Johnny Harris underwent a significant weight loss of 27 pounds to prepare for a role that required him to look lean and wiry but strong. The actor had eight weeks to build muscle as well as slim down to look the part. Johnny Harris revamped his diet, did weight training intensely, and embarked on his journey of weight loss and building muscles.
Johnny Harris is a very incredible actor and screenwriter, one of the best in England. He had his breakthrough role in the feature film London to Brighton, which was voted into Time Out Magazine’s 100 Greatest British Films of All Time. He was later cast in the cult television series This Is England ’86 in the role of Lol‘s abusive father Mick Jenkins. He was nominated for both the BAFTA TV Award and the Royal Television Society Award for his performance in the movie.
He was recently seen in a production of Great Expectations, looking very different than people were used to because he lost weight and built muscles for the role he played. He had to look skinny but strong and he looked that way every bit. Let’s learn about Johnny Harris’ weight loss for the movie!
Previously, we touched on the weight loss stories of Monica Lewinsky and Gavin Plumb.
Johnny Harris’ Weight Loss For Great Expectations; He Shed 27 Pounds!
Johnny Harris (@johnnyharris) embarked on a weight loss journey in preparation for a role in the BBC adaptation of Great Expectations and came out 27 pounds lighter than before.
Johnny Harris had a weight loss of 27 pounds for his role in Great Expectations.
Image Source: Men’s Health
Harris has always been a very dedicated actor very sincere to his craft, so it was a big deal when he landed a role in the FX and BBC adaptation of Great Expectations. He was delighted about the project but he was also looking at a hardcore physical transformation because the role he landed was of Magwitch who was a convict, a fugitive on the run, and was often hungry and malnourished. To look the part, he had to put a lot of effort into weight loss as he had put on a lot of weight for a previous project.
The way Johnny Harris looked at the time when he got the acting role, it was very obvious that he had to do complete retooling of the body to portray the physicality of the character who, according to him, should be lean and wiry but strong. He wanted to properly create the physical look of someone who had a lot of strength and willpower but was often starving. He only had 8 weeks to prepare for the role but he pulled off the dramatic weight loss in time to look the part.
Johnny Harris had to lose over 22 pounds (10 kgs) of body fat over those eight weeks while also adding muscle to achieve the physical look he had in mind for the character he was playing. So, he enlisted the help of Gary Murphy who he worked with at Ultimate Performance in London and who made a program for his weight loss and muscle-building.
Johnny Harris’ Diet Plan and Exercise Routine For Weight Loss!
First, they focused on building muscle because as the trainer explained, people first lose body fat from the top half of their bodies meaning the shoulders, the collarbone area, and the top of the pecs, and Johnny Harris had to combat the weight loss for muscles. The actor worked on his upper chest and deltoids. He did heavy pressing movements and when fatigue set in, isolation movements. He trained intensely.
I was working out daily: three, one-hour sessions in the gym with weights per week, and cardio, mostly treadmill, on the four other days. I’d burn between 300 and 500 Kcal per session, and also use those days for stretching and recovery.
Johnny Harris changed his diet and did weight training to lose weight.
Image Source: The Guardian
He continued weight training even after the filming started. Not just that, he also overhauled his diet because he was not just to build muscles, but he had to slim down as well. He was not too thrilled about the weight loss aspect of the role because he had a really sweet tooth and he didn’t want to cut back on the desserts. But he did it for the role. He also did calorie counting to have more balanced and nutritious meals. Johnny Harris said,
I also used an app to log my food, which shows you how many calories you’re eating, and also breaks food down into protein, fats and carbohydrates. It’s a great way to simply and quickly learn which meals are balanced and nutritious, and which aren’t. I naturally discovered meals that I really enjoyed eating that were also within my daily calorie allowance. For example: Breakfast would be a smashed avocado on sourdough toast, with poached eggs and grilled bacon. In the evenings, I’d make a nice snack like smoked salmon on wholemeal toast, with lime juice and chili flakes. To be honest, I don’t feel like I’ve been denied food at all. I just became much more mindful of what I was eating. If anything, it’s made me really appreciate good food a lot more.
After all the efforts, Johnny Harris successfully cut his body fat to 11.9% from 26.9% and underwent a weight loss of 27 pounds (12.3 kg). His waistline decreased by 18 cm (7.08 inches) and his lean body mass also increased. He looked perfect for the role and he played it to perfection as well.
