J. D. Pardo Workout and Diet
Actor
Born: 1980
Jorge Daniel Pardo was born in California. His mother is from El Salvador and his father is Argentinian-American. Acting appealed to Pardo from a young age and he appeared in many local theater productions as a child. His parents divorced when he was 13, and Pardo a high school theater class helped him deal with his anger over the separation. His TV debut came in 2001 with a small role in the series Titans. He also appeared on popular series like CSI: Miami and CSI: NY, The O.C. and Drive, but his breakthrough didn’t come until 2012 with Revolution. In 2018, he landed a lead role in Mayans M.C. Pardo has also appeared in films, including Breaking Dawn and The Burning Plain. Pardo is married and has a daughter. He has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Pardo is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 185 lbs.
Known For:
J. D. Pardo’s Diet
Summary
Pardo is one of the lucky few who burn up food as fast as he eats it. To play the role of ex-con, Pardo packed on 35 lbs. of muscle in 10 months. Naturally lean, he consulted with a nutritionist to help him gain muscle rather than fat. Pardo ate very clean and counted macros. He would eat specific proportions of protein, healthy fats and carbs at every meal to fuel his day and his intense workouts. Protein shakes were also part of his plan, as was plenty of water.
Estimated Macros
- Medium Carb 25%
- Medium Fat 25%
- High Protein 60%
Diet Details
Beef Up
Three times a day, Pardo would consume 7 ounces of protein in the form of steak, fish or chicken. He would also have a daily protein shake.
Fat Is Good
Fat gets a bad rap but your body and brain need fat to function properly. Pardo would have healthy fats like avocados or nuts with each of his three meals.
Don’t Neglect the Carbs
Along with his protein and fats, Pardo would eat 2 cups of carbs at each meal. A lot of people shy away from carbs, but if you’re one of those who struggle to gain, carbs are your friend.
What to Eat
Steak
Chicken
Fish
Protein Shakes
Avocados
Almonds
Greens
Vegetables
Whole Grains
Oatmeal
Water
What to Avoid
Junk Food
Refined Sugar
Processed Foods
Chemical Additives
Hydrogenated Oils
Artificial Additives
Pardo on his Mass-gaining Diet
‘As an actor, you wanna become the role, but this time I was really battling against nature.’
Pardo on Getting Help
‘I met with a nutritionist who taught me about diet, recovery and mentality.’
Pardo on How to Build Muscle
‘If you want to grow, you have to create the atmosphere for it because your body will adapt. That’s what so amazing.’
J. D. Pardo’s Workout Routine
Weekly Routine
It Takes Teamwork
The cast of Mayans M.C. works out together when they can, encouraging and keeping each other on track.
Get Heavy
Pardo says the only way he was able to bulk up and look the part in Mayans M.C. was by using heavy weights.
Do Yard Work
Pardo and his coworkers set up weights outside the trailers on the concrete, which they say is reminiscent of a prison yard. They squeeze in some pumps any time they get a break during their 14-hour shooting day.
Classic Style
Pardo does a mix of free weights and machines as part of his routine. He does tons of biceps curls.
Speed Round
Pardo also does boxing and speed bag as part of his routine. Boxing is a great way to get full-body conditioning and improve your reflexes.
Recovery Matters
Because heavy lifting takes its toll on his joints, Pardo focuses on maintenance and healing when the show is on hiatus.
Exercise Style
A Sample J D Pardo Routine
Bent-over barbell rows
Pull-ups
Seated cable rows
Standing barbell curls
Seated barbell curls
Preacher curls
Bench press
Incline barbell press
Dumbbell press
Squats
Leg press
Deadlifts
Dips
Pushdowns
Lying dumbbell extensions
Upright rows
Dumbbell press
Behind the neck press
Hanging leg raises
Rope crunches
Decline-bench crunches
Speedbag
Pardo on the Building Muscle
‘With my metabolism, I have to lift heavy.’
Pardo on How to Train
‘I learned to place my energy on the areas where it’s needed.’
Pardo on his Strengths & Weaknesses
‘I have naturally broad shoulders, a tiny waist, and slim legs. So I focus on compound movements and heavy weights.’
Pardo on Lifting Heavy
‘Squats and deadlifts really changed my body. Those are insane for your body and your mentality.’
Pardo on the Importance of a Solid Core
‘To build anything, you have to have a strong foundation.’
J.D. Pardo’s Supplements
Protein
Creatine
Collagen
BCAAs
testosterone
J. D. Pardo’s Lifestyle
Triple Check That Alarm
Pardo says he experiences serious anxiety about oversleeping and missing his call time. He checks his alarm multiple times before going to bed each night.
Sensitive Kid
Pardo says he would often lose the coin toss against his sisters on what movie they would watch, and wound up watching things like Anne of Green Gables. But he says he loved it just as much as his own choices.
Alternate Reality
Pardo says if he weren’t an actor, he’d be a musician. He started playing piano at age 7 and was quite good, but it wasn’t considered macho, so he played sports instead. His favorite music genre is classic rock.
Soccer Maniac
In addition to music, Pardo also loves soccer. He grew up watching it on tv with his dad, and says he really gets worked up during a match.
Pardo on Music
‘Music is a passion of mine. I’m always listening, always learning.’
Pardo on the Most Embarrassing Song on his iPod
‘Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me.” Wow, I should probably delete that.’
Pardo on Anne of Green Gables
Loved it. I have Anne of Green Gables in my collection now.’
Pardo on Discovering Acting
‘I just wanted to be anything that wasn’t me. I fell in love with it…It saved me.’
Pardo on Soccer
It’s in my blood.’
Recommended Products
Barbells
Dumbbells
References
https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/mayans-mc-kurt-sutter-jd-pardo-1202880693/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1238555/bio
https://www.fxnetworks.com/news/mayans-mc/get-knowmayans-mcs-jd-pardo/
https://www.muscleandfitness.com/entertainment/jd-pardo-adding-muscle-compound-moves-and-grit/
