Craig Robinson knows how quickly a casual conversation can turn into something more memorable.
up to nine seasons Office, Robinson’s Darryl Philbin was primarily one of the quietest personalities at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Now, the actor and comedian is portraying that workplace persona through a partnership with Svedka for the launch swedka water and its limited-edition Svedka Vodka Water Cooler – a more adult interpretation of the familiar office gathering spot.
The five-foot cooler functions as a traditional water dispenser, but also includes a hidden faucet designed for dispensing cold Svedka water after a workday.
For Robinson, the collaboration feels familiar.
“It’s great,” Robinson told muscle and fitness. “To be a part of Office, In this way that inheritance is increased. It is centered around the workplace. It’s water-cooler talk, and it’s familiar. So, it matches perfectly with my brand.”
Robinson’s current happy hour philosophy looks very different these days. The Chicago native has lost nearly 50 pounds and made significant changes to her daily routine. He is more selective about what he eats, how often he drinks and what habits he incorporates into his life.
“With alcohol, it’s at a minimal level,” he says. “It had gotten out of control, but now after intermittent fasting and me tapering it down, it’s not a thing anymore.”
Her transformation didn’t start with a cumbersome workout program, a celebrity trainer, or a complete lifestyle change. It started with regular visits to the doctor and an uncomfortable number when we stepped on the scale.
What motivated Craig Robinson to lose weight?
Robinson’s transformation is not unique. In fact, many people have started out this way.
He believed he knew exactly how much he weighed. He understood that he had gained some weight, but he had a number in his mind that he marked as his heaviest point. When he stepped on the scale at the doctor’s office, the actual figure was about 30 pounds more than he expected.
The miscalculation set off alarm bells.
“I went crazy being overweight,” says Robinson. “I thought I was at this extreme weight. I knew where I was and I was over it.”
This feeling was something Robinson could not ignore. He began considering alternatives and even got a prescription for Ozempic. He was willing to spend $1,000 to start taking the drug, but while in line to complete the purchase, he reconsidered.
He does not criticize anyone who uses weight loss drugs. He just decided that he wanted to see if he could achieve something by making some small changes in his habits first. He went away and started making a simple plan.
How did Craig Robinson lose 50 pounds?
Instead of working out for hours over several days or changing his diet, he committed himself to walking on the treadmill in such a short amount of time that he couldn’t avoid it.
“I just started exercising three minutes a day on the treadmill,” says Robinson. “Then the next month it was six minutes, and the next month, nine.”
Within several weeks, they started seeing results. More importantly, daily activities began to seem like a normal part of her schedule, not like an obligation she had to remind herself of.
Once Robinson established his daily activity routine, he began experimenting with intermittent fasting. The eating structure proved effective for him, he estimates that he lost 19 pounds during one particularly successful month.
“One of the hardest and easiest things to do is not eat,” says Robinson. “It’s hard because you’re not eating, and it’s easy because you don’t have to do anything.”
Intermittent fasting also gave them a framework to organize their other health habits. By eating their last meal of the day several hours before bed, they got better sleep, which resulted in more energy when they got up to complete their responsibilities or exercise schedule.
These small, individual actions begin to support and work together.
“You fast, you workout, you eat right, you get your rest, your hydration — wash, rinse, repeat,” says Robinson.
The daily mindset that fueled their transformation
Changes are not always linear. Robinson was honest that although he was able to make significant progress, he had allowed some old habits to creep back in late last year. It has become easier to justify consuming soda because of the overall habits surrounding it. The same is true when it comes to the occasional slice of pizza or gumbo.
“If I’m 100 percent honest, I’ve fallen for it,” says Robinson. “I started letting things come back into my life.”
Then rather than considering these inclusions as failures, Robinson sees them as another step in his overall process. He recognized what was happening, reevaluated his choices, and returned to the routine that helped him make progress in the first place.
This comes with wisdom knowing that you don’t have to, and probably shouldn’t, permanently eliminate every enjoyable food. Instead, create a necessary distance between those indulgences. Coca-Cola may be reserved for a special occasion. It might be nice to have pizza once a month.
The most important lesson is to learn the difference between intentionally enjoying something and not letting it control the routine that keeps you on a good path.
“I haven’t completely ruled out things,” says Robinson. “It’s more like, OK, maybe I’ll eat some pizza in October. Maybe I’ll eat some cake in November.”
How Craig Robinson’s transition affected his life and work
Robison’s improved health made an impact far more than the number on the scale. Between acting, music, stand-up, comedy, and joining the voice cast of Toy Story 5, her schedule demands energy and confidence. He recently began performing several times per night at clubs around Los Angeles, using the stage to test new material, experiment with music, and create song moments with his piano playing.
“I get to be silly,” Robinson says. “I know how to make these jokes, but I’m also expanding my mind because I’m learning exciting songs that I never really learned before.”
Before a recent performance, Robinson looked at himself in the mirror while going out and saw a thin face coming toward him. It was subtle, but it provided an emotional lift that was immediate and important because confidence is a huge part of performance.
“I was like, ‘Oh, there he is,'” Robinson recalled. “It lifted me up, man. It made everything – the notes seemed brighter. I was singing and playing, and I felt more playful.”
Robinson still aims to improve his physique and eventually place a greater emphasis on strength training. He sees himself as a work in progress, rather than someone you can work with before and after the change. His honesty is perhaps his greatest asset.
He didn’t wait to create a perfect workout plan. They started off with such a strong effort that it would be hard to ignore. Once they established it as a habit, they added more things to it. When he slipped up, he took ownership of it and started the process again.
There are so many diets, influencers, and information available now that it can cloud the simplicity of a beginner. Robinson recommends making the first act almost impossibly short.
“I’d say something like three minutes a day,” he says. “Or start with one pushup and do that for a month. Then the next month, two pushups a day. The next month, six minutes on the treadmill a day.”
The goal is not to prove how much discomfort your body can tolerate in the first day or week. This is to create a system that you can repeat over a long period of time so that it becomes part of who you are.
“Start with something that’s small, something you can definitely do, something you can definitely control,” says Robinson. “So just let it grow each month. Allow yourself patience. Allow yourself to be consistent.”
Follow Craig on Instagram @mrcraigrobinson
