Mark Wahlberg Transformation Diet and Workout Program
Mark Wahlberg is, hands down, one of the fittest Hollywood actors. He has been in shape from his days as a Calvin Klein underwear model, all the way through present day. Unlike actors like Christian Bale, Chris Evans, and Matthew McConaughey, who usually put on muscle mass, slim down , or get fat for a specific role and then go back to being their normal selves, Mark Wahlberg stays in pretty good shape with a plant based diet throughout the year.
All right, all right, all right. Since we are talking about physique transformations, let’s touch upon the most talked-about Mark Wahlberg transformation. No, it is not Pain & Gain (we will get to it later). We are talking about Father Stu here.
Mark Wahlberg Stats
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Full Name: Mark Robert Wahlberg (Hollywood Actor) |
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| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 185-190 lbs | 5’8″ | 6/5/1971 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| None | 2010s, 2020s | American |
Mark Wahlberg Father Stu Transformation
We are accustomed to seeing a jacked Wahlberg. So much so that his physique transformation for a movie is not considered news anymore.
But, there is one version of him that stands out to us. Wahlberg managed to surprise his fans with back when he posted a physique update for the movie Father Stu. Mark’s first look from the film absolutely stunned his fans. In the movie, he is playing a bipolar boxer-turned-priest. According to sources, Wahlberg put on 30 pounds of body weight in 20 days while preparing for the role. That is pretty remarkable if you ask us, pun intended.
We are not sure if we should call it a transformation or a reverse transformation. Don’t worry, we will not ask you to put on 30 pounds of body weight in this article – unless you want to.
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Related: Mark Wahlberg Appears Shredded Once Again After 14-Week Transformation
Mark Wahlberg Father Stu Diet Plan
But if you are one of the curious one’s and want to know what Mark Wahlberg ate to put on the monster weight, here is what his daily diet plan looked like:
3 a.m. – 4 eggs
6 a.m. – 8 eggs, faux burger, 1 cup rice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a plant based protein shake.
9 a.m. – faux burger or plant based beyond meat sausage, 1 cup rice.
Noon – 1 whole tilapia fish, 1 cup rice, 1 cup cooked spinach, and 1 cup sweet potato patty.
3 p.m. – 8 ounces ground turkey, 4 ounces salmon, 1 cup rice, olive oil, and beets.
6 p.m. – 8 ounce Impossible Burger, 8 ounces white fish, 1 cup cooked vegetables.
9 p.m. – Custom mash (1 cup cooked steel-cut oatmeal, 2 tbsp applesauce, 2 tbsp jelly or jam, 2 tbsp almond butter, 1 tbsp molasses.)
Weight Gain ≠ Junk Food
We know what you are thinking, “How can someone eat so much?”
We know, right? We have a word of caution for readers who are looking to put on body weight. Please do not go about eating anything and everything you can get your hands on. A cheat meal here and there is good for the mind and body, but cramming junk down your throat nonstop is going to have some detrimental effects on your gains.
When Mark Wahlberg had to put on 30lbs for a movie, he did not go on an eating spree. Most people do not realize that Hollywood celebs do not load up on junk food while they are on a gaining program.
Although the Transformers star was eating 7-8 meals a day at about 7,000 calories, it was all coming through nutritious food, as he follows a healthy meal plan. Transforming your physique becomes easier when you have an army of specialists taking care of you, and it was no different for Wahlberg.
Wahlberg’s team took it to the next level to ensure the actor’s health and safety during his gaining program. Lawrence Duran, Wahlberg’s personal chef, revealed to E! News that:
“We meet with a team of doctors who do his bloodwork and a nutritionist who gives us a full breakdown of what his body needs, what his body’s lacking, and basically come up with a meal plan accordingly. We go to a specialist every two weeks to see where we’re at and adjust things.”
Mark Wahlberg Pain & Gain Diet Program
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We know this is what you came for. Wahlberg sported some pretty insane physiques in “The Fighter“, “Lone Survivor“, and “Shooter,” but he outdid himself with his transformation in “Pain & Gain.” While it was not a Mr. Olympia level physique, Wahlberg truly looked like a bodybuilder.
When the first teasers of “Pain & Gain” were realized, Mark looked like he had almost doubled in size from his previous movie. It was a big achievement for the actor considering he only had seven weeks to achieve the feat. This led many to believe the actor was using anabolic steroids, but he stands by his natural status!
