If you want to know how focused Danny Williams is on keeping healthy, know this: he always has a gym kit on him. Sometimes, you see, “I’ll get a message from a friend after work saying, ‘You want to work out later?’” It’s a situation that has literally never happened to me in my life, but then I’m not a model and fitness fanatic.
For Danny, who you absolutely know from his time on Love Island this year, fitness has always been a passion, from his time bodybuilding in his teens to his move towards a more streamlined look for modelling. “When I first started modelling, I was getting feedback from clients that I was a bit too big,” he explains. “They liked my look – ‘good potential, but was too muscly’.” Again, this is a problem that has never happened to me in my life. This also meant that getting the call for Love Island didn’t even require much of a change in his workout regime: “A lot of the modelling I do is swimwear and I’m always shoot ready.”
Like every other man in that odd Mallorcan production of Twelfth Night, Danny is in obscenely good shape. The kind of shape that makes you wonder: “Tell me how. Please for the love of God tell me how.” So we asked him: how in the name of all that is good do you do it? And you know what? He was lovely enough to tell us. Here’s a week in the life of Danny Williams, a man who is astonishingly chill about making sure he makes the right choices.
Sunday
“Normally I’ve got a job on the Monday, so I have to travel to Manchester or Newcastle. I travel up the day before. I need to make sure all the stuff I need is packed, making sure I’ve got my workout in and my meal prep in. You can’t always guarantee the food is gonna be healthy or to my liking.
“I do enjoy my cooking on Sundays and planning the week ahead. It’s simple stuff: salmon, chicken, egg whites, stuff you can cook in bulk and prepare them for the two or three days coming up.
“If I’ve got a fitness-type shoot I tend to stay clear of the heavy weights so I’m not sore the next day. I take a day off before a shoot. It’s really important to me.”
Monday
“I always wake up and get my cardio done first thing. My gym is close to my house, so I head over around 5am, do 45 minutes on the StairMaster. I tend to not be hungry after cardio, so I can push back my first meal to 9/10am at least. Once I tend to eat all the carbs I crave more, so I push my first meal as far back as I can.
“One of my favourite breakfasts is egg white and protein pancakes. They take minutes to make and I have a few different flavoured protein powders, so I can mix it up with some berries or bananas.
“A shoot is normally 9am to 5pm with an hour or so break. Depending on where I’m working, I try to get a gym session in after work – I always have a gym kit on me. I’ll hit the gym before I head home – I like to be prepared if there’s a cool gym near my location. Once I go home there’s less chance of going out again to work out.”
Tuesday
“I tend to work most days, but modelling is inconsistent. If it’s an off day, it’s an opportunity to get a bit more sleep in, experiment with my food and I’ll probably get a double session in: cardio later than 5am and then a legs and shoulders session rather than a HIIT routine.
“The food would be a lot easier to maintain; I can plan exactly when I’m eating. I tend to use a lot of spices and hot stuff in my food: long story short, I’m seeing what foods I can get away with making spicy. Obviously white fish, chicken, beef, but also strange things like fruits, potatoes, pasta – I find it more enjoyable if it’s hot. There’s a lot of sugar-free syrups on the market and I love experimenting with them as well.”
Wednesday
“If I’m away for a shoot, I always like to make sure I’ve got some of my meals prepared. There’s less risk of messing up on my diet if I have food on me. I need to make sure I’ve got my meals and plenty of water.
“In terms of training, if I can’t find a gym I’ll do a little bit in my room. I’ve got adaptable workouts; with my modelling it’s a lot of streamlined physique stuff to maintain a swimmer’s body. I can always find a little abs workout, ab variations I see on Instagram, I always find inspiration from fitness athletes I follow. I never stress about getting a workout in. It’s all about having the discipline to make a healthy choice. You always have the option to choose healthy. You always have control. And if there’s nothing, drink plenty of water.”
Thursday
“In the scenario of working abroad, there’s a bit less for me to work with. It’ll be croissants and juices: abroad, it’s a continental spread. When there’s no other options for me to eat, I’m not going to stress out about it. I live a healthy lifestyle, so one or two days a month isn’t going to kill me. I don’t put too much stress on it.
“If I ever have the opportunity to work abroad, I do like to get out and explore that city. Travel and fitness are both massive parts of my life and I feel like living a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about being physically fit, it’s about being mentally healthy. Exploring new places is beneficial to that. If I can get out in the daytime, that’s my priority, and a workout will come after.
“If I am in a new city I find the coolest gym in that town. It’s a great opportunity to meet people in the industry and get new opinions and good advice. I do like to take knowledge from people along the way.”
Friday
“When I’m coming back [from abroad], I’m more lenient with myself. There’s less of a chance to cook for myself so if I’m in an airport or train station I’ll pick the healthiest option possible, even if it’s a chicken salad sandwich. Even if it’s not the best, I know I’m making the best choice possible.
“I’m not going to stress too much if I don’t have chicken, rice and broccoli on me. You have to be flexible [when] it’s not always going to plan.”
Saturday
“I’m just as busy as I am the rest of the week. I treat it like a normal off day. I’m not working, so I spend a bit more time in the gym, I watch more inspirational videos on Instagram and YouTube from athletes and brands, get myself hyped up from a heavy weights session. I’ll eat a bit more carbs before a session so that I can get a bit more out of the gym and do a bit more of the bodybuilding stuff I tend to love.
“I tend to travel back home on a Saturday to see my parents, so I tend to go back most weekends. A nice big breakfast, whether that’s toast rather than pancakes and shakes, and then I’ll prep one or two meals for my train back up north, get a gym session in and then enjoy a leisurely time with my family. That’s when a cheat meal comes in: I love mum and dad’s cooking.”
Now read:
Love Island’s Callum snacks on omelettes and eats three jacket potatoes a night
We speak to the vegan Grand Tour cyclist who makes his own salad dressings on the road
