Alan Ritchson says every day can be a ‘cheat day’ for him because he works out

Alan Ritchson has opened up about how every day is a “cheat day for him” as he’s been training almost every day for 20 years.

The Reacher star, who racked up 30 pounds of muscle to play Jack Reacher on the Amazon series, detailed his fitness routine during his recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.

Ritchson, 40, stunned Eisen, 53, when he shared he regularly ate ice cream and pizza, insisting he didn’t follow a restrictive diet or workout grueling workouts to maintain his washboard abs.

“If your lifestyle is all about health and fitness, every day can be a cheat day. It’s about temperance. It’s moderation throughout the day. You don’t need to go on this calorie deficit spree and punish yourself in the gym,” he said.

Actor bulked up 30 pounds to play Jack Reacher on the Amazon Reacher series

“I train 30-45 minutes a day. I get it, take a little pump, [and then] I could have a slice of pizza for lunch because I’m craving it and I’ve earned it.

Ritchson noted that he had just eaten a “giant” ice cream sundae at Craig’s restaurant in Los Angeles while having dinner with his agents the night before.

“We were hanging out. I have an ice cream. So what?’ he said. “I’m going to get through this today because I know every day I’m going to do something.”

Eisen couldn’t help but point out that he also had Craig’s sundae and didn’t look like Ritchson.

‘Seriously, just a 30 [to] 45 minute workout?’ asked the host.

“Yeah, but I’ve been doing this for decades,” Ritchson explained, saying he’s been working out at least 30 minutes almost every day for 20 years.

“If you have a weight problem or you don’t have abs after 20, five days a week, come talk to me,” he said. “You need to see a geneticist or something.”

The 6-foot-3 actor also opened up about how he had to pack 30 pounds of muscle to start in Reacher, the TV adaptation of Lee Childs’ book series.

Ritchson stunned the host when he shared that he regularly ate ice cream and pizza, insisting he didn’t follow a restrictive diet or do grueling workouts to maintain his abs.

Ritchson explained that he’s able to indulge because he’s been training for at least 30 minutes almost every day for 20 years.

‘I was 205 [pounds] when I was chosen,” he recalls. “I was skinny, skinny. I thought I was tall. I always played superheroes. I look at these pictures now and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I look like a kid, like a marathon runner.’

Ritchson said the studio required him to weigh at least 235 pounds when he showed up on set to begin filming the show’s first season in 2021.

“I had eight months to do it. I built a gym in my house and worked my ass off,’ he explained. “You can’t believe how hard I worked every day, like my life depended on it.”

The Fast X star logged in for an hour or two in his home gym a day and constantly ate to put on 30 pounds of muscle.

“And I did it without any help – no steroids, no testosterone, nothing,” he added. ‘Just hard work. But it also killed me.

Ritchson broke his AC joint in his shoulder and required surgery after filming. He also tore an oblique during a fight scene.

He previously explained how he was given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to get through the season, which he says lowered his testosterone levels.

“I’m done with the season. I’m super tired. Things aren’t working on my body. I can’t breathe. I’m like, ‘I don’t know what’s going on. I train all the time. I should feel better,” he recalls.

“If you have a weight problem or you don’t have abs after 20, five days a week, come talk to me,” he said.

Ritchson recalled that he weighed 205 pounds when he was cast as Reacher. He had eight months to build up 30 pounds of muscle before filming. He is pictured in August 2020 (L) and September 2022 (R)

The Fast X star logged in for an hour or two in his home gym a day and constantly ate to put on 30 pounds of muscle, but he admitted it “killed him”.

Ritchson’s candid chat about her diet and workout regimen comes just as it’s been revealed that Jennifer Aniston likes to enjoy a dirty martini or tequila on her cheating days

Ritchson went to the doctor and did a blood panel. When the results came back, his doctor told him he had “no testosterone.”

“I was like, ‘Okay, I guess I beat myself up,'” he joked. “So we started testosterone. It was like, Oh my God, a new me. Since then, it has made my job easier. There will be less tearing because I don’t have to do what I did to replicate [my training for Reacher] Again.’

“I never took testosterone until well after the first season,” he added. “It is possible to do it by yourself.”

Ritchson’s candid chat about her diet and workout regimen comes just as it was revealed that Jennifer Aniston likes to enjoy a dirty martini or tequila on her cheating days.

Aniston, 54, is committed to a healthy lifestyle and a diet high in protein and low in carbs and sugar.

She also trains five days a week and is a fan of Pvolve, an exercise program that combines functional movements with resistance-based equipment.

“Jen’s meals are high in protein with a good amount of carbs and she also indulges in treats and cheat days,” a source said. We Weekly. “If she wants to enjoy a dirty martini or a tequila, she’ll splurge. It’s no big deal.’