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Chris Hemsworth shirtless

Chris Hemsworth’s Thor Diet & Workout Plan


As one might expect, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor diet and workout plan isn’t for the faint of heart. After all, the Marvel superhero is supposed to be larger than life itself, so some intensive muscle-building is basically mandatory. And while Chris Hemsworth’s body is naturally muscular, don’t think for a second he didn’t employ a vigorous regimen when preparing for the role. That was true for the first Thor film, and it remains true all the way up to the upcoming Avengers instalment.

The very idea of a Chris Hemsworth Thor diet and workout plan might sound intimidating, but that doesn’t mean it’s beyond one’s grasp. On the contrary, the Aussie actor and his personal trainer, Luke Zocchi, didn’t stray too far outside the box when putting the plan into action. If anything, Hemsworth’s respective diet and exercise routines are all about consistency, dedication, and intensity. In fact, Zocchi once claimed that he and Hemsworth never work out for more than an hour at a time. Of course, that makes for one brutal hour!

Chris Hemsworth leaning on boxing ring fence
Chris Hemsworth | Image: Greg Funnell

It’s worth noting that Hemsworth adopted an all-vegan diet when filming “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Avengers: Infinity Wars.” Before the shoot(s), however, he was loading up on lean and healthy proteins like chicken breast and fish, along with copious servings of veggies, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and more. Pair that with traditional bodybuilding and functional training exercises, and you get some earth-shattering results – perhaps achieving a Chris Hemsworth body for yourself. Should you want to rock your own superhero body, you can do far worse than the Chris Hemsworth Thor diet and workout plan. Here’s how to get it done.

Related: Chris Hemsworth has gotten so big for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, his stunt double can’t keep up

Healthy food
Diet Plan | Image: Piotr Malczyk

Chris Hemsworth’s Diet Plan

The Chris Hemsworth diet plan changes significantly in preparation for his varying roles. Most folks see Chris Hemsworth these days and immediately think of Thor (or just drop their jaws and revel in his natural handsomeness), but the truth is that the actor’s tackled a variety of different roles throughout his career. As such, the former “Sexiest Man Alive” has implemented an equally broad spectrum of dieting regimens over the past decade. For example, Hemsworth basically starved himself when preparing for the role of veteran whaler Owen Chase in 2015’s “In the Heart of the Sea.”

On the flip side of that fitness coin is Hemsworth’s most lucrative and iconic role. Wielding an all-powerful hammer as he travels through galaxies at breakneck speeds, Thor retains a muscular build of truly epic proportion. This type of chiseled physique certainly didn’t come overnight, and it couldn’t have been achieved without a proper diet plan.

If you think Hemsworth loaded up on nutritious foods beforehand, you’d be correct. After all, fitness trainer Luke Zocchi did once proclaim that “food is more important than training.” That said, Chris Hemsworth’s diet plan is just as much about the “when” as it is about the “what.”

Specifically, Zocchi had his client on a very tight schedule, which required Hemsworth to eat six times a day, every two to three hours. And we’re not talking snacks, but massive amounts of calories. In the gym, the actor would then turn those calories into muscle.

While eating tons of food might sound like a dream come true, Hemsworth struggled to keep pace. Meanwhile, he later adopted a strict vegan diet to complement the Thor workout routine, helping popularise the concept of “vegan bodybuilding.” Before that, he was chowing down on the following staples:

  • Chicken – When it comes to lean, mean proteins, no one argues with a healthy chicken breast.
  • Fish – Rich in protein and Omega 3 fatty acids, fish is as delicious as it is nutritious.
  • Egg Whites – Most (if not all) bodybuilders will attest that egg whites make for a terrific source of protein.
  • Brown Rice – Carbs aren’t bad for you when they come in the form of healthy whole grains, as they do here.
  • Quinoa – It’s gluten-free. It contains all nine essential amino acids. It’s high in fibre, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin E. It’s quinoa and you should be eating more of it.
  • Sweet Potato – This oft-overlooked food is a rich source of fibre. It also hosts a slew of vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin C. As if all that weren’t enough, sweet potatoes are also high in beta-carotene, a natural antioxidant.
  • Vegetables – Eating veggies and getting into shape go hand in hand. Broccoli, asparagus, and leafy greens are just a few veggies that will keep you healthy and full of nutrients.
  • Bananas – Bananas are high in fibre and potassium alike. They boost heart health and even aid with digestion. Chris Hemsworth eats them and so should you.
  • Whey Protein Shake – They might look kind of gimmicky, but whey protein shakes actually work when it comes to building muscle. It’s then no wonder that every ripped dude at your gym is always chugging one.
  • Beans – Hemsworth ate beans while preparing for Thor, but didn’t discover their true magic as a rich source of protein until he adopted a vegan diet. The transition made him gassy, but he’ll live. Consider following his lead.

