Chris Hemsworth is a man loved by many all around the world. He’s a marvellous actor, a doting dad, and a constant source of fitness and nutrition inspiration, and his latest Instagram post provides some nutrition information that will surely resonate with many fitness fans (if not fanatics).
Celebrating his 37th birthday on the 11th of August, the Australian actor did what we all love to do when we turn a year older, eat cake. Although, rather than just take a slice for himself, Chris’ birthday wish was to demolish the entire thing by himself, adding, perhaps literally tongue in cheek, “My kids weren’t happy but their punches felt like a soft massage”, such is his ridiculous rig.
The post also serves up a subtle message (or at least, example): occasional cheat days are absolutely fine. It’s a hotly debated topic within the fitness space, with some experts claiming that just one trip to ‘Junkfoodville’ can have incredibly damaging ramifications. At least, if you’re trying to lose weight.
Others like Hemsworth would appear to be of the school of thought that, as long as they don’t happen very often, it’s healthy to allow yourself some flexibility.
Others take it even further, suggesting that cheat day calories can provide the fuel you need to build muscle, just as long as you do indeed put the time in at the gym.
One such advocate of the cheat day is Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, a man with muscles so large we genuinely wonder how he finds clothes to fit, and who commented on Chris’ image, saying “Happy birthday brother” finished with a whiskey emoji.
The Rock has previously said that a cheat meal could give your “more vascularity.” And with a rig such as his, we’re inclined to believe him.
“In a crazy science, these cheat meals tonight should actually help my physique come in with a more fuller pump and vascularity for tomorrow’s shoot.”
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It’s not just him wanting to gorge on junk every now and then, but rather his strength and conditioning coach telling him to load up.
“Got the glorious text from my strength & conditioning coach that read ‘DJ, need a mid-week carb up for your big scenes tomorrow. Eat a pizza and send me your pics in the morning.’”
So, while it can be resolutely agreed that a life of constant junk food will do no good for you or your gains (especially as it’s a vanishingly small portion of the world that work out like The Rock), with both The Rock and now Chris Hemsworth being advocates of one-off, cheeky cheat meals, we think it’s completely fine for you to snack every now and then – provided your day to day is on point.