As the host of both MasterChef and John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen, John Torode gets to enjoy delicious food on a daily basis, making maintaining a healthy routine difficult.
The BBC presenter has managed to overhaul his diet in recent years, however, by making one simple swap. John has lost an impressive 3 stone in weight by prioritising breakfast and ensuring he sits down to eat a proper meal with his family every day.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the 58-year-old chef previously explained: “The big secret, which somebody told me is the thing that all people who are very, very overweight have in common, is that they don’t eat breakfast.
“I now eat breakfast and make the point of sitting down with my children, eating breakfast and starting the day well.”
Discussing how it has affected his own regime, he said: “I feel brilliant, actually. It’s about three stone and I feel great for it.”
Eating a balanced breakfast
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day – but is there any truth to it? Katie Chaplin – BSC Nutritionist and Weight Loss Coach, says it’s nothing to do with kick-starting your metabolism, contrary to popular belief.
“There is a common belief that you must have breakfast to keep your metabolism high and in doing so you will lose weight easier. This is actually not supported whatsoever in scientific literature. You can skip breakfast and still lose weight! The most important thing for losing weight is staying in a calorie deficit, so eating less calories than you are using,” she tells us.
However, missing out on breakfast does mean you are likely to end up snacking more during the day, on top of missing out on essential nutrients to help with brain power, sustain your energy, and regulate your hormones and mood.
Additionally, healthy breakfast foods like eggs, avocados and wholemeal toast are more likely to keep you fuller for longer, making you less likely to reach for a mid-morning snack.
Katie explains: “However, what does happen for some people is that they might get strong food cravings come mid-afternoon because you haven’t eaten enough properly in the day. If this is you, then you should definitely be eating breakfast.
“Because those cravings suggest that skipping breakfast does not work for you and you need to eat it. It’s all about what works for you and what keeps you the most satisfied and happy.”
It isn’t just what he puts on his plate that has helped John shed the pounds. Lisa Faulkner‘s husband loves getting outside and has swapped driving for cycling, ensuring he moves his body daily.
“I cycle everywhere, I eat [differently],” he added, crediting his love of exercise for playing a big part in his weight loss, too.
The star often shares photos of his cycling hobby on Instagram, as well as snapshots from his outdoorsy adventures with Lisa.
John’s journey has also inspired his co-star Gregg to pursue his own fitness journey.
The presenter confessed he “wasn’t happy” when he weighed over 16stone and says seeing an unflattering photograph of himself standing next to John spurred him on to get back in shape.
SEE: John Torode’s ultra-rare photos with his lookalike children he co-parents with Lisa Faulkner
Gregg achieved his own 4st transformation thanks to cutting out sugar and cooking hearty homemade curries, as well as a newfound love of the gym.