"Professional athletes consult with me." Belarusian TV commentator lost 50 kilograms

Until the age of 35, Hennadz did not maintain a healthy lifestyle and, as he admits himself, lived quite carelessly. However, he eventually took charge of himself and lost 50 kilograms. Onliner.by met with the commentator and talked about why he decided to lose weight and how he managed to achieve the desired result.

Hennadz says that at his heaviest, he weighed about 144 kilograms. At the same time, he hardly felt that it was hindering his life. The desire to change himself came for a completely different reason.

— "I didn't have a goal to lose weight or lift a 100-kilogram barbell. But my status in life changed: I became a father, twice. Additional responsibility appeared. I realized that the carefree and somewhat frivolous lifestyle I led before no longer suited me," Hennadz admits. "However pretentious it may sound, I wanted to become an example for my children. So they would see that dad does the right things. For this, I decided to change drastically. Internal transformation led to external changes, and people started looking at me differently. Colleagues often joke that the old Salavei 'quit,' and someone else took his place. I also see how I change every month. My wife is also happy. She never forced me to lose weight, but I wanted to do it primarily for myself."

As a result, his wife got a better version of her husband, and his children got practically a new dad.

Павялічыць

As Hennadz says, the hardest part for him was giving up some bad habits. He doesn't hide that he used to drink with colleagues, and over time, it turned into a kind of tradition.

— "Previously, I had a certain ritual. After a difficult broadcast, my colleagues and I might go to a nearby bar to relax a bit. It became a habit. We often used this to relieve stress on the way home from business trips. However, I didn't want my children to see their dad drinking on weekends. Moreover, they never saw alcohol at home. How difficult was it? Very difficult. And it didn't work out on the first try – it took about a year and a half in total. I had to negotiate with myself, because it's primarily a psychological point. Gradually, experience accumulated, and I realized that I couldn't live like that anymore. One day I woke up and realized that things definitely wouldn't be the same as before."

Павялічыць

The commentator didn't go to the gym right away. At first, he lost weight simply by changing his diet.

— "As people who understand this told me later, it wasn't quite right. Before going to the gym, I adhered to a strict diet for a long time. But when I started training intensively, I realized I lacked energy. So I significantly increased my caloric intake: from 1800 to 2500, and sometimes even to 3000 kilocalories. It's impossible to work out for two hours in the gym, give it your all under the barbell, and consume only 1800 kilocalories. There will be no muscle growth. Sometimes after a workout, I was ready to eat almost the entire refrigerator. So I revised my diet and started eating much more, especially meat and cottage cheese. At the same time, the set of products itself hardly changed."

Hennadz says he completely gave up alcohol, pork, and fried food, and also tries not to overindulge in his favorite treats.

— "Completely giving up sweets is not worth it – it's still glucose. But you need to be able to control yourself. Also, due to my profession, I drink quite a lot of coffee, and I've come to terms with that. I don't add sugar to coffee, so I think that's fine. To adjust my diet, I used the internet. There are many useful tips there now. In addition, I consulted with nutritionists, gastroenterologists…"

It is important to consume enough proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. I get protein from chicken meat, cottage cheese, and eggs. If it's not enough, I don't hesitate to use protein powder: I mix it with milk, cottage cheese, and a banana in a blender – it makes a very tasty cocktail.

Its taste is almost indistinguishable from slightly melted ice cream. Some doctors also advised me to give up fruits and berries, but I consciously ignored those tips. Now it's the season, so I eat cherries, strawberries, apples in any quantity – and I feel great.

Павялічыць

Surprisingly, the new lifestyle initially created some discomfort for Hennadz at work, but over time, he reevaluated his views.

— "As I already said, after the broadcast of our program 'On the Verge of a Foul,' my colleagues and I often go to a bar to discuss further plans – it's part of our job. Everyone takes a glass of beer, and you feel like a white crow drinking kvass or water. Sometimes they joked about me, but in the end, I concluded that they envied me, not the other way around. Now I can say that with a completely clear mind, it's much easier to solve any problem."

Павялічыць

Thanks to his job, Hennadz has many acquaintances and friends among professional athletes, so it's very easy for him to ask them for advice. However, he answered the question unexpectedly:

— "Some athletes consult with me. Especially footballers. After all, young people have a quality that we also used to have: nothing affects them at all. They can eat anything – and for a certain time, it won't reflect on how they look. Older guys think more about this topic of a healthy lifestyle. For example, recently I spoke with BATE defender Artsiom Rakhmanau, and he gave me some advice: how to put your thoughts in order, how to behave in stressful situations, and how to deny yourself what used to be the norm."

"Lost 48 kg – blood pressure dropped"

Hennadz had never worked out in a gym before, so he decided to forgo self-training and immediately sought help from a coach.

— "I was 35 years old. I was a beginner in this matter, almost never lifted anything heavy. After the first training session, I realized how much I had neglected myself. Everything hurt intensely; I even woke up at night because of it. A year and a half after starting training, I experienced discomfort and headaches. I thought my blood pressure had risen. It turned out to be the opposite: it significantly dropped, staying at 110 for several days. The doctor said it was the body's reaction to too rapid weight loss: by that point, I had lost 48 kg (from 144 to 96). Therefore, I had to temporarily give up strength training."

Павялічыць

However, the commentator quickly recovered and continued his gym workouts. Now he has two strength training sessions and three cardio workouts per week.

