I tried Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's insane diet and here's what happened
— -- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is well-known for his bulging biceps and the extreme workouts and meals he shares on social media.
The man behind Johnson's bodybuilding physique is George Farah, the actor's longtime trainer and nutrition guru.
“Good Morning America” paired Farah with Randy Scott, a 35-year-old from West Virginia, to see how the same wellness principles he's created for Johnson would work for Scott.
Here is Scott's experience in his own words.
I have been into fitness and nutrition for quite a while.
I just started getting serious about it three years ago. At first I thought that lifting heavy weights was the only thing that mattered. I experienced a few minor injuries due to this naivety.
I have never been truly overweight but I was definitely unhealthy before. I would go out and drink too much and eat poorly. I was the typical “invincible” 20-something.
Eventually I got back into my wellness and decided to go to the gym. Like I said, I didn’t know what I was doing. I did the typical workouts and saw small changes.
Without the satisfaction of seeing/feeling the change, I quit going for a while.
About three years ago, I decided to get serious. I did the research, started eating correctly and started taking the proper supplements.
When I met George [Farah] he reiterated a lot of things that I had learned about body building. Less focus on the weight and more focus of the concentration of the specific muscle you are working on.
Workouts were definitely not the main focus of our visit though. George is a dietitian and he focuses on the proper foods and supplements needed to help in the development of muscles and your body as a whole.
I was genuinely surprised the first time I saw the meal plan he had set up for me, mostly because of the large amount of carbs involved.
I had been told by many trainers and fitness people to reduce my intake of carbs significantly. George, however, had me eating about 35 ounces of rice a day, as well as sweet potatoes.
What I determined from this was that as long as they are good carbs, the large quantity is okay.
I’m pretty happy with my results in this three week period. I will definitely be continuing a version of this diet after this process is over.
The biggest drawbacks I experienced were the time involved and the price. While celebrities/athletes/etc have personal chefs to take care of meal prep and shopping and other essential time robbers, I unfortunately did not.
My Sundays have vanished into a fitness free-for-all involving shopping, cooking and prepping for the week. I also dedicate at least two hours a day to working out.
The verdict: I will continue to grow and learn more about my nutrition and well-being. I will continue this process with slightly altered food quantities, maybe just smaller portion sizes to reduce cost. Overall, I’m loving the journey and look forward to the results after a couple months ... and for the rest of my life!
Randy's nutrition plan:
The following diet and training plan is recommended by Farah to his clients, and may not follow nutritional advice backed by medical authorities. Experts recommend consulting with a physician before starting any exercise program.
Upon rising 1 cup black coffee + 1 teaspoonful MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil then start cardio for 35 minutes hard core (130-plus heart rate).
Take a shower [then eat your first meal].
Take 5 grams BCAA (Branched-chain amino acid) supplements with each meal.
Meal 1: 7 oz. cod fish, 4 egg whites, 4 oz. oatmeal (measured before you cook). Take a good multivitamin.
Meal 2: 7 oz. chicken breast, 1.5 cups white rice.
Meal 3: 7 oz. Turkey breast, 1 cup white rice.
Meal 4: 7 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup rice.
Meal 5: 9 oz. steak, salad.
Meal 6: 8 egg whites, 1 cup asparagus and any vegetables you like to make a nice omelette.
Exercise: Do 20 minutes of cardio right after your last meal.
Pre-workout: 1 cup coffee, 1 teaspoonful MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil.
Post-workout: 60 grams hydro whey protein, then 25 minutes later drink 20 oz. Gatorade and five grams creatine.
Notes: Measure all fish, chicken, turkey or steak after it’s cooked. Measure oatmeal and potatoes before you cook. Drink plenty of water between meals and sip green tea to help increase your metabolism.
George Farah's exercise and nutrition tips:
I hate to tell people to diet. Instead, I tell them we are going to start living, but the right way. As soon as an individual goes on a diet they won't follow it. Instead, let's change the way we look at food [and] teach people what's good and what's bad. Then they can live a better life.
Train hard, diet hard and stay away from any junk [food] or empty calories food, otherwise it can all go backwards.
For exercise, I recommend 45 minutes with weight and maybe 20 to 40 minutes of cardio, depending on the individual.
