I’ve been trying to read more. I just started reading The Alchemist. It’s a classic. Eminem’s memoir—did you know he wrote a memoir? And Setting the Table. It’s a great book about business and the customer service industry. Everytime I read that, I get sad and yearn for TomTom. I miss going in there and seeing everybody.
How often are you working out? Are you mostly doing cardio?
I’m somewhat regimented. I’m probably working out five days a week. Maybe I’m doing too much cardio and not enough strength training, but [in regards to] my cardiovascular health, I feel like I’m in great shape. But I’m getting a little soft around the edges. I’ve been eating a lot, trying to do our part and order from local restaurants. We’ve been cooking a lot too. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables. I do this thing in the morning where I take every single fruit and vegetable and supplement I have—I call it the “kitchen sink” smoothie—and blend it up. I like to start my day with that. Keep the immune system strong and fortified.
Does that taste good?
Katie jokingly calls them my “shit smoothies.” But I stand by my smoothies. I like to put celery, carrots, raspberries, blueberries, and a little bit of orange juice in them. I also add green supplements, chaga mushrooms, mulberries, matcha powder, goji berries, Blue Majik—I don’t even know what Blue Majik does. I don’t even know what half this stuff does.
Has your diet changed at all in quarantine?
Too much takeout probably. But overall, we’re pretty disciplined about our diets. Every once and while, it’s fun to eat a whole pizza. For the most part it’s pretty well-balanced. I love cooking breakfast—omelettes and breakfast sandwiches. Oh, and breakfast burritos. Those are my jam.
What’s your breakfast burrito recipe?
I like to do two eggs with one egg white, jalapenos, spinach or broccoli, and lots of hot sauce. I have 10 different hot sauces. I’ve also been on a lifelong quest to create the perfect salsa, but I’ve never achieved perfection or anything near it.
What do you think makes the perfect salsa?
I like restaurant style. It’s all about consistency for me. It’s got to be perfectly spicy but not eyes- watering, nose-dripping spicy. My favorite package-store salsa is Trader Joe’s Salsa Especial. I’ll easily eat a whole tub in a sitting. I’m somewhat of a salsa connoisseur.
Do you follow any particular diets?
I follow a mostly vegetarian diet. Although, I’ll eat red meat occasionally. Definitely love a good cheeseburger. I love grilling chicken. But I’m on a veggie kick. Being in California, there are so many great vegan and vegetarian restaurants.
What’s your favorite vegetarian spot in LA?
I really really like Gracias Madre. They have this coconut ceviche that’s so good. And Crossroads on Melrose. Their rigatoni. They use the Impossible meat or Beyond meat and you cannot tell the difference between that and real meat. It’s got so much flavor—Beyond meat is the future, big fan. Have you been to Crossroads?
No, I haven’t. I’m out in New York.
New York’s my favorite city in the world. My heart goes out to New York right now. I love the food scene there. I feel special when I’m in New York. I don’t feel special when I’m in LA.
Did the vegetarian-heavy lifestyle start when you were modeling?
No, when I was modeling I didn’t have any money, so I was really lean. But overall, now, I’m just trying to eat a cleaner, healthier, diet. Less red meat, less sugar. I used to be a candy junkie. I love Haribo sugar gummies. I would binge-eat candy until I’d get sick, and I loved it. But it had to come to an end. So now lots of fresh vegetables—I can’t believe how far I’ve come with vegetables. It used to be torture for me to eat them as a young man. But I love broccoli now. I’m obsessed with cabbage. Am I being boring?