Channing Tatum: ‘I don’t know how people who work a 9 to 5 stay in shape’

Channing Tatum’s directorial debut, Dog, came in second at the Box Office this past weekend. That’s not bad for a buddy movie about a war vet and a traumatized dog. It’s getting okay reviews too. Good for Channing. I know the movie was a labor of love for him so I’m glad it’s finding some success. Returning to his more well-known roots, Channing is in the throes of his third and final Magic Mike film, Magic Mike’s Last Dance. However, he told Kelly Clarkson we almost didn’t get Mike a third time because it’s too much work to get his Magic back. Channing said he didn’t know if he wanted to commit to the workout regime to get in shape for the character. He said that not only was getting in that kind of shape a full-time job, he admitted it wasn’t healthy either.

Channing Tatum considered not stripping down again for the third installment of Magic Mike.

The actor, 41, revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday that he questioned if he wanted to take on the intense fitness regimen and diet required to reprise his role as Mike Lane for Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

“That might be the reason why I didn’t want to do a third one,” Tatum shared with host Kelly Clarkson as she showed a shirtless photo of him from the second film in the franchise, Magic Mike XXL. “Because I have to look like that.”

“It’s hard to look like that. Even if you do work out, to be that kind of in shape is not natural,” he added. “That’s not even healthy. You have to starve yourself. I don’t think when you’re that lean, it’s actually healthy.”

The father of one admitted that he doesn’t know how anyone can get into shape without it being a full-time job.

“I don’t know how people who work a 9 to 5 actually stay in shape because it’s my full-time job, and I can barely do it,” he said.

In preparation for the third Magic Mike film, Tatum said he worked out twice a day and ate “completely right.”

He also talked about how much work it is to get a six-pack and how quickly it can go away.

“Why — when it takes like, I don’t know, two months to get really lean — in three days, you can lose it?” he asked. “It’s gone. I was like, ‘What happened?’ “

[From People]

It’s refreshing to hear an actor say this type of glorified physique is BS. Usually, actors talk about how it just feels right to be cut. They love to talk about their workout routine and make it seem like it’s second nature to keep up. Women celebrities do that same thing. They act like their perfectly sculpted bodies are a piece of cake to maintain, as if the full-time trainer and nutritionist are something everyone has access to. Channing also talked about food, admitting he had to cut out almost all seasoning in his diet to get to this shape. He said everything, “tastes like water.” I remember that ‘tip’ from Weight Watchers. They suggest leave off seasoning because seasoning ‘makes you eat more.’ Or, you know, makes things taste good so you want to eat them. As Channing suggested, sodium does bloat you, so I can see the logic in cutting out salt if he’s trying to get camera ready.

As for Channing’s comments about working out being a full time job, he’s not far off. A dancer would have to have to consistently train to maintain the strength necessary to dance. But if someone just wanted to look like Magic Mike for fun and, say, work as a telemarketer, it could probably be done. But they’d have to starve themselves as Channing said and spend every other waking moment lifting something.

Also, Channing has promised Magic Mike’s Last Dance is going to be “the Super Bowl of stripping.” I don’t know if that means we’re looking at a five man line or the Tight Ends will be the ones to watch, but either way, I’m here for it.

Photo credit: Instagram and InStar Images

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70 Responses to “Channing Tatum: ‘I don’t know how people who work a 9 to 5 stay in shape’”

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  1. Colby says:

    I had a personal trainer who went and got her first 9-5. She texted all her clients a few weeks in saying “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel bad for not prioritizing working out. I get it now.” Lol it was so validating.

    • kim says:

      honestly, even you posting thst has validated sooooo many people. I actually live across the hall from a man who runs a gym and I really needed this comment 🤣🤣

      • OriginalLeigh says:

        Many thanks to @Colby and Channing. This is basically a PSA…

      • BothSidesNow says:

        I applaud Channings truth to how hard it is to try to maintain his physique while he has the resources to support his lifestyle for these films.

        I am disgusted by the fact that Hollywood/actors create these stories and/or stories that represent lies to everyone else!!! Especially when it comes to women having given birth. No one, I mean NO one is able to “bounce” back to pre-birth status 3-6 weeks without help from entourage of trainers, chefs, physicians and devoting their full time to work out. It’s harmful to ALL women as they ask themselves why they aren’t back to their pre-birth body after such a short period of time.

        We need to quit fantasizing that their lifestyles are normal because they are NOT! It takes 9 months for your body to create a human being, yet alone the child
        birth or a C-section!

