How do long-lived athletes stay healthy?

Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo have two factors in common: they are at the top of their respective sporting competitions and they could be considered old for a professional athlete.

Brady is 44 years old when the average retirement age in the NFL is 27. James is still rolling with the Lakers at 37 even though the average NBA retirement age is 28 and Ronaldo, who is the same age as him, is still playing at a high level, even though most of the soccer players retire around the age of 30-35.

What do these athletes have in common? Why have they been able to compete for so long without losing their level? Here we bring you some secrets of its longevity.

Diet, is a big factor

Undoubtedly, the diet of athletes plays a key role in their longevity and the health of their bodies. We know, for example, that Cristiano avoids alcohol and sugars, particularly sugary drinks.

On the other hand, Brady has a whole list of "does and don'ts" in his diet that keeps his body working at its best. He does not consume gluten, dairy, corn, soy, monosodium glutamate, coffee, alcohol, GMOs, sugar, trans fats, or highly processed foods.

James has a less strict diet, but like Brady and Ronaldo, he recognizes that sugar should be avoided. “What I started to reduce are sugars. When it comes to the playoffs, it slows down the recovery process a bit. Throughout the regular season, it's nice to have a little of that. But in the postseason, optimal recovery: whoever can recover the fastest from game to game will put themselves in position to be successful in the next game," he said in a video on his UNINTERRUPTED platform.

Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo: What have been the most decisive goals of your career?

Training beyond training

Something that distinguishes these three athletes is that they do not limit themselves to traditionally training their body, that is, they do not only do weightlifting, resistance exercises, and those specific to their sports. To get to and stay at this level, these athletes treat their bodies like their own chemistry lab, which they must keep spotless.

James, for example, has a biomechanist, several professional massage therapists, and fitness experts on his training team. James stands out in the NBA for pioneering unconventional and novel training methods. He is one of the few basketball players who perform cryotherapy and has a hyperbaric chamber in his home. Some media report that he spends up to 1.5 million dollars a year.

Another facet of this is mental training. Both Brady and Ronaldo report that they perform mental exercises to keep their minds active, healthy, and disciplined. Finally, it must also be recognized that all these athletes have had some luck throughout their careers, which has allowed them to avoid major injuries that could affect their physical performance.