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Jan 18

Rob Lowe and Atkins: The 9-1-1 Lone Star Actor on the Diet That Gives Him Energy – Parade

Diets that Work Comments Off on Rob Lowe and Atkins: The 9-1-1 Lone Star Actor on the Diet That Gives Him Energy – Parade

If you watched Parks & Recreation, you saw Rob Lowe portray the health food junkie, fitness-obsessed and highly energetic Chris Traeger. And though definitely exaggerated a bit, the character, which Lowe has frequently referred to as one of his favorites throughout the years, does share some similarities to the actor in real life. Aside front not appearing to age, Lowe is known for being fit and extremely active. Traegers secret is that he ran 10 miles a day. Lowes? The Atkins Diet.

For the past 20 years, Lowe has followed a low-carb lifestyle. Its a meal plan that he says has given him boundless energy, a trimmer physique, and has helped him to stay in the best shape of his life, the latter of which is important for his latest role. On 9-1-1: Lone Star (which premieres January 19), the actor will play Owen Strand, a New York City firefighter who relocates to Austin, Texas. Its a gig that has him hanging off buildings and engaging in the adrenaline-inducing stunts that he lives for.

Parade.com caught up with the star of the upcoming Fox drama to hear about what we can expect from his latest role, how he incorporates the Atkins principles into his everyday life, and why spending some time alone and getting outdoors is key to keeping him happy. Lowe also admits that he is human, after all, and does occasionally stray from his diet, often due to a food he affectionately refers to as his kryptonite.

Related: Rob Lowe Brims With Boundless EnthusiasmFor Big Waves, His 27-Year Marriage and New TV Projects

What attracted you to the role of playing a firefighter on 9-1-1: Lone Star?

Well, Im a huge Ryan Murphy fan and everything he does in television is just excellent. And he and I had been trying to find something to do together for almost 19 years, since Nip/Tuck. And finally we came up with this. They wrote it for me, designed it around me, and that doesnt get to happen all the time. And its a great character. The world is fantastic. Its adrenaline, its action, its some unexpected comedy. Thats a really rare mix. And the show is awesome.

Did you get to do any crazy training or stunts for this?

One of the things that appeals to me about a fire captain is the physicality required for the role. And whether its something as normal as just wearing the gear and the equipment and having 70 pounds on your back and climbing up ladders to being tethered in 10 stories about the ground, every day has got a new challenges, physical and mental. And I like that cause when I come home at night I really feel like Ive accomplished something. I did some training with the fire department with the heavy equipment and that was fantastic. I spent a lot of time in the firehouse and having meals with the various crews. But also unfortunately my neighborhood of Santa Barbara has suffered catastrophic wildfires and floods in the last few years. And Ive had personal real life experiences with a lot of first responders and become friends with them. So I really already knew a lot about what makes these guys and gals tick.

Related: Rob Lowe on Christmas Movies and Memories

Whats the most intense thing that youve done while filming this?

Oh gosh, theres been so much. The very first day, the very first shot we ever did on the show, we were 78 stories about Times Square in Manhattan my character originally comes from New York Cityand standing on the ledge of a building, like right on the ledge. Of course I had a harness on so I wouldnt fall off. But definitely the level of vertigo is pretty extraordinary.

Oh wow. They just chucked you right in. Day one time to hang off a building!

Yeah. Literally. Right to the good stuff.

Youve been following this Atkins low-carb lifestyle for more than 20 years. How do you feel on it?

The reason I do it is how it makes me feel. And what I noticed initially was I had so much more energy. And to do a show like 9-1-1: Lone Star without energy would be a nonstarter. I also found that ironically I felt less hungry. And it was a great addition to my training regimen. I didnt really use this lifestyle as a weight loss thing, but the added benefit is its fantastic for that. Im stopped every day by people who talk about how they were able to lose weight on it. So its got the added benefit. Its got the benefit of giving you energy if youre already in good shape and helping you lose weight if maybe youre not.

Have you at all deviated from the plan and if you do, do you notice a difference?

Its not a diet, its a lifestyle. So there are going to be days and meals and maybe weeks where Im not as disciplined as I would like to be because Im on it for the long haul. So, if I go to Italy and Im on vacation, guess what? Im having a lot of pasta. And you definitely noticed the difference. You do. If Im not eating in the Atkins area, I can feel the sluggishness that after a big meal, that sort of ooh a nap might be nice kind of feeling. And you just dont have that when youre following the program.

And you dont seem like a guy that typically needs to take naps.

No! I luckily dont (laughs). Im 20 years ahead of me for that yet.

Walk us through what your typical meals and snacks look like on this program.

For breakfast, Ill have eggs. I love my eggs. And I love my bacon. So eggs, bacon, and a salad is my favorite breakfast. And then for lunch I might do fish tacos and easy on the on the actual taco shell. I might do it with lettuce or something. And then dinner, might be chicken. I like chicken Parmesan, I like a little steak, again a big salad. I keep rotating all that stuff. Im kind of a creature of habit so maybe some kind of a fish dinner, but thats sort of it. And its yummy and really good for me. It doesnt feel like a diet and its something thats sustainable in the long-term.

What is your typical workout regimen like right now?

Well, the best kind of workout is one where I dont feel like Im working out. So skiing, surfing, hiking, tennis. And I could do that all day and it never feels like a workout. When I actually have to work out, I do some sort of circuit training or Im getting cardio and weights all on the same thing. So I will do chest, back, and legs with jump ropes in between each exercise or something like that. So youre getting a little bit of everything.