      • Colby says:

        I am very happy to share that story because it truly made me almost cry when she said that. Finally I didn’t feel lazy.

        It’s super easy to prioritize working out when your job is in a gym *and* fitness is a passion for you and I think so many trainers lose sight of that.

        When you commute to work, work all day, then commute home and need to make dinner etc, it’s a liiiiiiiittle more tough to find the time but more importantly the motivation and energy. Even now when not commuting it’s hard after a day at work.

      • april says:

        It’s 8 am to 5 pm at the very least and many days even longer.

  2. Ib says:

    I don’t know either! As someone who works 9-6:30pm usually, is in middling shape, and can’t afford a gym etc on a nonprofit salary 😝

    • Bettyrose says:

      IKR! WTF is a 9-5? 9–6:30 is the norm. And that doesn’t count commute time for those still commuting.

  3. Noki says:

    Serious question: Are male strippers big business and making a lot of money in the US? Do they have their own separate strip clubs? I only ever ‘see’ them in action when they crash a bachelorette party in movies.

    • Jess says:

      A quarter century ago there was a male strip club in Dallas called Le Bare. That’s the only strip club I’ve ever seen that featured male dancers targeting a primarily female audience. I love these movies though and I appreciate him talking about how hard it is to exercise if it isn’t your full time job.

      • Abby says:

        It’s so funny that you mention Le Bare. 15 years ago my husband and I had just started dating. We went to a concert in Dallas (I had just moved to the area) and a girl came up to my then-boyfriend and asked him if he worked at Le Bare. Of course he said no, but he was a super fit personal trainer with model good looks. He had to explain to me what she was talking about.

        There used to be a similar place called Hard Bodies in San Antonio. I’ve never been to either, but when I watch Magic Mike I kind of assume it’s the same idea.

      • SophieJara says:

        Noki it depends! San Francisco Bay Area CA perspective here. I see a lot of *gay* male strippers making money. Straight, not so much. They have one night a week (month?) at a club in SF and they pack in a bunch of bachelorettte parties together. I’ve been to those. We have the Magic Mike show in Vegas, but those are not proper strippers, it’s more of a show. I do know of people who look like that and make money as cam guys doing private shows. That’s personal and private and I think a lot more lucrative.

      • Other Anna says:

        Hah, I briefly dated a Le Bare’s dancer when I was 18. He was a pool boy on the side and an aspiring drummer. Sweet as can be, but not the brightest bulb. He owned more thongs than I did. Youths.

      • Abby says:

        @other Anna when I was also 18, I was a lifeguard/swim instructor, and one of my co-workers worked at Hard Bodies as his other job (The San Antonio version of Le Bare). He was handsome and fit, but also the NICEST, sweet with the kids and just a gentle soul. Someone found out he worked at the male strip club though, some parent, and he was fired. It was sad!

    • observer says:

      Someone made a documentary about that male strip club Jess mentioned (Le Bare). It used to be on netflix, not sure where you can watch it now, but it goes into the history of it and was pretty interesting. I never heard of any other clubs either

    • Elo says:

      There was one in San Antonio called Hard Bodies. I don’t know if it’s still open or not but it was all male.

      • Ashley says:

        Omg hard bodies lol. My best friend’s sister dated a guy who was a dancer there. Last time I checked it still existed. Chippendales is also pretty famous, but I’ve never heard of an all male club here in Paris. Shame. They only have women.

    • Juniper says:

      It’s not the US but across the border, in Windsor, Ontario there was a male strip club we used to go to when I went to college. It was a long time ago when it was easy to jump back and forth across the borders so I don’t know if it’s still around. It was always packed.

  4. albalilium says:

    We don’t

  5. Driver8 says:

    I appreciate that he talks about this and not the obnoxious crap people like Gwyneth Paltrow spew on the daily. It IS hard staying in shape with a full-time job. I could have gone to the gym before work this morning, but I was so tired and the cats wanted to cuddle, so that’s on me. By the time I get off, the last thing I want to do is work out. Plus the gym is super full at that time. Maybe I just don’t want it bad enough but I have a wedding to go to in November and there will be at least two guys attending who I used to fuck, so I want to look hawt. Ugh

    • Lee says:

      Pick the easiest cardio thing to do for you and a show you want to watch. Just go to the gym and get on a recumbent bike or treadmill and watch an episode of something and then you’ll have knocked out 28 or 42 min or cardio. If you want to up the resistance once you get started, crank it up. If not, no biggie! Once you’re there, you may want to do more!

