I ate like Melania Trump for a week and the shift was instant. My waist wasn’t the only thing that felt tighter

As I write this, I’m waiting to get my photo taken. I’m wearing my best suit freshly pressed, eyebrows are plucked and I may even be sporting a dusting of foundation.

Because, for the past five days, I have followed the diet attributed to Melania Trump – a regimen built around fruit, lean protein and controlled portions.

When my editor first suggested this, I bristled, worried it would leave me famished and surviving on black coffee, celery or only eating a block of cheese whenever I felt faint.

But after 120 hours on her diet, I was surprised to find that it was among the most balanced and delicious eating programs I have pursued so far – although, some mornings were definitely hunger stricken.

My weight dropped 5lbs, down from 195lbs to 190lbs. It’s more likely, however, that the dip was from drinking too little water and the fact I had just returned from vacation rather than actual fat loss. 

Still, the shift was apparent: a noticeably leaner waist and tighter butt.

After five days, I felt leaner, more composed, more energized and even a little impressed. 

In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I’m now sorting out a Melania Trump-themed dinner party. 

The diet 

Melania does not stick to any particular, predetermined diet. Instead, she has said she likes to ‘eat healthy’ because it makes her ‘feel better and have more energy.’ 

The 55-year-old famously eats seven fruits a day, lean proteins such as chicken or white fish and the occasional piece of dark chocolate.

Having put myself through RFK Jr’s meat-heavy diet and Donald Trump’s 12-Diet-Cokes-a-day in the name of journalism, I agreed to attempt this one for one simple reason: to give myself a reset.

In her eponymous movie, Melania, the famously private First Lady makes little mention of her eating habits – except for a moment when she insists an appetizer at a ball should resemble a golden egg. 

At a Valentine’s Day celebration with children last week, she let slip a little more, saying, ‘I don’t eat much sweets. Sugar is not that healthy for us.’

But back in the early 2010s, before Donald Trump’s presidential run, Melania was more forthcoming. She used to post recipes and pictures of plates piled high with salad leaves on her social media pages alongside captions like ‘healthy lunch.’

According to multiple sources, Melania begins her mornings with a breakfast smoothie. 

Writing on Facebook in 2013, she revealed it contained spinach, celery, carrots, blueberries, apple, orange juice, lemon juice, fat-free yogurt, olive oil, flaxseeds, omega-3 and vitamin D.

Melania did not provide measurements, but I reasoned that as moderation was key, the smoothie would fill no more than half a blender. I also squeezed my own orange juice, convinced the former model would avoid the sugary store-bought version.

Some folks tend to add olive oil to smoothies because unsaturated fats are thought to boost satiety – which can limit snacking – and improve skin health as the oil is packed with antioxidants. Flaxseeds are a ‘superfood’ loaded with vital nutrients to support heart and brain health as well as fullness. 

I thought the smoothie was pleasant enough, though it had some bite as some of the vegetables did not quite blend. The supplements did not mix in either, and I ate them separately instead.

While it was relatively tasty, it did not satisfy my morning hunger.

Texas-based dietitian Amy Goodson was not surprised, pointing to its 548 calories and 17g of protein as being low. Experts say most healthy people should aim for 20 to 30g of protein in the morning to boost satiety. 

Thankfully, the First Lady does enjoy snacks: a small, European-style foamy coffee – never one made by chains like Starbucks – and a piece of fruit, her favorites being apples and peaches.

While I enjoyed her snack selection, I opted for my own favorite fruit, a banana, instead of hers. That brought my daily fruit count to five. 

Unfortunately, even an hour after the caffeine hit – the substance is known to potentially enhancing feelings of fullness – my hunger returned.

For lunch, Melania usually eats a salad. I based mine on an image she posted in 2014, which showed a modest portion of spring greens and one romaine lettuce heart, plus two-and-a-half baby tomatoes and four slices of avocado – which brought my fruit count to seven. 

She allegedly also enjoys lean protein with lunch, such as white fish. For my meal, I chose a cod fillet coated in spices.

