Wake Up

Mark Wahlberg famously wakes up bright and early at 2:30 in the morning to get his day started. He wakes up well before dawn to have his “me time” before anyone else is awake.

 “As long as I get my eight hours, I can do my thing”

Mark wears an Oura Ring to track his sleep.

Supplements and Caffeine

Wahlberg stressed the importance of using pure, all-natural products, which he promotes in his own supplement line Performance Inspired.

Mark Wahlberg kicks off his morning with:

• A zinc tablet fir metabolic health and immunity
• Turmeric for inflammation
• Vitamin C for tissue repair and immunity
• Vitamin D for muscle function and brain health
• A triple espresso

“I’ve always been adamant about being natural, no matter what I was doing—training, putting on weight, losing weight. So this is an all-natural product—nothing that can give you a bad reaction.”

“We want to give people the best that there is, and give them the best chance to succeed. The only way to do it right was to do it naturally,”

Cold Plunge

• Cold plunge for 5-6 minutes at 42 degrees

Mark Wahlberg starts every single day with cold water immersion therapy to help reduce inflammation and improve his sleep — even when he’s traveling.  He jumps into 42-degree water for five to six minutes. Mark uses Renu Therapy Ice Tubs at home, and when he is traveling he improvises with hotel ice machines and bathtubs.

“Now that I’m older, I realize that for me, it’s all about longevity. A friend of mine that I’m working with to try to live longer and be healthier told me that the best way to start the day is to get into cold water, no matter where I’m at.”

Pre-Workout Supplement Regimen

Consumes pre-workout, BCAAs, creatine, and a protein powder shake. 

As a fitness fanatic, Wahlberg is all about fueling himself for high performance workouts. His pre-workout supplements are all about maximizing stamina, strength, and performance, while ensuring that he is consuming all-natural, high quality products.

 

“I’ve always been adamant about being natural, no matter what I was doing—training, putting on weight, losing weight. So this is an all-natural product—nothing that can give you a bad reaction.”

Prayer

Mark Wahlberg on faith and spirituality:

“I don’t meditate, but I pray. I’m always kind of in my own head, so I’m a deep thinker, but meditation, no, not really. Breathing exercises? I’ve been trying to get into that. I’m following this new philosophy about just: well, once you get to 50, it’s about OK, well how much longer can you actually be around?”

‘Getting the right amount of rest, really staying focused. My spirituality, my faith has got to be the center of it all.’

Breakfast

Eats a balanced breakfast of healthy carbs, fats, and protein.

• Steal cut oats
• Organic peanut butter
• Blueberries
• Eggs

Weekly Workout Routine

Mark Wahlberg dedicates himself wholeheartedly to his fitness regimen. In the morning he works out for about an hour and a half, varying exercises depending on upcoming roles.

Warmup: ~ 30 minutes

He starts his workouts by listening to ESPN’s SportsCenter, and then transitions into music while he’s training on the VersaClimber, a cardio and resistance training machine used by many athletes including Lebron James.

He then kicks things off with RAMP (raise, activate, mobilize and potentiate), incorporating dynamic stretches and movement preparation, such as Spiderman stretches, hip bridges, and foam rolling.

The workout: ~1 hour

His workouts blends both bilateral and unilateral strength exercises, including weightlifting with heavy weights, utilizing resistance bands, TRX systems, dumbbells, and kettlebells. Additionally, he focuses on lower body exercises complemented by balance and agility training.

“I’m working out Sunday, Monday, Tuesday—rest Wednesday. The work out Thursday, Friday and rest on Saturday. Repeat.”

Breakdown of Mark’s weekly workout routine:

1. Monday:

Morning Routine – Chest & Arms:

• • Flat bench press with dumbbell chest fly – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
  • Front shoulder raise and Incline bench press – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
  • Side shoulder raises with decline bench press – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
  • Shoulder military press with standing shoulder press – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
  • Parallel bar dips with cable triceps pushdowns – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
  • Overhead triceps extension with lying triceps extension – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Afternoon – Abs, Stretching & Cardio:

• • Warm-up – Stretch, foam roll, val slides, and bands
  • Mcgill curl-ups – 1 set with 15 reps
  • Bicycle crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Side crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Hip ups- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Medicine ball twists- 1 set with 15 reps

Usually runs 2-3 circuits of these workouts after the warm-up and then ends with 30 minutes of cardio workouts (elliptical or treadmill).

2. Tuesday:

Morning – Legs & Back

• • Front squats with split squats – 4 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Leg press with jump squats- 4 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Barbell deadlift with alternating leg curls- 4 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Push-ups with dumbbell rows – 4 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Lat pull downs with seated pulley rows – 4 sets of 8-12 reps
  • Walking lunges with calf raises – 4 sets of 8-12 reps

Afternoon – Stretching, Biceps work, And Cardio

• • Ramp warm-up & TRX work
  • Seated bicep curls – 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Dumbbell bicep curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Barbell bicep curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Machine bicep curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • EZ bar curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Preacher curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions

3. Wednesday: A day of rest

4. Thursday: Full-body Workout

Morning – 1st Circuit (4 rounds):

• • Barbell deadlift – 1 set with 8 reps
  • Push press – 1 set with 8 reps
  • Power clean – 1 set with 8 reps
  • Clean and press – 1 set with 8 reps
  • Hang snatch – 1 set with 8 reps

Morning – 2nd Circuit (4 rounds):

• • Split squat – 1 set with 8 reps
  • Barbell bench press – 1 set with 8 reps
  • Inverted rows – 1 set with 8 reps
  • Barbell deadlift – 1 set with 8 reps

Morning: Finisher

• • Cable bicep curls – 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
  • Seated chest press – 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
  • Seated side lateral raises – 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
  • Triceps press-down – 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
  • Leg press – 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps

Afternoon – Abs, Stretching & Cardio:

• • Warm-up – Stretch, foam roll, val slides, and bands
  • Mcgill curl-ups – 1 set with 15 reps
  • Bicycle crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Side crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Hip ups- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Medicine ball twists- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Cardio – 30 minutes of elliptical or treadmill.

