Jamie Dornan Workout and Diet
Actor
Born: 1982
James Dornan is from Northern Ireland. He went to boarding school where he played rugby and performed with the drama department. He attended college briefly but dropped out to try acting in London. In 2001, Dornan tried out for the show Model Behaviour. He did not win the show but received a contract and modeled for brands like Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch, and was labeled ‘The Golden Torso’ by The New York Times. Dornan’s first acting role came in 2006 in Marie Antoinette. He found other small roles on tv and in film, but his big break came in 2013 when he landed the role of Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey. He also performed in the folk band Sons of Jim which disbanded in 2008. Dornan is married to English actress and musician Amelia Warner and they have 3 daughters. He has millions of followers on social media. Dornan is 6 feet tall and weighs about 170 lbs.
Known For:
Jamie Dornan’s Diet
Summary
Dornan is one of the lucky few blessed with a fast metabolism that can handle just about anything. He says he was always skinny and always struggled to put on weight, which led to eating junk food galore without paying the price. While he no longer consumes unlimited fast food burgers, he still eats a ton and doesn’t have to put much effort into his diet. To play Christian Grey, his trainer kept him on the straight and narrow, eating a lot of meat and vegetables, and limiting simple carbs to post-workout meals. He drinks plenty of water, but he also has Coke without a single thought that he shouldn’t.
Estimated Macros
- Medium Carbs 30%
- Medium Fat 30%
- Medium-High Protein 60%
Diet Details
Luckiest Guy
Whether or not you envy Christian Grey’s powerful persona, everyone would like to have Dornan’s lightning-fast metabolism. To be fair, he exercises quite a bit every day which burns a fair amount of calories.
Disciplined Diet
Because he needed to make some gains before playing in Fifty Shades, Dornan ate a cleaner diet focused on lean protein and vegetables, eaten 30-60 minutes after a workout. But he still had stuff like cheesecake and beer because his metabolism was unstoppable.
Dark Indulgence
Dornan admits to a love of Guinness beer. He says his fast metabolism and lots of exercise help curb the effects of beer drinking.
What to Eat
All Food
Meat
Seafood
Vegetables
Beer
Water
Coke
What to Avoid
Skipping Meals
Big Macs (at most in moderation)
Dornan on his Ability to Absorb Junk Food
‘I could eat 10 packs of Hula Hoops a day and not think about it.’
Dornan on his Youthful Approach to Weight Gain
‘I’ve always needed to bulk up, so until the modeling took off, I was ramming Big Macs down my throat and doing plenty of bodyweight work. I’m over the Big Macs now, but I’ll still drop down and do my press-ups whenever I find the time.’
Dornan on his Great Health
‘I guess I’m just lucky with my genes.’
Dornan on Guiness Beer
‘I absolutely love the stuff.’
Dornan on Addiction
‘Addiction is a terrible thing.’
Jamie Dornan’s Workout Routine
Weekly Routine
Naturally Fit
Naturally lean, Dornan played sports throughout his childhood, and he always had a slender physique.
Wing Obsession
Dornan started playing rugby when he was 8. He loves the sport and was always looking to get stronger so he could play better
Musical Inspiration
Dornan admits to listening to show tunes like Abba’s ‘Mamma Mia’ when he hits the gym. He says if you don’t sing along, your not getting the most out of your workout.
Don’t Waste a Minute
Dornan says a lot of filming and photoshoots involves waiting around, so rather than waste the time, he does simple bodyweight exercises like push-ups and crunches.
Billionaires Are Busy
Dornan’s workouts to get bigger for Fifty Shades weren’t necessarily long, but they were intense: sleds, battle ropes and ring push-ups were all part of the routine.
Water World
Dornan still loves rugby, but an injury has led him to switch over to swimming. Swimming is a great way to get stronger while reducing stress on joints.
Exercise Style
A Jamie Dornan Fifty Shades Routine
Push-ups: 50 first thing in the morning, and as many as you can fit in throughout the day (adding up to hundreds for Dornan).
Do 30 sec x 3 sets of the following:
Sledgehammer curls
Kettlebells
Battle ropes
Do 4 sets fo the following:
Power lunges: 15-20 reps
Bent-over rows: 10-12 reps
Ring push-ups: 10-12 reps
Do 10 reps x 5 sets of the following
Core pike slide-outs
Aussie pull-ups
Prowler sleds: 100m
Swimming: several times a week.
Other sports: skiing, rugby, golf, etc.
Dornan on His Approach to Fitness
‘I can’t really do the running on hard ground that I used to. Instead, I go swimming as often as possible.’
Dornan on a Simple Way to Get in Shape
‘It really is just all about press-ups every day.’
Dornan on his Fitness Level
‘Because I used to play a lot of sport, I’ve always been in decent enough shape.’
Dornan on Hitting The Gym
‘When I use to get asked to do a bit of body work before a photo shoot, I’d lie and say, “Yeah, I’m going to the gym.” I literally never did anything.’
Dornan on his Willingness to Take Risks
‘A doctor once told me I have abnormal levels of adrenaline in my system.’
Dornan on his Body
‘I don’t like my physique. Who does?’
Jamie Dornan’s Supplements
Any supplements Dornan took for Fifty Shades are locked away, so below are supplements that can benefit anyone following a similar diet.
mass gainer
As a skinny guy, Dornan could certainly have benefited from a mass gainer.
creatine
Glutamine
biotin
protein shake
BCAAs
magnesium
Jamie Dornan’s Lifestyle
Acceptance is Key
Dornan loves being a dad of 3 girls, but he says it means getting less sleep and missing out on other things like showers and free time.
Early Tragedy
Dornan’s mother passed away when he was just 16. He says it was hard, but that there’s no good time in one’s life to lose a parent.
Golden Family
Their mother’s early death aside, the Dornan family has enjoyed great success. One of his older sisters works for Disney and the other is a successful fashion designer. His dad is a obstetrician who once had acting dreams of his own.
Lost Love
Before Dornan became famous in his own right, he spent a lot of time in the spotlight when he dated Keira Knightley. He says the paparazzi had a negative impact on the relationship.
Not Just an Underwear Model
Known as ‘the male Kate Moss,’ Dornan says he only modeled underwear twice, but has never been able to shake the label.
Not the First Pick
Dornan wasn’t the original pick for Christian Grey. Charlie Hunnam was tapped first, but he turned the role down and Dornan got a call-back.
The Best at Being the Worst
Dornan won not one but two Golden Raspberry awards for playing in Fifty Shades of Grey. He was nominated for the same 2 (Worst Actor & Worst Screen Combo) categories for Fifty Shades Darker, but did not win.
Dornan on Himself
‘I don’t like myself without a beard.’
Dornan on Christian Grey
‘He isn’t a real person. He’s a superhero, a myth. He’s like Bigfoot…There is no actor in the world who could live up to that.’
Dornan on The Fall
‘The Fall changed my life. That is not an overstatement.’
Dornan on Himself as a Sex Symbol
‘It’s not like I cleaned up with girls. I always looked young and I was very small. I hated being “cute.”’
Dornan on Sex Symbols
‘When I think of sex symbols, I think of posters my 2 sisters had on their bedroom walls.’
Recommended Products
Fifty Shades of Grey
