What Russell Wilson Eats in a Day Is Nearly Impossible for ‘Regular People’
Russell Wilson’s hope is to play football into his 40s. A lofty dream for sure but not impossible. Of course, we all know 42-year-old Tom Brady is going strong. So, while living the life of an NFL player into middle age isn’t likely for most, it can happen if the individual is committed.
The Seahawks’ Russell Wilson is committed, according to ESPN, and he backs it up with an unusual routine.
How does Russell Wilson stay on top of his game?
The quarterback stays in excellent physical shape with help from a variety of experts, according to GQ. His staff includes personal chef Andrea Witton as well as a “recently-assembled personal performance squad.” This team includes trainers, therapists, movement specialists, and a mental coach.
Wilson does anything necessary to maintain his health and fitness, including soaking in Epsom salts, using a hyperbaric chamber, taking ice baths, receiving deep tissue massages, and practicing yoga.
What type of food does Witton make for Wilson?
Chef Witton more or less lives with Wilson, his wife Ciara, and their kids. When the family travels, the whole performance squad goes along. Witton knows Wilson loves tasty food like those he ate growing up in Virginia, but he seeks to eat healthier versions.
The quarterback says Witton “makes everything from scratch, and she uses clean and fresh, nutritionally dense ingredients.”
What prompted Wilson to take charge of his health?
The NFL star’s 2016 season was, well, painful. In Week 1, Wilson sprained his ankle, reports ESPN. Then, in Week 3, he sprained the MCL in his left knee. These injuries forced him to be less mobile, which limited his running game.
With a career-low of 259 rushing yards and the Seahawks ranking “23rd in rushing efficiency,” Wilson suffered a tough year. To add insult to injury, a side effect of his injuries involved substantial weight gain.
How much weight did Wilson gain?
At the time, Wilson told ESPN he typically runs “a lot in and after practice, on his off days, and everything like that.” He added, “I couldn’t do much because of my ankle and knee.”
Eventually, his weight peaked at over 225 pounds, which made him feel “too heavy and not mobile enough.” It’s not like Wilson wasn’t eating healthy — he’s had a personal chef for years — but the injuries and weight gain forced him to reexamine all aspects of his routine.
Did Wilson have a personal chef to help him lose weight?
After wife Ciara recommended food coach and nutritionist Philip Goglia to Wilson, things began to change. According to Goglia, “[Wilson] was an animal about [Goglia’s diet plan].” Goglia then added, “The f—ing guy buried himself in this, and it’s epic to see because that really validates him as a complete athlete.”
The famous nutritionist provided Wilson with a diet that may seem counterintuitive. The QB had been eating around 2,700 calories a day, but Goglia told him to bump it up to 4,800 calories.
His explanation for the calorie increase was that a calorie is a unit of heat, and metabolism is a function of heat. He explained that fat is a lipid and converts to energy in a hot environment, so a person must consume enough “calories to generate enough heat to burn fat.”
Did Wilson lose weight with this method?
Wilson lost weight and body fat following Goglia’s system. He went from 225 pounds with 16% body fat to 214 pounds with 10% body fat. It wasn’t easy; even though he could eat more calories, they had to be the right kind.
Foods offered comfort to Wilson, who says that his family didn’t have a lot of money for food when he was a kid. He and a friend often scrounged for change so they could get something to eat. When possible, his parents did cook tasty meals. Wilson’s favorites include mac and cheese, his mother’s specialty, and his father’s spaghetti.
What is Wilson’s guilty pleasure?
Don’t tell coach Pete Carroll, but Wilson pilots helicopters. And this hobby must hike up the cost of the team’s insurance. The QB claims he gets a lot of peace of mind when flying.
Wilson puts a lot of focus on his career and works hard. The guy deserves to have a fun hobby. Obviously, for Wilson, the sky is the limit.
