When arthritis robbed him of his fitness, Adam Thomas feared the physique he’d always wanted was beyond his reach. Fourteen weeks later, the actor had lost almost 19lb, slashed his body fat and achieved his dream of becoming a Men’s Fitness cover star
PICS: Eddie Whitehead
Best known for his roles as Donte Charles in Waterloo Road and Adam Barton in Emmerdale, Adam Thomas has become one of Britain’s most recognisable TV stars. A finalist on Strictly Come Dancing and winner of I’m a Celebrity… South Africa in 2026, he now adds another achievement to his CV after transforming his physique for the cover of Men’s Fitness.
There was a time when the pain from his arthritis meant Adam Thomas couldn’t get out of bed. For five years, the actor has lived with the condition that left him in constant pain, forced him away from training and slowly eroded the active lifestyle he had always associated with himself. Exercise became sporadic, nutrition slipped and the physique he’d always wanted seemed increasingly out of reach.
But in February 2026 he set himself a target to become a men’s magazine cover model, using a newly prescribed medication to ease the pain, and a structured training programme to get him in perfect condition.
Fast forward 14 weeks and Thomas is standing on the cover of Men’s Fitness in the best shape of his life.
His transformation is remarkable not simply because he dropped almost 19lb and reduced his body fat from 19.2 per cent to 12.2 per cent, but because it represents a complete reversal in health, confidence and outlook. Working alongside Ultimate Performance trainer Steve Chambers, Thomas proved that intelligent programming, nutritional discipline and consistency matter far more than endless hours in the gym.
“I always thought I was fit and active until I started this transformation,” Thomas tells Men’s Fitness. “Looking back, I realised I’d been doing things wrong for years. I did plenty of cardio and running, but I wasn’t really training effectively.”
Thomas also spent years battling inflammation that affected every exercise session. “I was in constant pain, stopped training properly, wasn’t eating well and wasn’t really looking after myself,” he says. “There were times before the injections when I literally couldn’t get out of bed. That’s how bad it became.”
The turning point came when he began receiving biologic injections every fortnight, dramatically reducing the inflammation that had dictated his life. “The first time I had them it honestly changed my life overnight,” he explains. “The pain reduced massively. I still get flare-ups because that’s just part of living with arthritis, but compared to where I was before, it’s unbelievable.”
Although the treatment leaves him feeling tired for a couple of days after each injection, Thomas considers it a small price to pay. “I know how much worse things used to be, so I’ll happily deal with those couple of off days because they allow me to live a much fuller life.”
Regaining the ability to move freely gave him something even more valuable: the motivation to finally pursue the physique he’d always admired.
“I thought, ‘Right, this is the year I’m really going to commit.’ I’d never been in the sort of shape I’d always admired in other people, so I decided to completely lock in.”
Training smarter, not longer
Thomas’s schedule hardly resembles that of a professional athlete. Alongside filming commitments, media appearances, podcasts, business interests with his own brand of barbecue sauce ‘Oh my glaze’ – a new sauce brand that uses all-natural, non-ultra processed ingredients with bold flavours – and family life, finding hours every day to train simply wasn’t realistic.
According to Ultimate Performance trainer Steve Chambers, it didn’t need to be. “When Adam first started with us, he already had a good amount of muscle and previous strength-training experience, which gave us an excellent foundation,” says Chambers.
“The goal was to prepare him for a Men’s Fitness cover in a relatively short timeframe, so every element of his programme had to maximise results while fitting around a very busy lifestyle.” Rather than living in the gym, Thomas averaged just three structured strength sessions each week.
“But Adam’s achievements are testament to the fact you don’t need to hit the gym seven days a week to get into cover-model shape,” Chambers explains. “What’s more important is training intelligently, with excellent technique, appropriate intensity and a programme that’s been carefully designed for your goals.”
The programme combined heavy compound lifts with hypertrophy work and metabolic conditioning, creating enough stimulus to preserve and build muscle while steadily stripping away body fat. Sessions early in the week prioritised strength through compound exercises such as deadlifts, while later workouts increased training volume to improve muscular detail and definition.
Thomas quickly realised he’d been approaching resistance training the wrong way for years. “The trainers completely changed how I lifted weights,” he says. “I’d always focused on lifting heavy, but they taught me about slowing everything down, controlling the tempo and really feeling each muscle working. It completely changed the way I train.”
Because of his arthritis, adaptations were sometimes necessary.
“My wrists are probably the biggest issue, especially when lifting heavier weights. Every gym session still comes with some discomfort, so I’ve had to learn different techniques and adapt exercises to protect my joints while still training hard.”
The nutrition lesson
If training became enjoyable, nutrition initially proved a greater challenge. “The biggest thing they gave me was structure,” says Thomas. “The training itself wasn’t actually the hardest part. Food preparation was.” Every meal was planned, weighed and tracked. “Making sure every meal was planned, counting calories and tracking everything took discipline. But once it became a habit it was part of my day.”
