Superman (Salkind films) adopted a high protein diet. He added of muscle to his thin frame. He later made even higher gains for "Superman III" (1983), though for "" (1987), he decided it would be healthier to focus more on cardiovascular workouts. One of the reasons Reeve could not work out as much for "" was an emergency appendectomy he had in June 1986. Reeve was never a Superman or comic book fan, though he had watched "Adventures of Superman" starring George Reeves. Reeve found the role offered a suitable challenge because it was a dual role. He said, "there must be some
Superman (Salkind films) or no conflict who stands for "truth, justice and the American way"—a recurring theme shared by Superman in the original "The Adventures of Superman" radio program. The noble Superman portrayed by Reeve, though, hides his secret identity by pretending to be an awkward and apprehensive character named Clark Kent, whom Lois Lane is indifferent to but shares an obsession over Superman. Reeve felt that even though Superman upholds "truth, justice, and the American way" that there was nothing self-conscious about him and that was simply what he believed in. The character has been cited as an metaphor of a Christ