James Martin Maintains 3-Stone Weight Loss with Simple Daily Walks, Avoids Gym

Celebrity chef and ITV’s Saturday Morning host James Martin has shared how a straightforward exercise routine helps him maintain a three-stone weight loss and improves his overall wellbeing. Despite owning a home gym, Martin chooses to skip intense workouts, focusing instead on walking his dogs for 20,000 to 30,000 steps daily.

Martin’s transformation began after his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2005, when he dropped from 17 stone to 14 stone. Since then, he has completely revamped his lifestyle, including an overhaul of his diet and physical activity. Previously indulging in Mars bars, pizzas, and takeaways, he initially cut out chocolate but now enjoys it in moderation. His current diet emphasizes around 80% fish, with butter frequently used in his cooking.

Speaking to Best magazine, Martin explained: “I have a gym upstairs, but I haven’t used it. I do about 20 to 30,000 steps a day walking my dogs.” This approach aligns well with NHS guidelines recommending 150 minutes of physical activity weekly, highlighting walking as an often underestimated exercise beneficial for stamina, calorie burning, and heart health.

Martin, who balances his TV career with running several restaurants, admits that working out at the gym doesn’t excite him. His motivation to stay fit comes from his passion for car racing — he wants to be agile enough to get in and out of his racing cars comfortably. “I don’t go to the gym,” he said on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast. “It comes down to the fact that I can get my a**e in and out of a car.”

Now noticeably slimmer, Martin remains modest about his improved appearance and feels uncomfortable with being called a “sex symbol.” He is currently in a relationship with personal trainer Kim Johnson, 39, who sparked engagement rumors by referring to him as her “fiancé” on social media earlier this year.