A Master Chef's Tips for Losing Mega Pounds

Who says you can't lose weight being around food all day? That's Fit spoke to one chef who loved food so much, he weighed as much as 330 pounds. Now, 125 pounds lighter, he shares his secrets on how to burn fat while constantly surrounded by fatty foods.

Chef Scott Wall of Lark Creek Walnut Creek restaurant in Walnut Creek, Calif. is an inspiration to men everywhere. If you think staying lean and healthy is difficult for you, then imagine what it's like when it's your job to create food most people would die for on a nightly basis. For Wall, that wasn't easy, since he eats roughly 80 percent of his meals at the restaurant, where he has worked since graduating from culinary school in 2000. But after he tipped the scales at 330 pounds, he knew it was time for a change.

He's lost an astonishing 125 pounds in the last two years by exercising and changing his diet. His new lease on life has also meant creating seasonal, healthy dishes that don't skimp on flavor. Some of the dishes he's designed (and now offers on his menu for his patrons to help them lose weight as well) include grilled steelhead salmon with English peas, asparagus and vine ripened tomato salsa, as well as blackened Alaskan halibut with sweet corn and cherry tomato relish. Wall's weight loss is infectious, which is why we asked him how he's able to eat smart when his main job is to keep his customers full and satisfied.

That's Fit: What was the downside health-wise of being in your profession?

Scott Wall: It's definitely the long days of working in the kitchen with very little exercise. It's a vicious cycle. I would consume large amounts of food at one sitting, usually late at night right before going to sleep. A lot of those meals were fast food because that was the only thing open after working every night. Add in a few after-work drinks and it was a very unhealthy combination.

TF: What made you decide that enough was enough with your weight?

SW: I just wasn't feeling healthy any more. Plus, photos taken at our company picnic scared me -- I didn't realize quite how large I had become until I saw them. Throughout my life, I've always been athletic, but at my heaviest, I was nothing close to athletic. I would have times where I was short of breath doing things that never tired me out when I wasn't as heavy, like walking up a flight of stairs in the parking garage, or getting to my truck after work. I was even shopping at Big and Tall to find pants that fit, which I'd never done before.

TF: What changes does a chef make with his diet to trim down?

SW: The most effective change I made to my diet was to cut out fried foods, cheeses and butter. I also try to eat more in the mornings now, knowing that I have all day to burn the calories off by being active. Plus, I spread my food consumption over four or five smaller meals in a day and stop eating several hours before going to bed.

Nutritionally, I haven't had fast food in probably two years. I also don't eat out nearly as much now, which is challenging because as a chef it's part of my job to dine at other restaurants and see what's out there, but it's too much of a temptation. Other changes I made have included cutting out eating most breads and heavy carbs, and creating power salads. Instead of eating sandwiches, these salads include tons of vegetables (raw or blanched), proteins, like chicken breast or ahi tuna, a whole avocado, garlic, onions, herbs and jalapeños. I now dress my salads with lemon juice, vinegar and a little oil, or, with salsa. If I do eat a sandwich, I'll use guacamole instead of mayonnaise and cheese. Finally, I've also cut out the majority of alcohol consumption, soda and energy drinks. The empty calories just weren't worth it, so now, I drink lots of water and iced tea.

TF: Do you find time to work out with your busy schedule?

SW: Exercise played a huge role in my weight loss. I was working out around 5-6 days a week when I really began to drop the weight. When I would go to the gym, I try to work out harder because I knew I might not be there for a day or two. Now that I've reached my target weight, I've leveled that out a bit and work out two or three days a week.

TF: What activities really shaved off the pounds for you?

SW: I never got into taking classes at the gym because I can't usually fit them into my schedule, since my only free time tends to be after work, which is between midnight and 2:00 a.m. So I began to run a lot more, which I never did before. I also played a lot of five-on-five full court basketball and lifted free weights to tone and build muscle. But now that I've lost the weight, I am really focusing on my abs more by doing a lot more core exercises to try and lose the extra skin I have left over on my belly.

TF: Finally, what's been the biggest challenge for a chef that makes it difficult to stay slim?

SW: Being in the restaurant and surrounded by all this good food! A lot of our menu is really hearty stuff like meat and potatoes, especially in the colder winter months. It's really hard to avoid things like the French fry bowl and staying away from the cheeses and breads.

For me, it's picking at food that I really had to stop, since I never found myself sitting down and eating a whole bowl of food. I also have trouble staying away from the desserts. The pastry chef we have is really creative and it's hard to avoid them -- and the cookie jar we have on the counter. But, you just have to be strict with yourself. You can just as easily snack on blanched green beans or broccoli as you can on mashed potatoes. It's all a matter of just saying no -- then shoving fruit into your mouth instead of a French fry!

Need more inspiration? Check out how Christopher put an end to emotional eating and dropped 100 pounds.

Fitness expert Myatt Murphy is the author of the best-selling books, The Body You Want in the Time You Have, Ultimate Dumbbell Guide and co-author of The Men's Health Gym Bible and Face It & Fix It: A Three-Step Plan to Break Free from Denial and Discover the Life You Deserve.