The average age of an NFL player is 26. Most professional football players retire after just two and a half years in the league. The average NFL career for quarterbacks lasts around three years.
After playing in his 10th Super Bowl this year, you could say that Tom Brady isn’t your average NFL player. With no signs of a career ending in sight, you have to ask – what’s his secret to running with the twenty-somethings for all these years?
A lot of pro athletes keep their routines and regimens under lock and key, but not Brady. He is surprisingly open about his diet and routines. He also developed The TB Method, which teaches ordinary people how to take a more holistic approach to health, which is what he credits for his long, successful career.
So, what does Tom Brady eat?
What Tom Brady Eats (and Doesn’t)
Here are the basics of Tom Brady’s style of eating.
The Don’ts
Brady has been accused of having a “restrictive” style of eating. A lot of pro athletes will have foods they eat and don’t eat, or practices they follow or won’t partake in. Here’s what Tom Brady avoids – you can be the judge of whether you think it’s restrictive or not.
Avoid processed foods. Instead, reach for fruits and vegetables in their most natural state.
Avoid sugar. We can point you to about a million reasons why this is a good idea, pro athlete or not.
If you’re ditching sugar too, check out our full line of sweeteners, chocolate treats, baking mixes, drinks, and more!
Avoid nightshade vegetables. Brady’s personal chef, Allen Campbell, told Boston.com that he doesn’t eat nightshade vegetables because of their potential inflammatory effects. That means, no tomatoes, peppers (including hot sauce), eggplant, and others.
Avoid inflammatory foods. Brady doesn’t eat anything that has the potential to cause inflammation. So dairy products, coffee and caffeine, and gluten are a no-go.
The Do’s
So, what’s left? What can Tom Brady eat? Here’s his plan to keep his body and mind in a peak performance state.
Plant-based. You might think that strong, burly football players have to live off of piles of meat to maintain their muscle mass. That’s simply not true. Brady eats a plant-based diet, centering his main meals around mostly vegetables.
This is commonly misinterpreted as being vegetarian or vegan, but that’s not true. He eats 80-90 percent plant foods, and rounds out the remainder of his meals with animal products.
Electrolytes. According to the TB Method site, first thing in the morning, Brady downs 20 oz of water with electrolytes.
CBS Sports reports that he doesn’t get his electrolytes from Gatorade, though. Instead, he has his own “secret concoction” that has all the ingredients he wants and none of the stuff he doesn’t want, like added sugar and dyes.
Work that blender. Brady’s blender gets just about as much exercise as he does. He starts his day with a protein smoothie, ends his workout with a protein recovery smoothie, and adds in up to three more protein shakes on top of those throughout the day, according to the TB Method site.
Hydrate. Brady prioritizes water first in his morning routine, then hydrates frequently throughout the day. Some sources say he can put down 37 glasses of water in a day.
Is that advisable for regular people? Keep in mind, he is a pro athlete with a rigorous training schedule. It’s not likely that regular people need that much hydration in a day. Plus, that much water could throw off your electrolyte balance, which could be dangerous.
Treat yourself. Brady will have the occasional slice of pizza or chocolate treat, but not often. And when he decides to treat himself, he will make it worth it by seeking out his favorite pizza or chocolate. Then, by his next meal, he’s right back at it.
Will these steps make you a pro athlete? Unfortunately, there’s a lot more to it than food. But you never know – maybe getting healthier can be a start toward you achieving your wildest dreams.
