Kumail Nanjiani, known for his role as Kingo in Marvel's "Eternals" and his popular podcast 'The X-Files Files,' underwent a remarkable physical transformation that has inspired many. His dedication to fitness is evident in his intense workout routine, which he typically engages in more than five days a week. This article delves into the specifics of Nanjiani's diet and workout regimen, exploring the key components that contributed to his sculpted physique.
The Motivation Behind the Transformation
Marvel Studio's "Eternals" was arguably the "Big Sick" star’s most physically demanding assignment to date. Nanjiani embarked on this journey with a clear vision. "I wanted to transform how I looked. I wanted to look like someone who could protect a planet," Nanjiani shared. This commitment to embodying the physicality of a superhero fueled his dedication to rigorous training and disciplined lifestyle changes. He roped in Grant Roberts to help him with his transformation.
Nanjiani's Workout Routine: A Detailed Overview
Nanjiani's workout routine is a carefully crafted six-day split, designed to target every major muscle group while allowing for adequate recovery. He focuses on weight training exercises and mixes in some cardio as well. This structured approach ensures that each muscle group receives focused attention, promoting balanced muscle growth and preventing overtraining. The comedian never spends more than an hour inside the gym.
Here's a breakdown of his routine:
Back Day
Nanjiani’s back day is designed to build a wide, V-tapered physique essential for that superhero silhouette. The routine includes:
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- Hex Bar Deadlift (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Hex Bar Farmers Walk (4 sets, 50 meters)
- Barbell Shrugs (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Straight Arm Cable Pulldowns (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Dumbbell Shrugs (3 sets, 12 reps)
Chest Day
- Bench Press (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Incline Dumbbell Press (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Cable Chest Flyes (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Dips (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
Core Day
- Hanging Leg Raises (3 sets, 25 reps)
- Sit-Ups (3 sets, 25 reps)
- Hanging Knee Raises w/ Twist (3 sets, 26 reps)
- Sit-Ups w/ Twist (3 sets, 26 reps)
Leg Day
Nanjiani doesn’t skip leg day, understanding that a strong lower body is crucial for overall athleticism and aesthetics. This comprehensive leg workout ensures balanced development of quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
- Back Squat (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Walking Weighted Lunges (4×50 meters)
- Hamstring Curls (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Seated Calf Raises (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Leg Press (3 sets, 12 reps)
Shoulder Day
- Seated Dumbbell Press (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- W Press (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Lawnmower Row (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Behind-the-back Cable Lateral Raise (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
Arms Day
For arms, Nanjiani employs a high-volume approach on Saturdays, including exercises like preacher curls, skull crushers, and a unique tricep triset.
- Seated Dumbbell Press (3 sets, 6-20 reps)
- W Press (3 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Skull Crushers (5 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Preacher Curls (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Reverse Grip Cable Pushdowns (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Skull Crushers (4 sets, 6-20 reps)
- Concentration Curls (3 sets, 12 reps)
Progressive Overload
At the heart of Nanjiani’s transformation is the principle of progressive overload. His trainer, Grant Roberts, emphasizes the importance of gradually increasing the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in strength training. This method is like planting a seed and nurturing it consistently - over time, it grows into something remarkable. To ensure you do not hit a plateau, you need to constantly shock your muscles into growing. Nanjiani trained five to six days a week at the gym for nearly a year to ensure he is not leaving any stone unturned in achieving a superhero physique.
Nanjiani's Diet: Fueling the Physique
Nanjiani’s physical transformation wasn’t just about lifting weights; it required a complete nutritional overhaul. Diet plays a crucial role in achieving and maintaining a sculpted body. His diet emphasizes high protein intake, crucial for muscle building and recovery. Eating the recommended amount of protein will ensure you are building muscle mass. Compared to his superhero counterparts, Nanjiani followed a rather straightforward diet. He ate four small meals throughout the day which helped him maintain a high metabolic rate.
Since Nanjiani had to shed a few kilograms for his role as Kingo, he was instructed to follow a low-carb diet five days a week. For Nanjiani, he’ll go on low-carb eating for five straight days (Mondays to Fridays) then binge eat on Saturdays and Sundays as they are his cheat days. He stated: “Basically, it’s five days of low-carb, then over the weekend you eat as much as you want,” the actor said. His approach to dieting involves eating as much as he wants on Saturdays and Sundays, which he refers to as his “cheat days”. He focuses on weight training exercises and mixes in some cardio as well. His trainer zeroed down on the foods he was allowed to eat during his transformation period.
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A typical day of eating for Nanjiani might include:
- Breakfast: Eggs and Avocado
- Lunch: Chicken Breast, Brown Rice
- Dinner: Salad/fish with rice
His food staples include different types of fruit, such as apples, pears or peaches. While Nanjiani’s breakfast usually consists of eggs and gluten-free toast, he’s also practiced intermittent fasting on his days off from shooting superhero films. “I would do an 18/6 fast day,” he explains. “So I won’t eat for eighteen hours, and then I’ll compress everything into six hours of the day.
As for what Nanjiani typically likes to drink, his choice seems a little out of the ordinary. “I use beet juice as a pre-workout,” he says as he pulls out a bottle from the back of the fridge. As for the rest of the day, The Big Sick actor likes making chicken breast with either Indian or his native Pakistani spices.
Additionally, you cannot transform your physique while making food and training decisions on the fly. If you want to build a Greek god-like physique, you need to make certain lifestyle changes. Every person has a unique lifestyle and reacts to different food differently. Roberts revealed that Nanjiani’s transformation program was completely personalized. Nanjiani followed a carefully calibrated diet that required him to track his calories throughout the day.
