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Celebrity Operation Transformation leaders Elaine, Brenda, Gerald, Karl and Katherine with host Kathryn Thomas

'I was one of those people who hammered himself in the gym and still ate all the wrong foods'

This week, Celebrity Operation Transformation participant Karl Spain talks about the importance of eating right.

The ever-popular Operation Transformation returns to RTÉ tonight for a special celebrity series. Each week, one of the participants will write a diary piece for TheJournal.ie about their experiences trying to lose weight. This morning it’s the turn of comedian Karl Spain:

I’VE BEEN A comedian for the past 16 years, touring all over the world and writing for TV shows like Republic of Telly and Des Bishop’s Election Special.

The weight hasn’t really affected my career. Comedy is one industry where the only requirement is to make people laugh. All shapes, sizes, colours and creeds are welcome as long as they provide the giggles.

I decided to lose weight many years ago and did, many times. But, as I’m learning, I was doing things wrong.

When I got the call to join Operation Transformation, I was quite happy about it. It was an easy decision to make. People were asking would I not be embarrassed, but a comedian in an embarrassing situation is good for comedy. That’s where the best stories come from.

Need to eat right

It’s two weeks since I started on the Operation Transformation plan and I’ve found the most important lesson is that you need to eat right.

It seems simple, I know. But I was one of those people who hammered himself in the gym and still ate all the wrong foods and wondered why the weight never came off. You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.

I’ve found the food and the exercising easy to do. My problem in the past was that when I was busy, I opted for the easy solution.

But as the weeks have gone on I’ve learned new meals I can prepare, that are quick and easy and surprisingly tasty.

[image alt="Creamy Tomato courgette and prawn pasta" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2016/09/creamy-tomato-courgette-and-prawn-pasta-296x222.jpg" width="296" height="222" title="" class="aligncenter" /end]

The programme

My willpower hasn’t been tested too much yet as it’s only two weeks in and the half way point on the OT plan for the programme.

Tonight in the supermarket, two separate women stopped me to hug me and wish me well. I had no idea the show was so popular. It hasn’t even been on TV yet, and I’m getting a huge reaction wherever I go.

I’ve set myself no particular target for the show. I see this as an opportunity to make a significant lifestyle change and live a much healthier life from now on. I need to lose a lot of weight.

My target is January; maintain this healthy food plan until then and after that begin the next stage of my life as healthy me, who cooks and exercises and who the old me would hardly recognise.

The show begins 11 years and a day after “Karl Spain Wants A Woman” started. I’m still with my girlfriend Rachel from that show. I certainly feel I get full value for my TV licence!

Karl Spain – Vital stats 

  • Age: 44
  • Height: 5′ 9
  • Occupation: Comedian
  • Starting weight: 19 stone and 4.5 pounds

Celebrity Operation Transformation starts tonight at 9.35pm on RTÉ One. Follow Karl’s food and exercise plan on the Operation Transformation website.  

Read: ‘Don’t give up just because Operation Transformation is over’

Read: Here’s how much weight the Operation Transformation leaders have lost

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    Mute Robin Basstard
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:57 AM

    My neighbour drives to the gym in town so she can walk on the thread mill.

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    Mute Paul Compton
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:50 PM

    What colour is the thread ?

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    Mute Paddy Byrne
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:14 AM

    Best of luck mate!

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    Mute I Am A Horse
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:24 AM

    You can do it pork chop…

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    Mute Chris
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:14 AM

    Pork is one of the worst foods you can eat. Full of all sorts of hideous bacteria and parasites. One of the nastiest ones is trichinellosis or trichinosis. This is an infection that humans get from eating undercooked or uncooked pork that contains the larvae of the trichinella worm. This worm parasite is very commonly found in pork. When the worm, most often living in cysts in the stomach, opens through stomach acids, its larvae are released into the body of the pig. These new worms make their homes in the muscles of the pig. Next stop? Me and you. Avoid.

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    Mute Chris
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:22 AM

    I like Karl Spain, best of luck dude.

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:46 AM

    Leave pork alone. I think trichinosis gives bacon sambos that extra pop.