Ultimate Performance began with a higher-protein, lower-carbohydrate phase to accelerate early fat loss before gradually increasing carbohydrate intake while maintaining high protein consumption and a modest calorie deficit. The strategy supported continued fat loss without sacrificing muscle mass.
Thomas admits there were sacrifices. “The programme was strict and you have to accept that if you want proper results. But once you get into the routine you realise you can still enjoy food.” His biggest craving? “Beans on toast!
Forget endless cardio
Perhaps the biggest surprise came from what wasn’t included. Like many recreational exercisers, Thomas believed fat loss meant spending endless hours running. “I always thought losing body fat meant endless running, but I didn’t do any running during this transformation.”
Instead, daily movement became the priority. “It was about getting up to 15,000 steps every day and doing uphill treadmill walks. Those early-morning incline sessions were probably the thing I dreaded most.” For someone managing arthritis, the lower-impact approach also proved much kinder on his joints while still contributing significantly to his calorie expenditure.
Looking at the cover images, it’s tempting to focus solely on visible abs and defined shoulders, but Adam Thomas sees something entirely different. “Growing up I was a chubby kid and I never imagined I’d be on the cover of Men’s Fitness. I’d look at people in amazing shape and think, ‘I’d love to look like that one day,’ but never really believed I could.”
Today, he’s proud not just of the physique, but of everything required to build it. “What I’m proudest of isn’t actually the end result – it’s the journey. I’ve learned so much about nutrition, training and building routines that I know I’ll carry with me forever.”
Balancing the transformation alongside family life makes the achievement even sweeter. “I’ve got work, businesses, family life and being a dad. Life doesn’t stop just because you’re trying to get fitter. Being able to balance all of that and still commit to the process makes the achievement even more satisfying.”
One message Thomas hopes readers take away is that being busy isn’t an insurmountable obstacle. “If I can do it, anybody can,” he says. “People always say they don’t have time, but if something matters enough you’ll make time for it.”
Ironically, he completed the transformation during one of the busiest periods of his career. “I’ve had loads of work, all the stress that came after I’m A Celebrity…, family commitments and all that comes with daily life. Even with all of that, I still tracked my food, followed the programme and trained consistently.”
For Steve Chambers, that consistency ultimately made the difference. “Adam had both the motivation and the commitment,” he says. “He always trained with intensity, never lost sight of the goal and trusted the process throughout the 14 weeks. We’re incredibly proud of everything he achieved.”
Maintaining motivation after reaching a major goal is often harder than achieving it. Thomas admits he can already feel the temptation to ease off. “Having the Men’s Fitness cover gave me a really clear target, so now I need another one.” His next ambition could take him back to the place where everything first unravelled.
“I think HYROX could be next. Ironically, that’s where everything originally started because I was training for one when I suffered the injury that led to all the inflammation in my joints. It feels like I’ve got unfinished business there.” Whether or not he lines up at the start line, one thing is certain: this transformation has changed far more than his appearance.
“Getting into the best shape of my life hasn’t only changed me physically – it has made me a better husband, a better dad and a happier person. My family get the best version of me now, and that’s probably the biggest reward of all.”
Get into cover model mode…
If you want to get into cover model shape like Adam, here is a sample weekly plan you can
Built around just three training sessions per week, this programme places a deliberate emphasis on upper-body development, while maximising every minute spent on the gym floor to stimulate maximum muscular adaptation. Try to make each session a little more demanding as the weeks progress.
Progressive overload is the cornerstone of body transformations because by consistently demanding more from your muscles, whether through heavier weights, more reps, improved execution or increased training density, so that you are continually forcing the body to adapt, grow stronger and build a more muscular physique.
Day 1 – Monday: Upper Body – Low Volume / High Intensity
This session centres around big, compound movements that allow for heavy loading and maximum force production. The goal is to create high levels of mechanical tension, recruiting
the largest and most powerful muscle fibres whilst simultaneously stimulating strength gains and muscular growth. Every working set is designed to deliver maximum return from minimal volume, so it’s important to really focus on the quality of every rep.
Day 2 – Wednesday: Lower Body & Met Con – Low Volume / High Intensity
Following the same philosophy as Day 1, this workout focuses on technically demanding lower-body lifts performed under heavy loads to maximise strength and muscle recruitment. Targeted abdominal work is then combined with modified strongman-inspired conditioning circuits to increase your work capacity, elevate your energy expenditure, and improve your overall metabolic conditioning. The result is a session that develops both performance and physique while supporting continued fat loss.
Day 3 – Friday: Upper Body – High Volume / Medium to Low Intensity
The final session of the week shifts the focus towards higher training volumes, moderate-to-high repetition ranges, and strategically controlled rest periods. This combination creates significant metabolic stress and muscular fatigue, providing an additional hypertrophy stimulus to complement the heavy work you did earlier in the week. The increased upper-body frequency helps drive muscular development, improve shape and detail, and will enhance your overall aesthetic appearance.
