Zac Efron Workout and Diet

Actor
Born: 1987

A native Californian, Efron’s father encouraged him to try acting as a youngster. He also took up singing lessons. After graduating from high school, Efron landed guest roles on some tv series, including ER, The Guardian and Firefly, but his breakout role came when he was cast in High School Musical. He got ripped for the film Baywatch. Efron has had some substance abuse problems, but he sought help and managed to overcome them. He is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 165 lbs. He has 5% body fat.

Known For:

Acting

ZAC EFRON’s Diet

Summary

Efron’s diet is strictly whole foods-based. He avoids sugar, and anything that is refined, artificial or processed. Efron has experimented with multiple diets. He switched to a vegan diet in 2018 and says it has been life-changing.

Estimated Macros

Low Carbs 10% 10%

Low-Medium Fat 30% 30%

High Protein 60% 60%

Diet Details

Food The Way Nature Intended

To get in shape for Baywatch, Efron ate nothing that was processed or refined. So while he could have brown rice, he could not have pasta made from brown rice. Everything was also 100% organic.

Plant Power

Efron went vegan in 2018 and says it changed everything (in a good way).

Cheat Day?

Efron was allowed 1 cheat day per week while getting in shape for Baywatch, but he chose relatively healthy things, like foot-long subs and smoothies made from spinach, kale, berries, coconut water and chia seeds.

What to Eat

Kale

Spinach

Salmon

Chicken Breast

Quinoa

Grass-fed Beef

Walnuts

Pumpkin Seeds

Blueberries

Strawberries

Apples

Brown Rice

Egg Whites

Water

What to Avoid

Bread

Pasta

Cereal

Alcohol

Flour

Sugar

Refined Foods

Processed Foods

Hydrogenated Fats

Artificial Additives

Dairy

Soft Drinks

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Efron on Veganism

‘It [Veganism] has completely changed the way my body works and the way I metabolize foot, the way it turns into energy, the way I sleep. It’s brilliant. It’s been great for my exercise and great for my routine.’

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Efron on Healthy Aging

‘I want to be able to do what I’m capable of now when I’m 50, 60, 70 years old — like my great-grandfather.’

Zac Efron’s Workout Routine

Weekly Routine

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New Role, New Routine

Efron’s regimen changes based on the roles he plays, but he always does some form of cardio and strength training to stay fit.

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3-2-1 Get Ripped

Efron trained with Patrick Murphy for his Baywatch body and got his body fat down to 5% in just 12 weeks. The 3-2-1 plan mixes cardio and resistance into a single workout.

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Beach Ready

For Baywatch, Efron alternated weight training with rest days. Details on this routine are in the ‘style’ section.

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Be Strategic

Efron has a busy schedule and he often gets his best workout in the evening. However, he loves the feeling of accomplishment that comes from morning exercise and tries hard to fit in a morning session.

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Take It With You

To make sure he can get a workout anywhere, Efron carries TRX bands with him for the times when he’s in a real time crunch.

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Pump It Up

Efron will also sometimes use adjustable dumbbells to squeeze in a few last-minute pumps on set.

Exercise Style

Day 1 Back & Biceps

Straight-Arm Pulldown: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Ab Rollout: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Seated Cable Row: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Suspended Row: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Neutral Grip Pull-Up: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Lat Pulldown From Knees: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Chin-Ups: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Dumbbell Biceps Curl: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest be-tween sets.

Day 2 Legs

Leg Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Suspension Squat Jump: 3 sets of 20 reps. 60 seconds rest be-tween sets.
Swiss Ball Hip Extension: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Swiss Ball Leg Curl: 3 sets of 20 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Reverse Walking Lunge: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Mountain Climbers on Sliders: 3 sets of 20 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Dumbbell Romanian Dead Lift: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest be-tween sets.
Kick Butt: 3 sets of 20 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Unstable Single Leg Calf Raise: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest be-tween sets.
5lb. Suspension Trainer Single Leg Squat Hop: 3 sets of 20 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.

Day 3 Arms, Chest & Shoulders

Dumbbell Squat Front Raise: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest be-tween sets.
Cross-Body Cable Raise: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Dumbbell Floor Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Push-Ups: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Inclined Dumbbell Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Dumbbell Overhead Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.
Chest Cable Flys: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Bosu Plyo Push-Up: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest be-tween sets.
Single Arm Pushdown: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. No rest between sets.
Single Arm Curl: 3 sets of 8-12 reps. 60 seconds rest between sets.

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Efron on Being the Underdog

‘I’m very competitive by nature. And I like being the underdog…To come from behind and win is a great feeling!’

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Efron on the Mind-body Connection

‘Mental health is increasingly important to me as I get older, and one of my favorite ways to stay calm and motivated and peaceful is through training and working out.’

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Efron on Sticking with an Exercise Plan

‘Start small. All you have to change is one practice or one thing in your pattern…You’ll see results from just doing that repeatedly.’

Zac Efron’s Supplements

Whey protein

To get in shape for Baywatch, Efron’s whey protein was ultra-filtered, unflavored and had no additional ingredients, although he currently endorses Vega Sport Premium Protein and Orgain Organic Plant-based Protein.

Get it here

Zac Efron’s Lifestyle

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Tough Choices

Efron turned down an offer of a singing deal from American Idol’s Simon Cowell, preferring to concentrate on his acting career.

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Incognito Dreams

Efron says he would love to take a year off, fly under the radar and travel.

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Actor, Singer, Mechanic

Efron fixes up old cars in his spare time, like a Delorean and a ’65 Mustang he inherited from his grandfather.

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Efron on Being a Sex Symbol

‘I was never the cool kid. I was always sort of a bookworm.’

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Efron on Growing Up

‘When you’re young, everything feels like the end of the world, but it’s not; it’s just the beginning.

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Efron on Luck

‘I know I’ve been lucky. But it’s what you do with that luck afterwards that really defines whether you stick around.’