  6. FHMom says:

    He is correct. I am in awe of those people I see at the gym in the morning who shower and dress for work afterward. It also explains why a few people I know who had long commutes got in shape during the lockdown. They thrived with some extra time they could dedicate to themselves.

    • SusieQ says:

      Before the pandemic, I had a 45 minute commute each way to work, and by the time I got home, I was too tired to work out. Granted, I had a marketing job at a hospital, so I was out and about and didn’t stay chained to my desk.

      Now that I have another job that is completely WFH, I actually have a workout regime and do pilates and dance cardio 5 days a week. I feel so much better, but if I still had to commute and meal prep and all of that, it wouldn’t happen.

      • FHMom says:

        Good for you. I love that more companies are allowing their workers to WFT. It seems like a win / win.

    • Wiglet Watcher says:

      When I was in shape I woke up at 5ish. Ran for however many miles or went to the gym for an hour or so. Went home, cleaned up. Went to work. Came home, worked out. I had no significant social life, but I didn’t prioritize it. It can happen once you push yourself to get into the routine and if you have less responsibilities like no young kids.

  7. Cessily says:

    Living in a city and walking a lot you recognize the suburb people real fast usually by there size. The American lifestyle is not made to keep people moving. It takes dedication which I know I have lacked in the past few years.

    • Harla says:

      Hi Cessioy! I think that you really hit the nail on the head here, “ the American lifestyle is not made to keep people moving”. Exactly! It’s made to work people hard in order to turn a profit for companies that don’t give a f@ck about them.

  8. Nlopez says:

    He’s right! I had to starve and work out for hours. I don’t ever want to go back to that. I’d rather be fluffy.

  9. Becks1 says:

    He’s right and I’m glad to see a celeb come out and say it. Even if you have time, if you don’t have access to a personal trainer or a nutritionist its hard, because you’re just kind of trying to do your best and the advice keeps changing. More cardio! More strength training! Just walk more! No sugar! No soy! Keto! Paleo! Bread is bad! Bread is good, but only whole wheat! Orange Theory! HIIT! No dairy!

    And so on. I work out 6 days a week but I am not sure if I’m doing it “right,” my goal is just to move my body and try to stay strong/get stronger, but even just for that it’s confusing. am i taking the right classes, the right combo, the right length, etc.

    I telework FT and even when I had to go into the office I had a very relaxed schedule, so I would go to the gym in my building for an hour. And at home I have time to work out during the day, but I know if you have a commute or the kind of job where you can’t step away for 45 minutes (like a teacher), staying in shape or being fit or whatever you want to call it would seem almost impossible.

    • AlpineWitch says:

      I’ve 2 hrs a day of commuting and 8 hrs out, I leave at 7 and comes back at 5, once I get home, I prepare dinner and I can sit down and relax it is 8 pm already and I’m done. My hubby works 2 jobs and sometimes he’s at his desk (at home or at the office) for 13-14 hrs a day.

      It’s refreshing to hear a celebrity who admits working out is a full time job, majority of us has 0 time to do any exercise.

  10. L84Tea says:

    Just throwing this out there in regard to seasoning. I discovered DAKS Spices (I have to order them on Amazon because they’re not in stores near me). They use no salt in anything, but their seasonings are fantastic. The Italian Blast and Green Zest together is magical, as is their Greek seasoning, which I have been adding to everything lately. I get not using salt, but come on, I don’t want my food to taste like water.

    • Emma says:

      Yeah, many spices are actually good for you as well as tasting good, like garlic and turmeric. I did not understand that part of his comments.

      • Hope says:

        I think his comment on the no seasoning is – if the food tastes bland you you’re less likely to eat more because it tastes so boring/isn’t very appetizing. Which is so sad.

      • BethAnne says:

        I think he is literally trying to not make his food taste good? I think that was an old diet “trick”. And also sounds like a completely miserable existence.

  11. KBeth says:

    I work at home and have for the past 4 years. My treadmill is in my home office, I still find it challenging to muster the time & energy to work out.

  12. Kate says:

    I think it really depends on what your definition of “in shape” is, but agree that it is hard to find time to exercise when you have a full time job. However, I think what Channing is describing is beyond being “in shape” and is more about attaining this supposedly aspirational/perfect body type, and that is definitely a full time job by itself.

    • Normades says:

      Yea, there’s “in-shape” which a lot of working people can be by running or going to the gym (which is healthy), and completely cut which is a full time commitment where a lot of dudes resort to steroids.

