Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told how he feels “significantly better” for getting fit and healthy as he opened up about his weight reduction journey and slammed claims about botox use.   

Mr Albanese lost 18kg within the lead-up to this 12 months’s Federal Election, telling reporters in March he made “no apologies” for being “match fit” ahead of the national poll.

The Labor leader’s transformation was back within the highlight this week after Day by day Mail Australia published an article about his “smoother complexion” following his weight reduction.

In a radio interview on Wednesday, Mr Albanese was asked to answer claims he was receiving botox or fillers.   

“Seriously, I believe whoever wrote that article has been having botox within the unsuitable place,” the Prime Minister told Fitzy and Wippa on Nova 96.9. 

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Mr Albanese was later asked for his top weight reduction tip and responded by saying: “Don’t eat the bread”.

“I just had this morning, I had two boiled eggs for breakfast. It keeps you going to lunchtime. Stopping eating in between meals is the massive thing,” he added.

The Labor leader said his food plan changes occurred over a period of 18 months but noted he still enjoys a beer and hot chips from time to time as the important thing was “not to offer up all the things”, just enjoy things sparsely.     

“I get to have a beer every on occasion, each light and heavy. You’ve to live,” Mr Albanese said. 

“The opposite key to live sparsely to not quit all the things. So I have not given up all the things. I even have the odd hot chip and all of that, not be too religious about it.

“And it took a protracted period. It was over 18 months.” 

Mr Albanese said his wake-up call to shed weight was when he was hospitalised after being involved in a serious automotive accident in January 2021.

He was driving home in Marrickville, Sydney’s inner west, when a P-plate driver in a Range Rover collided along with his Toyota Camry. 

“The true motivation, I do not recommend this, is to have a near life-ending automotive crash, little bit of a wake-up call,” he said. 

“That is what happened for me, I used to be determined to improve after I had an accident in January of virtually two years ago now.

“And that was an actual get up call, to get fit and to get healthy. And it’s worked. I feel significantly better for it, and I just feel significantly better within the morning, but significantly better throughout the day, too.” 

Mr Albanese’s transformation became a political issue earlier this 12 months when then prime minister Scott Morrison took a swipe at his opponent by declaring he was “not pretending to be anyone else”.

“I’m still wearing the identical glasses. Sadly, the identical suits. I weigh concerning the same size and I do not mind a little bit of Italian cuisine,” Mr Morrison told Sky News Australia’s Paul Murray in March.     

Mr Morrison later rejected claims it was a low blow to criticise Mr Albanese’s weight reduction and glasses, as he was quizzed on whether he was making appearance a key point of difference between the 2 leaders. 

“No, I’m not. I mean, I’m sure he is not that precious. I used to be having a giggle at myself. I used to be talking concerning the incontrovertible fact that I hadn’t lost any weight and I hadn’t modified my glasses and that I’m still wearing the identical suits,” he said. 

Mr Albanese on the time said he was “somewhat surprised” that Mr Morrison “thinks that that’s legitimate criticism”.  

“I make no apologies, and indeed, I’m happy with the incontrovertible fact that I’ve got myself match fit. I’ve got myself match fit because it is a tough job that I’m running for,” he said.