Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has been open about his weight loss journey over the years after a simple lifestyle helped him shed an impressive 12 stone.
A decade ago, the Masterchef the Professionals star was known for his love of a pint, a packet of crisps and snacks of cheese on toast. But fast forward to today, and the BBC presenter’s lifestyle and diet have undergone a dramatic transformation.
Tom, who presents The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge, tipped the scales at 30 stone as he neared his 40th birthday.
Fearing an early death, the Michelin-starred chef decided it was time for a change – and the steps he took were surprisingly straightforward.
At his heaviest, Tom would indulge in epic drinking sessions, often kicking off with a Negroni cocktail and followed by a staggering 15 pints. He then made the decision to give up alcohol entirely.
In addition to ditching alcohol, he made a conscious decision to reduce his carbohydrate intake and began following the “dopamine diet”.
This diet emphasises the consumption of foods that stimulate the production of dopamine, a hormone associated with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.
The chef also revealed he would snack on cheese on toast and often skipped breakfast.
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 and there and ready to go. I was a big one to skip breakfast. I didn’t have any.”
Tom took 12 weeks to make the change and decide which recipes he would use for his lifestyle change, including giving up alcohol entirely and eating a healthy breakfast.
Speaking about his decision to give up alcohol, he previously the Mirror: “I stopped drinking all by myself. I knew what I wanted to do and then I got on with it. It was all about mental strength.
“I have an addictive personality. People ask me whether I’m an alcoholic, but I think it could have been anything, it’s just that alcohol was the thing I found. Maybe I am an alcoholic, I don’t know. Some days are really, really hard and some days are easy. Most of the time it’s not relevant in my life. I channel all that old drinking energy into work now.”
As well as cutting out alcohol, he achieved his weight loss goals by adding foods that were high in protein, including vegetables, tinned beans and eggs. He also out sugar.
However, Tom, who wrote a book about his health journey, stills enjoys some treats, including dark chocolate.
Because he followed the dopamine diet, he was still able to enjoy dairy products, which he called his “dopamine heroes” – such as full-fat cheese, milk, yoghurt and double cream.
He said: “There is nothing wrong with a flapjack in the afternoon when you get that 4pm lull if everything else is in place.” Exercise is also important for Tom in order to stay in shape.
Dopamine is a “happy” hormone, which transmits signals between nerve cells in the brain.
Eating food causes dopamine to surge in our body, especially after eating sugary, fatty food. But protein-rich food also have same effect and are a lot better for you.
The foods promoted in the diet boost dopamine, which affects reward and pleasure centres in our brains.
On the diet you are told to eat:
- dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt
- unprocessed meats such as beef, chicken and turkey
- omega-3 rich fish such as salmon and mackerel
- eggs
- vegetables
- fruits, especially bananas
- nuts
- dark chocolate
You should also not eat or drink:
- alcohol
- caffeine
- processed sugar
- starchy carbohydrates