— "I lift weights for two hours. As for cardio workouts, on Monday, let's say, I spend an hour on the elliptical, on Wednesday – the same amount on the treadmill, and on Friday, I do step climbing. Beginners often exhaust themselves with cardio workouts because they chase weight loss and constantly want to reduce it. And this is a dangerous story, because if you look at the scales every day but don't see the desired result, it might seem that everything is being done in vain. In reality, it's not as important what numbers the scales show; what matters is how you look. It's possible for a person to weigh 120 kg – and look great. And someone at 70 kg might be ashamed to take off their shirt."

Theoretically, I could do strength training even more often, for example, three times a week. But I decided not to overload myself. As my trainer says, the main thing is not to harm yourself.

— And how much do you weigh now?

— "Approximately 101 kg, because I've gained muscle mass."

— How do you track your progress?

— "I try to take photos every month, measure my bicep circumference. My weight doesn't particularly interest me now; I hardly track it. Sometimes I come across my old photos. Of course, I like this progress. It also pleases my vanity."

Павялічыць

"I only rely on homemade containers"

The work of a sports commentator can be called one of the most unpredictable in general – it's definitely impossible to make a schedule two weeks in advance. Because of this, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating properly becomes twice as difficult. The question immediately arises: how do you find time for yourself under such conditions?

— "I consider the commentator's profession the best in the world; it has a huge number of advantages, but sometimes you don't belong to yourself, everything is constantly changing. There's no fixed schedule, like in an office. But it's a matter of your choice and desire. Firstly, we have a gym at work, complete with a sauna and a medical office. True, I've never actually made it there – I prefer to work out in a gym near my home. The Belteleradiocompany also has a canteen and a cafe."

"Secondly, my wife helps, who actively cooks. A more difficult issue is business trips. Hypothetically, a trip to Brest: four and a half hours there and back, three hours of preparation for the broadcast, the work itself – as a result, about 12 hours fall out of life. And during this time, there's no opportunity to go to a shop or cafe, and at petrol stations, there's almost nothing suitable for my diet. I only save myself with homemade containers. I agree, it's really a problem when there's no fixed schedule, so I advise preparing food in advance."

— Have you never eaten during match breaks?

— "No, that hasn't happened. After all, the body's reaction can be different. It's easier for me to refrain from eating for five hours than to force everything down during a break. And if I eat on air, it would be audible."

— And what about during the World Cup, when you often had to work at night?

— "During the World Cup, it was really tough; there was practically no schedule. Thanks to the channel for accommodating. I try to go to the gym at the same time and on specific days: Tuesday and Thursday mornings. But sometimes, after work, I would only get home at eight in the morning. And if I hadn't slept at night, there was no point in going to the gym. So I slept for the proper five-six hours and postponed my workout if possible."

"It's also advisable to eat two hours before the gym, because personally, with that schedule, I have the most energy for the workout. If there's no opportunity – a banana, marshmallow, coffee, to at least have some energy. Whoever seeks the opportunity to lead a healthy lifestyle will find it."

"Girls sometimes ask for advice on how to get in shape"

Павялічыць

Salavei is quite a media personality in Belarusian sports, so he's often recognized at the gym. And sometimes it happens that you can see two Hennadzes in the gym at once: one on the TV screen, the other in person.

— "People who are interested in football approach me, asking when our national team will qualify for a top tournament. As if I know the answer to that question. But more often, of course, they approach me at stadiums. And sometimes they ask for advice on how to get in shape."

Colleagues do the same. Especially girls. I often show my compiled menu, but I explain to those same girls that it's designed for an adult man.

"There was an incident in Maladzyechna that touched me. We were conducting a survey for the "Tour Review" program. People approached me, said they follow our work, and were happy about my changes. It sounded very sincere, and I was pleased. Sometimes people ask for advice, inquire about how I managed to achieve such results."

— What's it like: doing an exercise and simultaneously seeing Hennadz Salavei on TV in the gym?

— "It's normal. Usually, the sound is off there; people only see the studio, and I often listen to music. By the way, I re-listen to my broadcasts. It's useful to notice my conceptual mistakes. The same filler words. I'm guilty of repeating the same thought."

Павялічыць

— Hennadz, who else among the commentators goes to the gym?

— "Ilya Bakay, but I don't know for sure about the others. Our profession is such that if you also have a family, combining it with workouts is very difficult. And if someone neglects sports, I understand that. But, I repeat, it's a matter of desire. As the main athlete of our channel, Anton Mialeshau (journalist, host of the "Slam Dunk" program), says, all of us will eventually come to this sooner or later. At 20 or 40, but life will force it. Metabolism changes, so over the years you start gaining weight not from cutlets, but from years lived. I advise all adults to find time for sports now. Train, eat cottage cheese before bed, not fried potatoes, choose water, not soda. You'll thank yourself later."

— And what other advice can you give?

— "The transformation process is very long and does not happen without difficulties. It's understandable that a person might go to visit their mom or to a holiday and fall off track. And if such relapses cannot be avoided, you should enjoy the process and not blame yourself for eating too much somewhere. You shouldn't eat with the thought that all is lost and the efforts made were in vain. You ate a piece of cake – enjoyed it, and the next day returned to your usual routine."

"After some time, I learned not to completely relapse, but to regulate. Hypothetically, now I'm talking and I took a small piece of cake for myself. Is that a relapse? No, I'll come, work out – and forget about it. Everything in moderation is good. Finally, I advise weighing yourself no more than once a month – you'll be psychologically healthier."

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