Channel 9 reporters health & fitness tips

PETER Stefanovic has kicked plenty of goals as a journalist for Channel 9 and as an author with his new book — Hack In A Flak Jacket.

However, before becoming a journalist, Peter dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and kicking goals in the English Premier League.

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“I grew up playing soccer. My dad played for West Ham football club, and when I was 17 I went over to England to try out for them as well,” he said.

Pete played in a youth squad side that produced two England captains and many of the soccer superstars of today, but it was tough at the top.

“It was the No.1 youth squad in the country, so even though I was playing reasonably well I could see the difference between my skill level and the skill level I had to beat."

“Plus the other players were always playing tricks on me because I was the new guy trying to take one of their spots. They’d deliberately pass you a bad ball so you’d be the one who looked bad. Only five per cent get through and make a professional career out of it so it’s pretty ruthless."

“I didn’t want to put all my eggs in one basket, so when it didn’t work out I came back and decided to become a journalist — maybe because English was the only other subject at school I was good at after PE,” he said.

The time spent on the soccer pitch didn’t go to waste, though.

“I played central midfield because I love using my brain and enjoyed working the angles — and you need to be able to think ahead like that as a journalist,” he said.

“The most important thing in my line of work is the brain. You’ve got to keep your wits about you, and being fit and healthy plays a huge role in that.

“It can take a lot of discipline to exercise and eat well when you’re on the road, but you feel better and think clearer for it.”

What's Peter's fridge?

Bag your greens

“Because I am always on the go I have to put a bit of preparation into making sure I eat well, which is why pre-packaged salads and veggies are so good.”

Spice it up

“Tomato salsa is great as it is low in sugar and has plenty of taste."

“Like most Aussie men, I like a beer so you need to leave room in your fridge for that six-pack.”

Every bloke's staple

Pete is always on the go and doesn’t have time to fill a plate for breakfast, so instead he opts for a power-packed smoothie.

“This is my ritual every morning. I pop some frozen mango, frozen berries, a banana, a scoop of protein powder and a bit of muesli in the blender with some ice and that’s breakfast done. After this I’m good to go until one or two in the afternoon,” he said.

How I stay fit

Travelling for work is no excuse for Pete to slack off.

“You need to do some form of exercise otherwise you go bonkers. Even if it’s just push-ups, squats and sit-ups in your hotel room — you can do a full-body workout in under 10 minutes,” he said.

Back home in Sydney, the options are endless.

“I’m a big fan of ball sports. At the moment I’m relearning the games of golf and tennis, and I run every day and do my own workouts.

“I do a lot of soft-sand running — it’s a great physical challenge. I do a few laps of Bondi Beach and go for a swim afterwards.”