Ludi Lin underwent an insane physical transformation for his role as the central protagonist and a revered Shaolin monk in Mortal Kombat 2. That came with its own struggles and a bulk that challenged Lin's entire lifestyle.

The role of Liu Kang demanded both combat skills and a chiseled physique. For the latter, the plant-based Chinese actor added over 35 lbs of muscle, getting his weight up from 165 lbs to near 205 lbs.

But it was the diet that was the real game-changer, and the hardest part. Speaking with Men's Health on their recent May 7 episode, Lin discussed his physical transformation for the sequel.

"6,500 [calories] a day is what I was aiming for." The actor added, "It was my first time trying to really bulk. So to do it, I realized how difficult it actually is to do it cleanly because there's just so much food. Do you ever get sick of eating?"

Co-host Dr. Pat Davidson agreed that gaining mass was often the hardest part of a bulk, even with an unrestricted diet of processed foods. Doing that on a mostly plant-based diet sounded almost impossible to Davidson.

So, what exactly was the diet that prepared Lin for his role in the action sequel?

Ludi Lin shares a glimpse of his bulk platter

The Chinese-Canadian actor had been on a strict vegan diet for 8 years before his ex-girlfriend motivated him to adopt a pescatarian regimen. Now, Lin incorporates both fish and whey protein into his meals, especially helping him gain weight for movies.

Despite that, Lin's plates consist mostly of clean, organic foods, and lots of fruits, especially avocados and bananas. He ate 6 avocados and nearly 8-10 bananas every day during his bulk.

Beyond that, Yam, a root vegetable, was a staple. "I ate a lot, I ate like I think like five six yams as well lots of, lots of nuts in the evening," Lin told Men's Health.

Owing to such an intentional, clean diet and rigorous martial arts training, even at 38, Ludi Lin keeps shining in extensive, action roles, even if they demand a difficult bulk.

Would you take something for Lin's plate to your meals?

Follow Bodybuilding Bros for more.

Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil