Paul Hollywood has revealed how you can lose weight without skipping treats as he opens up about his own struggles.
The Great British Bake Off judge says he tends to “put a little weight on” when he begins filming only to drop back down afterwards. But, as he gets older, the 58-year-old admits he finds it harder to shift the pounds.
Speaking to The Times, Paul said: “I tend to put a little weight on, but then over the next few months I’ll lose a little bit and end up where I was at the beginning. As I get older, it’s harder to shift weight. I think I need not less food, just more exercise.”
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Paul hopes shows such as Bake Off can inspire home cooks to make their own sweet treats, something he says is “even cheaper” and “very much healthier” than buying pre-bought. The star also believes making a cake from scratch would be a “natural brake” to stop people reaching for another treat.
He believes people “wouldn’t eat half as much” if they had to bake their own cakes. Instead, he says they would “do it as a treat and not an everyday right.”
The stars of Bake Off have opened up about gaining weight due to eating the cakes.
(Image: Channel 4/Love Productions/Mark Bourdillon/PA Wire)
He added: “A cake is a treat. It’s not something to be eaten every day.”
A keen baker, Paul makes bread every few days but it’s “not very often” he has cake, he revealed. Although, while filming Bake Off, Paul now likes to cut down his calorific intake by eating less cake.
He said: “On Bake Off someone told me an amazing thing. They said, if you want to lose weight and have whatever you want, then simply cut the portion in half. If you want a slice of Victoria sandwich, you can, not a problem. Just cut that slice in half. You halve your calories straight away.”
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Paul, who returns to screens with The Great New Year Bake Off on Channel 4 tonight, isn’t the show’s only star to address their weight gain during the show. Presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding have spoken of the “Bake Off stone” gained during filming.
It prompted Alison, who has lost 11 stone since rising to fame, to stop tucking into as many of the treats available on set. Speaking to MyWeekly, she explained: “Instead of eating the whole amount, I had little tastes here and there. I was quite good. I only had it when Paul did a handshake.”
Alison says it took her 12 months to lose the weight gained during her first series on the show. She admitted: “You’re allowed to taste every bake and last year I put on a stone. It’s taken me a year to take that stone off.”
The Great British New Year Bake Off airs at 7.40pm on Channel 4 tonight. It will see a host of familiar faces returning to the famous tent.