Anthony Albanese has lost even more weight ahead of the looming federal election after cutting out carbs from his diet and reducing his alcohol intake.
In September Daily Mail Australia revealed that Mr Albanese had lost 15kg – and in the time since he’s shed a further 3kg.
The Labor leader now weighs less than 80kg, which was the target he set for himself when he began his fitness quest.
He spoke about his weight loss in Perth on Friday after posing next to a community battery which had actually been turned off due to noise complaints.
Anthony Albanese has lost 18kg since cutting out carbs and reducing his alcohol intake just over a year ago. He is pictured with a community battery in Perth on Thursday
Speaking about his fitness on Triple M Perth on Friday, Mr Albanese said he cut out alcohol after a serious car crash last year.
His Toyota was rammed by a Range Rover and he was rushed to hospital for X-rays but escaped serious injury.
‘In January last year, I had a near death experience in the car,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘I had a head on car crash and that really causes you to sit back and think about things. I was on pretty heavy painkillers, so I had to have no alcohol.
‘And I just thought I’ll see how long I can go for. I went five months. So now I have the occasional beer. I had a nice Little Creatures last night.’
Mr Albanese, who is targeting three Liberal seats in WA, flew into Perth on Thursday morning on the first flight since the state’s border opened.
He did several radio interviews on Friday morning in a bid to connect with voters and was quizzed about his girlfriend of two years Jodie Haydon after posing for photos alongside her in this month’s Women’s Weekly.
Asked on Nova if he had any plans to propose, Mr Albanese said: ‘Are you asking me on air… I’m not going there.’
Anthony Albanese is pictured with partner Jodie Haydon after speaking at the National Press Club on January 25
But he said he was ‘happy’ and did not consider it a disadvantage that he was unmarried.
‘Australia’s made up of all sorts of different people. Not everyone’s mum, dad and 2.2 kids,’ he said.
It comes as Mr Albanese was left red-faced on Thursday after he visited a Tesla community battery in Ellenbrook, north-east Perth to flaunt his climate change policies.
The battery is meant to store solar power and distribute it to homes at night but had actually been switched off for six months due to noise complaints from locals.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor said it showed Labor did not understand ‘the nuts and bolts of affordable, reliable energy’. Labor declined to comment.
A slimmed-down Mr Albanese (right) is pictured at the Newtown Jets footy stadium in June 2021 after his dramatic weight loss
The Labor leader is pictured in April 2020 before he decided to lose weight. His staff affectionately refer to this period of his life as ‘jolly Anthony’ in reference to his larger physique
Mr Albanese decided he wanted to slim down last year in preparation for the Three Capes walk, a three-day, 48km trek in south-east Tasmania, which he completed in January.
‘I was going on a walk at the end of last year, the Three Capes walk in Tasmania so I decided to get fit for that and also just to get fit for the campaign,’ Mr Albanese told Daily Mail Australia.
The father-of-one, who split from ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt in January 2019, continued his healthier diet and exercise regime after completing the walk.
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‘Since then I’ve been doing things in moderation and been careful about what I eat and doing the right amount of exercise,’ he said.
The Labor leader has largely cut out carbs and unhealthy snacks. He has eggs instead of cereal for breakfast, salad for lunch and meat and two veg for dinner instead of pasta or potatoes. Pictured: His meal one night in Canberra in August
Mr Albanese sports a fuller figure during an announcement in April 2020, before his weight loss
Mr Albanese, who enjoys red wine and craft beer, said the most dramatic change he made was to give up alcohol completely in the first three months of this year.
‘I went alcohol-free for three months and cut down on carbs – potato, bread, pasta, and just increased my exercise as well.
‘But I haven’t tried to do anything too dramatic other than giving up alcohol,’ he said.
The Labor leader now drinks again but consumes a lot less alcohol than he used to.
‘I don’t drink during the week and have some wine on the weekends and the occasional beer, but I’ve just been cutting back,’ he said.
Previously Mr Albanese would eat cereal for breakfast and pasta and potatoes with lunch and dinner – but now he’s largely carb-free.
‘Now I have eggs from breakfast rather than cereal and will typically eat meat and couple of veg for dinner,’ he said.
The 59-year-old – who was brought up by a single mother in housing commission in Camperdown in Sydney’s inner west – has also cut out snacking on fatty and sugary foods in between meals.
‘I’ll have a salad for lunch and have cut out chips and biscuits and try to eat healthily between meals as well,’ he said.
As well as improving his diet, Mr Albanese now exercises more regularly than last year.
‘I got a treadmill in the office in Canberra but I also walk my dog and go on longer walks than I used to and try and play tennis when I can,’ he said.
‘Tennis is my main exercise, my main sport, and I try to play twice a week.’
The Labor leader, who represents Grayndler in inner-west Sydney, also goes on bike rides around the city.
Mr Albanese said that since his weight loss he’s been sleeping better and generally feels mentally fitter as well.
‘We work long hours and if you’re physically fit I think it helps your mental capacity as well,’ he said.
The fitter 58-year-old poses outside the Hawke’s Brewing Company in Marrickville, Sydney
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