Paul Rudd says it was 'so much harder' to get back into shape for 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' than the previous movie

• Paul Rudd spoke to Men's Health about his training routine for the third "Ant-Man" film.
• Rudd said it was more challenging for "Quantumania" than it was for the previous movie.

Paul Rudd said that getting into superhero shape for "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" was more difficult than anticipated.

"I worked really hard to get back into shape for 'Quantumania,' and I realized, Oh my God, this is so much harder than it was [for the last Ant-Man project]," Rudd, 53, said in a cover story for Men's Health, released on Tuesday.

The actor continued: "I had fallen off more than I had in the past. All of a sudden my clothes fit tight. And I thought, God, this sucks. I can't even wear these pants. So I'd say to myself, Well, I might as well just eat some of these cookies. I was irritable and self-conscious. I just wasn't in a good mood. I really beat myself up."

Rudd made his Marvel debut as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in the standalone 2015 film "Ant-Man." He's since reprised the role in "Captain America: Civil War" (2016), "Ant-Man and the Wasp" (2018), and "Avengers: Endgame" (2019).

He'll return as the comic-book character in "Quantumania," in theaters on February 17.

In his interview with Men's Health, the actor said that the most important aspect of training is sleep, followed by diet, weights, and cardio.

When it comes to playing Ant-Man he said he's "hyper-focused" and disciplined.

"If I'm doing one of these movies and I know that in four months I have to do a shirtless scene, I'm pretty dialed in," he said. "I also try and find the happy medium. I could work out hard and eat perfectly and I'll still look worse than most of the other Avengers."

Rudd said that, outside of his superhero commitments, he follows an exercise routine that "has less to do with the fact that I might have to do another Marvel movie or a magazine shoot and more because I finally understand if you make fitness a part of your lifestyle, you'll just feel good."

The actor said he starts his days with a cup of coffee and cardio exercise before eating food, something he "never would've done" before starring in "Ant-Man."

"I lift weights, hopefully at least three times a week. And I've learned so much about how my body reacts to foods, how it reacts to exercise, and where I'm happiest and how much it affects me mentally," he said.

"If I'm in this suit, running around playing a character who's supposed to be a superhero, I just feel better," he added. "And I feel less like an impostor."