Taylor Kitsch is a Canadian actor and model. He became popular after being cast in the NBC TV show, Friday Night Lights, playing the role of a troubled high school football player. His performance earned him widespread acclaim, and got many big roles in top movies.
Taylor grew up fairly athletic and loved playing ice hockey and lacrosse. He participated in many sports when he was younger, before becoming interest in acting. In high school, Taylor started taking drama classes, before deciding to pursue a career as an actor.
He moved to New York in 2002, after signing with IMG Models. Taylor became a regular face for famous clothing lines, appearing in ads for brands like Abercrombie & Fitch and Diesel. He also landed a few small roles in movies, like The Covenant, before getting his big break on Friday Night Lights.
Playing the role of Tom Riggins in the show, earned him major recognition. He was part of Friday Night Lights from 2006 up until 2011, appearing on 68 episodes. While he was still on the show, he was cast on X-Mens Origins: Wolverine, in 2009.
Taylor went on to get major roles in a number of movies, including Battleship, in 2012. He then went on to be a part of Lone Survivor, the following year, as well as being cast on American Assassin, in 2017. He also appeared in several TV series, including True Detective and more recently, The Terminal List.
Taylor’s won multiple awards whilst having over twelve nominations. He earned his first award in 2009 alongside his co-stars, in Friday Night Lights, winning the Gold Derby TV Award for Ensemble of the Year. In 2012, he won the CinemaCon award for Male Star of Tomorrow.
In this article we take a look at Taylor Kitsch’s diet and workout plan, seeing how the actor stays in top shape for his movie roles.
Taylor Kitsch Profile
| Date of Birth | 8 April 1981 |
| Height | 1.81m / 5ft 11″ |
| Body Measurements (Chest/Arms/Waist) | 40/ 14/ 32 (inches) |
| Weight | 80kg / 176 lb |
Diet Plan
As an actor, Taylor Kitsch diet plan is usually pretty strict, depending on the role he’s preparing for. He usually consumes around 2500 calories a day, but it can vary based on his personal goal. He has around three meals a day, with a snack in between.
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On The Ellen Show, Taylor talks about having to lose weight for his role as Dave Koresh, in Waco, saying he lost “around 30 pounds”. As an actor he’s required to go through many different diet plans to fit the role he’s playing, so he needs to manage his calorie intake effectively.
His diet plan typically includes a lot of lean proteins and complex carbs. He likes to have a mixture of nutrients, including fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy fats. This provides him plenty of health benefits, while keeping his overall diet well balanced.
Taylor Kitsch’s body fat percentage normally is relatively low, at around 13%. This does vary from role to role, with it sometimes being lower and sometimes higher. Generally though, Taylor controls his calorie consumption and maintains a healthy body weight, staying in good physical shape.
While Taylor Kitsch’s diet is mostly made up of healthy, whole foods, he also allows himself the occasional treat. He has been known to indulge in pizza, burgers, and ice cream from time to time, but in moderation.
His diet plan usually includes:
| Breakfast | Scrambled eggs and oatmeal with bananas and berries |
| Snack | Fruit/ smoothie |
| Lunch | Grilled chicken/ salmon with rice and salad |
| Dinner | Steak with sweet potatoes and broccoli |
Breakfast
For breakfast, Taylor usually has some scrambled eggs and a bowl of oatmeal with bananas and berries. Eggs are a great source of protein and healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, improving brain health. Oatmeal is a good source of complex carbs, which provides the body with sustained energy throughout the morning.
Snack
As a snack, he likes to have fruit, or sometimes a fruit smoothie, which can be more convenient. Fruits are a highly nutritious snack, being very low in calories and promoting overall health. They are also rich in vitamins and minerals as well as being high in fiber.
Lunch
Taylor’s lunch typically includes grilled chicken or salmon with some rice and salad. For lunch he likes having protein and carbs, to help build and repair muscle tissues, while also replenishing energy. Salad gives him the necessary vitamins and minerals, providing many health benefits.
Dinner
Similar to his lunch, he likes to have lean protein with some complex carbs as part of his dinner, generally eating steak with sweet potatoes and some broccoli. Sweet potatoes also provide fiber, which is important for maintaining healthy digestion and regulating blood sugar levels.
Workout Plan
Taylor Kitsch’s workout plan involves many different exercises to maintain his fitness; similar to his diet plan his workout routine is tough, especially when preparing for a physical role. As someone, who’s known for his intense on screen performances, he’s extremely committed to staying in great shape.
Sometime’s he’s also required to do role specific training, which focuses on improving his ability to portray characters. In an Interview with ET Canada, he talks about doing “military training” for his role in The Terminal List, providing “more authenticity” and “credibility” to his persona.
His workout plan usually consists of:
- Resistance Training: Taylor incorporates resistance training into his workout plan, to build lean muscle mass. He lifts weights several times a week, targeting each muscle individually.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): He also includes HIIT as part of his routine. This helps to boost his cardiovascular fitness and burn fat quicker, allowing him to lose weight.
- Circuit Training: Circuit training is an important part of Taylor’s workout plan, allowing him to train different components, specific to his acting role. He typically likes to include around five exercises in his circuit, repeating each training drill three times.
- Cardio: While circuit training and HIIT exercises improve his endurance, cardio exercises allow him to retain energy for longer. This usually includes long distance running, and sometimes even cycling for 30-45 minutes, several times a week.
- Active Recovery: Active recovery allows him to stay injury free, as well as reducing muscle soreness. This helps him recover quicker from intense workout sessions. He generally likes to do yoga everyday, with some active stretching.
By following a well structured workout plan, Taylor is able to improve his performances. A lot of his acting roles have required him to meet certain physical demands, making it important for him to be well prepared. Even when he’s not training for a role, he likes to maintain his fitness and works out regularly.
Chest
- Bench press 3 sets X 10 reps
- Incline dumbbell press 3 sets X 10 reps
- Cable flys 4 sets X 10 reps
- Chest dips 3 sets X failure
- Press up 3 sets X failure
Arms
- Barbell bicep curls 3 sets X 10 reps
- Hammer curls 3 sets X 10 reps
- Lying tricep extensions 3 sets X 10 reps
- Cable tricep pushdowns 3 sets X 10 reps
- Tricep dips 3 sets X failure
Abs
- Hanging leg raises 3 sets X 10 reps
- Lying bicycle crunches 3 sets X 15 reps
- Russian twists 3 sets X 10 reps
- Plank (60 seconds)
Back
- Pull ups 3 sets X failure
- Barbell deadlifts 3 sets X 6 reps
- Lat pull downs 3 sets X 10 reps
- Cable back rows 3 sets X 10 reps
Legs
- Squats 3 sets X 10 reps
- Leg press 3 sets X 10 reps
- Walking lunges 3 sets X 10 reps
- Leg extensions 3 sets X 10 reps
- Calf raises 3 sets X 20 reps
Though Taylor Kitsch’s diet plan and workout routine may vary, they are generally specific to his needs, allowing him to remain physically fit. Controlling his calorie intake while exercising regularly also prevents many health issues. When he’s not preparing for a role, he is slightly more relaxed with his routine, but still tries to stay active.
