When Brie Larson was chosen to play Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she knew it was time for a change. Playing a superhero character, arguably one of the most important in the Marvel comics and universe is not an easy task. So, that is how Brie Larson’s weight loss journey begins.
The American actress knew it was time to get into a superhero physique for the movie. She underwent a rigorous workout regime and diet. And if you ask her, she would say, “It’s an incredible experience to realize what’s inside of you is well beyond what you knew was possible”.
Her movie might not have gotten much critical acclaim, but fans still marvel at how she was able to transform her body for the movie.
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Get To Know Brie
Born Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers in October 1989 in Sacramento, California, Brie is an American actress, filmmaker, and musician. Famous for her versatile performance, she has even won an Academy Award for her performance in the movie Room. In that movie, she portrayed Joy Ma Newsome. It was before her appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Born in Sacramento, she grew up in Los Angeles with her younger sister Milaine. When she was a young child, her parents got a divorce and she continued living with her mother Heather. Her mother worked as a homeopathic chiropractor, while her father was a homeopathic consultant.
Homeschooled, she developed a passion for acting at a young age. As a young child, Brie began appearing in local theater productions.
While she was homeschooled for most of her childhood, she would later attend the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco where she studied acting. At the same time, she pursued her passion for music, learning to play the guitar and keyboard.
Despite her early success in the entertainment industry, Larson continued her education. She enrolled at the University of California, studying filmmaking and women’s studies.
Her career took off in the late 1990s and early 2000s, appearing in television series and movies like Touched by an Angel, Raising Dad, and Hope and Faith.
Her first big break came in the movie Short Term 12. And then, in 2015, she appeared in the critically acclaimed movie Room. Her feature film directing debut, The Arm, received a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
But while those movies made her famous in the US, it was Captain Marvel that propelled her to international fame. In 2019, she entered the MCU Universe portraying Carol Danvers. She reprised her role in Avengers: End Game and is scheduled to appear in the movie The Marvels next.
Over the years, Larson has showcased her versatility as an actress, appearing in different genres like drama, science fiction, comedy, and so on.
Why Did She Lose Weight?
As we said before, Brie had to up her fitness game for the role of Captain Marvel. At the time, she was in her early 30s. But once she was cast to play the movie, she went from being “unable to walk up a hill without being out of breath” to being able to do 400 lbs hip thrusts as part of her training.
Speaking about her weight loss journey, the American actress said, “So, I started this journey thinking I’ll get strong and I had no idea. I went far beyond what I ever believed was possible for my body”.
In the same interview, she talked about some of her achievements during the workout plan. For example, the Marvel star said, “Being able to hip thrust 400 pounds, deadlift 200 pounds, push my trainer’s Jeep, I mean, it’s an incredible experience to realize what’s inside of you is well beyond what you knew was possible”.
Before she got the role of Carol Danvers and joined the Marvel Universe, the American actress was not a fan of the gym.
She says, “I affectionately called myself an introvert with asthma before I got to play Carol Danvers and I started training first out of sheer panic. It was a game changer. That’s part of why it’s no surprise to me that this character has been able to reverberate outward because she first and foremost changed my list. So it makes sense to me that she could change other lives too”.
For her journey, she trusted celebrity trainer Jason Walsh, and soon became “kind of obsessed with her fitness routine”. If you scroll through her social media account, you can easily see why. Brie posts almost weekly about her fitness routine. She is now preparing for the movie The Marvels, another one where her character has to look strong and empowered.
As for her motivation, she says, “When people say like, Oh girls can’t do that, it just makes me wanna do it even more. So there were huge accomplishments this time and I just feel like my body’s just getting more and more used to this sand more and more excited. In the first film, she’s developing that strength, and so I was developing my own personal strength with this one”.
Speaking of her character, Brie says, “She’s already got more mastery over her powers. She can fly now. And so having my body more limber, more ready for these types of movements like wirework, which I didn’t have to do as much on the first one, was the main goal”.
Brie Larson Weight Loss Journey
Brie continues to exercise, knowing that being part of the MCU is a privilege not many can experience. So, in February 2022, she posted a video on her YouTube channel, talking about her 2022 fitness goals. As many fans knew, she was getting ready for The Marvels movie.
In the video, the Captain Marvel actress said, “I’ve put on my calendar every day to train…but something always happens”.
Then, she continued sharing her pre-workout stretch and warm-up, including a lot of yoga moves and jumping jacks.
Brie continued to work with personal trainer Jason Walsh, who is also the go-to trainer of Irina Shayk, Alison Brie, and many more celebrities.
Brie Larson Weight Loss Diet
Brie knew that getting in shape is more than just working out in the gym. So, she hired nutritionist Dr. Philip Goglia, who helped her balance her diet.
And his secret for more intense workouts? Starting the morning with a teaspoon of almond butter and all-fruit jam or preserves. He says, “The most recent science has shown that a little bit of fat and a little bit of simple sugar will actually increase intensity rate while you train early in the morning, and allow you to still continue to train and burn fat. That really does start your engine for you”.
As part of the Brie Larson weight loss journey, the American actress reduced her body fat. It was a major part of achieving the superhero physique. Her diet was strictly monitored, counting even the last of the calories she consumed.
Brie and Dr. Philip Goglia followed the concept of a bridge meal, emphasizing in-between snacks, mainly nuts or vegetables. The purpose of this meal is to have snacks that will bridge your metabolism between lunch and dinner. This way, you do not crave carbs, yet, remain satiated.
Her breakfast included protein powder blended with water, fresh fruit, almond butter, and ice. It was a combination that helped her get through the intense workout sessions. Brie took protein shakes only for her breakfast, boosting her energy levels in the morning.
For lunch, she opted for highly nutritious and wholesome foods. During shooting for Captain Marvel, she actually had to consume a heavy lunch to gain solid muscles. That included chicken or grilled salmon along with fresh fruits and vegetables.
As for dinner, she would sometimes indulge in heavy-carb meals. For example, the famous actress would have pasta or lasagna. But she did maintain proper control over the diet to make sure carbs do not transform into fat.
The major goal was to gain solid muscle. Because of her rigorous workout routine, Brie constantly torched through her calories. Diet was important so that she would not get dangerously thin instead of fit.
She also drank lots of water, between 100 and 130 oz per day.
Brie Larson Weight Loss Workout Routine
We touched a bit on Brie Larson’s workout routine before, but let’s get to the nitty-gritty. For her workout routine, she would do fighting choreography training. This helped her master and be able to complete major sequences of the movie.
For her strength, she embraced weight training with an open mind. Weights helped her define her muscles and boost her body strength.
Some of her favorite exercises include barbell hip thrusts, deadlifts, weighted walking lunges, and more. That helped Brie build solid muscles easily.
And to top it all, her personal trainer included resistance training to increase the challenge. She would often train with resistance bands or add weight to simple exercises, helping her build endurance and body strength. And that is how you get to superhero shape.
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