For a New York City resident, actor Jon Michael Hill spends a lot of days in Chicago. Several times a year, the Waukegan native checks in on two families: his relatives in the suburbs and his artistic kin at Steppenwolf Theatre, where he became an ensemble member at the startlingly young age of 20. His roles there include a lead in 2008’s Superior Donuts, which moved to Broadway and earned him a Tony nom. He currently stars in Steppenwolf’s world premiere of Purpose, running until April 28. On TV, he was a regular on CBS’s Elementary, and he’s appearing this spring in the Netflix series A Man in Full. At 38, Hill keeps active, although a type 1 diabetes diagnosis five years ago meant lifestyle adjustments.
Mushroom motivation
“I’ve been making that mushroom coffee RYZE. I mix it with instant coffee, which helps with the flavor. The mushrooms do specific things for the brain, digestion, energy. I have been able to focus and get work done, get to the gym consistently, and my sleep is better than it’s been in a long time.”
Sugar-crash strategies
“I have a good rhythm with cooking now, which helps me regulate my blood sugar. When I get food from restaurants, it’s hard to guesstimate how many carbs are on that plate. But I’ve experienced a lot of crashes. They don’t feel good. There’s both a physical and a mental response. I’ve been onstage a couple times during a crash, and it’s pretty scary. Fortunately, I haven’t lost any lines yet because of it. Now I try to make sure there’s orange juice somewhere hidden on the set, just in case.”
Work out vs. wiped out
“When I played football and ran track in high school, fitness was about constantly pushing past your limits so you can be stronger, faster, have more endurance. As I get older, it’s about listening to the body. Sometimes that means taking it slow. Mostly, I want to be lifting weights, and I try to run a mile every day. I’ve had days when I absolutely felt like I’m walking through mud and can’t handle a workout but went to the gym anyway and of course felt better afterward. So it’s a balance of knowing when to push and when to listen.”