Daniel Craig is one of the most recognized celebrities of our time. The blue-eyed, ruggedly handsome Brit achieved international fame with his portrayal of spy James Bond.
Craig showed interest in theater at an early age. He first appeared in a school production at the age of six. At 16, Daniel dropped out of school to pursue acting.
Daniel Craig was accepted by the National Youth Theatre in 1984. He made his debut in the company’s London staging of William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida and later toured Spain and Russia in other productions.
There have been 25 James Bond movies to date, but no other actor has pulled the role of the calm, strong, and serious intelligence officer better than Daniel Craig. For someone who flunked the eleventh standard once, it is a feat in itself.
Daniel Craig is arguably the fittest James Bond to date. He looks like he has the skillset and mental fortitude to own a license to kill. Craig makes all his predecessors look like they were working desk jobs. His no-nonsense badass looks in the Bond movies have catapulted his popularity to an all-time high.
Daniel Craig Stats
| Full Name: Daniel Wroughton Craig | ||
| Nickname | Weight | Height |
| James Bond, 007 | 172lbs (78kg) | 5’10” (177cm) |
| Age | Date of Birth | Birthplace |
| 55 years | 2 March 1968 | Chester, Cheshire, England |
| Biceps | Chest | Waist |
| 16 Inches | 47 Inches | 31 Inches |
Daniel Craig James Bond Diet Plan
For someone in his 50s, a physique transformation is no easy task. Daniel Craig had to get in the best shape of life for the James Bond flicks. To look like a super spy, Craig had to lose body fat while putting on muscle mass.
Daniel turns around his lifestyle while he is working on the Bond movies. He gives up smoking and limits alcohol consumption to twice a week to get in shape to play an intelligence officer in the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).
Related: Cutting Workout Plan – Your Guide to Losing Fat and Maintaining Muscle
Daniel Craig Diet Principles
1. Limit Your Carb Intake
Craig had to shed some kilos for his role in Cowboys and Aliens. When he started training for Happy and Glorious and Skyfall, Craig ramped up his carb intake to fasten up the gaining process.
However, Daniel Craig maintained a balanced diet to ensure he was not gaining unwanted body fat. According to studies, you need 15-16 calories per pound of bodyweight to build and maintain muscle mass. Craig was consuming 2880 calories every day while filming for the Bond movies.
Upping your carb intake can also help produce more energy for your workouts which, in turn, can assist in sleeping well at night.
Check Out: TDEE Calculator: Calculate Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
2. Load Up on Protein
It is no secret that protein is the building block of muscles. To build quality muscle, Craig increased his protein intake. The Bond star consumed protein in the form of meat and protein shakes.
Along with helping him build muscle mass, the protein-rich diet ensured he was satiated throughout the day. Daniel Craig ate 144 grams of protein every day while filming the James Bond movies.
A portion of each of his meals consisted of:
- Protein: 50%
- Healthy Fats: 30%
- Carbohydrates: 20%
Protein Calculator: Find Your Daily Protein Intake
3. Supplements
Daniel Craig used supplements to shorten his transformation curve. He loaded up on the following sports supplements:
Daniel Craig James Bond Diet Program
Fueling your body with high-quality nutrients is a must if you want to look like Daniel Craig in the Bond movies. To get in shape, he ate 5-6 small meals throughout the day, and cut out all processed food from his diet.
Here is the diet Craig followed:
Meal 1 – Breakfast
Eggs and Toast
The Bond star eats two eggs with two slices of toast for breakfast. To keep his calorie intake under control, Daniel Craig eats poached eggs. He prefers whole wheat bread over white bread.
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Meal 2 – Snack
Protein Shake
Daniel Craig has a protein shake post-workout. He sometimes spices (or rather sweetens) things up by adding fruit to his shake for vitamins, minerals, and a taste boost.
Fruits and Nuts
Fruits and nuts are some of the best sources of carbs and healthy fats, respectively. His favorite nuts (almond and walnuts) deliver a healthy dose of essential fats and nutrients.
Must Read: Healthy Fats: The 7 Functional Fatty Foods You Can Eat For Fat Loss
Meal 3 – Lunch
Meat
For lunch, Daniel Craig chooses between poultry (chicken breast and eggs), or red meat based on what he is feeling that day.
Fish
Daniel Craig loves salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines, and tuna. Fish is rich in omega 3, a low-calorie, high-quality source of protein that can fit most transformation programs.
Brown Rice
With an active schedule like his, James Bond cannot do without a quality carb source at lunch. Craig prefers brown rice over white. Not only can brown rice improve digestion, but it also helps him lower his cholesterol levels and prevents blood clotting.
Baked Potato
Baked potatoes are an incredibly convenient source of carbs. Sometimes Dan completely cuts out carbs, and other times he has baked potato with the skin on.
Meal 4 – Snack
Protein Shake
As per his nutrition plan, each of his snacks needs to have a high-protein food item. Meaning – Another protein shake.
Yogurt with Nuts
Yogurt serves as a probiotic that is great for gut health. You cannot go wrong with some healthy fats with your yogurt.
Check Out: 10 Best Probiotic Supplements For Men And Women In 2021
Meal 5 – Dinner
Meat
Daniel Craig eats meat twice a day to ensure that he is meeting his daily protein requirement. He usually has grilled chicken for dinner.