    • BethAnne says:

      That’s a really fair point. Lots of area between “in shape” in the sense that your weight and cardiovascular health contribute to lower risk of heart disease/diabetes/stroke etc and overall longevity compared to extremely cut Marvel movie star body (which ironically may not even have good health outcomes!).

  13. Alexandria says:

    Exactly. I’ve pondered having a pay cut and opt for shorter hours now that I’ve reached my 40s. Tech was supposed to make us be more productive and work shorter hours but 9 to 6 5 days a week looks like it’s here to stay, and some even work during weekends cos of poor mange management. I’m tired. And 30 year mortgages help to grease this.

  14. Nat says:

    I have been trying to stay in shape and also working hard on shedding some weight since the beginning of the pandemic and I have to say it’s been very hard to keep up. I don’t want to lose any time with my son and my hubby so I really need to juggle hard.
    On the weekends I wake up very early to go for my 10ks and not to lose precious family time.
    I also work not too far away from my home so I run back home 4 times a week.
    As it’s so hard to lose weight – I don’t indulge anymore.
    I only eat what I need in order to survive 😛
    But I hope eventually it’ll be worth it.

  15. Harla says:

    I try to do something for at least 10 minutes in the morning but I also keep a set of light weights at my desk and try to do a 5 minute desk exercise twice a day. I have found that moving my body for a few minutes, a couple times a day does help with anxiety and it does help me make better food choices.

  16. Abby says:

    I really appreciate that he’s honest about how hard it is to get in shape. Like magic mike shape. He’s always talked about it like this in interviews. It’s refreshing.

  17. Ines says:

    I’m very lucky to work from home plus I’m child free. By the time I start at 9AM, I’ve walked the dog, gone for a one hour run and had a relaxing bath. I do this every other day. The other days, I do yoga instead of running. Then I take the dog for a long walk in the evening. It’s not the 9 -5 that’s the problem. It’s the commute, the children to take care of, etc.

  18. Watson says:

    I work out from home using 21 day fix, Jillian Michaels dvds and YouTube videos. I aim for at least 20-30 mins a day but I am definitely not as in shape as I was in my 20’s cause I can’t devote the whole day to the gym anymore.

  19. Mireille says:

    It’s hard and I sometimes struggle to do it. And I work basically 24/7 now that I’m home-based. But I take time to go for a run and do some minor stretching and low impact aerobics when I’m home, usually by the crack of dawn. I do this mainly to keep healthy. I also watch what I eat and that was difficult during the pandemic. I have chronic conditions — I have to exercise and eat right to keep them in check. If I don’t, that means more medications, more doctor visits. And I hate taking medications and seeing the doctor. For me, I have to discipline myself, and NOT let my job take precedence over my life. I’ve worked stressful jobs in my career and they have taken a toll on my health. I’m in my 40s now, and considering my health, I have to make better choices for myself.

  20. Nina says:

    So very true. I’m in my 60s and about to retire. In the past five years I have gained, no lie, 30 pounds and I am unhealthy after being kind of a jock for most of my life. I work more like 8-6, and then I cared for my ailing mother for 4-5 years before she passed last year. I can still remember the first time I caved and went to McDonald’s [I never even let my kid go there when she was small] – it was like OMG, I am SO hungry and SO tired and there won’t be time to make anything till I get home at 9 pm. There have been so many days when I literally never stood up from my desk between 8 and noon. Yeah, I have a treadmill and an elliptical and three yoga mats and all the trimmings. But doing it during the work day? Not happening.
    Now that I am retiring, I am so very excited that I will have time to take care of my body again. But it has been so frustrating and so upsetting to see what has happened to it in the recent years.

    • Amy says:

      I hear this so hard. I’m your age and helped my mom through her final years, which, while it was going on, made me a much less nice (and much rounder) person. My sister in Canada and four of her neighbors have been going to the same exercise class (private trainer, small group) for more than a decade at a gym around the corner from them and when it went virtual last year (after being dormant the year prior) because of the pandemic, I joined. It’s been really helpful and transformative – I’ve taken to doing mini-sets (10 minutes or so) between classes once or twice a week, and don’t beat myself up for not doing more. It’s really made a difference in my outlook. So my advice would be find something – anything – and make it a standard thing and just go from there. Even something as small as one thing a week, over time, will make a difference.

      • Deering24 says:

        Amy, yeah, boy—caregiving for ailing parents is exhausting, period. Finding time for yourself just seems like one more thing you can’t get done on a long list of things that can’t get done.

