Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt’s Perfect Cut: Actor Reveals Four Burgers Per Day Diet

The hard truth for hard abs.

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Chris Pratt’s Perfect Cut: Actor Reveals Four Burgers Per Day Diet

Image: @prattprattpratt

Hollywood actors are renowned for morphing their bodies to suit their next big role, but few have undergone the kind of staggering body transformation of Chris Pratt. Going from a typecast fat-and-jolly comic figure to shredded, universe-saving superhero, here’s the hard truth of how he did it.

One of America’s most-loved actors and now a Hollywood A-lister in his own right, Chris Pratt made his name in the hilarious Parks and Recreation before turning over a new leaf and reinventing himself as a shredded superhero-in-waiting for Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World, and… the new Mario movie.

In fact, Pratt has so totally transformed his career trajectory that he’s even been touted as the inspiration for the next Superman casting, reportedly too old to play the iconic role himself but the perfect demeanour and – perhaps more importantly – body type to play the Man of Steel.

WATCH: Holly insiders reveal that Pratt is the inspiration for the upcoming Superman flick.

But how did he earn that prestige? By undergoing one of the most dramatic weight loss transformations in Hollywood’s illustrious history, shedding a staggering 30kg in just six months. However, this raises another important question… how did he get to the point where he had 30kg to lose?

During his time playing Andy in Parks and Recreation Pratt weighed in at a peak of 136kg, believing that his character came across much funnier when Pratt carried a little extra weight. In a 2015 interview, he revealed that he would eat four burgers at every read-through of the show…

“I would eat four burgers at every read. I became really fat and got up to almost 300 pounds. I had real health issues that were affecting me in a major way.”

Chris Pratt

However, after seeing himself in Zero Dark Thirty – a role for which Pratt underwent a modest but no less impressive weight loss – the actor promised himself that he wouldn’t get overweight again. Shortly after, the offer of a lifetime came along: Guardians Of The Galaxy. The only catch? He needed to get superhero shredded…

So how did he do it? First things first: Pratt cut out junk food, stopped drinking, and started working out five times a week. I know, these things are never fun and never easy: “Honestly, there’s no trick or secret to it. It’s about getting after it and being patient and consistent”, the actor has said.

But the diet overhaul didn’t stop there, and nor did it involve a nil-by-mouth starvation approach that so many people assume is bound up with weight loss. In fact, Pratt was eating a whopping 4,000 calories a day. The key difference? It was 4,000 calories of really good stuff. Primarily steak, fish, chicken breast, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.

This moment in Guardians Of The Galaxy makes it all worthwhile. Image: Disney

The ultimate Hollywood hack that is beyond the means of most of us isn’t a magic pill, but access to a world-class nutritionist. In Pratt’s case, he turned to Phil Goglia, who focused on swapping out fried foods for protein-rich and nutrient-packed alternatives.

Pratt also made the ultimate sacrifice: cutting down on refined carbs, instead opting for complex carb sources like brown rice, oats, and sweet potatoes. Not only that, but his idea of a cheat meal was incredibly modest, comprised of just the occasional scone.

So, for those looking to follow in Pratt’s footsteps, here’s a top-level breakdown of his diet:

  • Calorie Goal: 4,000 per day. Note: this will vary dramatically depending on your size and starting weight. Consult a nutritionist or – at the very least – online calculator.
  • Foods to eat: steak, fish, chicken breast, broccoli, whole eggs, egg whites, spinach, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice, nuts, berries
  • Foods to avoid: fried foods (his much-loved burgers included), sugar, dairy, refined carbs, processed foods
  • Supplements: whey protein, BCAA

But what about the workout? Eating properly is all well and good, but the sad truth of it is that you’ve got to put in the physical work too. In his first five weeks of dieting, Pratt lost a staggering 15kgs by running “five or six miles a day” on top of his nutritional overhaul.

But pecs like that require more than a light jog. As well as partnering with former marine sniper and ex-Navy SEAL Duffy Gaver, Pratt trained four to six times a week for five months, religiously.

One look at Duffy, and you can tell Pratt was in safe hands. Image: Muscle and Fitness

Here’s a sample workout plan to get you on your way to a superhero body:

Day 1: Upper Body Strength

  1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretching
  2. Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  3. Pull-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  4. Seated Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  5. Bent-over Barbell Rows: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  6. Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  7. Tricep Dips: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  8. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and static stretching

Day 2: Lower Body Strength

  1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretching
  2. Barbell Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  3. Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  4. Leg Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  5. Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  6. Calf Raises: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
  7. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and static stretching

Day 3: Cardio and Abs

  1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretching
  2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): 20-30 minutes of alternating between high-intensity exercise (e.g. sprints, burpees) and recovery periods (e.g. walking, light jogging)
  3. Planks: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
  4. Russian Twists: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  5. Bicycle Crunches: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  6. Leg Raises: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  7. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and static stretching

Day 4: Upper Body Hypertrophy

  1. Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretching
  2. Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  3. Cable Flyes: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  4. Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  5. Cable Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  6. Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  7. Tricep Cable Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  8. Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light cardio and static stretching

Note: Remember to increase the weight and/or reps as you progress, and to give yourself time to rest and recover between workouts.

You may not make it to Hollywood and you may never get the illustrious chance to play everyone’s favourite tiny, dungaree-wearing plumber, but at least you can look damned good while watching it at home.