BRIDGERTON’S Luke Newton has revealed the diet and fitness routine behind his jaw dropping season three transformation – from evening runs to crumble and wine before sex scenes.
There certainly looks to be some skin on show in the second instalment of the Regency saga, with Colin and Penelope steaming up screens in a whopping six-minute romp.
The show’s raunchiest sex scene shows Colin undressing his beloved before a mirror and viewers are granted a glimpse of Nicola Coughlan‘s voluptuous figure and Luke’s chiselled arms and chest.
The 31-year-old heartthrob underwent quite the transformation between seasons two and three, with Luke’s chiselled jaw and newly muscular physique becoming the talk of the ‘ton’ since preview pics of the series dropped.
In a recent interview with Men’s Health, the actor shared that his physical transformation is meant to reflect Colin Bridgerton‘s travels and personal evolution.
“When we were shooting season two, I would eat anything,” Luke told the mag in an interview posted to YouTube, helping himself to biscuits, cake and scones on set.
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“We’d just come out of lockdown, so it was a different time. I also felt it was appropriate to the character – he’s a big foodie, I always refer to him as a hungry boy.”
But once Luke got the call that he’d be a main player of the latest season, he decided to switch up his lifestyle to feel fit and healthy.
The actor took cues from a line in the script, where Benedict tells Colin: “Under what foreign sun did you apparently get so sturdy?”
It got him thinking that Colin’s appearance had obviously changed since he was last seen on the show, so his decided to kick things up a notch when it came to his eating and fitness habits.
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“From there I relished the challenge and enjoyed that whole process,” Luke said.
MEALS
Luke employed a few different tactics for switching up his diet before and while filming season three.
1. Meal prep
Luke didn’t want to just go down the “boring” chicken, broccoli and rice route in order to eat healthy and get lean.
Instead, he started ordering dishes from meal prep companies, realising he could still eat a decent variety of foods.
“I would have chicken, rice and broccoli, but there would be some nice sauce,” the actor said.
Luke never skimped on making his healthy meals taste good, he added.
He’d have avocado most days, as well as eggs and lots of meat.
2. Intermittent fasting
Luke started intermittent fasting, delaying eating his first meal of the day until lunchtime.
The practice is a way of keeping the number of calories you eat daily in check.
According to Harvard Health, intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal so that it begins burning fat.
Most people won’t do this every day, switching between fasting and eating on a regular schedule.
3. Cutting down on snacks
Luke said he “dropped out” snacks while preparing for season three of the Regency saga.
“Snacks are just never going to help,” he said.
He suggested filling up on your meals and “letting your body recover” after them.
A typical day of eating for Luke while on set for consisted of:
- A protein shake with banana
- Meal-prepped meat and vegetables with a small amount of carbohydrates, eg. rice, potatoes or pasta
“Don’t deprive yourself of pasta, it’s too good,” Luke said.
The star shared that he paid attention to the size of his portions, avoiding having seconds or indulging in desserts.
4. ‘Smashing a crumble’
However, Luke would occasionally succumb to his “weakness” of having a crumble, he revealed.
He confessed to allowing himself the treat before a steamy sex scene.
“Before an intimacy scene, that night I could smash a crumble or a cinnamon social,” Luke said.
“I really tried to keep a good balance so that it didn’t make those long weeks of dieting and training really difficult.”
TRAINING
Meals weren’t the only building block behind the actor’s newly hunky physique, as Luke set about working out consistently.
1. Cardio kick
Finding it impossible to get out bed at the crack of dawn before filming, Luke would opt to work out in the evenings after shooting.
“I would always start with a run, which I’m told is probably not the best way to train if you’re going to do weight training afterwards, but I felt it just really woke my body up,” he said.
Luke said he’d do five kilometres pretty much every day, alternating between running and walking for each kilometre.
2. Weight training
After getting his cardio in, Luke then moved on to weight training, mainly focusing on his upper body.
