4 high protein meals Henry Cavill swears by for sculpted, toned abs

• Henry Cavill told Insider his diet plays a crucial role in keeping his abs visible and toned.

• The "Superman" actor also keeps his core strong by performing a variety of planks.
• He shared his daily diet with Insider which includes four high protein meals.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Henry Cavill knows a thing or two about getting in shape and maintaining his gains, it's a part of his job.

The "Superman" actor has played various roles that require him to be in peak physical condition. For years, Cavill, 38, has worked with trainer Dave Rienzi who plans his workouts and nutrition.

Cavill told Insider that while he swears by planks to keep his abs strong, they wouldn't be visible if his nutrition wasn't in check.

Cavill eats four pre prepared meals a day to maintain his physique:

• Breakfast: omelette with ham, beef fillet, and a protein shake made with grass-fed vanilla whey, a cup of oats, and berries
• Lunch 1: white rice and chicken
• Lunch 2: brown rice and chicken
• Dinner: steak with sweet potatoes
• Before bed: protein shake

Cavill's trainer instructs him to eat white rice or white potatoes when he needs quick energy before training, and brown rice or sweet potatoes when he needs slow releasing energy post exercise.

Cavill does a variety of planks for a strong core

Rienzi changes Cavill's workouts depending on the role and the goal, but when it comes to building defined abs and a strong core, there's one move he focuses on: planks.

"My trainer has for years now sent me a lot of plank work," Cavill told Insider.

He does a variety of planks, including standard ones, stability ball planks, planks with shoulder taps, and side planks, he said.

"They have an incredible effect," Cavill said.

While he puts in the work to build muscle in the gym, Cavill said it's his diet that keeps his abs visible.

"You can have the most extraordinary abs in the world, but if you're not lean enough, you can't see them," Cavill said. "But to make particularly aesthetic abs or a strong core, then yes, planks have worked for me."

Cavill changes his training for his roles

When prepping for a new role, Cavill sends Rienzi progress photos, and they'll tweak the workout plan and diet accordingly.

A small home gym allows Cavill to fit workouts in first thing in the morning.

Cavill is currently preparing for a role that requires a lot of stunt work and fighting, so his training is centered on interval sprints, bodybuilding, and fighting.

At other times, hypertrophy or muscle-building might be the goal, so he might do a mix of muscle growth and strength-focused sessions.