YOU COULD SAY Patrick Schwarzenegger has big shoes to fill. But the truth is, as the son of ‘the Austrian Oak’, Arnold Schwarzenegger and JFK’s niece, Maria Shriver, the article of clothing he most needs to worry about filling is his shirt sleeves.
While Schwarzenegger is perhaps the ultimate Hollywood ‘nepo baby’, a label he reportedly chafes against, he also has what some might unkindly call a ‘nepo body’, as well.
But while The White Lotus star, who plays finance bro and ‘gymcel’ Saxon Ratcliffe, has been genetically blessed, Schwarzenegger has long been determined to live up to the family name by adhering to a grinding training ethic.
Back in 2021, Schwarzenegger pledged to put on 11 kg of lean muscle for an Amazon miniseries. He threw himself into a more consistent training routine, getting up early to work out at 5 in the morning and launching the “5 am challenge” on his Instagram, a move aimed at both keeping himself accountable and encouraging his social media followers to pursue their own goals. He also overhauled his nutrition (see below), and upped his calorie intake.
“I’m just trying to get more calories, more protein, and more complex carbs in my system,” he told US Men’s Health. “I’m also trying to eat something before my workouts to have enough energy to get through the workout. Before, it was always an empty stomach and trying to use the fasting to burn off fat.”
Here’s an inside look at the actor’s fitness tips and diet routine.
Patrick Schwarzenegger’s workout tips
According to an interview with Shortlist, Schwarzenegger is a habitual gym rat, like his old man, though he perhaps doesn’t do two-or-three-a days, like Arnie. “It’s my ritual to work out every day,” he says. “Yes, I get up at 5am to go to the gym. I’m that guy.”
Schwarzenegger is a big fan of group classes. “When you’re in a group workout class, you’re committed to being there for an hour without any phone, and other people’s energy, and the trainer’s energy, is contagious,” he says. “When there are other people around me, it makes me want to perform.”
Schwarzenegger says his dad drilled him on the importance of having a plan in the gym and focusing on it. “My dad has always been a believer in committing to a plan: he always used to wake us up really early in the morning. He always makes sure that it goes back to that mindset, and that mindset relates to business and much as it relates to the gym. When you’re in the gym, and you’re committing to working out, it’s really one of the only things that you do in life that’s committing your mind and your body towards the activity.”
Schwarzenegger says his dad drilled him on the importance of having a plan in the gym and focusing on it. “My dad has always been a believer in committing to a plan: he always used to wake us up really early in the morning. He always makes sure that it goes back to that mindset, and that mindset relates to business and much as it relates to the gym. When you’re in the gym, and you’re committing to working out, it’s really one of the only things that you do in life that’s committing your mind and your body towards the activity.”
The actor has a great tip for those who are struggling to get out the door and into the weight room: think about how you’ll feel afterwards. “Sure, there are times when I’m really tired and I’m dreading going to the gym. But I’ll tell you, there’s no better feeling than when you’re done with the gym and you feel the blood flow, and you’re feeling pumped. It’s the best feeling.”
Regarding his role as the douche-bag Saxon in season 3 of The White Lotus, Schwarzenegger told The Sun he usually works out at least five times a week but had no time to train before his latest role because he was busy filming 2024 flick Billy Knight.
So, he worked on his physique while filming in Thailand, often bringing his usual workout time ahead an hour to 4am. The regimen paid off, but director Mike White felt that Schwarzenegger’s blow-up was bad for continuity, the actor said.
“If you look at episode one and episode three, side by side, I gained a lot of muscle and size,” he says.
He recalls that White implored him to cut back on the weights: “Mike was, like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to stop lifting. You’re getting too big. The continuity doesn’t work’.”
Patrick Schwarzenegger’s diet plan
Back in 2021, Schwarzenegger revealed his daily bulk-up meal plan to US MH:
- 5 am Protein bar
- 8 am A large smoothie
- 10:30 am Breakfast with eggs, vegetables and sausage
- 1 pm Protein-heavy lunch with pre-packaged meals from Trifecta
- 4 pm Peanut butter and jelly smoothie
- 5:30 pm Beef jerky snack
- 7pm Dinner with meat, vegetables and some sort of carb
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