What Tom Brady Really Blames For His Noticeable Weight Loss
For most of his career, Tom Brady's weight has been a subject of intrigue. Initially dismissed for his lean build, the beginning of Brady's journey in the NFL was riddled with skepticism and low expectations. No one would have thought that he would go on to become one of the most celebrated quarterbacks in history. In fact, his scouting report hardly depicted him as a promising prospect.
"Poor build. Very skinny and narrow. Ended the '99 season weighing 195 pounds and still looks like a rail at 211. Looks a little frail and lacks great physical stature and strength," noted sportswriter Joel Buchsbaum in his draft report (via Boston). "Can get pushed down more easily than you'd like. Lacks mobility and ability to avoid the rush. Lacks a really strong arm." Brady ended up being the 199th pick in the sixth round by the New England Patriots, a decision that would later redefine the franchise's history. The athlete shattered all initial expectations, using criticisms as inspiration. He ultimately disproved doubters by not only enhancing his build — he bulked up to 225 pounds according to his player profile — but also by mastering the game and turning into a football legend.
But Brady reportedly lost all the bulk once he retired from the NFL. He revealed that he had shed 10 pounds since, nearly reverting to his pre-draft. And according to the GOAT himself, it's because he had also broken free from the stresses brought about by the sport.
Tom chalks it up to quitting the NFL
Tom Brady isn't a stranger to altering his body to improve his game. In one of his last few seasons in the NFL before retiring, he notably put on more weight to endure the intense physicality of football. "I wanted to get a little bigger this year and put on a few more pounds and try to absorb the hits a little bit more, and I worked pretty hard at that," Brady said before the 2019 season, Business Insider noted.
But now that he no longer has to train to win Super Bowl rings, Brady has since traded the bulk for a leaner physique, shedding a significant amount of weight in the process. "Yeah, I'm down about 10 lbs., but I'm actually very fit right now," he shared in an episode of the "Let's Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jim Gray" podcast, attributing the change to a more relaxed lifestyle. "I haven't had the stress that I had while I was playing, so that's allowed me to focus a little bit more on my physical health."
But despite hanging up his cleats, Brady's dedication to staying in good shape has never wavered, telling People that his diet post-NFL isn't so different from his playing days. He's still distancing from consuming things like sugar, dairy, caffeine, and iodized salt. "I don't think it's a strict regimen. I think it's just trying to make healthy choices that allow me to live the life I want to live," he said. "I've developed so many healthy habits, I just want to stick with them."
He used to follow an extremely strict diet
And what are these "healthy habits" he's speaking of, you ask? Aside from clocking in hours at the gym, Tom Brady is also known to stick to a meticulous diet dubbed the "TB12 Method," which involves eating mostly greens and healthy protein. In his book that details this so-called method, he explained that it may appear limiting, but it works for his lifestyle.
"The regimen I follow is a mix of Eastern and Western philosophies," he wrote. "My nutritional regimen may seem restrictive to some people, but to me it feels unnatural to eat any other way." Brady's former personal chef, Allen Campbell, told Boston that the diet extends to his family, too. "So, 80 percent of what they eat is vegetables. [I buy] the freshest vegetables. If it's not organic, I don't use it," he dished. "The other 20 percent is lean meats: grass-fed organic steak, duck every now and then, and chicken." Apparently, Brady's diet is even more specific. "[Tom] doesn't eat nightshades, because they're not anti-inflammatory. So no tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, or eggplants... No fungus. No dairy. The kids eat fruit. Tom, not so much."
For Brady, health is quite literally wealth, so following such a diet is a non-negotiable. "You could prioritize a lot of other things—career, kids, relationships, family, greater good, community," he shared on his podcast. "But at the end of the day, physical and mental health should sit at the top of the pyramid."