Christian Bale Workout and Diet
Actor
Born: 1974
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English by ancestry, Christian Bale’s family moved around a lot during his childhood, which Bale says greatly influenced his decision to become an actor. His first role was in a commercial for fabric softener but shortly thereafter he was chosen by Steven Spielberg to play in Empire of the Sun for which he earned much praise. At age 17 and following his parents’ divorce, Bale moved to LA with his father. He starred in the 1994 version of Little Women, but he became famous for playing the serial killer in the 2000 film American Psycho. Bale played Batman 3 times, and was the first non-American to land the role. He has won several awards including an Oscar and a Golden Globe for The Fighter. Not one to be pigeonholed, he has earned acclaim for playing everything from a drug addict to the American Vice President. In 2011, Bale was listed on Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential people. He is actively involved in environmental charities such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund. Balehas been married since 2000 and has 2 children. He is 6 feettall and weighs about 175 lbs. |
Known For:
Christian Bale’s Diet
Diet Summary
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Bale’s diet, like his acting roles, runs the gamut.He became a vegetarian at age 7 but returned to eating meat in his 20s. He lost more than 60 lbs. for The Machinist, and then put on 100 lbs. for Batman. To lose the weight for The Machinist, he ate a starvation diet of fewer than 500 calories a day for 4 months. Bale only had 6 months to muscle up for Batman, but he was up to the challenge. He ate every 2-3 hours and counted macros with a very specific ratio of 1 gram of fat to 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of carbohydrates. |
Estimated Macros
- Low-Medium Fat 20%
- Medium Protein 40%
- Medium-High Carb 60%
Diet Details
Getting Into Character
Bale followed a diet of tuna and apples, chewed gum, smoked cigarettes and drank black coffee to get his weight down for The Machinist. However, he does not recommend this method.
Superhero Rebound
Just 6 months later, he had gained over 100 lbs. for the role of Batman, but the director thought he was too big and asked him to whittle it down by about 30 lbs.
No-No to the Yo-Yo
As Bale has gotten older, he realizes that doing such extreme things to his body is no longer such a hot idea and says he’s done with it.
Pie in the Face
Bale says he ate a lot of pie to fatten himself up for the role of Dick Cheney in Vice. For American Hustle, it was cheeseburgers.
What to Eat
Tuna
Oatmeal
Lean meats
Sweet potatoes
Counting macros at a ratio of 1g fat/2g protein/3g carbs
Cheeseburgers
Pie
Anything that suits his roles
What to Avoid
Anything that does not suit his roles
Bale On Losing Weight For The Machinist
‘I had a stupid kind of feeling of invincibility…I really did feel like I hit this point of enlightenment.’
Bale On Gaining For American Hustle
‘I said, “Two months flat, that’ll do it.” I was 185 and I went up to 228 for it. And I’m still working that off almost 6 months later.”
Bale On Gaining Weight Quickly
‘It’s never healthy to put on that amount of weight in a short amount of time, but I did it in the healthiest manner.’
Christian Bale’s Workout Routine
Weekly Workout Routine
Laser Focus
Bale became obsessed with the gym and diet for American Psycho. He did high intensity cardio, low intensity cardio, weight training and a lot of core work.
Lift Like A Grizzly
To pump himself up for Batman, Bale really put in the time at the gym, but he went a little too far and the director said he looked like a bear, and to go slim down.
Run It Off
To shed some of the excess pounds, Bale hit the road. He is an avid runner and says it’s the best cure for a hangover.
Workout Style
A Christian Bale Type Batman Routine
Day 1: Back
Wide grip lateral pull-downs: 10 reps x 3 sets
Barbell rows: 10 reps x 3 sets
Shrugs: 25 reps x 4 sets
Wide grip pull-ups (with or without weights): 10 reps x 3 sets
Deadlifts: 10, 8, 5, 5, 3, Max
Day 2: Arms
Dumbbell curls: 10 reps x 3 sets
Skull crushers: 10 reps x 3 sets
Hammer curls: 10 reps x 3 sets
Triceps overhead extensions: 10 reps x 3 sets
Seated concentration curls: 10 reps x 3 sets
Triceps cable extensions: 10 reps x 3 sets
Day 3: Shoulders
Dumbbell front raises: 10 reps x 3 sets
Pull-ups (with or without weights): 10 reps x 3 sets
Dumbbell lateral raises: 10 reps x 3 sets
Dumbbell shrugs: 25 reps x 3 sets
Presses: 10, 8, 5, 5, 3, Max
Day 4: Legs
Calf raises: 25 reps x 3 sets
Seated leg curls: 10 reps x 3 sets
Weighted lunges: 20 reps x 3 sets
Weighted step-ups: 20 reps x 3 sets
Front squats: 10 reps x 3 sets
Squats: 10, 8, 5, 5, 3, Max
Day 5: Chest
Dumbbell chest press (light weight): 10 reps x 3 sets
Cable flys: 10 reps x 3 sets
Decline cable flys: 10 reps x 3 sets
Incline bench press: 10 reps x 3 sets
Weighted push-ups: 25 reps x 3 sets
Barbell bench press: 10, 8, 5, 5, 3, Max
Cardio & Abs
Do cardio & abs 3x/week.
