potatoes – and sticking to three solid meals helps stabilise energy and appetite across a busy day. The dirty chai may feel like a treat, but it’s also a dairy-based calcium hit (your only one for the day) and a source of antioxidants from both the tea and the spices.

If you keep eating like this you’ll… Probably fall short on key nutrients, especially fibre and calcium, with no fruit, very few vegies at lunch, and no wholegrains, legumes, nuts or seeds through the day. That can leave your gut microbiome underfed, your long-term bone health under pressure, and your appetite regulation a bit more wobbly than it needs to be.

Why don’t you try… Boosting your breakfast with a handful of spinach or rocket, choosing wholegrain sourdough and adding a seaweed salad or extra veg to your sushi lunch. Beat the afternoon slump with a snack of nuts and a piece of fruit, which will also lift fibre and healthy fats while keeping your microbiome well nourished.

Ashleigh Vallis is the founder and creative director of Summi Summi.

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