He’s weighing in on the weight-loss trend.
Mark Wahlberg, known for his intense diet and exercise routine, isn’t on board with Hollywood’s obsession with Ozempic and similar drugs that shed pounds.
“To each his own, but I do encourage people to eat right and exercise,” the “Ted” actor told Pvnew exclusively at Tao’s grand opening of Cathédrale at the Aria Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday.
“It’s much more [of] a lifestyle change. You’d be surprised what you can accomplish when you’re willing to do the work.”
Wahlberg, 51, added that maintaining one’s health “the good old-fashioned way” is his preference because it’s the “most sustainable” route.
“It will give you the longevity,” he said.
While he’s not a fan of Ozempic, the “Entourage” executive producer noted that he won’t judge anyone who chooses to use the controversial injections.
“Everybody has their own path. I don’t knock anybody for making their own choices,” he told us. “But I prefer, and I’ve seen lots of people accomplish amazing things, ordinary people doing extraordinary things on a fitness base, and they’re now encouraging other people that look like them. That’s what I’m into.”
Wahlberg explained that he has seen many people reach fitness goals that they “didn’t think [were] possible,” adding, “That’s from hard work and eating right and also putting a big emphasis on recovery.”
Ozempic is a Type II diabetes medication, but its active ingredient, semaglutide, can cause loss of appetite, which has prompted many stars to turn to the jab to lose weight fast.
Wahlberg — who has transformed his body many times for different roles throughout his acting career — takes no shortcuts to maintain his jacked physique. He often wakes up before dawn to get in a workout and will exercise multiple times a day. He also eats a clean diet with an emphasis on high-protein foods.
And the father of four shared that his kids are starting to follow in his fitness footsteps.
“My daughter Grace, she’s an equestrian now. She’s going up and she’s building strength to control a really powerful animal, so she’s working out now,” he told Pvnew.
Wahlberg proudly praised the 13-year-old for having “the discipline.”
“She is very much like me. She is super disciplined, and if this is something that her trainer is requiring for her to advance in the equestrian world, then she’s doing it literally every day,” he said. “So she tells me there are certain times that I can’t go into the gym, but now I’m at least allowed to watch her work out, which is very cool.”
He added, “It’s incredible to see.”
The Oscar nominee also noted that his sons “dabble a little bit” in working out and that he and his wife, Rhea Durham, do high-intensity F45 Training “quite a bit together.”
The “Departed” star and Durham, 44, have been married for 13 years and share four kids: Ella, 19, Michael, 17, Brendan, 14, and Grace.
He and his family moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas last October and shared last week that they are “thriving” there.
While Wahlberg enjoys the nightlife scene in Sin City, the Flecha Azul backer shared that he enjoys drinking tequila “neat” for health reasons.
“The Cristalino is my favorite and neat. I’ve been introduced to many cocktails and certainly margaritas, but I prefer neat,” he told us. “It is the most healthy alternative when it comes to drinking alcohol, for sure.
“I was a big wine guy, and I would have to do lots more cardio to try to burn it off, and now if I have a couple of Cristalinos, I’m good to go in the morning.”
But when asked whether he is able to stay out all night drinking and still get his workout done in the morning, Marky Mark responded with a laugh, “No, that would be impossible.”
Wahlberg also told Pvnew that he would support an “Entourage” reboot but has yet to hear of any serious conversations amid rumors of the HBO series’ return.
