Zac Efron ‘Didn’t Feel Alive’ When He Stopped Working Out During COVID
Zac Efron has become a Hollywood mainstay. The High School Musical alum has successfully transitioned from child star to Emmy-winning actor. But when future historians study Efron, they’ll likely note his traditional good looks and muscular build. He was cast in the Baywatch remake for a reason: He has the perfect beach bod. Or at least Efron did before quitting his workout routine during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The actor is famous for his fit physique
Zac Efron was everyone’s teen crush when he appeared in High School Musical in 2007. He was cute and talented — so talented he landed role after role in all kinds of projects. Efron has the right stuff for comedy, romance, and anything in between.
Efron landed his role in 2017’s Baywatch almost a decade after his breakout in HSM.
With Baywatch, Efron proved he had developed beyond a cute heartthrob. He was shredded. But his muscular body didn’t come easy. He had to work hard to get into Baywatch shape. Efron’s fitness routine included a strict diet — no carbs or sugar. He even tried a vegan diet to get his body in tip-top shape.
Now, Efron is trying to relax a bit. He noticed the toll that working out and constantly focusing on food was taking on his mental health. So the actor decided he’d rather be healthy and happy than totally ripped.
Zac Efron stopped working out during the lockdown
The pandemic had a huge impact on Zac Efron’s lifestyle. It was part of the reason he decided to stop concentrating so much on his body. During the lockdown, the Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile actor had time to think about his lifestyle, and he realized he didn’t like it. That led to a major change in his mindset, which led to a change in his body.
He realized he didn’t have to work out all the time. Efron has been in the public eye since he was a teen, nearly half of the now-34-year-old’s life. For the first time, he didn’t have to obsess about how he looked. Efron put the kibosh on his demanding workout routine. But that change swung too far in the other direction.
Efron realized he needed to work out to feel good.
“What if I just say, ‘F*** it,’ and let myself go? So I tried it, and I was successful,” he told Men’s Health in a recent interview. “And for all the reasons I thought it would be incredible, I was just miserable. My body would not feel healthy; I just didn’t feel alive. I felt bogged down and slow.”
What is Zac Efron’s workout routine now?
Zac Efron has since found a balance in his fitness routine. He’s not going back to his Baywatch regimen anytime soon. But the actor still works out to stay healthy — mentally and physically. And he still goes hard. That’s part of his personality. The Greatest Showman actor is used to driving himself to the max, so if he’s not going all in, he doesn’t feel like himself.
“I enjoy pushing myself and really laying it all out, to the point where I kind of have to do it. Otherwise, I don’t feel like myself,” he told Men’s Health.
The difference between Efron’s Baywatch training and his current routine centers on his diet. The Down to Earth With Zac Efron star doesn’t diet anymore. No more vegan, no more counting carbs and sugars. He wants to enjoy himself.
