Ryan Reynolds' Muscle-Building Diet Is Surprisingly Easy to Follow
Ryan Reynolds is known for his humour, charm, and, okay fine, his abs and arms. But it’s not without hard work in the gym and the kitchen that Reynolds has achieved and continues to maintain his physique (sorry, no diet can help you build humour or charm).
The multi-time Men's Health cover star has appeared Deadpool, Deadpool 2, and the forthcoming Deadpool 3, as a super-ripped superhero. And, each time, it's as if the actor finds new ways to build more strength and muscle.
Which leads you to question: How does this guy do it? Well, it helps that he has a celebrity trainer and a ton of money to plunk down on his diet, but there are plenty of actors who could leverage those same factors.
Celebrities have been known to go overboard on diets and exercise plans—to the point where it might be worrisome from a health standpoint for the average guy to try to replicate them.
So just how different is Ryan Reynolds' diet? And is it doable for the average person? And, even if you followed it religiously, would you see similar results (ahem abs and arms).
To help answer these questions, we sought the expertise of registered dietitians to give their thoughts on Reynolds' regimen and to weigh the pros and cons.
Here’s what they said about what the actor eats in relationship to how he trains—and whether or not it’s a good idea to start eating like the man Ryan Reynolds himself.
What's Good About Ryan Reynolds' Diet
His diet is very reasonable. “He avoids junk, limits unhealthy fats, he has six small meals per day, eating every 2 to 3 hours. And he keeps carbs to post-workout and he stops eating at 8:00 pm, which can definitely work for a lot of people,” says Ilyse Schapiro R.D.
So Reynolds' diet isn't a fad diet, like some other celebrities. It's well balanced.
"Because he’s eating every 2 to 3 hours, that's great for your metabolism and fueling your body,” says Schapiro. Plus, it limits overeating later on due to excessive hunger.
“He has a good balance of carbs, protein and healthy fats. I’m a big fan of having breakfast within 60 to 90 minutes of waking up and then having something to eat every 3 to4 hours,” she says.
Try carbs before a workout and protein after for maximum benefits, she adds. This will aid in muscle repair afterwards and having enough energy to begin the workout and endure it until the end.
What's Not Great About Ryan Reynolds' Diet
“I don’t love that his snacks are either bars or shakes, as I would recommend real food over shakes/bars, though,” she says. He is eating plenty of food to fuel his body throughout the day and fuel his workouts.
For snacks, try prepping real whole foods into portioned snacks for meal prep in the week. You can have nut butter on crackers, fresh fruit with cheese, turkey slices with cheese and vegetables as a wrap, deviled eggs with avocado dip, and more.
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