Mark Wahlberg Was Only Supposed to Be Plant-Based for 12 Days. Now It’s His Lifestyle.

Some of us may be slacking on our usual fitness routines in quarantine, but not Mark Wahlberg. The actor took Men’s Health into his home to show off his fridge and how he’s managing to stay healthy these days.

Although the Patriot’s Day actor has been known in the past for his extremely early-morning workouts (he recently gave up his infamous 4 a.m. gym sessions while in quarantine), his exercise program is inherently tied to whatever movie he has to prepare for. “I train for whatever my next role is or whatever I gotta do for work,” he says in a new Gym and Fridge video.

Different roles have very different demands on his body. “If I gotta get out of shape, then I’m eating fried food and drinking beer for the first couple of weeks," he says. "If I gotta get as thin as possible, like in The Gambler, I’m on a liquid diet and jump rope 200 rounds a day.”

Five days a week (he likes to take off Wednesdays and Saturdays), Wahlberg can be found training in his home gym, starting at around 10 a.m., when he begins the first of two circuits. His preferred method for an intense workout? Forty seconds on, twenty seconds off, giving him the chance to burn more calories and really get his heart rate up. And though he’s not the biggest cardio fan, he’s been doing a lot more while stuck at home.

But how does Wahlberg stay so motivated to train constantly? Well, it’s a combination of morning prayers with knowing just how lucky he is to be an actor. “I take [my job] seriously, so whatever I gotta do to get ready, I’m doing,” he says. “I got a responsibility to show up prepared and the way they want me to be, so that’s what I do. And ultimately, I know it just makes me feel better.”

Throughout quarantine, the Lone Survivor star has had a supportive training partner: his wife, Rhea Durham. “My wife usually likes to pick the playlist,” he jokes, “but she’s been doing amazing. She’s been with us now five days a week and hasn’t missed a day… she’s doing the work and doing things she didn’t think she could do.”

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And for those looking to start their fitness journey, Wahlberg has a simple, but effective piece of advice for you: “Learn the fundamentals first, and then from there, you can start getting jacked.” The actor also has a specific place to go to: F45 Training, where he’s not only an investor, but also found his best workouts.

Wahlberg’s diet that has changed the most in recent months. Instead of eating seven to eight meals a day of mostly protein, he is now on a plant-based diet, something that only was meant to be for a short amount of time.

“I wasn’t getting enough rest, doing two-a-days, six to seven days a week, eating seven to eight meals of mostly protein, and just not feeling good,” he says. “I did a bone broth fast, and then went plant-based for what was supposed to be twelve days. That was four months ago.”

With his chef Lawrence Duran quarantining with him and his family, Wahlberg has been able to keep up with meals that suit his new outlook. Besides for his plant-based proteins for shakes, Impossible meat for burgers and some seafood to have on the weekends, Wahlberg also has the makings for any type of wrap he feels like eating. And since going plant-based, he’s found himself a new favorite food that he loves to indulge on late at night.

“I’ve discovered hummus,” he says. “I never had hummus before and I’m loving it!”

This article originally appeared on Men's Health

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