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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:58 AM

    I’ve big bones and a slow metabolism…and a dodgy back. Those are my excuses and I’m sticking to them….

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    Mute Maria Kissane
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    Sep 7th 2016, 12:09 PM

    you sound like great fun Chris !

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    Mute Veroníca
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:38 AM

    I couldn’t afford the gym so I took matters in to my own hands by changing my diet no more sugar drinks no Chinese crap etc & walked & cycled everywhere instead of using the bus.. I dropped from size 18 to size 10 & have so much more confidence & shopping is no longer a nightmare as clothes fit me now.. I’m not preaching or claiming to be a health freak but by simple changes to ones diet & doing a simple power walk makes a big difference

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    Mute Mrs Doyle
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    Sep 8th 2016, 5:35 AM

    Well done Veronica!

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    Mute Val Rossi
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:58 AM

    I drive around with a gym bag in my car so people think I work out.

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    Mute Chris
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:16 AM

    How will people know if your gym bag is in the car?

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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:27 AM

    If I saw you with a gym bag I’d be running for cover.

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    Mute Dave Phelan
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:23 AM

    A major problem today is portion size. Swap your dinner plate for a side plate. In the 1920′s the normal “modern” side plate was about the size of a dinner plate.

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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:34 AM

    No it wasn’t.

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    Mute Dave Phelan
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:44 AM

    Gabby, While it might seem impossible, it does appear to be a modern situation that dinner plate size has significantly increased. Perhaps reading this link might help. Check out the photo over the ages and the calorie count.
    https://livelaughloveandlose.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/lets-talk-about-portion-control/

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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:48 AM

    Dave don’t be diluting your argument with ‘facts’.

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    Mute Del Haven
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    Sep 7th 2016, 11:28 AM

    As a former Camp Carricker I’d take Dave’s word on this, he’s a local legend.

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    Mute Chris
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    Sep 7th 2016, 11:36 AM

    Dave I blame high fructose corn syrup, sugar and processed crap all of which hardly existed in our food back in those days. Furthermore, obesity is worth billions of dollars a year to the diet industry, the food industry and big pharma.

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    Mute Niall Martin
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    Sep 7th 2016, 12:38 PM

    A quick Google image search of ’1950s dinner’ shows that the plates back then were just as big as ours today.

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    Mute Dave Phelan
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:03 PM

    Niall, Try Google search for 1950′s dinner plate size. The choose “images” and I think you will see what I mean

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    Mute Mark Ryan
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    Sep 8th 2016, 10:03 AM

    Please don’t say big pharma, it makes yoi seem like you own a tinfoil hat

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    Mute Declan Mannix
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:24 AM

    I see people in my gym getting the elevator up the one flight of stairs so the can kill themselves for an hour on the stairmaster. Ridiculous.

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    Mute Red hurley
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    Sep 7th 2016, 12:26 PM

    A heckler shouted at karl spain at one of his shows before ” how come your so fat” karls reply.because every time i f#!:÷d your mother she gave me a biscuit.

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    Mute Richarddoherty
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:13 AM

    if people exercise play sport walk and eat in moderation their be no need to pay gym fees

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    Mute Free comment ratings
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:19 AM

    If people grew there own food their would be no need for supermarkets.

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    Mute Old Gabby Johnson
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:54 AM

    ^^^^ this is the problem right here^^^

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    Mute Thommo's Big Nose
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    Sep 7th 2016, 11:14 AM

    If my auntie had a bollox, she’d be my uncle.

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    Mute canuckandgo
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    Sep 7th 2016, 11:28 AM

    Not necessarily Thommo, he might have a plonker but might identify as a women, therefore your uncle could be your aunt!

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    Mute Alan Kelly's Ego
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:47 AM

    Always amazes me what passes for celebrity in this country

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    Mute luke sarpish
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:01 AM

    Twinks turd from yesterday’s bowel movements is on the Late Late Show friday night.

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:17 AM

    Excellent, that’ll be an upgrade over the usual standard of guests then.

    (not that I watch the Late Late of course!)

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    Mute Chris
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:24 AM

    Even better than the Clinkers from Bono’s butthole?

