Soap Hub Wellness Wednesday: Winsor Harmon Prepares for Action

Winsor Harmon is back on The Bold and the Beautiful as Thorne is coming home to be with his ailing father, Eric. Soap Hub caught up with Harmon to chat about what he’s been up to in between his visits to B&B. Among other things, he’s taken on a new fitness regime. Now, he’s sharing what works for him with Soap Hub for Wellness Wednesday.

Winsor Harmon: Bulking Up and Leaning Down

Keep in mind that not only is Harmon not a doctor, but he doesn’t even play one on TV. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist!) So, it’s always important to consult with your physician before embarking on any diet program and/or fitness regime. Having said that, Harmon shares what worked for him when he needed to bulk up for a role in an action feature.

The B&B star recommends two tomes that helped him get in shape — The Paleo Diet for Athletes by Loren Cordain, Ph. D. and Joe Friel, M.S. and The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting by Jason Fung, M.D.

Finding What Works

First up, he is an earlier riser and makes sure he hits the gym early. “I like to get there by 5 a.m.,” he tells Soap Hub. “It’s quiet and is also a good time to study. I was in the weight room quite a bit and doing a lot of cycling. I was probably 12 lbs. heaver three months prior to coming back to B&B.” (read more about what he says of his return here.)

When Harmon got word that his movie project was put in abeyance (temporarily suspended), he made a shift to shed some of the muscle he’d added, which, he says, gave him a football player physique. “I stopped the heavy lifting and heavy protein,” says the actor, who believes that not only what you eat but when you eat matters. “I did intermittent fasting where I’d eat only between 4 [p.m.] and 5:30 [p.m.]. I was on a very high fat and protein intake.”

The Hardest Part

Harmon says he consumed mostly salmon, salads with avocado and mayonnaise for a while. “Once [the weight loss] kicks in, it kicks in, and you can lose a lot fast,” he says. The actor cautions that changing eating patterns isn’t an easy adjustment. “The first couple of days are the hardest because you’re craving. You get tired. You don’t have energy. All of a sudden, your body reprograms itself…you’re [more] fit, and your mental clarity and focus is much stronger.”

Harmon says his entire diet isn’t completely restricted to certain hours. “I take [earlier in the day] black coffee and two tablespoons of Brain Octane fuel from Bulletproof,” he says. “When I was on set and wanted to be really clear and focused, I’d take these keto snacks, which are very high in ‘good fat.’ They’d give me energy to help me focus and not get weary.”