Between starring in box office hits like Avatar and Fast & Furious, and hit television shows like A&E’s “Breakout Kings”, Hollywood’s leading man Laz Alonso hasn’t had much down time. Yet, he always finds time to make fitness a top priority.
“I got serious about [fitness] in high school. All my buddies were big, and I was a 155-pound rail,” said Laz in an interview. “It was a crash course of ‘I want to keep up with these guys.’ ”
Celebrity trainer Mike T, who has helped get the bodies of Nicole Murphy, Angela and Vanessa Simmons and Kelita Smith camera ready, is also credited with helping to sculpt Laz’s famous muscles. Using a combination of cardio, weights and circuit training, Laz trains four to five days a week when he’s not filming. When he needs to get into top shape for a role, that increases to six to seven times a week.
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In his early days of doing theater in New York, Laz Alonso’s handsome looks and leading man swagger typically got him typecast as the good guy, the one that always gets the girl. However, his years of experience have taught this NAACP Image Award winner how to not just play the roles that people expect him to play.
“I want to play memorable characters,” said Laz about choosing quality roles that have a direct impact on the story over quantity of roles. “I try to bring some humanity to the characters. Time, experience and working with good directors teach you how to do that, so you’re not just playing a type; you’re actually playing a real human being.”
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The best characters are the most real and his character in “Breakout Kings,” Charlie Duchamp, suffered from a congenital heart defect. Congenital heart defects, which are the most common type of birth defect, are problems with the heart’s structure that change the normal flow of blood through the heart. More than 35,000 babies in the U.S. are born with congenital heart defects. The cause of most is unknown, but heredity may play a role.
Simple heart defects have few, if any, symptoms. However, very complex defects can cause the following:
- Poor blood circulation
- Rapid breathing
- Fatigue; tiredness
- Cyanosis – a bluish tint to skin, lips, and fingernails
Since they tend to be smaller, proper nutrition is very important for babies and children who have congenital heart defects to help with growth and develompment. For Laz, eating right is also extremely important for his overall fitness. Exercise physiologist Darren Burke, Ph.D. shares, “For the most part, it has been healthy carbs made up of fruits and vegetables. We also recommend fish, chicken, red meat, and Promasil for his protein intake.” According to Dr. Burke, Laz follows a diet that’s very similar to that of professional athletes.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Heart Health center for more articles.
