The sun rises in the east, sets in the west, and cops eat donuts. That’s just the way things are. And while police officers loving pastries is probably an unfair stereotype, it helps “Blue Bloods” star Donnie Wahlberg get into character. And he suffers the consequences.
As Danny Reagan on the hit CBS police drama, Wahlberg has to eat significant amounts of food. Fans of “Blue Bloods” know the Reagan family dinner scenes all too well. A Sunday night feast is set out for the characters in every single episode. That leaves the cast with some decisions to make. Whatever they start eating from the plate, they’ll have to continue eating for the next few hours as they film the scene.
How do they avoid gaining weight? Good question. In Donnie Wahlberg’s case, he normally eats whatever vegetables happen to be served that day. That solves one problem but can sometimes lead to a whole host of other ones.
“But, if you eat a lot of broccoli or green beans, that could be a bigger problem. I learned that it’s, yeah, a lot of gas is created,” Wahlberg told Kelly Ripa in 2016. “The table pushes away from my stomach and then I notice I have to do – people say, ‘Well, he has to leave the room a lot.’ You know, walking outside for ‘fresh air breaks.”
The real problem for the “Blue Bloods” star is the eating he does when he’s off-camera. In a 2014 interview with WebMD.com, Donnie Wahlberg talked about how he stays in shape.
“I get really in shape to go on tour with the New Kids, then when it’s time to do ‘Blue Bloods,’ I’ll spin out of control with my diet, gain some weight, and eat a lot of donuts like a cop. But I do try to pay attention to my health.”
Something about playing a detective on the show, however, kicks his donut instincts into high gear. When you factor in all of the eating the cast has to do on-camera, you have a recipe for a little bit of weight gain. The good thing for Wahlberg is that he has a foolproof way to burn it off again.
The ‘Blue Bloods’ Star Works Out on Stage
That’s right. According to the man himself, the best exercise he gets comes during performances with his long-established boy band, New Kids on the Block. So when he hangs up the badge for a microphone, the “Blue Bloods” star burns athlete-level calories while continuing to entertain.
Our [New Kids] shows are the best cardio. I probably burn as many calories as a boxer in a 12-round fight,” Wahlberg told WebMD.com.
That’s a lot of calories. Good thing the band is back to playing shows these days.
