Lebron James Diet Investigation: What Does The King Eats To Stay on Top Of His Game?
If you have read our Ultimate Guide To Basketball Nutrition you would have learned that there are many ways to approach both in-season and pre-season dieting.
As you will see in this article, Lebron James has tried a range of diets over the years, but seems to have settled on a balanced dietary approach.
In the past he has dabbled in low-carb dieting and plant based nutrition plans but now tends to follow a traditional moderate to high carb diet most of the time.
Related: Best High Carb Foods For Basketball Players
You are about to see the evolution of Lebron James Diet over the years.
We will also take a look at what King James eats on game day and the types of foods he like to indulge in on treat days.
You will also learn the 2 things that Lebron James will never eat during the season.
Lebron James Eats Like Sh!t...
Lebron James ex-teammate Tristan Thompson recently made some interesting statements on the topic of Lebron James' diet that seem to contradict the evidence we have gathered on the topic.
In a recent interview Tristan Thompson stated “He has the worst f***ing diet ever,” Thompson said. “Ask him what he eats for breakfast. He has like five french toast, drowns it in syrup with strawberries and bananas. Then he has like a four-egg omelette and then he goes and just f***ing dunks on somebody. It doesn’t make sense.
Thompson added, “He eats desserts with every meal".
Perhaps Lebron has tightened his diet up since his time spent in Cleveland with Tristan.
As you are about to see, Tristan Thompson's statements are very different than the eating habits that Lebron has divulged in recent interviews.
Let's get to the bottom of this and find out exactly what Lebron James eats.
Will You Get A Physique Like Lebron If You Eat The "Lebron James Diet"?
Source: Instagram
Lebron stands at 6 ft 8 inches tall at a lean 250 pounds.
Let's be honest, Lebron James is a genetic freak of nature.
Lebron is burning so many calories per day that he could probably eat like crap and still look great.
However, his nutrition does play an important role far beyond body composition.
He is super obsessive about his body and finding ways to optimize performance, recovery and longevity.
Nutrition plays a major role in both performance and recovery.
It has been reported that he spends around 1.5 million dollars per year on keeping his body in tip-top shape.
Back in the day Lebron didn't prioritize his body like he does today as an older athlete...
Lebron's 2014 Pre-Season Rapid Weight Loss Diet Protocol
In a recent podcast ESPN reporter, Brian Windhorst, reported that in the 2012-2013 season Lebron was"in some of the worst shape he had ever been in his life".
In 2014, Lebron posted the famous photo that showed him looking extremely skinny.
Windhorst’s went on to explain that Lebron lost weight during that time for 2 reasons:
- He came into the previous season in the the worst shape he’s been in in a while.
- He had become a bit self-conscious about his weight in the recent years.
Shortly after the photo was taken he was asked by interviewers what dietary changes he had taken to achieve such rapid weight loss.
Lebron stated,"I had no sugars, no dairy,and I had no carbs. All I ate was meat, fish, veggies,and fruit.That's it.For 67 straight days."
What Does Lebron James Eat On Game Day?
Lebron went into great detail about his game day meal routines in an interview with Business Insider.
He said,"Before competition,for me it would be like a chicken breast and maybe a little pasta. Or a salad and some veggies will do."
Recent interviews suggest that he now prefers to down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich prior to games.
We will delve deeper into his current game day meal plan shortly.
Lebron does allow himself to eat some refined sugars during the season to help keep his muscle glycogen stores topped up.
He needs consume around 5000 calories per day and this can be very difficult to consume with meals only.
Sometimes a refined carbohydrate source can help boost caloric intake while also enhancing performance.
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Lebron James Daily Meal Plan
Lebron James recently appeared as a guest on the Tim Ferris podcast.
This podcast gave great insight into exactly what a Lebron's daily meal plan looks like.
Below you will find breakdown of Lebron James Daily Meal Plan.
Of course, this is just a snapshot. He may decide to drown some pancakes in syrup on another day for all we know.
But at the moment this is the best documented insight we have into Lebron James actual dietary habits.
Lebron James Breakfast Meal
Lebron eats an egg white omelet with smoked salmon plus gluten free pancakes with berries.
Lebron James Lunch Meal
For lunch Lebron eats whole wheat pasta, salmon,and vegetables.
Lebron James Pre Game Meal
Before game-time Lebron eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Lebron James During Game Meal
At half time Lebron eats apples with some almond butter on top.
Lebron James Post Game Meal
Post-game Lebron immediately downs a protein shake.
Lebron's trainer Mike Macias gave some great insight into the composition of this drink.
He stated that he "likes to stay light with it" and gives Lebron a "plant based protein powder with an almond milk and some fruits".
Interestingly he chooses to stay away from animal products for the first hour after game-time.
Related: The 5 Best High Protein Foods For Basketball Players
Lebron James Dinner Meal
For dinner Lebron eats a chicken Parmesan with a rocket salad and a glass of Cabernet.
Lebron loves his wine and admits to drinking a glass "almost every day".
Foods That Lebron Does Not Eat
In the same Tim Ferris podcast Lebron elaborated on the foods he avoids at all cost during the season.
The foods Lebron does not eat include:
- Artificial sweeteners
- Fried foods
In the off season he may indulge in these treats now and then.
Lebron James Diet Takeways and Final Thoughts
Lebron always chooses organic and eats as natual as possible, as often as possible.
He avoids all artificial sweeteners and fried foods during the season.
It is also important to mention that he places a large emphasis on the importance of hydration.
His trainer has stated that " every time he saw Bron he would have a bottle of water in his face".
A couple of the most interesting things about Lebron's diet is the use of plant protein after games and consumption of apples and almond butter during games.
Overall, Lebron James eats a very balance diet and does not restrict carbs, fats or protein.
This way of healthy eating has worked well for him.
Are you willing to try Lebron's diet this season?
If you do try the diet, make sure you come back and leave a comment to let us know how it worked for you.
