How to Do Food & Fitness Like a Torn Chef
André Rush, also known as Ripped Chef, doesn’t blend in easily with the crowd. An army veteran who worked as a White House chef for four presidential administrations, Rush first came to our attention in 2018, when a photograph of him working in the White House went viral . Everyone wanted to know: who was the chef with huge biceps?
Rush, who weighs 285 pounds , actually has huge biceps – 24 inches – large enough to have to cut the sleeves of his chef’s uniform to fit him. It was these biceps that gave him his reputation as the “strongest chef in the army” (and earned him the nickname “Tiny”).
Rush’s impressive weapon was developed through a lifelong fitness habit that includes regular strength training, not to mention stunts like doing 2,222 push-ups a day to raise awareness of military service and prevent suicide.
All of this training complements a long, successful career in the military, where he had to balance his fitness and nutrition with the busy schedule that has brought him around the world, and he has seen him cook in almost any environment imaginable. …
Since his rise to prominence, Rush has joined a number of new ventures, including being signed to the TV show Chef in the City, and also performing at several events. Here at Lifehacker, we wanted to know how he manages to balance his intense fitness and nutrition goals with a busy work schedule. As it turns out, consistency (as well as love of flavorful food) is key.
Combining work and fitness is a lifelong enterprise
Rush attributes his ability to balance work and fitness to his upbringing in Mississippi, where his father made him work as soon as he could walk. “At the time, that was the norm in the South,” Rush said.
In high school, Rush also played soccer and jogged as he developed a fitness habit and honed his ability to combine training with a busy work schedule for the first time. However, he had to be flexible in his workouts as he didn’t always have access to the equipment he needed, and his schedule didn’t always leave him time for the school gym. As for working out in the gym? “The YMCA costs money,” Rush said.
Rush understands that all people are different and that people have different goals. He advises thinking of fitness as a lifelong pursuit rather than a vehicle to an end in which it is important to focus on the basics, show up every day, and be willing to work hard. “This is a journey,” Rush said.
Enjoy your meal
Considering he’s a chef, it would be rather suspicious if Rush was content with an after-meal meal consisting of dry, unflavored chicken breasts and steamed broccoli. Food should taste good, even if it serves a different purpose.
“I hate soft foods,” Rush said. “I hate it when you can’t taste, enjoy or enjoy food.” As a chef, Rush has developed a number of strategies to meet his nutritional needs without resorting to the boring food he often encounters at bodybuilding events.
When it comes to protein, Rush alternates with chicken, fish, and beef. While beef has a bad reputation among health-conscious people, he notes that he prefers lean meats. “Eat in moderation,” he said. To mix things up and add flavor, he invites creative use of herbs and spices.
One of Rush’s latest projects is partnering with Southern Comfort on Trail ReMix , a sweet-salty trail mix made with alcohol-added jerky to raise the bar for high-protein snacks. In addition to being high in protein, “it contains the carbohydrates I need,” Rush said. “It’s really delicious.”
Fitness requires listening to your body
Rush realizes that what works for him doesn’t always work for others. “You need to listen to your body,” Rush said. “Understanding the basics and knowing is the most important thing.”
From a very young age, Rush always tried to listen to what his body was telling him, whether it was that he needed to change his diet or change his fitness regime. He believes that this understanding is integral to achieving his fitness goals.
He always encourages people starting a new fitness program to have a doctor’s checkup first, including a blood test. Then, once they’ve incorporated that information into their fitness plan, it’s important to focus on being consistent and working hard while keeping in mind what your body needs.