  21. Veronica says:

    They don’t. That’s why America has on obesity problem. Those of us who work more than 40 hours, have a medical condition, and/or have kids on top of it have it even harder. Being thin is a full time job for some people. I do not have the time to dedicate to being just thin. I settle on being healthy as I can be.

  22. Yup, Me says:

    For his 36th birthday, my husband decided to get into this kind of ridiculous shape. He lifts weights already and has been a trainer at times so he’s already in great shape, but he decided to do a really strict diet as well so that he could get this cut and shredded look. He looked AMAZING. Like a God. Jason Momoa had nothing on him…

    And he talked about food and how hungry he was so incessantly that I’ve refused to allow him to ever do it again. Diet culture is torture. And a few days of washboard abs isn’t worth it.

  23. molly says:

    Channing has always been pretty open that Super Cut Movie Star is NOT his natural or preferred state. He’s kept it sexy since dating Zoe, but left to his own devises, he tends to look like any above average 40 year old guy with fantastic skin.

  24. AMJ says:

    Oh, Channing, it’s simple. We don’t.

  25. salmonpuff says:

    I work from home, so I can and do exercise a lot (60-90 minutes a day). But I still don’t look that great. I’ve been beating myself up about it, cursing every bit of “non-pure” food I put in my mouth, etc. And then I was at the gym working out with two very slender women my age (50’s) who don’t work and spend hours at the gym. They started talking about how they “can go all day on a hard-boiled egg and a banana.”

    And now I am working on embracing my fluff because I just know I’m not willing to eat like that.

    • Veronica S. says:

      In order to be in the best shape of my life, I had to work out six days a week, walk 45 minutes to and from work, and track my calories…at age 22, and that was before I got thyroid disease. Now, I’m lucky if I manage five days a week, and I’m still substantially heavier even keeping my calories 1800 or fewer. Kudos to those who are able to maintain model thin bodies without treating it like a full time job, but I have never the time nor inclination to maintain it myself, and it’s ridiculous to expect that of people in general who aren’t being paid millions to do it.

  26. Imara219 says:

    Pre child, I worked out 1- 1hr 30 every day. I was in great shape when I struggled with a work-life valance that number dropped to 30mins-1hr day depending on the workout and job duties. Post kid, I could struggle through 30min-45min workouts and I basically utilized daycare to do that because I had to work out immediately after work. Since the pandemic, I’m totally out of shape. I gained 25lbs over the 2 years. I can’t find any time to work out. My husband started back at the gym after work but it’s practically impossible for me to join him now. Working out at home used to be a cinch but now it’s beyond difficult. It’s just a drag feeling like I’m spinning my wheels as my health declines.

  27. K says:

    He’s so right. Of course there are all types of bodies that are naturally long and lean, short and curvy and all in between. At the age of 10 I was in gymnastics and developed bulimia and anorexia. I also exercised 2hrs a day and walked an extra 4 miles on top of that. I will be 50 soon and I still fight it. I WFH and exercise 4 to 5 days a week and I miss my body looking skinny but mentally I am better. Thank God someone is being honest

  28. MelOn says:

    My job kind of makes it easy because we have a gym on site. I always went at lunch or after work. They give us ” Break away” time because they realized a lot of us were going bonkers at home, they offer on line classes and I take them during my selected break away time. If it wasn’t set up this way, I would barely work out.

  29. Rachel says:

    In my last favourite job, I only left because the company was sold, we had a gym at work. Instructors did classes at 12 pm everyday. It was so nice to pop down to class and be back at my desk by 1ish. Full work out done by 1pm every work day. I never go to the gym now.

  30. Renee' says:

    This is so refreshing to read. I love that he admits he had to starve himself to look like he did in the other movies. He’s right, looking like that is a full time job that normal people cannot attain.

  31. AppleCart says:

    I was going to the gym pretty regularly before the holidays. Was gone for a few weeks. And I could not do the same weights. It’s beyond annoying how fast you lose your “gains”. But I workout to feel good and keep my mind straight.

  32. Kathryn says:

    Just here to say that Dog is very good. Funny and heartwarming without being sappy. It also deals with serious very issues, from PTSD, substance abuse, the struggle to adjust to post military life, etc. Watch it!

  33. Eggbert says:

    Yes thank you Channing! It’s important for all of us who aren’t happy about the extra weight and fluff on our bodies to hear people with “perfect bodies” speak the truth. As someone who was once anorexic and an over exerciser, I now try focusing on the functional things my body can do. Working to help patients with spinal cord injuries really helped shift into that mindset. We are so lucky and our bodies are beautiful and amazing! Tell yourself everyday!