For a better picture of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor diet and meal plan, here’s one of his (reported) daily menus:

  • Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 banana, 1/2 cup sultanas, fat-free milk, 4 egg whites, 1 egg, 50 g cheese, protein shake, orange juice
  • Brunch: Cottage cheese, turkey roll, mixed nuts, protein shake, yogurt
  • Snacks: Beef jerky
  • Lunch: 3 chicken breasts, 100 g brown rice, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup kidney beans, 1 glass of fat-free milk
  • Dinner: 3 salmon fillets, 100 g quinoa, 100 g asparagus, a glass of fat-free milk, yogurt
  • Supper: 2 boiled eggs, 2 brown bread slices, protein shake.
Chris Hemsworth doing battle rope exercise
Chris Hemsworth’s Workout Plan | Image: James Geer

Chris Hemsworth’s Workout Plan

As with his diet plan, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor workout plan is all about consistency, intensity, and dedication. Well, that and some serious bodybuilding. Indeed, Hemsworth needed to turn thousands of excess calories into muscle, and he only had an hour at a time to do it. It is safe to say, not many workouts compare to a Chris Hemsworth workout routine. Our own muscles are getting sore just thinking about it.

According to Luke Zocchi, Chris Hemsworth’s workout plan consisted of traditional bodybuilding and functional training. In other words, Hemsworth lifted a lot of weights but furthermore stayed mobile so that he could still perform as many of his own stunts as possible, and hit the waves without sinking like a stone. Also, since Thor’s upper body gets much more attention from the camera than say his legs, Zocchi and Hemsworth primarily targeted the shoulders and arms. Here are some of the exercises they implemented in the Chris Hemsworth workout plan.

  • Back Squats – One of the most basic strength exercises is also one of the best. It builds muscle and improves balance in one fell swoop.
  • Bench Presses – Another bodybuilding staple that does exactly what you think it does: builds muscle.
  • Deadlifts – This is easily one of the most effective measures for building strength, presuming you actually do it properly.
  • Pull-Ups – If you struggle at first, don’t give up, as pull-ups get easier the more you do them.
  • Bear Crawls – Hemsworth stayed spry by performing functional exercises such as bear crawls.

Naturally, the above is a mere sample of Hemsworth’s exercises. Here’s a (reported) breakdown of the actor’s specific Thor workout routine:

Bodyweight Circuit Training

  1. Pull-ups (3 sets, 15 reps) for lats
  2. Sit-Up (3 sets, 20 reps) for abs
  3. Push-Ups (3 sets, 15 reps) for chest
  4. Front Box Jump (3 sets, 10 reps) for hamstrings
  5. Bodyweight Squat (3 sets, 15 reps) for quadriceps

Iron Circuit Training

  1. Barbell Squat (3 sets, 15 reps) for quadriceps
  2. Barbell Bench Press (3 sets, 5 reps) for chest
  3. Standing Military Press (3 sets, 8 reps) for shoulders
  4. Barbell Deadlift (3 sets, 5 reps) for hamstrings
  5. Hammer Curls (3 sets, 5 reps) for biceps

Last but not least, here are some general rules to abide by when becoming the next Thor:

  1. Stick with free weights in lieu of machine weights, as free weights do a better job at working the full body.
  2. Focus primarily on compound lifts and exercises (deadlifts, squats, etc). Again, these methods target multiple areas of the body as opposed to just one specific area.
  3. Don’t go to extremes when you’re lifting. Keep your reps in a moderate zone.
  4. Don’t rest too much between sets. Along similar lines, stay focused on the tasks at hand, and avoid looking at your phone.
  5. Incorporate downtime into your overall routine. In other words: take the occasional day off.

Clearly, if you want a Chris Hemsworth body, you are going to have to work for it. In summary, Chris Hemsworth’s workout plan goes big on free weights and full-body exercises. It requires an hour of thoroughly intense muscle-building, with little downtime between sets. Also implemented are functional training exercises, which improve movement skills and retain balance. Throw in the diligent diet plan and you too can be like Thor.

If you’re truly looking to achieve a Chris Hemsworth body, check out his new app Centr. Here, you can access Chris Hemsworth workouts and diet plans to get fitter, stronger and happier.

Hemsworth says, “ I feel so fortunate to have worked with incredible experts in the field of health, nutrition, mindfulness, and training, so I thought, “Why not share that?” Tell my team what you want to achieve and they’ll help you get there.”

You’ll also like:
Zac Efron’s ‘Baywatch’ Diet and Workout Plan
34 Best Bodyweight Exercises for Men
We Interview Chris Hemsworth’s Body Double & Stuntman Extraordinaire

General FAQ

What did Chris Hemsworth eat for Thor?

Chris Hemsworth's diet in preparation for the Thor films was diverse and protein-heavy, including lots of chicken, fish and vegetables, and in large quantities.

How many calories did Chris Hemsworth eat for Thor?

While the exact number of calories is unknown, the sheer volume (six meals a day) of food he consumed before burning it all in the gym was a lot.

What does Chris Hemsworth eat in a day?

Chris Hemsworth's daily regime consists of chicken, fish, egg whites, brown rice, quinoa, vegetables and bananas.

What does Chris Hemsworth eat for breakfast?

A typical breakfast for Chris Hemsworth consists of 1 cup oatmeal, 1 banana, 1/2 cup sultanas, fat-free milk, 4 egg whites, 1 egg, 50 g cheese, protein shake and orange juice.

How many hours a day does Chris Hemsworth workout?

Chris Hemsworth works out for up to two hours a day, but to a highly intense degree and never for more than one hour at a time.

Chris Hemsworth shirtless beside leather punching bag
Chris Hemsworth Workout | Image: Centr