Chris Pratt’s dramatic makeover into the muscular and fit lead of “Guardians of the Galaxy” did not come easy – but it sure has paid off! The “Parks and Recreation” actor, who plays Andy Dwyer on the hilarious NBC comedy series, recently revealed some of his workout secrets that helped him achieve his toned body.

Chris Pratt, who plays Peter Quill in “Guardians of the Galaxy” which is out in theatres nationwide now, sat down with Esquire to talk about how he has developed his fitness and health routine, including revealing his workout secrets!

Chris Pratt told Esquire that his past auditions inspired him to make a change, explaining: “When Guardians of the Galaxy was pitched to me, I said, ‘I don't think so.’ I just didn't picture myself getting the role. I didn't want to go and embarrass myself like I did when I auditioned for G.I. Joe a couple of years previously. I went in there, and halfway through I saw the director's eyes just glaze over. It made sense—I was a little heavy and out of shape. I was not gonna play someone from G.I. Joe. I did not look like a G.I. Joe action figure come to life.”

Chris Pratt’s new look is noticeably and truly a tremendous change for the actor; he lost a staggering 60 pounds in only six months to take on the roll in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Not only does he look better, but he feels better too.

From weighing almost 300 pounds and struggling with sleep apnea and excessive sweating, Pratt now has a new stance on life, with more energy and positivity about the future. With his new body, he has even developed some surprising new interests, from grooming to fashion. He told Esquire, “I like clothes now. I have more energy. I sleep better. My sex drive is up. Blood's flowing. I'm less susceptible to impulse. I'm in a different mode. When I was way out of shape, the idea of using whitening strips on my teeth seemed terrible. I have to do that every day? I'll never do it. What you want is instant results when you're out of shape. You want your teeth whitened in 45 minutes with the use of lasers. But when you're in shape, you know it's the result of doing a little bit every day.”

Offering some tips about his revised eating habits, Pratt continued, “Instead of Boy, I'd love to eat this hamburger right now, I'm considering a little further into the future. I'm thinking, I eat that hamburger and that's 1,200 calories, and I'm gonna work out tomorrow and lose 800 calories. I may as well eat a salad here, still do that workout, and then I'm actually making progress.”

Pratt insisted, “You have to eat protein.” But the “Parks and Recreation” star also warned, “You can't have hashbrowns, or burgers, or anything fried. You can't have carbs. You have to work out five times a week.”

Working out 5 times a week might seem like a impossibility for some, but Chris says it’s can be life-changing. He showed off to Esquire, boasting “I can do 40-inch box jumps now. Action-hero physical stuff. Jumping that high feels really good. You see a giant hillside, and you think, I wanna get up that. You see a building, you think, I could climb that. When you get in shape, the world around you becomes things you wanna jump on and climb up.”

Wow! Now that’s what you call some inspirational words from a down-to-earth man. The “Moneyball” star overcame some huge obstacles to get to where he is today, and it seems that it has all paid off – and he has the body and then films to prove it! His career is skyrocketing, with announcements that he will be starring in two new blockbusters: “Jurrasic World” and “Knight Rider”.

Want to know one more example of how Chris Pratt has toned up over the years? Three words: Hip Hop Abs. Check out the hilarious video below!