Continued Dietary Practices
When I first started trying to get in shape five years ago, I noticed how certain foods would make me feel. I didn’t know that. Eating sugar, you have the crash a couple of hours later. Eating gluten, you have a histamine response. To me, that’s been the biggest change. I have a pretty wicked sweet tooth, so I’ll still find room to eat dessert, but I know how it makes me feel afterwards. Days on set are pretty long, and when I’m on tour, I’m landing in a city, doing two shows that night, flying early the next morning to another city, doing another show or two that night. Energy’s so important. I’m finding that cutting out refined sugar has really made my energy more even through the day instead of these peaks and valleys, which I thought were [just part of] being a human. When I’m more thoughtful about what I eat, I certainly feel better, and I have more energy for the work that I need to do.
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For a long time, I was tracking everything I was eating. But I stopped doing that almost two years ago, because now it’s a feel. I try to maximize protein, and I try to minimize simple sugars. I’m not keto or anything-I eat fruit. So what’s really stayed is the idea of protein content, which is where all the Quest stuff helps: It’s high protein, low carbs. Unless I’m preparing for something specific, if I’m eating high protein and minimizing simple sugars, I’m going to stay on track. Lean meats: chicken, steak. I love going to steak places. I ask, What’s the leanest cut of steak you have? I know that’s not the tastiest, but to me, the difference in taste and experience isn’t that big.
Supplements
These are the top picks from each category, featured on our ranked supplement lists:
- Pre-Workout: A pre-workout supplement can help delay fatigue and improve focus and muscle pumps.
- Whey Protein: Helps build muscle mass while aiding in weight loss.
- Multivitamins: A great supplement to ensure you are meeting your daily micronutrient needs. Additionally, they can help improve your immunity, energy levels, mood, memory, reduce stress and anxiety, and maintain muscle strength.
- Protein Bar: A protein bar is a substitute for a protein shake.
The Importance of Recovery
Nanjiani’s routine isn’t just about intense workouts; it also emphasizes the crucial role of recovery. His trainer incorporates techniques like electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) to aid in muscle recovery and growth. EMS uses electric current to get muscles to contract. EMS can improve muscle activation and strength if the user attempts to contract the muscle simultaneously. Additionally, proper sleep and stress management are integral parts of Nanjiani’s regimen. These elements act as the body’s natural repair systems, crucial for both physical and mental well-being.
The Mental Game: Motivation and Mindset
Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Nanjiani’s transformation is his mental fortitude. Motivation is the key that ignites the fire within an individual to push themselves beyond their limits. In Nanjiani’s case, his motivation stemmed from the responsibility of doing justice to his role as a superhero in the upcoming film. Maintaining motivation through such an intense physical journey is no small feat. Determination played an equally important role in Nanjiani’s journey. His workout routine consisted of intense weight lifting sessions, cardio exercises, and strict adherence to a well-balanced diet. Despite facing challenges and setbacks along the way, Nanjiani never lost sight of his goal and continued to persevere through the tough times.
The gym environment was instrumental in fostering Nanjiani’s mindset. It provided him with a space where he could focus solely on his workout routine without any distractions. The energy and dedication of other gym-goers further fueled his motivation to push himself harder each day. A critical aspect of Nanjiani’s mindset in the gym was setting realistic goals and consistently working towards achieving them. Most fitness noobs never achieve their goal physique as they falter at goal setting. If your fitness goal is to “build muscle” or “lose fat,” chances are you are going to give up before you see any meaningful progress. By breaking down his ultimate goal into smaller milestones, Nanjiani was able to measure his progress and maintain a positive outlook throughout his transformation. His mindset in the gym was fueled by personal ambition, a supportive environment, and a practical approach to goal setting.
Nanjiani credits his success to setting clear goals, visualizing his success, and maintaining a positive mindset. Dr. Emily Larson, a sports psychologist, explains, “Setting clear, achievable goals and visualizing success can significantly boost motivation and adherence to a fitness program.
Longevity and Continued Fitness
I’ve read studies that say stronger muscle is good for longevity-older people break bones and get hurt, and having more muscle mass helps with that. My whole family has a history of cardiovascular issues, and working out helps with that. I take my blood pressure all the time, and at my age, and I can see the difference working out has made.
“I want to live for a long time,” he says. And I want to feel good for a long time. Right now, I feel better than I did through most of my 20s and 30s, and I think a lot of that has to do with what I’m eating and what I’m not eating, and how I’m exercising. But also, a lot of psychological stuff: Being more in touch with myself and my emotions, being aware of what I’m feeling and why I’m feeling it, talking to therapists, talking to Emily, talking to friends about stuff that’s scaring me or making me sad. I think all that stuff I’m prioritizing more now.
Impact on Career and Personal Life
With a change of physique has come a change of roles, including his more, well, muscular parts as a rebel in the 2022 Star Wars mini-series Obi-Wan Kenobi, strip club pioneer in Welcome to Chippendales (2023), and a Ghostbuster in 2024.In addition to the dramatic roles, Nanjiani has returned to standup comedy-he’s in the midst of a nine-month cross-country run-and is managing a fledgling production company, Winter Coat Films, with his co-founder and wife, the writer-producer Emily Gordon. He has also partnered with the nutrition company Quest.
The way she looks and feels is very different. She saw what I was getting out of it, she got a trainer, and now she does it on her own. She loves it. But beyond that, when you’ve been married 17 years, you change a lot. So much about you changes, obviously. We’ve both changed in so, so many ways. So I think the biggest excitement in being in a relationship this long is how you change and how you change together, right? Because you’re changing as people, so your relationship has to change. There’s never a point where you’re, like, And now the relationship is done. It’s a growing, evolving thing that you need to keep talking about. It’s really about communication. And we just started a production company, so we’re working together more now than we ever have. All this stuff requires constant communication.