The actor shared he’s been getting more leg days in since finishing filming.
Keeping fit hasn’t been to hard for him since wrapping up Bridgerton season three, but he revealed that his strict diet was harder to stick to.
“I love my food, I love a binge,” he admitted.
How to get arms like Colin Bridgerton
RETURNING from a raucous trip abroad, Colin Bridgerton emerges as a ‘new man’ on season three of the show – with a more muscular look to match.
The Gym Group revealed just how to build strong, muscular arms like Luke Newton in the latest instalment of Bridgerton.
The workout focuses on on big compound movements – exercises that use multiple muscles to perform the exercise – so you can to get the most out of your workout.
Make sure you take 60 to 90 seconds of recovery between each set and the weights you lift should be challenging but doable.
Warm-up
Use the rowing machine to row for 1500m.
- Adjust the foot straps so the strap runs across the middle of your foot.
- Adjust the resistance level to your level of fitness and strength.
- While keeping your back straight, grip hold of the handle and drive your legs back, once your legs are straight pull the handle towards your midriff and then do all in reverse.
- The movement should be fluid.
Pull ups
Start with pull-ups, four sets of six reps, either on the assisted machine or using your own body weight.
- Take an overhand grip on the bar, shoulder width apart.
- Allow yourself to hang completely straight without your feet touching the floor.
- Pull yourself up by driving your elbows towards the floor, keep going until your chin is over the bar.
- Slowly lower yourself till you are in your starting position.
Incline barbell bench press
Four sets of six reps
- Adjust the bench to around a 45-degree angle.
- Lie on the bench, keeping a neutral spine, feet flat on the floor and eyes in line with the bar.
- Grip the bar with an overhand grip 1.5 times shoulder width apart.
- Lift the bar off the rack and slowly lower it towards the middle of your chest by bending your elbows.
- Reverse the movement by driving through your elbows till your arms are fully extended.
Barbell row
Four sets of eight reps
- Stand directly over the bar, feet shoulder width apart.
- Grip the bar with an overhand grip but with your thumbs next to your fingers and stand up straight.
- Take soft knees and pivot from your hips to a 45-degree angle, the bar should now be in line with your knees.
- Pull the bar towards your bellybutton while trying to pull your shoulder blades together and reverse.
Military press
Four sets of eight reps
- Stand directly over the bar, feet shoulder width apart.
- Grip the bar with an overhand grip but with your thumbs next to your fingers and stand up straight, then pull the up towards your collar bone pushing the elbows slightly forward.
- Push the bar up directly over your head while focusing on pushing through your elbows and keeping your abs braced until your arms are straight.
- Slowly bring the bar back down to your collar bone while bending from the elbows again.
Super-set
Perform one exercise after another without any recovery.
Seated row close Grip – four sets of 12 reps
- Adjust the seat height and chest support pad so your arms are fully extended and in line with the handlebars once gripped.
- Keep the chest up and shoulder back, drive your elbows as far back as possible while keeping them close to the body.
- Slowly return to full arm extension.
Press-up – four sets of 12 reps
- Lay flat on the floor, take your hands to shoulder width apart and balance on your tip toes. Your shoulders should be directly over your hands.
- Slowly lower your body until you have at least a 90-degree bend in your elbow, do this by bending from your elbows and keeping your core tight so we maintain a flat back throughout.
- Push yourself back up by pushing through the elbows until your arms are straight.
- To make this exercise easier drop to your knees. To make it harder perform a plyo press-up by pushing yourself up with greater force, so your upper body leaves the floor for a split second.
SEX SCENE PREP
Luke said he’d received some unconventional advice from co-stars about how to prep for intimacy scenes.
“I was told to have a glass of red wine the night before an intimacy scene because it can really shred you,” he said.
“Rumour has it that came from Henry Cavill (of ‘Superman’ fame).”
Luke insisted he never actually indulged in a pre-sex scene tipple as he avoided drinking altogether while filming.