Mark Wahlberg is no stranger to going through the extremes when it comes to staying fit. He’s done a 16 hour fast to torch fat, soak his body in ice baths for recovery after an intense workout routine, and more. But his latest feat of going 63 hours without anything solid to eat and doing intense workouts at that has left his fans concerned for his health, because heck, how can you possibly function properly with an empty stomach is beyond me. Even after 16 hours you can already feel the hunger kicking in.
A firm member of the “4am workout club,” the 53-year-old actor took on the challenge to stay jacked and he successfully conquered it with great results. He took to his Instagram to showcase his abs and muscle definition and saying he lost over 10 pounds.
Wahlberg shared a series of videos to share his progress, announcing that he was at 192 pounds before dropping to 180.9 by the end of his 63 hour fast. He even lifted his shirt to reveal his well-defined abs then the videos transitioned to a montage of his intense workouts alongside a friend.
So how did he manage to even lift his legs and carry all those weights on his shoulders and not get hungry? In the videos, he was seen doing squats, goblet squats, TRX sissy squats, and Smith machine back squats. Over at the comments section, some suggested that his fasting involved bone broth which could explain his strength. But Wahlberg admitted that yes, throughout his 63 hours fast, all he did was think about food. Yet, he still felt great and still had a lot of energy.
Let’s give it to Marky Mark for that amazing result and he was thrilled with his efforts too. Although, some of his fans thought he was out of his mind for going all 63 hours without anything to eat while exercising. One wrote: “You need to eat” and another commented: “I would have a migraine by hour 5! 63 hours? #Areyoucrazy?”
Meanwhile, others applauded and raved about his great physique with one writing: “Holy moly! Look’n good baby” and another chimed in: “That’s 180 pounds of muscle dude!” A third added: ” Look at that as a superhero.”
His fans were right to worry about him though. After all, fasting is not for everyone and can have some adverse effects. While it can lead to rapid weight loss (if that’s your goal), its not advisable for maintaining muscle mass in the long term. But shorter intermittent fasts can help manage food intake and appetite. It’s always best to consult a doctor before doing any dietary changes and pretty sure, Wahlberg did so too.
But a 63 hour fast isn’t his routine but he follows the 18:6 Intermittent Fasting Protocol — an 18-hour fast followed by a 6-hour eating window. Wahlberg stops any food intake by 6:00 pm sharing in a recent interview: “Normally with intermittent fasting, I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’ll eat at noon, 3pm and 6pm for an eighteen-hour fast and a six-hour eating window.” He reaches for high-protein foods to boost his gains. Breakfast would be eggs, protein pancakes, smoked salmon, a few pork chops, a few sausage links, and almond butter, lunch is chicken and bok choy, while dinner would be steak, fish, and “some sort of vegetable.” He still drinks coffee in the morning to power him through the day and for cheat day, he said it depends sometimes pasta, cookies, or chocolate.