Throughout the diet period, I found myself consistently watching the clock for this midday meal. It was surprisingly delicious, and I did start to feel full afterward.

Goodson estimated that by this point, overall, I had consumed 33g of protein and 35g of fats – the latter of which take longer to pass through the gut and can slow digestion, helping someone to feel fuller.

Dinner was parmesan-crusted chicken in the style of Melania’s favorite restaurant, New York City’s Jean-Georges. At $70-a-go, visiting the restaurant every night seemed quite expensive, so I whipped up my own version of the recipe using instructions I found online.  

I coated a chicken breast in a mixture of grated parmesan cheese and crushed plain crackers, and served it on a bed of asparagus – 10 stalks, to be exact – and drizzled it all with a butter-lemon sauce.

Afterward, I ate her reported dessert of choice: raspberries and one piece of dark chocolate.

My biggest takeaways

After my first day on the diet, I felt satisfied and happy. And over the next two days, I began to set into a routine of starvation in the morning, followed by steady energy and comfort in the afternoon.

To my own surprise, I found myself looking forward to the nutritious and diverse meals.

While I was feeling more energized, I didn’t have a lot of time to do anything except work, cook and clean.

Melania’s diet is quite demanding in the kitchen, and it left every work surface covered with heaped dirty pans, discarded orange husks and drips from yogurt pots. Somehow, several romaine lettuce leaves also ended up on the floor.

But I can’t imagine the First Lady handles this mess herself as there is famously a whole kitchen staff at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But for my fellow non-White House residents, I think you could make the diet easier by batch-cooking.

During my test run, I had the same exact meals every day, even though I understand that Melania likely varies her diet.

Her other reported breakfasts include porridge, and dinners may feature white fish. It has also been said that she likes ice cream, too.

How the diet affected my health

I did stray from her diet at points, but it was never beyond a few surprise Oreos or perhaps a sly chocolate bar. I also may have consumed larger portions than Melania does herself since I couldn’t nail down her measurements. 

When it came to working out, I weight lifted for four days on this diet, and one day I went for a 45-minute run. The diet didn’t seem to affect my exercise performance.

Overall, I was consuming 1,545 calories per day, well below both the 2,500 calories recommended for a man and the 2,000 calories for a woman. These estimates do not factor in exercise level, however, which raises requirements.

I also ate 85g of protein daily, below the 103 to 138g recommended for someone of my weight based on the current USDA and HHS dietary guidelines.

The diet also included 75g of fat, which is close to the 78g of fat per day recommended for a 2,000-calorie diet, and 23g of fiber (28g daily are suggested for adults).

What the experts had to say 

Goodson told the Daily Mail that the diet had a good foundation, but recommended that people tweak it based on their individual needs. 

‘It is a nutrient-rich, healthy diet – there are lots of fruits and vegetables. But, by looking at it, I can see it is definitely lower in calories,’ she said. ‘If Melania were not eating fish at lunch, I would be hungry if I were her.’

When asked why I did not feel too hungry despite the low calories, she said, ‘The deal is that protein and fiber both slow down digestion. 

‘Protein slows down digestion more than every other nutrient. More protein in the morning would help with satiety levels for the rest of the day.’

While it looks healthy, there is more to healthful eating than making sure your ingredients are clean. 

‘This meal plan seems nutrient-dense at first glance, but for the average American woman… it is likely insufficient in total energy, lacks sufficient protein at breakfast and is not optimized for long-term satiety or metabolic resilience,’ Dietitian Whitney Stuart, also based in Texas, told the Daily Mail.

‘This plan reflects a restrictive approach rather than a robust one. Most women benefit from higher protein in the morning, increased fiber per meal, and a slight boost in overall caloric intake.’

Both dietitians suggested the diet likely would not be sustainable without some tweaks. They recommended upping the calorie intake from healthy sources and adding whole grains, which boost fiber and nutrient content.

I found Melania’s diet cost-effective because it relied on whole foods, although prices quickly spiraled when buying organic.

Overall, I found this diet to be a great short-term plan for resetting my body. I have already started incorporating bits of it into my daily eating habits.