He may be a rugby league star, but Benji Marshall was once branded overweight by his mentor.
The 33-year-old turned up for his first day of training with the Brisbane Broncos last year only to be told he was ‘too fat’ by coach Wayne Bennett.
Speaking on Nova 96.9’s Fitzy & Wippa on Thursday, Benji explained how he reacted to Wayne’s brutally honest assessment.
Dropping the kilos: Rugby league star Benji Marshall has revealed the VERY unusual trick behind his 6kg weight loss after former coach Wayne Bennett said he was ‘too fat’
‘It’s funny, no-one had ever really told me that,’ Benji admitted. ‘I looked and myself in the mirror and I went home to (wife) Zoe and I said: ‘Am I fat?’
‘She goes: “Aw babe, no. You’re not fat, you’re cute!”’
But Benji was motivated to start dropping the weight – and since then he’s lost 6kg.
‘I lost a bit of weight,’ the sportsman said. ‘I was 95kg at the (St. George Illawarra) Dragons and this year I’m playing at 89kg. It’s a fair decline.’
Making changes: Speaking on Nova 96.9’s Fitzy & Wippa on Thursday, Benji explained how he reacted to coach Wayne Bennett’s brutally honest assessment
The father-of-one also revealed the unusual secrets behind his weight loss, which included a mixture of Chinese herbs, acupuncture and fasting.
Benji explained: ‘I started doing fasting and I saw this Chinese acupuncturist – who helped us with fertility as well.
‘He actually helped me get down (in weight) with a bit of fasting and Chinese herbs.’
During his pre-season training, Benji skipped breakfast and wouldn’t eat anything until 2pm.
Diet trick: The 33-year-old started fasting and saw a Chinese acupuncturist to shed the pounds
The New Zealand footballer also said the birth of his son Fox two months ago helped him lose the extra kilos.
Benji said: ‘A big factor in playing rugby league is happiness, and being back at the Tigers and having a baby – all those things have factored into feeling great again and getting a bit of confidence back.’
It comes after Benji’s wife Zoe admitted during a TV interview that she tried fasting for a fortnight in a bid to get pregnant.
Trim: Benji confessed he skipped breakfast and didn’t eat until 2pm to slim down to 89kg
The 32-year-old, who suffers from endometriosis, told The Morning Show that the extreme detox had improved her health.
She said: ‘I went to on a radical Chinese program and you don’t eat for two weeks to give your body an overhaul and help your organs regenerate.
‘I have to admit where I am with my endo is life-changing and we’re in the first month of trying.’