'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Will Smith may be in all the gossip columns right now, thanks to his outburst at the 2022 Oscars, but we'd like to acknowledge the great shape the celebrated actor is in, even during his fifties.
In November 2021, Smith released a 6-part docuseries on YouTube chronicling his fitness transformation over the span of 20 weeks. The series was aptly titled Best Shape Of My Life and has since garnered millions of views from fans and followers worldwide. This would also put him on the path to prepare for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard.
In the very first episode of this series, Will weighs himself in at 221 lbs., admitting to feeling ashamed at the “pandemic weight” that he had gained. Even his personal trainer, Aaron Ferguson, mentions that he has never seen him in “such bad shape, ever”.
Trending
“I’m not gonna fail if it’s on camera”, he claims when asked why he chose to expose himself this way and document his journey on video. He has been shown to be very open with his kids and crew members throughout the series.
Unsurprisingly, he ended up killing it. To have achieved such a feat at 53 brought applause from fans worldwide. But it obviously wasn’t simple.
What follows in Will’s life for the next six months is a combination of sweat, perseverance, struggle, Will’s classic humor, and a lot of writing and videoing.
Here’s a gist of what his days looked like:
Sunrise runs every morning
Ferguson stated that Will enjoyed cardio in the mornings, so they would do a run. Every. Single. Morning.
Running in the morning is a fantastic way to get all your vitals running nicely and it also boosts metabolism. Be sure to take days of rest in between so you don’t experience a burnout. Smith documented having skipped multiple workouts because he was feeling too exhausted after intense training every day.
Resistance training four times a week
Ferguson planned two days of resistance training, one day of rest, and a repeat. This amounts to four to five days of resistance training a week. So after his morning run, he would hit the gym later in the day.
Lifting weights is a good way to tone your body and increase lean muscle mass. Additionally, it also boosts metabolism and the potential to burn more calories while the body is at rest.
Smith's routine was further broken down to train certain muscle groups on particular days.
• Day 1: Arms and abs
• Day 2: Legs
• Day 3: Rest
• Day 4: Back and core
• Day 5: “training whatever’s left”
• Day 6: Rest
And the cycle continues.
Tracking macros
Nutrition is key when it comes to losing weight. Ferguson documented Will missing his workout due to low energy levels, which he admitted to. He calculated a 500-calorie deficit would help him burn one pound a week, since one pound of weight is roughly 3,500 calories.
Of course, everybody is different, no matter the age. It is advisable to use apps to track your food consumption so you are aware of the calories and quantities of macronutrients that are going in.
Counting steps
Ferguson challenged Will to cover 10,000 steps each day, which the star took seriously and sometimes achieved more than double.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (or NEAT) is the calories burned by performing tasks that are separate from the allotted exercise movements and times. Increasing step targets is an excellent and easy way to create a spike in the calories burned during NEAT.
Will’s diet plan
After finalizing Will’s 500-calorie deficit, Ferguson calls on nutritionist Mona Sharma to help him out. His diet plan remained fairly simple. Mona’s recommendation was 60 to 70 percent high-quality plant-based foods, high-quality protein, and quality fats as well.
What his diet looked like:
• Breakfast: Oatmeal, eggs
• High-protein shake post-workout
• Lunch: Chicken breast with broccoli
• Dinner: Beef and sweet potatoes
He was also said to consume certain supplements such as BCAA, whey protein, multivitamins, and pre-workout caffeine.
During this journey, Will has been open and honest about the setbacks he has faced. Naturally, weightless is not a straight, easy path. There are bound to be hindrances along the way. For him, it was unprecedented weight gain, loss of energy, and waning levels of confidence.
One big takeaway from the actor's story is his determination to push through it all and emerge victorious in his self-programmed challenge. Not only did he lose a whopping 20 pounds, he also addressed old trauma and learned to grow from it.
His confidence shot up and so did his energy levels. Despite the tumultuous year he’d had personally, he emerged victorious. I mean, the man was shown climbing the stairs to the 160th floor of the Burj Khalifa, before climbing the spire to stand at the very top of the structure. That is grit.
All this aided him in completing his book.
You can watch the trailer for his series for yourself:
We all have the potential to turn our lives around with simple habits every day like exercise, rest, and proper nutrition. Not just with weight loss, but as a path to follow for life.