Cardio:
20 min HIIT session: 90 sec. walk @ 3 mph + 30 sec. sprint @ 8-10 mph OR 60 sec. walk @ 3 mph + 60 sec. jog @ 6-7 mph.
Abs training:
Crunches: 50
Leg lifts: 25/side
Flutter kicks: 25/side
Reverse superman hold: 15 sec.
OR
Crunches: 50
Russian twists: 25
Flutter kicks: 25/side
Plank hold: 30 sec.
Bale On Getting Chiseled For American Psycho
‘Working out took over my life.’
Bale On Getting Skinny For The Machinist
‘When you’re so skinny that you can hardly walk up a flight of stairs…It’s like you’ve abandoned your body.’
Bale On Getting Back In Shape For Batman Begins
‘At the time [they] asked me to do it, I actually couldn’t do 1 push-up. They sent me to a trainer who was having to hold my t-shirt at the back just to pull me up. I’ve come a long way from that.’
Christian Bale’s Supplements
Multivitamin
While Bale keeps his supplements on the down low, a daily multivitamin would be a must if you follow any kind of low calorie diet the way he did.
Caffeine
Bale drank a lot of black coffee, not only to feel fuller but also because caffeine boosts metabolism and helps drop the pounds.
Omega 3s
Another supplement that is key whether you’re on a calorie-cutting diet or working out hard is omega 3s because they help reduce inflammation, support brain health and overall wellness.
Vitamin D
Most people don’t get enough of the ‘sunshine’ vitamin D, even those who live in southern California. Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption, and can also reduce depression, boost weight loss and improve overall health.
Probiotics
Probiotics are a smart supplement to take, not only support healthy digestion, they also strengthen immunity
Chromium
Chromium can help you shed body fat, reduce cholesterol, and may also prevent diabetes.
Christian Bale’s Lifestyle
Favorite Things
Bale loves his zzz’s and says he would sleep half the day if he could get away with it.
Please Go Away
Bale is famously opposed to having his private life discussed in public, and if you really want to get on his nerves, call him a ‘movie star.’
Fate Intervenes
Bale was initially cast in the role of serial killer Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, then set aside for a brief time and replaced by Leonardo diCaprio, who then decided to drop out to star in The Beach, at which point Bale was rehired.
It Runs in the Family
His grandfather doubled for John Wayne in 2 movies and his great-uncle Rex Bale was also an actor. His mother was a circus performer and his sister Louise played Batman’s mother in The Death of Batman.Bale is also a distant relative of Lily Langtry.
Enough Is Enough
Bale loves to ride motorcycles but he had to give it up after needing a titanium clavicle, a steel plate in his wrist, and 25 screws put into his hand. He also lost the tip of a finger, but they managed to reattach it.
Bale On Sleep
‘The only thing I’m obsessed with is sleeping, and actually, it more than an obsession. It is a pleasure. I love sleeping so much that I could do it 12 hours a day if I didn’t have to turn on the alarm clock.’
Bale On Himself
‘I only sound intelligent when there’s a good scriptwriter around.’
Bale On Taking Action
‘It’s about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along.’
Bale On Fear
‘I have a fear of being boring.’
Bale On Life
‘Life is not stable. There is a great strength that comes from not being shocked or scared by upheavals.’
Bale On Rumors That He Tried Out For The Role Of Robin
‘I’d never have auditioned to be bloody Robin.’
Recommended Products
Christian Bale movies
Batman cowl
Magic kit
Guitar
References
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/christian-bale-gets-super-buff-for-the-dark-knight.html
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/christian-bale-gets-super-buff-for-the-dark-knight.html
https://workoutinfoguru.com/christian-bale-workout-routine/
https://www.tipweightlossdiet.com/christian-bale-weight-loss-diet-recipes-plan-and-results-in-pictures/
https://www.insider.com/times-christian-bale-changed-his-appearance-for-roles-2019-1
https://blog.kinobody.com/workouts-and-exercises/christian-bale-workout-american-psycho/
https://www.factinate.com/people/48-psycho-facts-christian-bale/
