The name is Craig – Daniel Craig, and he is the toughest, roughest James Bond to date. He’s the man women can’t resist, as well as the one men dream of being. For 007, Craig put in the time and effort necessary to look the part and it shows. Opposed to the James Bond actors of old, Daniel doesn’t only rely on a pretty face, suave script and spy gadgets. He’s taken his iconic character above and beyond what we’d grown to expect, which has made the new Bond film Skyfall an amazing movie. Some folks believe movie stars get fit and stay beautiful via some sort of Hollywood magic wand. No way. Daniel Craig earned his body, his grit and his ability to do most of his own stunts through hard and vigorous training. There’s no other way to do it.
Just like the rest of us, in order to earn an amazing body, Daniel Craig had to eat with purpose and train like a beast. The blonde James Bond ate between 4-6 meals a day, focusing on whole, clean foods with a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats at each meal.
- Protein: lean meats such as grilled chicken breast, fish, eggs, and some dairy.
- Healthy Fats: Olive oil, avocado, nuts, egg yolks, and fatty fish like salmon.
- Carbs: Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain toast, brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes.
Hydration and sleep were also major factors in his success, but along with plenty of water, Craig allowed himself a glass of wine on occasion. He was strict, but since he wasn’t trying to get as lean as a fitness model … he allowed himself “extras” like wine and pasta on occasion. His ultimate secret though, was to eat real foods and small meals frequently.
Of course the other half of this equation which earned him the abs, shoulders and back we can’t get out of our mind was the training. According to Hurtin Bombs, Craig’s size, strength and definition came at the hand of high-intensity workouts such as circuits, HIIT, and lifting heavy weights. He focused on compound exercises which work the entire body at once such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats, dead lifts, dips, clean and jerk, and much more. (You can see some of those pull-ups in the actual movie too – nice!) Craig was in the gym for about 45 minutes a day, five days a week. Proof that you can accomplish incredible things in a short amount of time – if you use that time wisely and train deliberately.
As he always has, Daniel Craig has taken the physical appearance and capabilities of the James Bond character to new limits. He’s not only suave and slick, he’s a powerful force rivaling any other action hero on the big screen.
** Fun Vanity Fair, interview quote from former James Bond actor, Roger Moore, star of seven Bond films when questioned about mentioning in his new book, Bond on Bond: Reflections on 50 Years of James Bond Movies, that Sean Connery is the gold standard. How does Craig compare?
Roger Moore: “If I could go back and write another chapter, I would take the liberty of changing my mind. Daniel Craig is, without a doubt, the Bond. He has just got it all.”
Have you seen Skyfall? What’d you think of both the movie and Daniel Craig’s performance?
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