The superhero diet: Sergio's meal plan for Chris Hemsworth

When you’re training to build Thor-worthy muscles, you need to eat well. Working with Chris Hemsworth as he prepared for the back-to-back shoot of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame required matching his meal plan with the physical demands the role would place on his body.

I'm here to give you an insight into that plan so that – with all the nutrition expertise and recipes on Centr behind you – you can put a plan into action for your own goals.

Even if you're in hardcore prep mode like Chris, it’s important to maintain variety in meals so you can get the results you’re after without sacrificing your health, performance or tastebuds. And that’s one thing so many people don’t realize: there are so many more tasty options for eating ‘clean’ than the cliched steamed chicken!

After years of experimenting and refining, here are the guidelines we set for Chris in the lead-up to the epic Avengers shoot.

Every morning, like clockwork

Chris started every day with a large green smoothie, made up of different types of leafy greens, low-glycemic fruits, nuts, seeds, fats and small amounts of sea salt to aid in electrolyte balance, nerve transmission and glucose metabolism. For protein, we used a mix of rice, hemp and pea protein which works well for Chris. If smoothies aren't your style, you can mix it up with these healthy breakfasts.

So much snacking

When Chris is bulking up – his muscles, not his belly – he has to eat a lot. That’s where the snacks come in. If you’re training to build muscle with Centr, you know the importance our team places on snacking.

Follow Chris's lead and stick to wholefoods where possible, such as nuts, eggs and tuna. Our Tofu & Bean Cups and Tuna & Bean Power Bowl recipes make great wholefood snacks.

Making a meal of it

While Chris will eat a bit more red meat than usual when building muscle, it's limited to daylight hours, as red meat requires more energy to digest. The same goes for grains. (Steamed rice is Chris’s favorite.) Chris will, however, enjoy a lamb chop at night if training runs late.

And what about supplements?

We took the 'supplements only where needed' approach, to help Chris get extra calories and the quick nutrition they offer. Before going to sleep, he would have a serving of BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids, which help with energy metabolism and retaining muscle), along with a magnesium/zinc supplement which aids muscle recovery, calms the body and lowers the accumulation of lactic acid in recovery. You'll find expert advice in our recovery supplement guide.

Now that you know why Chris eats the way he does, let’s rip a page out of the Avengers shoot diary to show you what three days on Chris’s plate looks like.

Day 1

8am – Green power shake with protein
10am – Bowl of yogurt with mixed fresh berries, chia seeds, almonds and honey
12pm – Workout
1pm – Post-workout shake consisting of vegetable protein, ice water, BCAAs and 1g of vitamin C
2:30pm – 8 oz grilled chicken with crispy sweet potatoes and a rocket salad with seeds, nuts and salted apple. Lemon and olive oil dressing on the side
5:30pm – 2 rice cakes with Vegemite, tuna and cherry tomatoes
7pm – 8 oz white fish with grilled mushrooms and a raw broccoli salad
9pm – Half of a small paw paw/papaya with yogurt and berries. Magnesium/zinc supplement

Day 2

8am – Green power shake with protein
10am – 3 fried eggs on a slice of wholegrain toast with Vegemite and avocado
12pm – Workout
1pm – Post-workout shake consisting of vegetable protein, ice water, BCAAs and 1g of vitamin C
2:30pm – 8 oz eye fillet (fillet mignon), grilled pumpkin salad with spinach, herbs, cucumber and ½ cup of steamed rice
5:30pm – Chicken and vegetable soup with barley
7pm – 8 oz white fish, leafy green salad with radicchio and balsamic dressing. A side of roasted mixed cruciferous vegetables
9pm – BCAAs with Magnesium/zinc supplement

Day 3

8am – Raw cacao and frozen berry shake with coconut oil, chia seeds, dates and vegetable protein
10am – Savory porridge with olive oil, parmesan and two poached eggs
12pm – Workout
1pm – Post-workout shake
2pm – Sesame chicken salad with leafy greens, sprouts, pickles and ½ cup steamed rice
5pm – A homemade frozen green bar
7pm – 8 oz grilled mahi mahi, grilled asparagus, roasted tomato and a non-dairy Caesar salad
9pm – BCAAs with magnesium/zinc supplement

From the grilled fish to the chicken salad and post-workout smoothies, don't forget you can find great Centr recipes that would slot perfectly into Chris's meal plan – and yours.