  34. Dillesca says:

    I really applaud Channing for saying this. Too few actors acknowledge how impossible these standards are for virtually everyone else.

    … It’s kind of interesting he didn’t mention age, right? Like I was also working a full time job ten years ago, but damn it was a lot easier to be ‘in shape’ (whatever that means) when I was in my 20s, as opposed to in my 30s.

  35. BeanieBean says:

    Er, I always managed. I ran every day for a couple of decades no matter what I was doing, school, work, school & work, office work, fieldwork (I’m an archaeologist). Didn’t matter, that daily run after work was important to me & that’s what I did. As my friends & co-workers with spouses & kids always pointed out, it was ‘easy’ for me because I wasn’t married & didn’t have kids. Sure, OK, fine, it was easy. No having to coordinate my calendar/clock with other people, etc., etc., but–every woman who runs marathons is not single & childless, every woman archaeologist is not single & childless. Running, or walking (which is what I now do), is the easiest of exercises as neither one requires a particular location, skill, clothing (except for good shoes), other people, etc. Try it, you’ll like it!

    • Veronica says:

      Most people can carve out time to exercise. Not everybody can carve out time to look Hollywood thin, which is more his point. Not all body types can also achieve even more average states of thinness as easily as others, which means more time has to be dedicated than may be standard.

      I try to exercise at least 45-1hr five days a week, save for the days where I’m pulling 10K on my feet at work. However, the older I get, the more keenly aware I am that this is a compromise for my health that comes at the expense of my time, the most precious commodity of them all. The hour it takes to exercise, the time it takes to dress for the gym, go to the gym, and then clean up for the gym, all represent time that could be spent reading, writing, cooking, cleaning, doing hobbies, relaxing, sleeping, etc. I choose to dedicate it to that time, but I absolutely understand why adults with kids, full time jobs, and other responsibilities are too worn out to want to dedicate it to more energy expenditure.

    • Miso says:

      How refreshing to hear him say this!

      I don’t believe running or walking is enough to get to the level of fitness that Channing Tatum is referring to though. For me, running & walking is not sufficient at building muscle and getting shredded in the way he is referring to.

      Also, I’m a lifelong jogger (it clears my mind!) but I can admit that running isn’t for everyone. Fitness is all about finding something that works for you long term. I am up three times a week at 5:00am lifting weights with a trainer because you never know how your work day will turn out, and I run 3x a week in the evenings, work permitting. I try to incorporate hiking & biking into my weekend activities with friends, again weather permitting.

      My personal trainer has the face & body of a movie star and I can tell you it’s a full time job for her – everything she puts in her mouth has a purpose ( carb proteins greens etc, muscle building etc) and her day revolves around the perfect balance & timing of her cardio and weight lifting to optimize her results. I imagine a movie star is much the same.

      I work long hours even from home now and I’m tired too sometimes which is why I have to get my work out done in the morning. I’m also still uncomfortable with the gym and group fitness classes because of all the cold and flu and covid viruses going around. As I have reached middle age, my exercise routine has had to change from more cardio focused exercise to more lifting weights and eating a much cleaner diet. When I was young in my 20s and early 30s, I could eat anything I wanted and run it off. Not anymore as I’ve aged. Too much cardio and not enough protein in my diet makes me fluffy. I can’t imagine how much harder it must be if you have a spouse and children to take care of.

  36. Lola says:

    Most people don’t. That’s why keeping up with the magazines and celebrities is untenable

  37. AmyB says:

    I applaud his honesty. Would be nice if more followed in his footsteps so that younger, more impressionable people can better comprehend the “unrealistic beauty standard” promoted in Hollywood, Instagram, etc. Looking at you, Kardashians and others who act like it isn’t the monumental effort it is (or the result of cosmetic procedures, starvation diets, etc.), when in reality it’s so much more than that!

  38. Megs283 says:

    By working out 4x week with a personal trainer and religiously counting calories I lost 13lbs and got down to a semi-respectable “goal weight” before my wedding. Then when I got giardia on my honeymoon, I lost 6 more pounds. Fast-forward 11 years, after having three kids I’m now grateful to be down to my pre-personal trainer weight. I’m glad I had the experience of knowing what it takes to lose those 13 + 6lbs, because it makes me feel ok that it is NOT going to ever happen again. I do not have that time to work out at that level, or quite frankly, the desire to count calories until the end of my days.