Zac Efron didn’t just accept an award, but he turned the moment into one of the most unforgettable thirst traps in award show history. During the MTV Movie Awards, the Hollywood heartthrob had fans glued to their screens when he casually ripped open his shirt on stage, putting his chiseled abs front and center. What started as a typical acceptance moment quickly spiraled into full-blown chaos, the good kind.
Zac Efron Goes Shirtless On Stage
Let’s be real, the second Efron started unbuttoning, everyone knew where this was going. With cameras flashing and the audience screaming, the actor committed to the bit, ditching his shirt and showing off the physique that had already made him a fan favorite.
At the time of the award show, Us Weekly shared a snap of the actor, writing, “Zac Efron may have won Best Shirtless Performance at the MTV,” and fans couldn’t help but flood the comments with fire flame emojis and heart-eyed emojis.
Efron Says His ‘Baywatch’ Body Wasn’t Worth It
Zac Efron is getting real about one of his most talked-about physiques, and why he’s not chasing it anymore. In a candid interview with Men’s Health, the actor admitted that his ultra-shredded look from Baywatch wasn’t just intense, it wasn’t sustainable either.
“That ‘Baywatch’ look, I don’t know if that’s really attainable. There’s just too little water in the skin,” he explained. “Like, it’s fake; it looks CGI’d. And that required Lasix, powerful diuretics, to achieve.”
Zac Efron Says ‘Perfect’ Physique Came At A Serious Cost
These days, Efron is taking a much more balanced approach, even while bulking up for a new, undisclosed role. “So I don’t need to do that. I much prefer to have an extra, you know, 2 to 3 percent body fat,” he added.
Looking back, the actor also revealed just how extreme the process really was, from overtraining and eating the same meals on repeat to barely getting enough sleep. Safe to say, that “perfect” look came at a serious cost, and Efron’s not interested in paying it again.
Efron Ditches Extreme Workouts For Recovery-Focused Routine
Zac Efron didn’t just ditch extreme dieting, but he completely reworked how he approaches fitness. According to Men’s Health, the turning point came while he was in Australia at the start of the pandemic, where he actually stepped away from training for a bit before coming back with a totally different mindset.
Now? He’s less about pushing to the limit and more about recovery and longevity, becoming what the outlet described as a “foam-rolling fanatic,” with stretching, yoga, massage guns, and ice baths all playing a major role in his routine.
Zac Efron Says Ice Baths Are His ‘Favorite Part Of The Day’
And when it comes to those ice baths, Efron isn’t just doing them, but he loves them. “[The ice bath is] my favorite part of the day. Before is when it’s most miserable, and when you finally just commit and jump in there,” he said. “From that point forward, you’ve conquered something deep within you; you do not want to get cold.”
For Efron, it’s all about pushing past that mental block. “That’s the simplest philosophy: Anything you don’t want to do, make it a habit,” he added.
Efron Says Vegan Diet Left Him ‘Depleted’
Zac Efron is also opening up about a major change in his diet, and why going vegan ultimately didn’t work for him.
Speaking with Men’s Health, Efron admitted he started feeling off while following a plant-based lifestyle. “My body wasn’t processing the vegetables in the right way,” he said, revealing he felt “depleted” and knew something had to change.
That’s when he pivoted to intermittent fasting, a move he says made a noticeable difference. “I started intermittent fasting just after I stopped being vegan… Intermittent fasting has been really helpful with that,” he explained.
These days, Efron keeps things simple, typically eating two meals a day and loading up on protein like chicken and elk, with sides like sweet potatoes or quinoa. Still, the decision wasn’t easy. “Morally, of course, I still wish I was vegan,” he admitted.