What Diet Did Will Poulter Follow for His Adam Warlock Role?

January 7, 2026 •

3 min read

For his role as Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Will Poulter underwent a rigorous body transformation fueled by a highly structured diet. The answer to what diet did Will Poulter follow reveals the intense, athlete-level commitment required for a Marvel superhero physique.

Quick Summary

Will Poulter's superhero diet for Adam Warlock was a multiphase process of bulking and cutting, managed by professionals. It focused on lean proteins, complex carbs, and whole foods, but Poulter warns it's unsustainable without studio support.

Key Points

Phased Approach: Poulter's diet involved distinct bulking and cutting phases to first build muscle and then achieve leanness.
Professional Guidance: The entire regimen was managed by expert trainers and nutritionists provided by the studio, not a typical off-the-shelf plan.
High Protein Intake: The diet emphasized lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to fuel muscle growth and energy during intense training.
Strict Elimination: Poulter strictly avoided processed foods, alcohol, and empty calories, especially during the cutting phase.
Unrealistic Standard: Poulter has repeatedly cautioned that his diet was an unrealistic and unhealthy standard for the average person without a studio's resources.
Social Sacrifice: The rigidity of the diet severely limited his social life, making it difficult to go out for meals with friends.
Mental Health Focus: He prioritized mental and physical well-being over pure aesthetic goals, a key takeaway from his experience.

Will Poulter's Diet: An Athlete's Regimen

To achieve the lean, muscular physique of Adam Warlock, Will Poulter followed a strict, professionally curated diet that varied throughout his preparation. Unlike the average gym-goer, Poulter's regimen was overseen by a team of trainers and nutritionists who designed a phased approach to build and then define his muscles. He was transparent about the intensity, explaining that the aesthetic goals were secondary to physical and mental health, and that such extremes are not healthy for the average person without significant financial and professional support.

The Phased Approach: Bulking and Cutting

Poulter's diet wasn't a single static plan but rather a dynamic process with distinct phases. This is a standard strategy in serious bodybuilding, and Poulter's regimen followed this model:

Bulking Phase: Initially, the focus was on gaining mass and building muscle. This required consuming a large quantity of clean, healthy food. Poulter mentioned eating “quantities of food you wouldn't necessarily want to ingest” to fuel intense weight training. The macros were carefully balanced to maximize muscle growth without adding excessive body fat.
Cutting Phase: As filming approached, the goal shifted from size to definition. This involved reducing calories and strategically eliminating certain food groups to strip away fat and make muscles more visible. This phase is often the most challenging, as Poulter noted he went through periods of intense hunger. For final shirtless scenes, a drastic short-term regimen of no carbs, no sugar, and dehydration was used, which is not recommended for a sustained lifestyle.
Maintenance Phase: After filming, Poulter transitioned into a more balanced, long-term maintenance phase. He described indulging in a “blur of calories” post-filming to recover from the rigid restrictions.

Core Dietary Components

Throughout his preparation, Poulter's diet centered on specific food types to support his rigorous training:

Lean Proteins: Essential for muscle repair and growth, this included sources like chicken, fish, and eggs.
Healthy Fats: Crucial for hormone production and energy, with sources such as avocado, nuts, and healthy oils.
Complex Carbohydrates: Provided sustained energy for workouts, found in foods like brown rice and sweet potatoes.
Whole Foods: The overall emphasis was on whole, unprocessed foods. This meant avoiding processed meals, snacks, and empty calories.

The Sacrifice of a Social Life

The demands of the diet extended beyond the plate and into Poulter's personal life. The rigid routine required significant sacrifices, including giving up his regular social activities. He explained that a strict regimen meant he couldn't simply go out for dinner with friends, leading to an isolation that is part of the territory for such a dramatic transformation.

Hollywood Diet vs. Everyday Fitness

Will Poulter's transformation highlights a significant difference between a Hollywood-backed regimen and what is practical for the average person. Poulter has been very vocal about this, warning that what he did was enabled by a studio's financial and expert support and is neither realistic nor healthy for those without those resources.


Aspect	Hollywood Actor's Diet	Average Person's Diet
Funding	Entirely paid for by a movie studio.	Self-funded, limited by budget.
Expertise	Access to a dedicated team of nutritionists and trainers.	Relies on personal research or affordable public resources.
Time Commitment	Full-time job; training and eating are the primary focus.	Juggle with work, family, and other life commitments.
Pressure	High-stakes role with a strict deadline.	Personal goals, self-motivation.
Sustainability	Short-term, intense phases; often not sustainable long-term.	Focus on balanced, long-term, sustainable habits for health.
Sacrifice	Significant impact on social life and personal freedoms.	Can be integrated into a balanced social life.

Conclusion: A Responsible Star's Message

Will Poulter's diet for his role as Adam Warlock was a multifaceted, professionally-managed regimen of bulking and cutting that required significant discipline and sacrifice. While it achieved the desired aesthetic for his superhero part, Poulter has repeatedly and responsibly emphasized that this process is both unrealistic and unhealthy without the extraordinary resources of a major film studio. His honesty provides a crucial reality check, prioritizing overall mental and physical well-being over the pursuit of an extreme, aesthetically-driven transformation for the average person. For those seeking sustainable changes, focusing on consistency with whole foods and regular exercise is the more recommended path.

For more insight into the physical training aspect of his role, you can find details on his workout routine here: Will Poulter's Life-Altering 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' Workout.

Frequently Asked Questions

For his Adam Warlock role, Will Poulter ate a very specific, professionally curated diet high in lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, while strictly avoiding processed foods.

No, Will Poulter's diet was much more complex than a simple chicken and broccoli plan and involved a team of professionals managing his intake, which included cycles of bulking and cutting.

Yes, during the final 'cutting' phase, Poulter's team implemented a very strict regimen that included eliminating carbs and sugar for a short period to achieve peak definition.

Poulter states his diet and training were unrealistic and potentially unhealthy for the average person because he had the extensive financial and expert support of a movie studio.

The rigorous diet and training routine forced Poulter into a rigid schedule that significantly impacted his social life, as he could not spontaneously go out for meals with friends.

Yes, during his bulking phase, Poulter mentioned consuming "quantities of food you wouldn't necessarily want to ingest" to pack on the necessary mass.

After filming, Poulter was free to relax his regimen and enjoyed a "blur of calories" before transitioning into a more balanced, long-term maintenance phase.

Poulter has warned that achieving his Adam Warlock physique is not a realistic or sustainable goal for a normal person without a major studio's dedicated resources and team.