Dave Nuku reveals his fitness tips
May 2010
Dave Nuku shares his weight loss secrets
You’ve seen him transform The Biggest Loser Asia contestants but did you know that Dave Nuku also trained the cast of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Here, the fitness guru reveals his weight loss tips.
“Exercise and diet? They’re husband and wife!”
Exercise and diet go hand in hand. People often discount the effects of exercise and think they can control their weight by watching what they eat alone. But there are lots of added benefits to exercise – it can improve your metabolism, boost your mood and get your cardiovascular system in good shape.
“We live in a world of portion distortion”
People have completely lost touch with a real serving size. Our perspective of what is a meal or a portion has become skewed – and it’s not helped by all-you-can-eat buffets and supersizing. That's why it's important to get back to basics and weigh your food every now and again.
“Measure on the go”
My tip? Weigh your food at home, then come up with a clever way of gauging your portions for when you’re out and about. For example, a piece of protein should be roughly the size of a pack of cards. A rice portion should be the size of a fist. Be a bit more mechanical and your portion sizes will look after themselves.
“Don’t overload on protein”
It’s important to eat good quality protein as part of a balanced diet, but you don’t need to overload. I recommend around 20 per cent of your diet is made up of protein. To put this into perspective, if you were sticking to a 1,600 calorie plan this would equal around 80g of protein a day. The best way to get this is from lean meats, fish and beans, and always choose good, lean quality produce.
“Get structured on street food”
Following your nose at lunchtime is a bad idea. You need to plan ahead if you’re going to make a healthy choice with street food vendors and takeaways. Portion control becomes mission critical when steaming bowls of rice are on the menu. Choosing chicken rice instead of a chicken curry dish with rice on the side can be a great healthy option because you’ll skip the oily sauce. Vietnamese cuisine with herbs and spices can be really healthy too.
“Become a fan of planning”
We often put ourselves in a tough spot by not thinking about what we’re going to eat in advance. We need to own and direct our eating more, and it all comes down to planning. Start with a shopping list and plan out your lunches and meals for the week. Take fruit and snacks into work – it’s cost effective and you’ll avoid being in a situation without a healthy alternative.
“Drink up”
Hydration is so important in Asia because of the temperate climate and high humidity. Drink water before and after exercise and avoid fizzy drinks that are packed with sugar. There’s a lag between eating and feeling full too, so drinking some water after you eat can help you to not eat too much.
“Discipline is overrated”
Getting fit and healthy need not be a militant operation. Just focus on breaking down old negative habits and building up new healthy ones. You can’t be perfect 100% of the time. So don’t let yourself be intimidated by discipline.
“Your best asset is a good pair of shoes”
It’s a total misconception that you need an expensive gym membership and a personal trainer to get fit. The best asset you can have is a good pair of shoes. Start small, by walking with friends and getting outdoors – the gym isn’t the only option.