Zac Efron says getting shredded for the Baywatch movie was ‘unrealistic’

Getting in shape for the Baywatch movie took its toll on Zac Efron

Efron was in serious shape for the big screen and got down to single digit body fat. In the film, he faces off against Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in a series of physical challenges such as tyre flips, yoke walks and pull-ups. Anyone going toe-to-toe with the former WWE Champion needs to be at their physical best, but when reflecting on the process of undergoing a movie star transformation, Efron says he wouldn't recommend it to most people. Speaking on The Ellen Show, the former Disney star said: "For guys, that's unrealistic. I'm telling you. I got very big and buff for that movie, but I don't want people to think that's the best way to be. Like, be your size." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzs4TLZySnQ Efron has previously shared some of the meals his regime had him eat on his Instagram account. https://www.instagram.com/p/BEd3wCQG8zU High protein and low carbohydrate seems the order of the day with these prepped meals. While this diet plan got Efron seriously ripped, it may not be the most sustainable style of eating. Your brain's main source of fuel is glucose, which is obtained from carb-rich foods. Of course, losing weight means you might have to lower your carb levels somewhat, but to go completely without is largely unnecessary for most people and something only top-level bodybuilders will encounter. For a bodybuilder or film star, your body essentially earns you money. If you don't fall into this category, you don't have to be so hard on yourself. Just focus on the following:

• A sustainable, calorie-controlled diet: instead of cutting out entire food groups, reduce portion sizes and snacks
• A varied weight-training programme: focussing mainly on compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts and more. These lifts work more than one muscle at once, burn a high amount of calories and also improve your mobility and coordination

When you try and pair intense training with a low-carb diet, it's a recipe for burnout. On this topic, Efron said "I don't want to glamourise this". Read more from JOE:

• What happens when you drink beer before a workout?
• Vegan diets miss out on essential nutrients that red meat provides, scientist says
• How to train if you can only get to the gym twice a week
• From muscle building to a brain booster: five surprising benefits of dark chocolate
• What to eat at Nando's, Wagamama and Toby Carvery if you're trying to lose weight
• If you're a runner, this is how you should train legs at the gym
• Driving to work increases the risk of an early death by 32%
• Nutritionist explains how to 'Marie Kondo' your diet to lose weight
• Larry Wheels is at it again, making 105 kg dumbbells look like peanuts