When Matt Damon signed on to star in The Odyssey, the goal was simple. “The director wanted me lean but strong,” Damon said during a recent appearance on New Heights. Hitting that balance, Damon explained, required a tighter routine, a stricter diet, and a mindset shift that treated training like part of the job—not a side hustle.
On the podcast, Damon revealed that he dropped significant weight for the role, going from his usual walking weight of 185 to 200 pounds down to 167 pounds during filming. “I haven’t been that light since high school,” he said. A major driver: cutting out gluten under his doctor’s guidance. “I stopped eating gluten and I lost a lot of weight,” Damon told the hosts, adding that he’s stayed gluten-free since. “I’m done. I’m gluten-free everything.”
Training Like It’s Part of the Job
Damon described preparing for The Odyssey the same way he approached physically demanding roles like the Bourne films, by building his days around training and recovery. “It feels almost like a season,” he said, comparing the structure to how professional athletes prepare. “You get really routinized about it.”
That approach mirrors what trainers say matters most when time and energy are limited. Aaron Trotter, who runs training at Anytime Fitness, says progress comes from effort, not excess. “Progressive overload under high effort is key,” Trotter explains. “If you only have 30 minutes, do fewer movements—just do them harder and better.”
Why ‘Lean and Strong’ Is a Smarter Goal
Trotter notes that most lifters don’t need marathon workouts to see results. “For most lifters, about six to 10 hard sets per muscle per week, performed within two to three reps of failure, is enough to stimulate growth,” he says. Waz Ashayer, lead trainer for P90X Generation Next and a BODi Super Trainer, agrees, emphasizing compound lifts and full-body sessions when time is tight.
Related: Trainer: What Science Says You Should Do After a Workout to Recover Faster
How to Apply Damon’s Approach Today
Damon’s approach boils down to a few principles trainers say deliver the biggest return when time, energy, and recovery matter most—and they’re easy to apply right away.
- Train with purpose. Lift heavy enough that six to 12 reps feel hard, stopping just short of failure. Focused work beats extra volume—and lightweight gear like Ten Thousand’s Distance Long Sleeve Shirt helps you stay locked in when intensity rises.
- Repeat the basics. Stick with the same compound lifts for several weeks and track small gains. When you’re squatting, hinging, and pressing regularly, stable footwear like the NOBULL Outwork Edge provides a firm, grounded base, while durable, no-frills bottoms like Ten Thousand’s Set Short make repeat sessions easier.
- Simplify nutrition. Damon’s gluten-free reset shows how removing one variable can drive change. You don’t need a full overhaul—tightening a single, controllable habit often delivers results.
- Hydrate consistently. Staying hydrated supports strength, recovery, and muscle repair. A countertop system like Aquasana’s Clean Water Machine makes it easier to drink clean, filtered water throughout the day.
- Protect recovery. Muscle isn’t built without quality sleep and planned recovery phases. A supportive sleep setup—like the Pluto Pillow, which adapts to your sleep style—can help improve overnight recovery so your body is ready to train again the next day.
The takeaway: strip things down, focus on what actually moves the needle, and let consistency do the heavy lifting.
Related: Why Your Last Hour of Sleep Might Be the Most Important, According to a Top Sleep Scientist
