Regardless of if you watch football or not, you’ve heard of Tom Brady. He has continually dominated in his sport and many refer to him as the greatest quarterback of all time. With nine Superbowl appearances and seven NFL champion rings, it is easy to see why. But how does he do it? The “Tom Brady diet” or TB12 method might have something to do with it.
He has found success with this holistic approach to health and wellness. Mixed with his functional strength and conditioning principles, he’s been able to keep his physical and mental health at its peak.
But what exactly is it?
What Is The Origin Of Tom Brady’s Diet?
The Tom Brady diet, or TB 12 diet, is named after Brady’s initials and the number of his NFL jersey. It came to fruition after a football injury nearly took him out of the game.
After various electrostimulation treatments, chiropractor visits, and stretching routines, nothing was helping. But he was determined to find an answer.
That is when co-founder Alex Guerrero provided a solution known as muscle pliability. According to WebMD, stretching is vital to battle aches and pains because it improves pliability. But there’s more to Guerrero’s method than stretches.
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For Guerrero, muscle pliability training involves priming the muscles so they will absorb and disperse forces. This method allows more to be achieved throughout day-to-day life. This training also helps to avoid injury.
In short: to increase pliability you should implement deep tissue manipulation, getting a good night’s rest, and a change in lifestyle.
The TB12 method involves looking at all aspects of the body instead of focusing on a solution for one symptom or disease. This holistic approach assists in changing lives from the inside out. This outlook is what birthed the TB12 Performance & Recovery Center.
In September 2013 the TB12 Performance & Recovery Center was founded in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Its purpose was to become a place for everyone to develop and heal. That included everyone from professional athletes, to college students to elders.
While the center is a great place to rehab injuries and increase physical health, there’s an added element that shouldn’t be overlooked. That element is the TB21 diet. It can be utilized in a variety of ways, but Brady sticks to a clear set of principles.
What are the foods Tom Brady doesn’t eat?
Although Tom Brady has a strict set of rules about his anti inflammatory diet, the rules are relatively simple: don’t ingest foods that increase inflammation in the body. Instead, opt to consume 80 percent of your food from fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes — although, he doesn’t eat nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants because they’re not anti inflammatory.
As for the other 20 percent of Tom Brady’s diet, that should come from lean meats or wild-caught fish.
But they aren’t just any types of foods, either. His list includes foods that are minimally processed, hormone-free, organic, locally grown, and not genetically modified (GMO). So what does that mean?
What Are Key Features Of Tom Brady’s Diet?
It means that any food that isn’t naturally occurring should be avoided a majority of the time. So your favorite pizza, desserts, and chips should be kept out completely or ingested very rarely.
In addition to the types of food that should be consumed, there are other lifestyle guidelines to follow. These include not combining high amounts of certain food groups together. An example would be a portion of food high in carbohydrates paired with a food that is high in protein.
The good news is: fruits are considered snacks. This means that any time that craving hits, Brady is incorporating fruits to take their place instead. Sounds easy, right?
Smoothies, post-workout protein shakes, and electrolyte-infused water is also a norm in the diet. But when it comes to water, Brady means it. Twelve to 25 glasses, to be exact.
But don’t worry, accurate daily fluid intake for men is about 15.5 cups according to the Mayo Clinic. The caveat? Don’t drink water with or around mealtime.
Also read: Celebrity New England Patriots Fan Exposed For Leaving Tom Brady’s Hall of Fame Ceremony Early
How Does “TB12” Impact Tom Brady’s Performance?
Okay, so some stuff in Tom Brady’s diet might seem weird to us regular folks, but it’s clearly working for him—just look at all those championship rings! The TB12 diet takes a holistic approach, meaning it looks at the whole body. It’s similar to the DASH or Mediterranean diets, with perks like reducing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers and lowering blood pressure.
But TB12 isn’t just about food. It’s got a bunch of exercises to help you get strong without the usual injury risks. We’re talking moves like Single-arm Chest Press, Single-arm Row, core rotation, cross-body pull, and more. These exercises help athletes train safely and effectively.
Plus, the TB12 method is all about cutting out pain, avoiding injuries, speeding up recovery, and boosting performance. It also emphasizes mental health, making sure you stay focused and perform your best..
The Contribution to Success
Anti-inflammatory foods do exactly what they imply. They help to reduce inflammation. Reducing inflammation is key when you are playing any sport, but for Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, it helped tremendously.
The reduction in inflammation the diet provided coupled with the pliability training helped to get Brady’s elbow back to peak performance. It is what Brady says aided him in the successes that he has today.
There’s no doubt that the large consumption of alkalizing foods that he consumed helped his body heal. According to Healthline, high amounts of fruits and vegetables in the diet are linked to boosted immunity, reduced inflammation, and reduced risk of heart disease. The fatty, lean fish also promotes anti-inflammation and healthy fats which keep your good fats in check.
A diet and lifestyle that assists in all aspects of your health are ideal for everyone. Tom Brady’s continued success is a testament to that. Whether you are a professional athlete or not, you can respect the determination and hustle Tom Brady puts into his diet.
