3 lessons from Tom Brady's (mostly plants) diet.

Tom Brady is an NFL superstar, you're... not. (Or so I assume.)

But oftentimes, when you break down the habits and patterns of highly successful people, there are certain takeaways applicable for normal folks like you and me.

Love him or hate him, Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. He's 43, has dominated the NFL for over 20 years, and this weekend heads to his 10th Super Bowl.

So what makes him so successful? Maybe it's his training and work ethic, or his natural abilities. Maybe it's how he eats, or even the way he inflates footballs. :)

I'm sure it's a combination of these and more, but the most applicable to you and me is probably his diet...

After doing a little digging, here are three lessons we can draw from Tom's ability to sustain peak performance year after year.

Tom Brady's personal chef is quoted as saying as much as 80% of Tom's food comes from plants. And really, this isn't surprising.

Professional athletes — from endurance athletes to NFL players — are turning towards nutrient rich, anti-inflammatory fruits and vegetables for the majority of their calories, and they're seeing performance and recovery benefits because of it.

Here's what that looks like for Tom, according to Men's Health:

A smoothie before his workout and protein shake after, loaded salad for lunch, hummus, guac, and nuts for snacks, and a plate full of vegetables and protein for dinner.

And on game day, it's a smoothie and an almond butter and jelly sandwich to fuel a victory.

It's reported that Tom Brady drinks up to 25 glass of water each day, often with added electrolytes. (For comparison sake, most of us drink about 8 glasses of water per day.)

Plus, his daily smoothie and protein shake are loaded with both nutrients and liquid.

Why so much water?

For sure, he's working out more than your average Joe and has extra fluid requirements, but beyond that, proper hydration is linked to a number of health benefits.

It lubricates and cushions joints, improves brain function and energy levels, aids digestion, regulates blood pressure, and manages body temperature, among other things.

From what I can tell, fish and eggs appear to be Tom Brady's main source of non-plant foods. And it begs the question, why those?

Let's start with fish:

Fish are filled with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids which help lower risk factors for heart disease, improve energy levels, and regulate the nervous system. Plus, fish are a great source of Vitamin D.

But here's the thing...

Those Omega-3s come from algae the fish are eating, and the Vitamin D comes from lichen.

Alternatively, you can go straight to the plant source, which contains a higher ratio of nutrients and avoids the health and environmental issues that come from eating fish like microplastics, mercury, and unstable fish populations.

Eggs, in addition to protein, contain a number of important nutrients like zinc, selenium, and Vitamins D and B12, all of which are critical for long-term health and can be hard to get through plant foods alone.

Tom appears to understand that you need to get these nutrients from somewhere, whether that's from an animal or plant source, and so does our team at Complement...

We designed Complement Plus to cover those same critical vitamins and minerals through healthy plant-sources — cutting out the middleman, helping the environment, and eliminating the health risks.

So what does all of this mean for you and me, and anyone else not padding up for the biggest game of the year?

My big takeaway is this:

Anyone performing at a top level year after year understands the value of discipline.

But discipline doesn't equal uber-strict or complicated. When it comes to diet, he keeps it simple — eating an abundance of plant foods and filling the gaps to get what he needs.

You can do the same — without the animal foods — through Complement.

Ensure you're getting the precise nutrients needed to thrive on a plant-based diet... and nothing else.

Ensure you're getting the precise nutrients needed to thrive on a vegan diet... and nothing else.

Everything you need to know about supplementing a plant-based diet.

 

Get the ultimate guide (it’s totally free).

Everything you need to know about supplementing a plant-based diet.

 

Get the ultimate guide (it’s totally free).