Anthony Anderson Taps Into A Star-Studded Group Chat For 'Motivation' on His Fitness Journey (Exclusive)
The actor opens up to PEOPLE about having discipline in his health and fitness journey, and the “transformation” he's excited to make
Anthony Anderson is feeling good about the work he’s been putting in for his health and fitness.
Speaking to PEOPLE about his partnership with Charmin Ultra Soft Smooth Tear, the 53-year-old actor — who’s been vocal about his health since being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2002 — gave an update about his health journey.
“I've been feeling great,” he tells PEOPLE.
Calling himself a “proud advocate” for educating the community about type 2 diabetes, Anderson says he’s learned the importance of diligence when it comes to his health.
“We have to be diligent about what we do as diabetics and do what our doctors have prescribed us to do, which means exercise, which means you can eat what you want but eat it in moderation,” he explains. “And also realize that if you're going to eat this cupcake, you're going to spend that much more time in the gym.”
The former Black-ish actor notes that his journey has mainly been about discipline, especially having the discipline to get out of bed in the morning.
“We all go through those mornings. The alarm clock hits and it's like, ‘Ah, do I have to get up and go to the gym?’ And the answer is yes,” Anderson says. “We may dread it and the waking hours, but once we get there and get our bodies in motion and once that hour or hour and a half is up, you feel great about yourself and you feel great that you did make the choice to get up and not use an excuse to keep from going. And it always works out better for you when you do that.”
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For Anderson, his friends and family are the ones he leans on when trying to maintain that discipline. He even has a star-studded group chat that holds him accountable for staying on top of his health goals.
“My core group of guys are George Lopez, Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, Don Cheadle, and Chris Spencer. We have a group chat that we call ‘The Thread,’” he shares. “For a long time we would wake up every morning and do pushups and sit-ups and challenge one to do their pushups and their sit-ups. And this is my core group that I lean on in terms of motivation and just making the right choices that we need to make as friends and family.”
“I can talk to them about my journey, they can talk to me about their journeys, and we are just there to support one another and lean on one another when we need to,” the Law & Order star continues.
Anderson admits that recently his health goals have simply been to live healthier and be more conscious about what he’s putting in his body, even with his busy schedule. He even teases a new “transformation” he’s about to make after recently getting back into the boxing gym for fitness.
“It’s just being as active as I possibly can with the schedule that I have,” the actor adds. “So I'm excited about the transformation that I'm going to be making.”
Anderson also quips that he’s not the only one making a transformation, telling PEOPLE about his “exciting” partnership with Charmin for the launch of their new Ultra Soft Smooth Tear toilet paper, which the actor teases is “square-ish.”
“It's been a hundred years since Charmin has changed the shape of their toilet paper. Due to customer complaints about the ripping and the tearing of it, they reinvented the square for a smoother tear,” he says with a laugh while waiving the toilet paper. “It's changed the shape of it…do you see how easy of a tear that was right there!”
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