How a man got ripped following Chris Hemsworth’s diet and exercise routine

This man followed Chris Hemsworth’s diet and exercise regime for 90 days and the results were astounding.

Erik Conover is now 96kg of pure muscle.

Without a doubt, Chris Hemsworth would take out the prize of ‘Hottest Celebrity Bod’ year after year. So, when the A-list celeb launched his own fitness program Centr, YouTuber Erik Conover jumped on the opportunity to follow Hemsworth’s exact diet and exercise routine for 90 days to see if he could replicate the Avengers stars’ iconic body.

What he wasn’t expecting was that only 30 days into the challenge, Erik saw “amazing results”.

He then posted a YouTube video of his progress, which went viral (it already has over 5 million views) and caught the attention of Chris himself.

And just because Chris is well, Chris, he decided to meet with Erik in New York to do a personal training session with him. Literally our dream.

Fast forward another 60 days of training and eating like Thor, and Erik is ripped. Like, true Hemsworth-ripped.

Erik Conover got ripped following Hemsworth’s diet and exercise routine. Picture: Supplied

But what’s even more interesting is the fact that his body transformation isn’t one of weight loss. It’s one of weight gain.

“I have gained about 10 solid pounds (almost 5kg) of muscle,” Erik tells Body + Soul.

And his results definitely didn’t come without hard work or determination.

We exclusively spoke to Erik to get all the juicy deets on exactly how he was able to completely transform his body in three months.

What did your diet and exercise routine look like before the challenge?

A: I have always maintained a relatively healthy lifestyle. I was a competitive swimmer growing up and rower at Northeastern University in Boston. Prior to the challenge I thought that eating clean meant eating bland, but through Centr I’ve discovered lots of meals that I wouldn’t have normally tried that are delicious.

What was your heaviest weight?

A: I am currently at my heaviest weight! 213 pounds (about 96kg) of pure muscle. I have never been one to measure my health and wellbeing by a number on a scale. This challenge was about putting on weight through muscle.

What made you want to get fit like Chris Hemsworth?

A: I got incredibly sick while travelling in the Philippines with my girlfriend and ended up in hospital for a week. I lost about 15 pounds (about 7kg) during that week. I was in, what felt like the worst shape of my life.

What diet changes did you make?

A: I am a sucker for sweets, so I cut processed sugars and cheat meals completely for the first 30 days of the challenge and started eating clean, healthy meals. Once the clean eating became a habit, I made room for a cheat meal or two.

What does a typical day on a plate look like to you?

A: Breakfast: A ricotta omelette with garlic tomatoes and baby spinach.

Post-workout protein shake: I tried Chris’ go-to smoothie recipe – the Super Green Smoothie.

Lunch: Sergio Perera’s Salmon Sushi Bowl with brown rice.

Snacks: Peanut butter and jelly on rice cakes, edamame hummus with veggies, some almonds.

Dinner: Grilled chicken with broccoli and quinoa salad.

Erik sweating it in the gym. Picture: Supplied

What does a typical week of exercise look like to you?

A: I train 6 days per week. When I am home in New York City most of my training is in the gym but the [Centr] app gives me the flexibility to train on the go even without a gym, which was one of the main things that attracted me to it since I travel a lot for work.

Why did you choose to work out and eat like Chris through the Centr app?

A: When I heard Chris Hemsworth was launching a fitness app, I was very intrigued to see if the app would actually share his keys to success. It’s not often that someone pulls back the curtain and shares the tools and knowledge they have used over the years. It gives you every single tool possible to change your fitness and more importantly, your mindset. The tools are there; you just have to decide to use them.

What was the biggest challenge of the whole process?

A: The diet! The first 30 days or so was all about building new diet and training habits. After that, eating clean became second nature.

Chris and Erik are #goals! Picture: Supplied

What is the biggest health lesson you’ve learnt?

A: I have realised how important mindfulness, attitude and hard work is – not just in training, but setting goals in life.

What advice do you have for others trying to get fit?

A: Stick with it and have a strong reason – your “why” will get you out of bed every morning, even when it’s freezing cold. All great things take time, patience and focus.

Spoken like a true Hemsworth brother.

This article originally appeared in Body + Soul and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as How a man got ripped following Chris Hemsworth’s diet and exercise routine