Australian personal trainer and bodybuilder Kris Porthill is based in Shanghai. Last year he was crowned Mr Universe, Mr World and Mr Australia and now he has joined forces with TALK to reveal his secrets.

The biggest setback to fat loss in most people’s lives is their diet. Eating is passive compared to exercise so theoretically it should be the easier of the two to get on top off. Don’t eat it! You probably wish it was this easy. We all have foods that make us go back for second and third helpings. Here are some tips which help my clients and I lose lots of body fat.

Breakfast should be low in fat, high in complex carbs and protein. It’s hard to convince people to switch from a fatty/sweet muffin to a bowl of oats, so make gradual steps. From muffin to toast, then to whole grain toast, alternating with an occasional serve of oatmeal. Muesli is next. Eventually you’re eating muesli more often than toast and consider toast a cheat meal. Your body has adapted and has improved its performance on oats.

Alternatively if you are already eating cereal like Weet-Bix, add a handful of oats to the bowl. The reason we use uncooked oats is because they use up a lot of calories to digest, are slow absorbing and provide long-lasting energy. Weet-Bix are soggy slop that spends little time in the stomach, making you hungry again quickly. Your goal should be oats with milk and fruit. The final step (which I eat) is oats with two scoops of protein powder mixed with water.

The reason why we shouldn’t eat too many fat and carbs together is because the carbs/sugar are used first. They are stored in both the liver and muscles for exercise and the excess will eventually be stored as fat. Consuming high carbs and high fat at the same time keeps the body from using up a lot of fat, as it’s too busy burning up the sugar. So it will be stored. This is why you should always order a Diet Coke or water with your burger and fries, because you’ll never have a chance to burn off the fat from the fries if you are drinking regular Coke.

Later in the day, you’re less likely to burn off carbs because you’re resting, so they should be reduced in the evening. As you reduce carbs, you can introduce more good fats. Omega 3, 6 and 9 are suggested to help you sleep better and will also aid in repairing your joints. Nuts, olive oil, avocado, salmon, steamed, grilled or roasted vegetables (but not potato) are great ways to add fibre and nutrients to your evening meal – making you feel full without the carbs. A salad is a great negative calorie meal, meaning the total calories consumed from the salad are not enough for the digestive process. You draw on stored energy to help you digest and it never gets the opportunity to turn into fat.

To contact Kris with your questions, or for more information about personal training in Shanghai, email: [email protected]