Mark’s goal was to gain 40 pounds of muscle in seven weeks. He weighed 165 pounds for his last movie but had to be 205 lbs before starting shooting for Pain & Gain. The news that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would be his co-star would surely have made Mark push harder in the gym.
Related: The Rock Reveals His Leg Day Training Program for “Black Adam” Film
Mark Wahlberg worked with trainer Bryan Nguyen for his Pain & Gain transformation. He went back to his old-school workouts that included a lot of compound lifts. But this time around, he did less cardio and ate more.
- (3:15 a.m.) Meal 1: Whey Protein oats, peanut butter, blueberries, and eggs.
- (5:30 a.m.) Meal 2: Plant based Protein shake, three turkey burgers, five pieces of sweet potato.
- (8 a.m.) Snack (Between meals): A plate of Impossible meatballs.
- (10:30 a.m.) Meal 3: A mix of grilled chicken, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, avocado and hard-boiled eggs.
- (1 p.m.) Meal 4: Impossible Burger.
- (3:30 PM) Meal 5: Chicken with Bok choy.
- (Before 5:30 p.m.) Meal 6 (Dinner): Fish with veggies.
Mark Wahlberg starts his day early. According to reports, he is out of his bed by 2:30 a.m. He gets done with his workout while most of the world is asleep. The Transformers actor does not follow a vanilla diet program. His daily nutrition plan consists of three breakfasts and a snack at 8 a.m. Mark eats six small meals throughout the day that keeps his metabolism running and helps him burn calories even when he is not physically active.
In his Pain & Gain transformation diet program, Wahlberg does not consume carbs before bed. Protein is the primary source of calories in his diet plan.
Related: Best Ways To Kickstart Your Metabolism As A Bodybuilder
Mark Wahlberg Pain & Gain Training Program
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Marky Mark followed a 5-day training split while prepping for Pain & Gain. Wahlberg’s workout program is a result of years of experience inside the iron paradise and a deep understanding of his body. He relied on supersets that did the job in the past.
Here is Mark Wahlberg’s Pain & Gain Workout Routine:
Monday: Chest, Arms, and Abs
i) AM Workout – Chest & Arms
1. Flat Barbell Bench Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
2. Superset
- Dumbbell Chest Fly: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Incline Bench Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
3. Superset
- Front Shoulder Raise: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Decline Bench Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
4. Superset
- Side Shoulder Raise: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Seated Military Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
5. Superset
- Standing Shoulder Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Parallel Bar Dips: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
6. Superset
- Cable Tricep Pressdown: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Barbell Lying Tricep Extension: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
7. Overhead Cable Tricep Extension: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
While prepping for Pain & Gain, Mark Wahlberg trained twice a day. Since he only had seven weeks to get in the best shape of his life, he knew 7 workouts of a muscle group were not going to cut it.
Mark trained each muscle group twice a week. Since he wanted burly arms for the movie, Wahlberg trained his biceps and triceps almost every day.
ii) PM Workout – Stretching, Abs, and Cardio
1. Warmup: Stretching (Foam roller, Val slides, and resistance bands)
2. Circuit – 3 rounds X 15 reps of each exercise
- Curl-Up (McGill)
- Bicycle crunch
- Side crunch
- Hip-up
- Medicine ball twist
3. Cardio: Treadmill or Elliptical – 30 minutes
Tuesday: Legs, Back, and Biceps
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i) AM Workout – Legs & Back
1. Front Squat: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
2. Superset
- Split Squat: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Leg Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
3. Superset
- Jump Squat: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Walking Lunge: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
4. Superset
- Standing Calf Raise: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Barbell Deadlift: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
5. Superset
- Alternating Leg Curl: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Pull-up: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
6. Superset
- Dumbbell Row: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Lat Pull-Down: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
7. Seated Pulley Row: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
While getting ready for the movie, Marky Mark trained at his swanky home gym. It saved him a lot of time he would have otherwise spent traveling to and from the iron paradise.
ii) PM Workout – Biceps, Stretching, and Cardio
1. Warmup: Stretching (Foam roller, bands, and TRX)
2. Seated Bicep Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps @ 20, 25, 30kgs
3. Barbell Bicep Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps @ 20, 25, 30kgs
4. EZ Bar Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps @ 20, 25, 30kgs
5. Preacher Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps @ 20, 25, 30kgs
6. Machine Bicep Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps @ 20, 25, 30kgs
7. Cardio: Treadmill or Elliptical – 30 minutes
Wednesday: Rest Day
Thursday: Legs, Back, and Biceps
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i) AM Workout – Full Body Circuits
- 4 rounds of each circuit
- 8 reps of each exercise
- 90-seconds after completing each round.
