Darnell Kirkwood (Jordan)
Diet: “Breakfast is very important to me. If I don’t have breakfast, I’m not a nice guy. I usually have avocado toast with egg whites and turkey bacon, or I’ll make an acai bowl with coconut granola, cut up fruit and almond milk. For lunch, I’m really into this broccoli and kale pre-made salad from Trader Joe’s that comes with dressing, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds. I’ll usually grill up some tilapia or chicken to have with the salad. It tastes amazing. Or I’ll have a sandwich on sprouted grain bread, with turkey and tomato. Since I stay away from mayo, I’ll spread on a thin layer of spicy hummus and a thin layer of pesto. I’m not a snack person, but if I do indulge, I’ll eat plantain chips or I’ll have hummus with quinoa chips from Trader Joe’s. Dinner is always my lightest meal. I’ll have quinoa with grilled vegetables and fish or chicken, or a pork chop once in a while. Some nights I’ll have sushi.”
Fitness: “When the weather gets nice, I do like to get outdoors as much as possible and do more walks and hikes. There are some great canyon trails in Los Angeles that I can use, from easy to challenging. As far as my workouts, I have to change up what I do or I’ll get bored and just drop it. A friend invited me to a spin class and it was a great workout, but I would only be able to do that once a month. I’ll also do some yoga, but that’s just for a couple of times a month because I like change. For my stomach and chest areas, I do a lot of push-ups and use those resistance bands to work out my chest and arms. For the abs, there’s a variety of things I use, like planks, crunches and toe touches. My legs get enough working out from when I play sports.”
Darnell’s Top Three Tips
• “Look at the physical things you already like to do because that may be something to incorporate in your fitness routine. I play basketball three times a week, which I love and it’s great cardio. There’s plenty of other ways to work out. It doesn’t have to be in a gym.”
• “Get outdoors! You’ll feel better. The same goes for eating. Use that grill!”
• “Don’t deprive yourself of food that you love, but isn’t necessarily good for you. I’m from the Midwest and there are times when I need my barbecue and hamburgers. I’ll have that for a couple of meals a week, so I don’t get bored with the other stuff.”
Daniel Hall (Scott)
Diet: “I have a high metabolism, so I have to eat close to 3,500 calories a day. That’s a really conscious effort, so I’ll eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches between meals. When I have an early call time at the studio, I’ll go to the commissary and get chicken breast, egg whites and a bunch of veggies, like red peppers, onions and mushrooms, but no cheese. I’ll also eat a banana on top of that, with kefir, which is a fermented yogurt product. It’s a great protein supplement that pours like a drink and it’s got probiotics and is low in calories. For lunch, I’ll have a chicken breast, with asparagus, arugula and quinoa, and I’ll have a little barbecue sauce on the side. For dinner, I like wild-caught salmon, which is a little pricier than farmed fish, but it’s healthier and worth the extra expense. With that, I’ll have some whole-grain rice, asparagus or an artichoke and usually another vegetable. I just make sure I don’t eat after 8. To satisfy my sweet tooth, I’ll have fresh sliced mangos.”
Fitness: “First, I do a warm-up on the [stationary] bike for 10 minutes and I don’t mean a gentle ride. I really pedal hard and work up a good sweat. Then I go to the weights. For the shoulders on the first day, I’ll do three sets of lateral raises with dumbbells, then three sets of front raises and three sets of military press. I prefer dumbbells over flat bars. I do everything in three sets. The next day, I’ll do chest and back, the day after that will be triceps and biceps, the next day are my legs. On the last day, I just work on whatever doesn’t hurt. Between all of that, I’ll mix in cardio, usually boxing. I throw on 1-pound gloves, then I hit the bag for three minutes. After boxing, I’ll jump rope for five minutes, then throw in shadow boxing with 5-pound dumbbells for about two minutes. That helps lean you out and get your shoulders looking really nice. So, each day, I do three sets of weights, boxing, jumping rope and shadow boxing. I also love getting outside, so I do a lot of hiking in Griffith Park.”
Daniel’s Top Three Tips
• “Go to the gym with a friend. You’ll be more motivated if someone is there alongside you, because you’ll feel accountable.”
• “The rule is calories in, more calories out, so keep a log of how many calories you’re eating and also what you’re losing through exercising. There are great apps that make it really easy to keep track of your
calories.”
• “Learn healthy substitutes for the foods you love. I love my potatoes, but I’ll eat quinoa instead, and since it fills me up, I feel satisfied.”
JPI
