Luke Hines: Foodie who piled on weight during Covid lockdowns reveals how he lost 10kg fast

A TV host and cookbook author who piled on weight during the pandemic lockdowns has revealed how he managed to shift 10kg in 10 weeks - and how you can shed the last 5kg before summer too. 

Luke Hines, 39, from Sydney, weighed 85kg before Covid, but ballooned up to 100kg thanks to a combination of eating treat foods like they were everyday meals, and bad training habits.

Ten weeks ago, Luke decided to take charge of his health again - and he has since managed to lose 10 kilograms.

'This time last year I was my heaviest, tiredest and saddest,' Luke told FEMAIL.

'When I decided to lose weight, I wrote everything I did down and documented it to help others in their weight loss journeys. 

'I have learned that it is all about having a strong mindset.'

BEFORE AND AFTER: A TV host and cookbook author who piled on weight during the pandemic lockdowns has revealed how he managed to shift 10kg in 10 weeks (Luke Hines pictured)

Luke Hines, 39, from Sydney, weighed 85kg before Covid, but ballooned up to 100kg thanks to a combination of eating treat foods and bad training habits (pictured now)

Luke (pictured before and after) recalls eating an entire packet of individually-wrapped chocolate ice creams one night simply because he felt he could never 'feel full'

Luke explained that while he had always been healthy and into exercising, when the pandemic hit and so much changed, he found it 'really hard to adjust and ended up just letting go'.

'It started slowly at first, but I began to make less than good food choices, train way less and with less effort, and just generally let bad habits creep in,' Luke told FEMAIL.

'I remember one night after dinner I ate an entire box of individually-wrapped chocolate-coated ice creams. I just didn't want to stop, it's like I couldn't feel full.'

Before he knew it, Luke said treat foods had become everyday foods, and he even stopped doing any incidental exercise like walking or taking stairs instead of the lift.

'I became addicted to eating junk and too much of it,' he said.

'That's what happens when we fall out of shape and lose our spark, it gets harder and harder to pick yourself up and do something about it.' 

While training is important, Luke said the most important thing with any weight loss is your diet (pictured) and he now makes sure to include a healthy mix of carbs, good fats and protein

Ten weeks ago, the TV host decided to do something about his health and weight - and really give it a go to lose the 15kg he had put on.

'When it came to my gym sessions, I pulled my finger out for the first time in a year and made every session count,' Luke said.

'I stopped wasting time on my phone mid session, started pumping out some tunes and lifted harder and heavier than ever before.'

Alongside this, the 39-year-old upped his daily walks by taking his dogs out twice a day.

Luke also made sure he got enough 'good quality sleep' by going to bed early, and avoided too much alcohol.

'The most important thing is diet, as you can't out-train a bad diet,' Luke said.

For this reason, he focused on including as many healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates on his plate as possible.

'I still let myself have bread, pasta, rice, chocolate and ice cream weekly.

'But I now eat them in a way that doesn't throw out the "energy in versus energy out" balance.'

He added: 'Understanding my daily calorie intake was a game changer for staying lean and building lean muscle.' 

The TV host (pictured) recommends people who want to lose weight adjust their mindset as a strong mindset is the difference between hitting snooze and getting up to train

Luke said for others wanting to lose weight the most important thing to think about is your mindset:

'The mental aspect of any change to diet or mindset is the biggest challenge people face,' he said.

'If you aren't into it mentally and you're not committed with a strong mindset on your shoulder, you'll really struggle.'

Luke said safe weight loss for most people is half a kilo a week, but one kilogram per week can also be safe and possible - provided you are committed.

'A strong mindset is the difference between hitting the snooze button or getting up to train, ordering the nachos or cooking ay home, or a night out on the booze versus an early night for rest and recovery,' he said.

'You choose and you'll see the results.'

Luke recently showcased his body transformation on Instagram (pictured now), where he said he is 'proud' of the mental changes he has been able to make

Luke recently showcased his body transformation on Instagram, where he said he is 'proud' of the mental changes he has been able to make.

'When the world turned upside down I gained 15kgs, became addicted to food eating my emotions and lost myself along the way,' he said.

'I felt so embarrassed, ashamed and really self conscious that someone like me who knew all the right things to do, let themselves go so much.

'But I am human; life happens, mental health happens, change happens and growth happens. It's not how hard we fall that matters, it's how we get back up.'

His post resonated with thousands, who left comments like 'so inspiring' and 'incredible'.

Luke will release a book detailing all of his weight loss, called Five Kilos in Five Weeks, in January. For more information, you can follow him on Instagram here.