So it sounds like you kind of hate being cooped up inside the gym and youd rather be outdoors doing something adventurous

For sure. Because working out for me has never been about how it makes me look. Thats just an added benefit. Its about what it does to my head and my mood. If Im not active, if I go about four days without anything active, I frankly have a little bit of low-level depression. And being out in the sun and being active just makes me feel really good.

My new favorite thing is foiling. And its a basically a wing that is below the waterline in your surfboard or stand-up paddle board. And when you get going at a certain speed, the wing flies underwater and it raises your board up. So the only thing thats in the water is this little wing. Its amazing. And it allows you to surf when theres very little waves, when the conditions are crappy, and you fly with no resistance. Its the same concept where now all of the super racing yachts have a foil below them and the hull comes up out of a water at speeds. But its also kind of dangerous cause at the end of the day, its basically just a giant knife under the water. So if you fall, you do not want to come into contact with that knife at 40 miles an hour!

Do you do anything else to cater to your mental health?

I do. Its funny, when they say sometimes your flaws can also be your strongest points. Like I could be a little bit selfish. I know thats shocking coming from an actor. But that also enables me to be really good about my boundaries, about taking time for me and, then I do. Im around a lot of people doing what I do. We have a huge crew and Im always out and about and thats great but I need to be alone too. I need to be able to be quiet and think and dream and plan and scheme and listen to whats going on in my head. Thats where all of my books came from. And I can only do that when Im quiet. So I try to take time at the end of every day, sit by the fire and think and be quiet, leave myself with my thoughts. Its my form of meditation. And Im also really disciplined about having time to work out. I dont let anything get in to get in the way of that. Everybody, no matter how busy they are, should be able to figure out a way to have a half an hour to 45 minutes to devote to themselves. Truthfully. Obviously its easier for people who have the access and the time and the jobs that allow it, but half an hour is not a lot to ask if its for your own mental and physical well-being.

How do you work this time in when youre on the road or when youre on set for an extra long day?

Well 9-1-1: Lone Star is the first show where havent been able to do this, but on every other show I have: West Wing, The Grinder, Parks and Rec, Brothers & Sisters, Code Black, I never took a lunch break. What I would do is I would eat something 45 minutes before we would break for lunch and at lunch I would work out. And it was a great plan, really easy. And you kind of have to a hustle but lunch breaks are a great way to sneak in a workout. And even if its as simple as just walking around for people. If they dont want to go to the gym, cant go to the gym, cant throw on the outfit, dont wanna sweat, have nowhere to take a shower, just walk.

Related: 5 Ways You Can Improve Your Health Wherever You Live

Any other wellness tricks that you swear by?

Its very helpful that Ive been in recovery from drugs and alcohol, sober for almost 30 years. And that changed my life, continues to change my life. Its now baked into my DNA. So its just is a part of who I am. But for people who do drink and do get a little crazy on the weekends or something, thats always something to keep an eye on. And its one more thing you have to manage if youre doing it.

It sounds like youre great at sticking to this diet, the sobriety, making sure that you have that mental health time. Whats the secret to your self-discipline?

Its really interesting. Its very counterintuitive. The sobriety is predicated on admitting that you have no discipline, that you yourself are actually incapable of doing it yourself. Cause youve tried and youve tried and youve tried and it hasnt worked. So, youve got to look to a power greater than yourself to remove that from you. And then you get into a 12-step program and thats the only way it works. The only way. Now the workout stuff and eating stuff, that is about discipline for me. And Im lucky that I at least have it in that area (laughs).

What advice do you have for people that are looking to tiptoe into the Atkins way of eating?

My advice is to not think of it as the kind of thing you have to get perfectly right. Its better to get it a little bit right and make mistakes than not try at all. So just start. Keep it simple. Its the reason I do it. Its really the easiest healthy eating plan that I know of. It requires the least amount of thinking, the least amount of planning. Its just low carbs. Every knows what a carb is and the minute you start counting those and cutting those, youre on your way.

Is it basically three meals a day and a snack?

Theres what I love about it. There absolutely is snacking. And not to be over pitchy but the Atkins bars and shakes are so damn good that youre going to think theyre fake. Youre gonna say, Theres no way these are good. Right now, Im sitting in my car. Im looking in my glove box and there are five chocolate peanut butter bars in there and you when you get that 3:30/4:00 in the afternoon, I gotta eat something or Im gonna murder someone, they fit all of the profile of what youre trying to do and theyre yummy! And then again, eating well should not be like taking your medicine. It shouldnt be hard and it really isnt. You just got to know what youre doing.

I love that you said when you go to Italy, pasta happens. Are there other foods that you absolutely cant resist that take you down? Like ice cream?

Thats exactly it! Its ice cream. Bingo. I have an ongoing battle with ice cream. I dont know what that is about. I once had somebody get me a mental hint on it. They go picture it melted and then if you still want to eat it By the way, Ive tried it. It doesnt work. Ice cream is going to take me down all the time.

Is your family banned from bringing it into the house or do you at least make them hide it in the freezer?

Ive tried to get them to ban it and none of them will do it. They will not. It would be so easy to not have it in the house, but my boys love it. And my wife is like, When the boys are here, they need it. Just dont eat it. Im like, Look, my willpower only goes so far. Help me out here. But Ive had no luck. It is totally my kryptonite. The other thing about it, its my kryptonite when the sun goes down. Ive not been able to figure this out. During the daytime, I can walk by it every single time. The minute the sun goes down, all bets are off!

Check out these low-carb and keto ice cream recipes.

Read more:
Rob Lowe and Atkins: The 9-1-1 Lone Star Actor on the Diet That Gives Him Energy - Parade

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