How Chris Pratt got in shape for Marvel epics and 'The Tomorrow War'

In the summer of 2021, Chris Pratt starred in a new sci-fi movie, 'The Tomorrow War,' on Amazon Prime. His appearance in the film, as well as in the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' franchise, reminds us of how Pratt has changed in the past years.

Many people have met Chris Pratt thanks to his memorable Star-Lord, protagonist of 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Before being a hyper-muscular superhero, the American actor had already built a spectacular career in film and television for more than 15 years. But he looked quite different then.

Among his great roles is his legendary Andy Dwyer, whom he played for seven seasons on 'Parks and Recreations'. A role for which, due to the requirements of the script, he came to weigh 136 kilos.

"I could have four hamburgers at each script reading. It ended up becoming a kind of game: gaining as much weight in the shortest time as possible," the actor told 'Men's Health.'

With just over 30 years, Chris Pratt reached his maximum weight: 136 kilos, an extreme for someone who measures 6ft2 (191 cm). "I was 31 years old and I was fatigued and emotionally depressed. I had serious health problems and they were affecting me," the actor later confessed.

The point of no return for Chris Pratt came in an audition for 'Moneyball: Breaking the Rules'. During the casting, Chris Pratt was told that he couldn't play a baseball player because he wouldn't be credible with his weight. "It was the first time I heard someone tell me that I was not accepted for a role because I was overweight," Pratt told 'Vanity Fair'.

It was 2010 and Chris Pratt decided to change his habits and put himself in the hands of renowned personal trainer Duffy Gaver and nutritionist Phil Goglia.

The results were spectacular. The actor lost 36 kilos in just over six months, going from 136 to 100 kilos. And best of all, he landed the role of Scott Hatteberg in 'Moneyball: Breaking the Rules' as well as Justin in 'Zero Dark Thirty' by Kathryn Bigelow.

The hardest thing for Chris Pratt during this half year, as he confessed later, was that he "did not taste a drop of beer" all that time. He confessed to be a lover of the drink.

The sacrifice paid off: James Gunn selected Chris Pratt to be the absolute protagonist of a franchise that would change his life (and bank account): 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. In 2014, Chris Pratt got into the skin of the character Peter Quill for the first time.

A decade later, Chris Pratt stands at 200 pounds, bringing the total number of pounds lost since changing his health habits to 46.

Among the habits he maintained, was his complete abstention from alcohol. The actor also began training six days a week, three hours a day. It's a part-time job just for training.

He works with Duffy Gaver who also personally trains muscled stars like Channing Tatum and Scarlett Johansson. In fact, Gaver was the one who modelled Brad Pitt's body for 'Troy' and Tobey Maguire's for 'Spiderman'.

Obviously, this almost daily work of exercise was complemented with a strict diet, managed and controlled by Phil Goglia. In this diet, fried foods, dairy and simple carbohydrates have no place.

Image: Anna Pelzer / Unsplash

In return for those forbidden foods, Chris Pratt began eating proteins (fish, chicken, red meat, and eggs), carbohydrates (brown rice and bread, broccoli, sweet potato, oatmeal, or spinach), and healthy fats (nuts, coconut oil, almonds, salmon and avocados), as 'Men's Health' sums up.

After eight years of hard training, Chris Pratt has managed to shape his body and maintain it without the tough three-hour sessions of yesteryear. "The workouts were short and brutal," his coach tells 'Esquire'.

Among the activities that Duffy Gaver has used with Chris Pratt over the years are Crossfit (explosive exercises), the Tabata Method (short maximum intensity routines), running, boxing, swimming and kickboxing. A real struggle, but as you can see, it works.

Chris Pratt's personal trainer remembers his first workouts with the actor. "Marvel hires people for years and years, so they want very dedicated and disciplined people." The relationship with their personal trainer is a long-term commitment. "The people who call me to train have already passed a litmus test to get where they are," Gaver adds. He did not hesitate to accept the challenge and work with Chris Pratt.

Almost a decade later, Duffy Gaver's project of Chris Pratt's bodybuilding has helped him become a Marvel superstar. Beyond the physical, however, Chris Pratt's acting talent is the more important factor for his success. More or fewer pounds, in the end it does not matter.

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