Fish
Some days, Craig switches grilled chicken with grilled fish to add variety to his meals.
Leafy Green Vegetables
When you were younger, your mom probably had you eating veggies because of its health benefits. Who are we (or even James Bond, for that matter) to contradict your mom?
Daniel Craig James Bond Workout Program
While prepping for his first James Bond movie (Casino Royale), Daniel Craig turned to Simon Waterson for help. Waterson is no ordinary personal trainer. The strength and conditioning coach spent seven years with the Royal Marines before retiring and working with many celebrities.
James Bond Trivia: Simon Waterson has 22 years of experience working with different James Bond actors.
For Craig’s James Bond look, Waterson focused on crafting a physique that is not too intimidating. On top of that, Dan also had his own vision of how he wanted Bond to evolve, both mentally and physically. Their ideas, put together, developed the character’s physicality.
Daniel Craig Training Routine
“The workouts were a blend of powerlifting, with a lot of compound exercises thrown in. This allows you to work out extremely hard with heavy weights, and because it’s so intense the heart rate is elevated. Therefore, you are working not only on the development of nice lean muscle tissue, but you’re also getting a bit of cardio as well and keeping your body fat down,” Waterson told GQ in an interview when quizzed about Craig’s workouts for Casino Royale.
Here is the training routine Daniel Craig follows to get in shape for his James Bond movies:
Monday: Full-Body Power Circuit
1. Clean and Press: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
2. Weighted Knee: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
3. Weighted Step-Up: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
4. Pull-Up: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
5. Incline Push-Up: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
6. Tricep Dips: 3 sets of 10 reps, 60-second rest
According to sources, Daniel Craig trained 45 minutes a day, five days a week, with “active rest” days at the weekend. If a super-spy cum A-list actor can find 45 minutes every day to work on his physique, we are sure you can make the time too.
You will be performing full-body circuits on the first and last training days of the Daniel Craig James Bond workout program. They are an incredibly effective way of burning off excess body fat and developing muscle conditioning.
If the bodyweight exercises feel too easy, add resistance by using weight plates. You are allowed a 60-second rest only after completing a circuit of the six exercises. As you get stronger, use heavier resistance to make the circuits harder.
Tuesday: Chest and Back
1. Incline Bench Press: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
2. Pull-Up: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
3. Incline Push-Up: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
4. Incline Pec Fly: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
While the first day of the training program features a little bit of everything, you will be focusing on the upper body in the second session to sculpt a strong back and broad chest.
The Daniel Craig workout is all about developing a balanced physique. Since upper pecs are a stubborn muscle group for most people, you will primarily focus on them in this training session.
You will be performing four sets of four exercises in this training program so make sure you are giving it all you have got. Dan keeps the rest time between his sets short. It keeps his heart rate elevated and helps him burn more calories during his workouts.
Wednesday: Legs
1. Squat: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-2 minute rest
2. Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-2 minute rest
3. Hamstring Curl: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
4. Weighted Lunges: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
Although Craig lifted heavy, he did not compromise on his form. Make sure you are not just going through the movements for the sake of it. To achieve optimal muscle fiber recruitment, flex your muscles with every rep and follow a full range of motion.
Many lifters make the mistake of sacrificing their mind-muscle connection in favor of lifting heavy. If your goal is to build muscle mass, drop your ego at the front door, work with weights you can control, and focus on maximal muscle stimulation.
In the leg workout, you are at liberty of longer rest durations between sets, so enjoy it while you can.
Related: How Long Should You Rest Between Sets?
Thursday: Shoulders and Arms
1. Incline Bicep Curl: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
2. Tricep Dips: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
3. Lateral Raise: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
4. Shoulder Press: 4 sets of 10 reps, 1-minute rest
Dan performs one set of biceps and triceps each and two sets of shoulders for his third workout of the week. He keeps the intensity of his workouts high by restricting his rest durations to less than 60-seconds.
During his transformation, Daniel Craig came to be known for his never-give-up approach to training. On being asked about Craig’s commitment in the gym, Waterson replied, “Luckily Dan was not shirking when it came to hard work, so I devised a program that had diversity and would suit the role of Bond, pushing him to his limits and beyond.”
Friday: Full-Body Power Circuit
1. Clean and Press: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
2. Weighted Knee: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
3. Weighted Step-Up: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
4. Pull-Up: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
5. Incline Push-Up: 3 sets of 10 reps, no rest
6. Tricep Dips: 3 sets of 10 reps, 60-second rest
This is the second full-body circuit workout of the week. As you gain experience, scrap the rep structure of the workouts and train until you hit muscle failure.
Saturday and Sunday: Stretching and Light Cardio
There are no Netflix and chill days on the Daniel Craig transformation workout program. You will be doing light cardio and a lot of stretching on the weekends to fast-track your muscle recovery.
Dan reserves his “cheat meal” for Saturdays. It helps him retain focus and consistency and improves his metabolic rate. A cardio session after a cheat day also helps him burn off the extra calories.
Conclusion
Daniel Craig’s workout and diet program are great for people with tight schedules. The James Bond transformation program will help you build an A-lister physique without having to spend more than 45-minutes a day inside the iron paradise.
In the Bond movies, Craig has visible abs, a clean line down his chest, and a very defined jawline. These three traits indicate that Dan’s body fat percentage is around 10%. 10% body fat and solid muscle development might not get you the license to kill but it will surely blow people away.
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