Mark Wright reveals how he boosts his sex life and gives tips on how to increase your stamina in the gym and bedroom
WANT to get fit like Mark Wright? Then you need to get laid, according to the super-toned star.
And the Heart radio DJ and former Towie star reckons the two go hand in hand, meaning the fitter you are, the more sex you’ll have.
Mark, 34, who is married to actress Michelle Keegan, 33, said: “I know from friends and from myself how working out makes you smile and makes you feel good.
“If you’re feeling fit and you’ve got stamina, that helps your sex life. If you’re feeling toned and healthy, that will improve your sex life.
“I think having a healthy sex life is proven to help the mind and relieve stress. It all goes hand in hand.
“I can’t say you can’t have a good sex life if you don’t feel good in your body, but you’ll definitely have a better sex life if you do.”
Mark has six-pack abs and the stunning showbusiness wife, and now he wants to show you how to shape up too.
He has written a lifestyle book which he hopes will give sex-starved Brits a welcome boost — although when we meet to chat, he gets a little flustered talking about what goes on in his bedroom.
“It’s a bit of an embarrassing conversation to have, isn’t it,” he says with a laugh, sipping black coffee.
“But if you’ve never been into fitness or diet before, I promise you this book will change your life — and you’ll have a good sex life.”
Mark has given fitness guru Joe Wicks a run for his money during the pandemic, with thousands of people tuning in for his live Instagram workouts at the height of lockdown.
It led him to launch his own fitness website and app, Train Wright, and now he is completing his lifestyle empire with new book Get Fit, Get Healthy, Get Happy.
But he’s a bit of a reluctant exercise guru — saying that while he tries to fit in at least one 30-minute session every day, he doesn’t pretend he relishes the prospect every morning.
He admits: “I don’t like training, who does? Of course I’d rather go for breakfast, enjoy my morning and have a buck’s fizz. But I always get it done early and I have this thing called the ‘three-second count’.
“When I know I want to train it’s so easy to get sucked into social media or something. I do this thing where I count to three, stand up, whip my fitness gear on and go. I don’t like it, I dread it. But I know that when I’ve done it I’ll feel amazing.”
A passion for fitness was imbued in Mark as a youngster, growing up in a super-competitive family full of sportsmen.
He said: “My dad [Mark Snr] and his two brothers were professional footballers, my uncle Eddie, who we just lost, was a professional golfer, my granddad was a professional boxer. You don’t want to come on holiday with us — it’s very intense!
“I am ultra-competitive but when it comes to my friends and family I’m even more so. I think it’s because I know how hard they want to beat me.”
Mark said wife Michelle will even throw couples’ sporting matches “just so I lose”. On holiday with the whole Wright clan in Jamaica last year, a chaotic kayak race caused a stir at their tranquil, posh couples’ resort.
Mark recalled: “We get on these kayaks as all these couples are sipping on their pina coladas. The plan was to kayak out to this little wedding chapel on the end of the pier and touch it with our paddles and race back.
“When we got there, we had to smash the oar on to the jetty — but we didn’t think there would be a wedding going on.
It was a terribly tough period. I was staring at potentially losing a dad, two uncles, a nan and grandad at the same time. It’s been a huge loss. Eddie was the heart and soul of the family.
Mark Wright
“So as we get there, shouting at each other and generally causing chaos, I look up and the whole of this wedding party are staring at us, just as the groom was about to put the ring on his bride’s finger.
“I realised then that my competitive spirit had probably gone too far but I wouldn’t change it.”
And glamorous wife Michelle also shares his ambitious nature. He says with a chuckle: “Our kids are going to be a joke — if we ever have them — because she is so competitive.”
And “it’s best not to ask” about Monopoly games with the family. Despite their combative nature, the couple are happier than ever as they build their dream home from scratch in Essex.
Workaholic Mark says the pandemic, which has hit his family hard, has made him prioritise those closest to him.
“I’ve learned how fragile life is,” he says. “Happiness and spending time with my loved ones is the most important thing.”
Which means lots of home-cooked meals with Michelle, eating out with his family — and occasionally turning down work. The former Coronation Street actress has been a source of strength for Mark, after he lost his beloved uncle Eddie, 65, to Covid in March, with other relatives also battling coronavirus.
He admits: “It was a terribly tough period. I was staring at potentially losing a dad, two uncles, a nan and grandad at the same time. It’s been a huge loss. Eddie was the heart and soul of the family.”
Despite wanting to “take it easy”, Mark’s relentless work ethic runs deep. He is haunted by the collapse of his father’s business when he was a boy and lives in fear of losing it all.
Mark reveals for the first time that his family eventually became “homeless” — with the brood splitting in two to live with different grandparents. He said: “It’s quite sad but I remember it too much. I was only six when it all started happening.
