Mark Wahlberg found it “really difficult” to get back in shape after gaining 30 pounds for his new movie.
Mark Wahlberg found it hard to shift 30 pounds
The ‘Father Stu’ star admitted his age makes it “easier” to maintain his impressive physique rather than regain it after he piled on the pounds to play a priest who used to be a boxer.
Appearing on the 'Kyle and Jackie O Show', the 50-year-old actor said: “I would say it’s easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape. I put on 30 pounds… that was difficult. I’m not getting younger.”
Last summer, Mark revealed there was a period where he had to eat 11,000 calories a day to put on weight for the role.
He explained: "Unfortunately, I had to consume, for two weeks, 7,000 calories, and then for another two weeks, 11,000 calories. It’s such a hard, physical thing to do. Losing weight, you just kind of tough it out, you just don’t eat, and exercise.
"And this, even when you’re full, I would wake up after a meal and have another meal. I was eating every three hours. It was not fun."
The movie - which is directed by Rosalind Ross and due out in April - is based on a true story of Father Stuart Long who after retiring from boxing became a man of the cloth.
The project - which has been in development since 2006 - is the fourth collaboration between Mark and David O. Russell after they made ‘Three Kings’, ‘The Fighter' and ‘I Heart Huckabees’.
The ‘Ted’ star has previously praised Stuart’s ability to “inspire thousands of people” despite battling through many adversities.
He said: "He was a very tough guy who was a fighter, a football player…anything but a spiritual guy. He found his calling, and decided, after falling in love with a woman, that he wanted to become a priest.
"He suffered from this horrible muscular degenerative disease but was still ordained as a priest and passed away, but not before he was able to inspire thousands upon thousands of people."
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