The 48-year-old is a British chef, and the first to win a Michelin star for a pub. He went from being an undoubtedly unhealthy size to becoming a leading authority on losing weight, with books and even one documentary on the subject.
“When you turn 40 you’re half way to death.”
This was the harsh truth Tom’s friend told him that spurred him into action, GQ reported.
At only 40-years-old, Tom was diagnosed as obese, weighing 30 stone.
He credited his unhealthy weight to his job, which revolved around food.
He told GQ: “As a chef, I was grazing and snacking throughout service. Or I’d be eating cheese on toast and packets of crisps because they were quick.
“I was a big one to skip breakfast. I didn’t have any.”
In 2017 he wrote The Dopamine Diet, a book based around the principle of losing weight whilst also triggering the release of happy hormones in the brain.
BBC Good Food explained that the Dopamine Diet, also fondly known as the Tom Kerridge diet, prioritised typically mood-boosting foods.
These foods included dairy, for example milk, cheese and yogurt; unprocessed meats, such as beef, chicken and turkey; and omega-3 rich fish, such as salmon and mackerel.
Eggs, fruit and vegetables, particularly bananas, were recommended, as well as nuts and antioxidant heavy dark chocolate.
BBC Good Food added: “Most versions of the diet recommend avoiding alcohol, caffeine and processed sugar, while some also recommend cutting out or severely restricting starchy carbohydrates.”
His book Fresh Start also discusses the bad habit of grabbing convenience food.
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Admitting that he often went without breakfast and woke up hungover, Tom’s body was in survival mode.
Consequently, breakfast usually took the form of “two pints of coffee and six Nurofen”.
“I then ate lots of carbs, because that was what my body was craving.”
He embarked on a journey of balanced eating, but good news for dieters, “there is nothing wrong with a flapjack in the afternoon when you get that 4pm lull if everything else is in place”.
He also explained the importance of getting organised in the kitchen and making this a priority as opposed to a chore.
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“You know where your remote control is and you should be the same in the kitchen. Just understanding where the rolling pin and cheese grater is makes a huge difference.
“So many people were like, ‘I can’t do Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals in 30 minutes’, but you have to get in that mindset and know where things are. If you spend 20 minutes looking for a whisk, of course you’re not going to do it in 30 minutes.”
The chef has also incorporated rigorous exercise into his life.
He frequently posts pictures from the gym to his 624,000 Instagram followers, documenting his personal bests during strength training.
On August 4 2021, he shared an image of his sweaty leg with the caption: “Life is pretty busy at the moment and finding time to train is hard…. So a midnight 18km on the @wattbike and then leg stretch on a pool table at home is as close as I’ve been able to get to the @themarlowclubofficial at the moment….. #midnighttraining #cheflife.”
Source: Daily Express | Diet
