He also gave up gluten, artificial sugars, and all other alcohols.
LeBron James has been the best basketball player on the planet for nearly a decade in part because he’s been able to keep his body in impeccable shape. And on Thursday afternoon during Lakers shootaround, he revealed that part of his off-season diet regimen included a two-week cleanse where he gave up alcohol, gluten, dairy and artificial sugars.
When asked what’s left, James responded: “In life? Air.”
LeBron James just finished a 2-week cleanse, giving up alcohol, gluten, dairy and artificial sugars. When asked what’s left, James cracked, “In life? Air.” James said he loves challenges including resisting while his kids make “sprinkled chocolate chip pancakes at 11 at night.” pic.twitter.com/uvN2tK9p9M
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) October 4, 2018
“It made me want wine more,” he laughed. “It’s challenging but I like challenges.”
James is a sommelier, a wine connoisseur. Shortly after he signed with the Lakers, he had a $4,000 wine night. Four thousand dollars. We had four wine experts grade his taste in wine. Of course, he knows what he’s doing.
The fact that he was able to give up wine is an achievement unto itself. That plus gluten, artificial sweeteners, and all other alcohols? (I’m looking at you, D’ussé.) That’s superhuman stuff, and LeBron is as superhuman as they come.
James said the toughest part — aside from his beloved wine — was being on a diet with children eating at night.
“That’s the discipline you’ve gotta have,” he said. “When you got three kids running around the house and they’re making sprinkled chocolate chip pancakes at 11:00 at night. You have to be very disciplined to not even indulge.”
How hard is it to give up gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in grains, like wheat, barley and rye. Here’s a list of food items that include it:
- Bread
- Pasta
- Noodles
- Pastries
- Granola
- Cereal
- Cookies, crackers and most snacks
- Flour tortillas (no burritos, fam)
- Beer
- Pancakes
- Most sauces (because they’re thickened with flour)
- Anything with flour
There’s a longer list of other food items that might include gluten, too. It’s tough. Real tough.
But James is as tough as they come, and this two-week cleanse is more proof. To be a king, you have to eat like a king. And now that his cleanse is over, LeBron is probably somewhere guzzling some red wine.