Inside Josh Brolin’s ‘simplified’ diet as a ‘big sugar guy’
Actor Josh Brolin once candidly discussed the exact diet he follows to get back on track with his nutrition after unbalanced, busy periods of work, travel, and promotional commitments.
It’s been a hectic couple of years for the 58-year-old: he starred in the third instalment of the Knives Out series, Wake Up Dead Man; appeared with Glen Powell in The Running Man reboot; Jacob Elordi in The Dog Stars; and voiced General George Washington in the TV series The American Revolution, among other credits.
Brolin’s most recent role is an estranged father in Whalefall, an American survival thriller directed by Brian Duffield. It also features his Weapons co-star Austin Abrams, One Piece’s Emily Rudd, and Shameless star Jane Levy.
The father of four, also lauded for comic book roles including Cable in Deadpool 2 and Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, previously discussed how intensely busy periods can knock him right off his diet.
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Speaking on the Behind the Shield podcast with James Geering, the Academy Award-nominated star discussed how easy it can be for his habits to slip.
He recounted how he once experienced a hectic period, leading to weight gain and discomfort due to poor dietary choices.
Admitting he was a ‘big sugar guy’, the Only the Brave icon finally claimed enough was enough.
“I got p***ed,” he admitted, explaining that he used his total frustration as the ultimate excuse to rethink his approach to nutrition.
The result was a total dietary overhaul: breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all switched up.
To get back in shape, Brolin started every single day with two eggs with avocado. The classic dish would soon be chased with a protein shake, and another later on.
Dinner was kept simple: salad with around 115 to 170g of chicken, depending on the American’s hunger levels.
Despite his adoration for sugary treats, he reportedly cut it out for six weeks.
“I shrank so fast,” he noted, adding that he also felt, moved, and thought better after clearing up his diet, as reported by Men’s Health.
Earlier this year, Charlotte Faure Green, a registered nutritionist, told Hello! that avocado on toast is a ‘nutritionally solid’ breakfast that delivers a myriad of nutrients.
“Avocado delivers monounsaturated fats, fibre, potassium, folate and vitamins E and K, while the olive oil adds anti-inflammatory compounds alongside more healthy fats.”
She recommended that anyone wanting to follow in Brolin’s footsteps choose sprouted grain bread over ‘standard options’, explaining the ‘sprouting process breaks down phytic acid, an antinutrient that would otherwise limit how well the body absorbs minerals like zinc, iron, and magnesium’.
“It also tends to produce a gentler blood sugar response than regular bread, even wholemeal, because sprouting partially breaks down the starch before it ever reaches your digestive system,” the expert added.
Ella Scott