1. Circuit 1
- Barbell Deadlift
- Power Clean
- Clean and Press
- Hang Snatch
- Push Press
2. Circuit 2
- Split Squat
- Barbell Bench Press
- Barbell Deadlift
- Inverted Row
3. Finishers
- Cable Bicep Curl: 3 sets 8 reps, 60-second rest
- Seated Chest Press: 3 sets 8 reps, 60-second rest
- Leg Press: 3 sets 8 reps, 60-second rest
- Tricep Pushdown: 3 sets 8 reps, 60-second rest
- Seated Side Lateral Raise: 3 sets 8 reps, 60-second rest
Since Mark Wahlberg started his days early in the morning with a heavy workout, he often took a “growth nap” before doing his ab workout and light cardio in the afternoon.
ii) PM Workout – Stretching, Abs, and Cardio
1. Warmup: Stretching (Foam roller, bands, and Val slides)
2. Circuit – 3 rounds X 15 reps of each exercise
- Curl-Up (McGill)
- Bicycle crunch
- Side crunch
- Hip-up
- Medicine ball twist
3. Cardio: Treadmill or Elliptical – 30 minutes
Friday: Chest, Arms, and Biceps
i)AM Workout – Chest & Arms
1. Flat Bench Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
2. Superset
- Dumbbell Chest Fly: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Incline Bench Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
3. Superset
- Front Shoulder Raise: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Decline Bench Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
4. Superset
- Side Shoulder Raise: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Seated Military Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
5. Superset
- Standing Shoulder Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Parallel Bar Dips: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
6. Superset
- Cable Tricep Pressdown: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Barbell Lying Tricep Extension: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
7. Overhead Cable Tricep Extension: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
While following Mark Wahlberg’s Pain & Gain transformation program, make sure that you are constantly pushing yourself. If 12 reps of an exercise feel easy, increase the weight and do not let your muscles get used to your workouts. As Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “shock the muscle”.
ii) PM Workout – Biceps, Stretching, and Cardio
1. Warmup: Stretching (Foam roller, bands, and TRX)
2. Seated Bicep Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps with 20, 25, 30kgs
3. Barbell Bicep Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps with 20, 25, 30kgs
4. EZ Bar Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps with 20, 25, 30kgs
5. Preacher Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps with 20, 25, 30kgs
6. Machine Bicep Curl: 3 sets 10, 8, 6 reps with 20, 25, 30kgs
7. Cardio: Treadmill or Elliptical – 30 minutes
Saturday: Legs, Back, and Abs
i) AM Workout – Legs & Back
1. Front Squat: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
2. Superset
- Split Squat: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Leg Press: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
3. Superset
- Jump Squat: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Walking Lunge: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
4. Superset
- Standing Calf Raise: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Barbell Deadlift: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
5. Superset
- Alternating Leg Curl: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Pull-ups: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
6. Superset
- Dumbbell Row: 4 sets 8-12 reps, No rest
- Lat Pull-Down: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
7. Seated Pulley Row: 4 sets 8-12 reps, 45-sec rest
You will be lifting heavy and doing a lot of supersets on the Mark Wahlberg transformation plan. Mark followed a strict diet plan and relied on supplements to improve his muscle recovery and reduce the chances of injury.
Recommended Supplements:
- Protein Powder
- Pre-Workout
- BCAA
- Creatine
- Multivitamin
- Joint Supplement
ii) PM Workout – Stretching, Abs, and Cardio
1. Warmup: Stretching (Foam roller, bands, and Val slides)
2. Circuit – 3 rounds X 15 reps of each exercise
- Curl-Up (McGill)
- Bicycle crunch
- Side crunch
- Hip-up
- Medicine ball twist
3. Cardio: Treadmill or Elliptical – 30 minutes
Sunday: Rest Day
Conclusion
Mark Wahlberg has been training since time immemorial. If you are a fitness rookie, start by performing only the AM workouts. You can switch to following the complete Pain & Gain workout regimen as you gain training experience.
Remember: Mark Wahlberg did not carve his Pain & Gain physique from scratch within seven weeks. He already had a solid foundation to build on. Patience, persistence, and lots of protein will be your best friends on the Mark Wahlberg Pain & Gain transformation program.
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