Six-pack abs? Bella Hadid and Michael Jackson’s ex-bodyguard shares his belly fat blasting tips: less carbs, more exercise and enjoying cheat days

A former bodyguard maintains his six-pack abs to secure roles in film and TV, where he directs his focus and energy

His fitness regime targets different body parts each weekday – chest, arms, back, legs and shoulders – and he eats six to eight times a day to maintain his form

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How do you lose belly fat? The answer, says Simon Newton, lies in the kitchen and the gym. Simply put, exercise a lot and eat to bulk up – just watch your carb and sugar intake. Photo: courtesy of Simon Newton

Published: 5:30pm, 3 Jun 2020Updated: 7:18pm, 3 Jun 2020

Simon Newton knows the importance of nutrition when it comes to staying in shape and maintaining six-pack abs.

“Abs are made in the kitchen,” says the 41-year-old former bodyguard, whose A-list clientele included the late king of pop Michael Jackson and, more recently, models Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner.

“I’ve worked all over the world protecting people, from diplomats and government officials to high-net-worth individuals and A-list celebrities … in 2006, I was a bodyguard for Jackson when he was in London for the World Music Awards,” says Newton. He has also worked for British singer Rita Ora and US singer Halsey.

The Briton’s brushes with fame as a “close protection officer” have given him perspective on celebrity life. “Being a celebrity, or anyone in the public eye, has its ups and downs, but at the end of the day they’re still people. They eat, sleep, laugh and cry the same as anyone else. It made me look at everyone the same.”

Before entering the private security business, Newton had travelled the world with the British Army as a communications specialist. In 2003, he became a private security contractor after years serving in Iraq.

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