A picture-perfect body

Photo: Franz Krachtus

Leesburg native Max Wettstein, 46, is one of the country’s most popular fitness models. In fact, he graced the cover of Men’s Health 10 times and was prominently featured on the covers of Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness. He also appeared in countless print advertisements showcasing men’s clothing and men’s performance apparel. As a fitness model, he must stay in tip-top shape at all times. After all, that next photo shoot may be right around the corner. “When you’re a fitness model, you have no choice but to stay in shape,” says Max, who now lives in San Diego. “You never have much warning before a photo shoot, so it’s an excellent way of being held accountable.”

Health and fitness were instilled in Max at an early age. His mom was vice president of a chain of health spas, while his father owned the now defunct Leesburg Health Studio. Although his parents were divorced, he spent many summers in Lake County with his father, a popular teacher and coach at both Leesburg High School and Tavares High School. “My dad would pick me up at the airport and we’d go straight to the gym. He even bought me my first set of weights when I was in eighth grade. I was always an athlete. I participated in football, wrestling, and track.” While serving as a pilot in the U.S. Navy, he began modeling for Road Runner Sports, the country’s largest running apparel store.

His career took off from there. He later appeared in ads and infomercials for companies such as QOR, which manufactures men’s performance apparel, and Sports Authority, one of the nation’s largest sporting goods chains. Today, Max successfully juggles being a fitness professional and working as a pilot for JetBlue Airways. He often finds himself working out in fitness-friendly hotel chains. “I cannot stick to any one routine because my flight schedule is all over the place. But when I’m home, I engage in full-functional fitness routines and do deadlifts, military presses, squats, push-ups, and pull-ups. I also surf and play beach volleyball.”

There’s one question that men constantly ask Max: How does he maintain those six-pack abs at his age? “I tell them they have to keep their body leaner and alter their body composition. I also preach the value of super high-intensity workouts because you continue burning calories for hours,” he says. “It’s also very important to successfully deal with stress because your body releases hormones that store fat.”

How to Reach Max: Insta: @maxwettstein Twitter: @max_wettstein MaxWettsteinFitness.com