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    Mute Tania Black
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    Sep 8th 2016, 1:52 PM

    Bet they are glad Dr. Eva left the show!

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    Mute luke sarpish
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:39 AM

    Good luck Karl. With a good diet and a proper training programme you will eventually get the Greek God like body that I was born with..Don’t forget cheat days, I usually get chinese 3 times on sunday.

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:21 AM

    I eat Chinese 6 nights a week, but it’s not working.

    I can’t understand it, I rarely if ever see fat Chinese people.

    Must be my thyroid or something.

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    Mute luke sarpish
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:29 AM

    Chinese people eat bean sprouts and peeled carrot. We get free prawn crackers with chicken satay and spare ribs.

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    Mute Oisin Murray
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:39 AM

    I seriously doubt that man has honestly ever “hammered” himself in the gym…. the majority of people have not done a beast of a work out….

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    Mute Tomasz Kuchnik
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:48 AM

    Even if you do beast workout you cannot out train bad diet. Simple as. So regardless of how effective was he’s training he still makes a valid point.

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    Mute bazhealy
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    Sep 7th 2016, 9:58 AM

    Do you even lift brah?

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    Mute Philip Gerard
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    Sep 7th 2016, 4:22 PM

    I was up to the point where I could run 10 miles and I was still overweight.

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    Mute Tania Black
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    Sep 8th 2016, 1:54 PM

    Depends on your idea of hammering! Two seconds on the treadmill more like.

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    Mute Ken Pepper
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    Sep 7th 2016, 11:35 AM

    Have to laugh to see people drive half a km to walk on a treadmill for 30 mins then sit in a jacuzzi and then go into he cafe next door for a huge sugary coffee and muffin … Then sometimes a smoke outside ….. Then post on Facebook about their ” awesome” workout….

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    Paul
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    Mute Paul
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    Sep 7th 2016, 12:22 PM

    Sure isn’t it better than sitting on their hole at home.

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    Mute dearg doom
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    Sep 7th 2016, 11:29 AM

    What the hell was he eating before if the “healthy” option is pasta and sun dried tomatoes?

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    Mute Philip Gerard
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    Sep 7th 2016, 3:40 PM

    Same thing happened me. I was hitting the gym hard and the weight wasn’t coming off. Then I stopped drinking 6 packs after the gym and watched what I ate. Lost 50 lbs in 6 months. It’s 80% diet, 20% exercise when it comes to losing weight. Best of luck to all who struggle with it. Keep it up.

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    Mute Neuville-Kepler62F
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:26 AM

    Barack Obama has banned Trans Fats (artificial fat,(German patent 141029) from 2018. Denmark and Switzerland banned them in 2006/9. You can completely reverse your Diabetes Type 2 by avoiding Trans fats .. rational is, insulin cannot recognise artificial trans fats … needs to see natural fats on cell membrane walls. Walnut best nuts for best mix of good natural fats. A fistful a day. Trans fats may also be the root cause of Alzheimers.

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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Sep 7th 2016, 10:25 AM

    Shameful the way RTE exploits these poor unfortunate people by publicly humiliating them on national TV. I see Catherine Thomas is on the radio now too.

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    Mute Bairéid Rísteard
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:35 AM

    Gyms get very boring. Alternating gymwork with something else is key. Like mma or something.

    14
    Paul
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    Mute Paul
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:43 AM

    MMA ? no way sure that’s only for thugs ;)

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    Mute luke sarpish
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:47 AM

    I must look into something, sounds interesting.

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    Mute roy turland
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    Sep 7th 2016, 8:23 AM

    How I wish to be 19stone….

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    Mute Tania Black
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    Sep 8th 2016, 5:12 PM

    why anyone would put themselves through that in public is beyond me.

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    Mute Rory Corbett
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    Sep 9th 2016, 12:06 PM

    I lost 3 stone in six months by changing my eating habits, ie not snacking on rubbishy stuff and keeping to around 2200 kcal and 12500 steps per day. It really is not that difficult once you get in a good habit. (Said the vicar to the nun…)

    1
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