Tom Hopper is far more than a pretty face starring in Umbrella Academy. When an up-and-coming actor, he set himself apart with his overwhelming physical presence. His mass earned him burly and menacing roles in British TV shows like Black SailsGame of Thrones. In addition to doing damage in the gym with weights, he has also fine-tuned his diet.
He sticks to a consistently clean diet, shunning refined sugars and processed foods in favor of natural sweeteners and lots of organic meats and vegetables.
Check out Hopper’s lifestyle, diet, and training tips to achieve the body of a Hollywood tough guy.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average American eats 150 to 170 pounds of refined sugar a year, increasing the chances of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. But not Hopper—he removed all refined sugar from his diet about four years ago, and he immediately felt a boost. “You’ll be amazed at how quickly your cardiovascular health and everything else improves,” he says.
Hopper also avoids processed foods and refined carbohydrates, instead opting for organic meats and vegetables. “Processed foods have chemicals and additives and all these things that I don’t want,” Hopper says. “I try to keep my diet as pure as possible.”
3 of 5
Per Bernal
Fit it In
Even when he’s short on time, Hopper squeezes in a workout. His go-to routine? Ten sets of 10 reps on the bench press, superset with 10 one-minute sprints on the erg. “My heart rate is going to be spiking, so it’s a great way to boost the metabolism,” he says. “But you’ve actually worked a lot of muscle at the same time.”
4 of 5
Edgar Artiga
Mix Things Up
Hopper is constantly surfing the Web and communicating with trainer friends and workout buddies for new ideas. That way, he says, he never gets stuck in the same routine or experiences a plateau. “There are so many movements out there,” says Hopper. “The world’s best coaches are on the internet. You don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars to a trainer. It’s right there on YouTube.”
5 of 5
Edgar Artiga / M+F Magazine
Fast Faves
Exercise: “The manmaker. It does everything.”
Equipment: “Gymnastics rings. Very versatile and you can take them with you.”
Workout Music: “A lot of rock. My Chemical Romance, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, AC/DC.”
Protein Source: “Organic chicken breast.”
Cheat Meal: “I don’t really have them. If anything, I would say a dark chocolate brownie, but I make it with Lakanto monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar. It’s like zero calories basically, but it’s incredible.”
Inspirational Film: “The Back to the Future trilogy. I love it. I have those three movie posters in my lounge, and it’s a constant reminder of why I do what I do, and why I want to be successful in it.”