“My dad went through a few problems. He started drinking more and he and my mum weren’t really getting on. They’ve always stuck together but there was tension there because of all the pressure.
“I knew as a young man that my dad had it rough. But it wasn’t until I was older that I fully realised Dad wasn’t struggling to get a few pounds together to put food on the table.
“It was all about finding another pound note to feed us. I can feel the feeling now in my belly. I would remember my mum asking my dad, ‘Are we going to be alright? Are we going to get through this?’ ”
Seeing his mum Carol, now 60, and Mark Snr, 64, go through such a torrid time made him determined to succeed.
“It’s 100 per cent why I’m so driven,” he said. “You won’t outwork me. I work hours and hours and I travel, sometimes to the point where my family and loved ones ask me to slow down.
“I’m a successful young man but I still feel like I have nothing. And I think that’s because I’m scarred from my dad having everything to end up with nothing.”
I genuinely believed at 32 I would lose it all too. I would save and squirrel away, wishing my years away.
Mark Wright
His dad “lost everything” at the age of 32 — and Mark was convinced he would meet the same fate, despite having an estimated £4million fortune.
He said: “I genuinely believed at 32 I would lose it all too. I would save and squirrel away, wishing my years away.
“There’s some part of me that wishes I could just pick up now and go and live on a beach and be a bit of a hippy and love life and know that money I had would last me for ever. Live really simply.
“But I find it impossible to stop and not chase that next thing. If there’s money on the table I can’t say no. But at least I’m recognising now that I need to slow down.”
And balance is what it’s all about for Mark. He says it is the secret to being currently in “the best shape of my life”.
He said: “I don’t look like a Marvel superhero, I don’t have an eight-pack but I feel great today. I’ve been for a run, I’ve done my weights and I’m going to enjoy a nice meal tonight.
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“I do calorie count a little bit but I do everything in moderation. I love my personal life and I love my social life.
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“I’ll see my mum and dad tonight with my wife and we will have an Indian takeaway. Yes, I will have a drink. But I just make sure I’ll go for a run tomorrow morning and eat well the next day.
“Last night I had loads of sushi and a few beers with my mates. It’s all about a balanced lifestyle.”
Choc better than sex? You're lying
YOU love it, I love it, who doesn’t love it? Even when you are biting into that incredible chocolate brownie and telling everyone: “This is better than sex”, you know you’re lying.
Now, you might be thinking, what is a section on sex doing in a health and fitness book, but for me, this is exactly where this chat belongs.
Sex is such an important part of life, whether we are in a relationship or not – and having a healthy sex life can massively improve our happiness.
Whether you use this as a motivational tool or something to add to your “be prepared” mindset, here’s my list of reasons why following a healthy lifestyle can lead to better sex – and better sex can lead to a fitter, healthier, happier life.
HIGHER SEX DRIVE
WE know exercise increases our heart rate and improves blood flow, and that improved blood flow can work wonders for your sex drive.
Exercise also releases feelgood endorphins and helps to reduce stress levels. This lovely little concoction massively helps to improve our sex drive.
BETTER IN BED
THIS doesn’t take too much explaining. The fitter you are, the more stamina you will have both during a workout and in the bedroom.
Stronger muscles are also proven to make some people experience more pleasurable sex.
CONFIDENCE BOOST
LET’S face it, no one feels sexy when they are lacking body confidence.
Feeling strong, fit and confident in your own skin means you are going to be way more likely to feel good naked. Regular exercise and a nutritious diet can help boost your mood and how you feel about yourself, and if you feel sexy, chances are your partner is going to notice.
LESS LETHARGIC
NO one is in the mood for sex when they feel tired and sluggish. An unhealthy diet of ultra-processed foods and a lack of movement in your day can leave you struggling with this “fog” of tiredness.
A nutritious diet and regular movement will see you snap out of this slump and completely change your mental state in days.
CLOSER RELATIONSHIP
IF you do have a partner, living a healthier lifestyle can massively benefit your relationship. A nutritious diet and regular exercise is proven to make us less irritable, less stressed and less likely to suffer mood swings and, let’s be honest, the first person to benefit from this change is a partner. It’s always worth remembering that making a positive change for you is also usually making a positive change for your partner too.
BETTER SEX = BETTER WORKOUTS
BEAR with me here, but having a better sex life can actually make us fitter, healthier and happier.
And having sex boosts serotonin, our happy hormone. This improves our mood and can even help fight off depression and anxiety.
IMPROVED SLEEP
REGULAR sex also helps us sleep better.
- Get Fit, Get Healthy, Get Happy: The Ultimate Guide To Being In The Best Shape Of Your Life, by Mark Wright, is out on Thursday (Harper Thorsons, £16.99)