“Thought I Knew Everything”: Mark Wahlberg Makes a Regretful Fitness Confession Despite Still Maintaining a Dream Physique at 52

Published 03/16/2024, 11:00 AM EDT

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Mark Wahlberg carries a physique at 52 that many men half his age would die for. However, despite sporting six-pack abs, the bodybuilding enthusiast has some regrets. Marky Mark explained how his approach to bodybuilding and fitness had been flawed for decades. Despite his chiseled physique, the actor blamed no one but himself for learning crucial fitness lessons late in life.

The Arthur the King star sat with Men’s Health where he broke down what he eats in a day to help maintain his shredded physique. However, during the video, Mark Wahlberg said he has changed his entire philosophy about exercise and diet. “If I was actually smart I would have listened to the people that told me how to do things,” Wahlberg confessed.

“I was hard-headed and thought I knew everything,” the 52-year-old said about his younger self. The actor also said that he comes across people with similar mindsets now that he is the experienced one trying to give the right advice. Although Wahlberg has maintained a muscular and chiseled physique, he said he wasn’t eating or training right when he was younger.

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The Pain & Gain star explained that it took him 52 years to understand the value of recovery, longevity, and training techniques. The former musician regretted not doing things right earlier because otherwise, “I’d have had another nice little 15-year run at doing more physical movies,” said the action star.

Mark Wahlberg has always gravitated toward physically demanding roles. However, his “extreme” training and diet didn’t do him any favors. While Wahlberg had built the action-hero physique, he trained and ate excessively. So, what was the Uncharted star doing wrong, and what did he change?

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Mark Wahlberg made a course correction

In the video, Marky Mark explained that he was training for seven days a week, twice per day, and barely took rest days. If you’re wondering how he recovered, the 52-year-old clarified that he ate eight meals per day. “I couldn’t digest the protein I was eating,” confessed Wahlberg. Marky Mark believes it cost him longevity because he paid no attention to recovery.

However, now Wahlberg pays attention to recovery and rest days. In a 2023 interview with People, the actor revealed he has not reduced training intensity. However, he trains less often, does functional training, and recovers before going in for another session. Besides muscle building and strength training, he also focuses on mobility and joint health.

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Mark Wahlberg took a long time to learn the correct approach to training. Hence, the Ted star doesn’t want others to have similar regrets when they turn 50.

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Written by:

Sagnik Bagchi

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Sagnik Bagchi is a senior bodybuilding writer at EssentiallySports. A passionate fitness enthusiast himself, Sagnik uses his knowledge of bodybuilding to focus on the coverage of major events like the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic.
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Edited by:

Gokul Pillai