FEW CELEBRITIES HAVE undergone as dramatic a body transformation as Chris Pratt. You can trust us on that, because we’ve seen more than our fair share. Once the affable everyman in Parks and Recreation, Pratt evolved into a genuine action star with a suitably shredded physique. He’s chased dinosaurs, been a guardian of the galaxy and starred in a host of action films. His next film, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, requires less from him physically, but it has reminded us of how much he’s evolved.
Most people’s first encounter with Pratt would’ve come in Parks and Rec, in which his endearing and slightly rounded nature made him a fan favourite. Reflecting on this diet while filming for the show, Pratt told Men’s Health US that he would regularly eat five cheeseburgers for lunch. “I lived in a constant state of ‘Oh, god. I’m freaking sick. I’ve eaten so much.’ And that was happiness at that time,’ he said.
In 2011, that all changed. In preparation for playing a navy SEAL in Zero Dark Thirty, as well as a major-league first baseman in Moneyball, Pratt adopted intermittent fasting and a diet comprised mostly of lean proteins to get in shape.
But by the time the films released, Pratt had soon put the weight back on for The Delivery Man. In 2013, he changed for good.
How Chris Pratt got in shape for Guardians of the Galaxy
Pratt reportedly weighed 136kg when he auditioned for Guardians of the Galaxy. Then, in a move that shocked everyone, he flaunted a set of six-pack abs and a ripped frame just months later in an Instagram post, captioning it: “Six months no beer.”
Speaking to People Magazine at the time, Pratt said that “Being in good physical shape is the best way to combat depression. You just have endorphins running around your body. It is the best anti-depressive that there is.”
So, how did he do it? Marvel paired Pratt with personal trainer Duffy Gaver and nutritionist Phil Goglia, who completely revamped his fitness routine. Goglia hiked Pratt’s caloric intake to 4,000 calories a day and made him drink heaps of water. “I was peeing all day long, every day. That part was a nightmare,” Pratt told Men’s Journal.
He trained six days a week, and his workouts included P90X sessions, swimming, running and boxing. Pratt broke down his workouts for Men’s Journal.
Chris Pratt's workout routine
Warmup
Run: 10 min
Pullup: 3 sets, 5 reps
Pushup: 3 sets, 10 reps
Squat: 3 sets, 15 reps
Workout 1: back, biceps, abs
Lat pulldown: 6 sets, 20, 15, 15, 15, 12, 12 reps
Dumbbell row: 5 sets, 20, 15, 12, 12, 12 reps
Barbell curl: 6 sets, 15 reps
Pushup: 6 sets, 5 reps
Concentration curl: 3 sets, 10 reps
Workout 2: abs circuit (5 rounds)
Situp: 5 sets, 20 reps
Crunch: 5 sets, 20 reps
Oblique crunch: 5 sets, 20 reps (each side)
Workout 3: cardio power circuit (3–5 rounds)
Run: 3–5 sets, 0.5 mile
Power clean: 3–5 sets, 15 reps
Bench press: 3–5 sets, 10 reps
High box jump: 3–5 sets, 5 reps
How Chris Pratt trained for The Terminal List
Pratt got fit for Guardians of the Galaxy, but he needed to get into elite shape to play a navy SEAL in The terminal List. He enlisted the help of former SEAL Jared Shaw to prepare for the role.
“The whole vibe I was going for was to be in shape as a SEAL would be in shape overseas,” Shaw explained to Men’s Health UK. “I call that ‘combat shape’. We’re not over there doing a load of curls and bench press to try and look good. It’s about function. There are a lot of times we don’t have a good gym, or a gym at all. Maybe some dumbbells if we’re lucky. But we can always find a place to do push-ups, pull-ups [and] squats.”
The basis of Pratt’s ‘combat shape’ routine was a simple bodyweight workout: a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 squats.
To this day, Pratt has managed to remain jacked thanks to his commitment to a balanced diet and holistic workout routine. While a voice role in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie likely won’t show off his physique, we’re sure it’ll still gross for $1 billion.