5. Friday & Saturday:

• Same as Monday and Tuesday respectively.

6. Sunday:

• Another rest day to recharge and recover.

Post-Workout Meal

Consumes a high-protein meal:

• Performance Inspired Nutrition Vanilla Latte Shake
• Three turkey burgers
• Five pieces of sweet potato

Golf

Although the gym consistently remains a top priority, relaxing with a round of golf is also a necessity for the father of four.

“The gym is a necessity but golf is an addiction. They both feed different parts of my brain, and I can’t really do without either.”

Snack

Snacks on 10 turkey meatballs and a green juice with Moringa.

Cryo Chamber Recovery

• Cryotherapy at -150 degrees for 3 minutes

Mark Wahlberg has long been a fan of cryotherapy chambers for reducing inflammation and recovery, and attributes a large part of his toned physique to his cryotherapy habits.

“The cryo chamber is like 150 [degrees] below zero. You go in for three minutes, but you can move around, you can listen to a song. It helps with your recovery, takes out all the lactic acid, inflammation”

Snack

Grilled chicken salad with

• Two hard-boiled eggs
• Olives
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Tomato
• Lettuce

Family Time and Work

• Takes work calls and spends time with his kids who are at home

“Nothing is better than spending time with your family”

Lunch

For lunch, Mark typically eats a New York Steak with green peppers

Focused Work Time

Mark Wahlberg uses the afternoon before his kids are home to catch up on more work calls, meetings, or to-dos.

Pickup Kids from School and Afternoon Snack

Despite his very busy schedule and successful career, Mark makes sure to make time to always pick up his kids from school.

He then eats an afternoon snack of grilled chicken and bok choy.

Afternoon Workout Routine

Mark Wahlberg’s dedication to fitness includes working out twice per day. He has been known to undergo extreme transformations in short periods of time in order to prepare for roles like the Navy Seal that he played in Lone Survivor.

“Lone survivor was one of the most physically demanding roles. These are the kind of roles that I gravitate towards”

Mark on rest and recovery:

“I’m putting as much emphasis on rest and recovery as I am time under tension and intensive training”

“I learned the hard way. I was training seven days a week, two times a day and eating 8 meals a day. I couldn’t digest the protein, I was doing it all wrong. And then I started fasting a realized i don’t have to do cardio twice a day if i’m fasting and eating the right amount of protein at the right times”

Mark Wahlberg’s Afternoon Workout Regimen

1. Monday:

Abs, Stretching & Cardio:

• • Warm-up – Stretch, foam roll, val slides, and bands
  • Mcgill curl-ups – 1 set with 15 reps
  • Bicycle crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Side crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Hip ups- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Medicine ball twists- 1 set with 15 reps

Usually runs 2-3 circuits of these workouts after the warm-up and then ends with 30 minutes of cardio workouts (elliptical or treadmill).

2. Tuesday:

Stretching, Biceps work, And Cardio

• • Ramp warm-up & TRX work
  • Seated bicep curls – 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Dumbbell bicep curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Barbell bicep curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Machine bicep curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • EZ bar curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions
  • Preacher curls- 3 sets of 8, 6, and 10 repetitions

3. Wednesday: A day of rest

4. Thursday: Full-body Workout

Abs, Stretching & Cardio:

• • Warm-up – Stretch, foam roll, val slides, and bands
  • Mcgill curl-ups – 1 set with 15 reps
  • Bicycle crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Side crunches- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Hip ups- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Medicine ball twists- 1 set with 15 reps
  • Cardio – 30 minutes of elliptical or treadmill.

5. Friday & Saturday:

• Same as Monday and Tuesday respectively.

6. Sunday:

• Another rest day to recharge and recover.

Dinner with Family

• Sits down for dinner with his wife and four kids
• For dinner, Mark feasts on a piece of halibut, cod or sea bass, as well as some sautéed spinach and bok choy

Mark Wahlberg on Intermittent Fasting:

Mark adheres to intermittent fasting, eating within either a 6 or 8 hour eating window, and fasting for the rest of the day.

Intermittent fasting has really worked for me and help me stay lean. I used to do the kind of eight small meals a day [plan]—I’d have to work three times as hard doing cardio. I’d do cardio in the morning, then I would come back in the afternoon and jump rope again. And I certainly wasn’t digesting all the food or the protein that I was consuming. Once I started fasting, I had to do a lot less cardio. I was only going to the gym five days a week, and I certainly never had to go back in the afternoon to do cardio again.

Goes to Sleep

Prioritizes an early bedtime.

“I go to bed at 7:30—I always get eight hours”