Now, I’m not necessarily surprised that Alan Ritchson‘s calorie intake is super high while training for projects like Reacher. However, when I actually heard the number, I couldn’t help but be a bit baffled. While I watched the series on the 2025 TV schedule, and I’m aware of the work that goes into being in the best physical shape possible for roles like this, I still have a hard time fathoming just how much food people like Ritchson eat to ensure they look and feel like the action stars they play.
This whole topic came up when the cast of Reacher Season 3 was asked if they had any special techniques or skills that would surprise fans during an interview with IMDb. While all their answers were impressive, I was quite baffled by Alan Ritchson’s response about how much food he eats in a day, as he said:
Yes, the amount of calories, 5,000 to 6,000 calories a day.
On average, according to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the “estimated calorie needs per day” for an active male between the ages of 41 and 45 is 2,800. Alan Ritchson is 42, and he basically doubles that number.
However, the actor’s number is notably on par with other action stars. When Hugh Jackman was prepping for Deadpool & Wolverine, his calorie intake was sitting around 6,000. David Corenswet ate between 4,500 and 5,000 calories per day while bulking up for Superman. And Dwayne Johnson’s calorie intake also sits right around this level, too.
So, basically, what I’m saying is Alan Ritchson trains like a superhero.
That makes sense, too, because in his own way, Reacher is a superhero. The man is supposed to tower over basically everyone (except Paulie), and he’s a remarkable fighter. That means the Fast X actor has to be in impeccable shape. He stays under 10% body fat when working on Reacher, and he’s adamant about being very involved in the filming of action in the show.
He’s built to be Jack Reacher; however, he also clearly works very hard to stay in shape like Jack Reacher. So, along with working out and training, that also means eating a ton of food.
To prove that point, when Season 3 of Reacher was airing, CinemaBlend interviewed Ritchson’s co-star, Johnny Berchtold. He told us about the “Reacher smoothie” his co-star drinks and also noted that he’s “constantly being fed” on set. So, the actor clearly puts in the work to eat the insanely high number of calories necessary to stay in good shape.
Now, to see Alan Ritchson in action, you can stream the first three seasons of Reacher with an Amazon Prime subscription. Meanwhile, with Season 4 confirmed, we’ll keep you posted on all the impressive things this star does to keep his body in Jack Racher shape.