British fitness coach and social media superstar, Joe Wicks, is as famous for his healthy living tips as he is for his infectious, energetic character.
“If you follow me on social media, you’ll know that am a little bit loud, a little bit nutty...that’s just a character of me. But ultimately my message is the same," Wicks says.
That message is to eat more and exercise less - and it comes across loud and clear in his new SBS three-part series, The Body Coach. It almost sounds too good to be true. But, as he explains on the show, there's a lot of method behind his fitness brand.
Don’t talk to me about diets. That’s the one thing I cannot stand.
In episode one of the new series, airing on Monday 27 August at 8.35pm, Wicks works with nine people who are all struggling to accept their body appearance and want to lose weight. By the end of the episode, we see their individual transformations and gain an insight into ‘how’ to lose weight with more planning and - to some degree- less effort.
“I really hope the transformation of the people I’ve been working with are really going to inspire other people,” he says.
Here are 7 tips of Wick wisdom for weight loss from The Body Coach himself.
1. Don’t mention the word ‘diet’
Healthy eating, like the mango chicken burger Wicks cooks with Jamie Oliver below, and positive lifestyle changes are part of the ‘Wicks way’, not diets. (Oliver is a buddy of Wicks, but doesn't appear in the series.)
“Don’t talk to me about diets,” he warns viewers. “That’s the one thing I cannot stand. They don’t work. They’re unsustainable. I’m saying no.”
It doesn’t really get clearer than that. Don’t follow fad diets if you want to become lean and stay that way over the long-term.
2. Do less exercise
Any time someone promises you a bigger and better result for a smaller amount of effort, you’re likely to think ‘gimmick’.
But rest assured, there’s sense behind this suggestion. Wicks recommends that people exercise for around 25 minutes a day for a maximum of four days a week.
“The secret weapon for fat loss success with my approach, my plan is HIT [high intensity interval training]. It’s short bursts of effort followed by rest.”
He says that intense 20-second bursts of exercise followed by 40 seconds of rest works your body a lot harder than continuous exercise.
The secret weapon for fat loss success with my approach, my plan is HIT [high intensity interval training]. It’s short bursts of effort followed by rest.
“It’s been proven to work the heart and muscles harder than continuous exercise. Studies show you burn twice as much fat in half amount of time if you do HIT.
“So put in 25 mins of solid effort rather than an hour of slogging away.”
3. Ditch the scales and pick up the camera
Wicks advises people looking to lose weight to forget about the scales and take regular progress photos of themselves to see how their shape is changing over time.
“I call the bathroom scales the sad step,” he says. “So many times I’ve seen people stand on it – they’ve had a great workout but their face drops because they don’t see the numbers move. It’s depressing. Ditch the sad step once and for all and get it out of your life.”
4. Say yes to healthy fats
You can cut out sugars and highly processed foods, but keep the healthy fats in your dietary plan.
“Your body needs good fats to feel full for energy and for healthy skin,” says Wicks. “So guess what people – do not fear fats.”
5. Drink lots of water
This tip doesn’t sound like anything new, given that we are always being advised to drink around two litres of water. But Wicks says we should drink two-to-four litres a day to maximise our weight loss potential.
“A lot of people don’t drink enough water. But honesty, it’s priority number one.
“As soon as you wake up, start drinking water. Don’t wait until your thirsty [to drink water]. A hydrated body is more efficient at burning fat.
“Drinking water can also curb your urge to snack…Trust me its going to make you feel awesome.”
6. You can eat carbs
Wicks provides viewers looking to lose weight with a green light to eat carbohydrates.
“They’re a great source of energy. Just eat slightly more on a training day and drop them a bit on the rest day.”
7. Prep your meals like a boss
Cooking and preparing all of your meals at home with fresh ingredients is the key to sticking to a healthy eating plan and resisting temptation.
“You don’t have to spend years dieting and struggling on low calories. It’s all about getting back in the kitchen and taking control.
Clear out the junk food from your cupboards: the thought is if it’s not in the house, you can’t eat it.
Restock your fridge and pantry with essential sauces and condiments that are good for you that you will use to cook healthy recipes. Be sure to include healthy fats like butter and coconut oil on your shopping list.
The new three-part series, , premieres on SBS on Monday 27 August at 8.35pm and continues each Monday at the same time thereafter. Watch all the episodes after broadcast on SBS On Demand.
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