Luke Hines: Foodie who piled on weight during Covid lockdowns reveals how he lost 10kg fast
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A TV presenter and cookbook author who has been gaining weight during the pandemic lockdowns has revealed how he managed to shift 10kg in 10 weeks – and how to lose the last 5kg before summer too.
Luke Hines, 39, from Sydney, weighed 85kg before Covid but rose to 100kg thanks to a combination of eating treats as if they were daily meals and poor exercise habits.
Ten weeks ago, Luke decided to take his health back into his own hands – and since then he’s managed to lose 10 pounds.
“Last year around this time, I was the toughest, the hardest and the saddest,” Luke told FEMAIL.
“When I decided to lose weight, I wrote down and documented everything I did to help others on their weight loss journey.
“I’ve learned it’s all about a strong mindset.”
BEFORE AND AFTER: A TV host and cookbook author who has been gaining weight during the pandemic lockdowns has revealed how he managed to move 10kg in 10 weeks (Luke Hines pictured)
Luke Hines, 39, from Sydney, weighed 85kg before Covid but rose to 100kg thanks to a combination of eating treats and poor exercise habits (now pictured)
Luke (pictured before and after) recalls eating an entire pack of individually wrapped chocolate ice creams one night simply because he felt he could never feel “full.”
Luke explained that although he had always been healthy and had exercise, when the pandemic hit and so much changed, he “found it very hard to adapt and eventually just let go.”
“It started slow at first, but I started making less good food choices, exercising much less and with less effort, and generally allowing bad habits,” Luke told FEMAIL.
“I remember eating a whole box of individually wrapped chocolate ice creams one night after dinner. I just didn’t want to stop, it’s like I couldn’t feel full.’
Before he knew it, Luke said treats had become everyday food, and he even stopped doing occasional exercises like walking or taking stairs instead of the elevator.
“I became addicted to eating junk and too much of it,” he said.
“That’s what happens when we get out of shape and lose our spark. It gets harder and harder to pick yourself up and do something about it.”
While training is important, Luke said the most important thing in weight loss is your diet (pictured) and he now provides a healthy mix of carbohydrates, good fats and proteins
Ten weeks ago, the TV host decided to do something about his health and weight – and really go for it to lose the 15 kg he had gained.
“When it came to my gym sessions, I pulled my finger out for the first time in a year and made every session count,” Luke said.
“I stopped wasting time on my phone halfway through the session, started pumping out some tunes, and lifted harder and heavier than ever before.”
In addition, the 39-year-old increased his daily walks by walking his dogs twice a day.
Luke also made sure he was getting enough “good sleep” by going to bed early and avoiding too much alcohol.
“The most important thing is nutrition, because you can’t outsmart a bad diet,” Luke said.
That’s why he focused on getting as many healthy fats, proteins and carbohydrates on his plate as possible.
‘I still let myself eat bread, pasta, rice, chocolate and ice cream every week.
“But I now eat them in a way that doesn’t throw off the energy in versus energy out balance.”
He added, “Understanding my daily calorie intake was a game changer for staying lean and building lean muscle.”
The TV host (pictured) advises people who want to lose weight to adjust their mindset, as a strong mindset is the difference between snoozing and getting up to work out
Luke said that for others looking to lose weight, the most important thing to think about is your mindset:
“The mental aspect of any change in diet or mindset is the biggest challenge people face,” he said.
“If you’re not into it mentally and you’re not committed with a strong mentality on your shoulder, you’re going to have a really hard time.”
Luke said that safe weight loss is half a pound a week for most people, but a pound a week can also be safe and possible — if you’re committed.
“A strong mindset is the difference between hitting the snooze button or getting up to work out, ordering the nachos or cooking at home, or a night out with the booze versus an early night for rest and recovery,” he said.
“You choose and you see the results.”
Luke recently showed off his body transformation on Instagram (now pictured), where he said he’s ‘proud’ of the mental changes he’s been able to make
Luke recently showed his body transformation on Instagramwhere he said he was “proud” of the mental changes he was able to make.
“When the world turned upside down, I gained 15 kg, became addicted to food that swallowed my emotions and lost myself along the way,” he said.
“I felt so ashamed, ashamed and very self-conscious that someone like me, who knew what to do, let himself go so much.
‘But I am human; life happens, mental health happens, change happens and growth happens. It’s not about how hard we fall, but how we get back up.’
His post resonated with thousands, who left comments like “so inspiring” and “incredible.”
Luke will be releasing a book detailing all of his weight loss in January called Five Kilos in Five Weeks. For more information you can follow him on Instagram here.