What do you eat on a typical day? “I do intermittent fasting, so when I wake up in the morning, I have two glasses of water to get my day started. Depending on when I’m done at the studio, between 2 and 4 p.m. is usually when I have my first meal. I usually keep it small, so I like to get this salmon lettuce wrap that also has cucumber and radishes. It’s a super-healthy, quick meal. Both my girlfriend and I enjoy cooking, so later in the evening, we make our big meal. That always varies because my girlfriend is a vegetarian, while I’m a pescatarian, so I incorporate some kind of seafood for protein. We do a lot of curries, tofu dishes and rice dishes.”
Did you ever have a weight problem? “From second grade into high school, I was pretty overweight, so I was extremely self-conscious and insecure about my appearance. I would eat a lot, then felt shame afterward. I still deal with those feelings sometimes and that’s why I’ve become so fond of working out. It helps mentally and I feel better overall.”
What’s your workout routine? “I like to mix it up, so it keeps it fun. Throughout the week I’ll do a little bit of classic body building with weights, then kettlebell and a lot of Muay Thai [martial arts]. I mix in recovery days with yoga, so my whole week is always in flux. Sometimes I’ll focus on the weights or there may be a day where I don’t touch the weights and do Muay Thai every day or go a few rounds on the heavy bag.”
How do you eat healthy when you’re on the road or eating at restaurants? “When I go to a restaurant, I think, ‘Here’s what I really want, but what’s the best option?’ For instance, I really want fish and chips, so I look on the menu for a healthier option and, ‘Oh, I’ll get the seafood salad instead.’ The best way to eat healthy on the road is preparation. Bring granola bars and apples.”
Rory’s Top Three Tips
• “Don’t be hard on yourself if you stray or make a mistake. Dieting and health in general should never come from a place of negativity. Always go into it with a positive mindset and if you mess up, it’s not the end of the world. Instead of being upset, take note of it and be a little more present the next time.”
• “For working out at home I would recommend a fairly heavy kettlebell because there’s so much you can do, like compound lifts, curls and squats. You can get a decent kettlebell at Target for about 40 bucks. Also, a pull-up bar. If you can’t control the lifting of your own body weight, who cares if you can bench press 300 pounds. And just to keep the cardio interesting, get a jump rope because it’s lower impact than running.”
• “I find Chris Hemsworth’s Centr to be a really good fitness app. The workouts are really well put together and really well explained. It’s pretty affordable; I think it’s only like 7 bucks a month.”
