LeBron James’s Trainer Shares the Keys to the Superstar’s Diet, Training, and Recovery
Things you probably don't have in common with LeBron James: four MVP awards; three Larry O'Brien trophies, plus a smaller Finals MVP trophy to go with each of them; two Olympic gold medals; one of the most lucrative shoe contracts in history; his height (he's 6'8").
Something you might have in common with LeBron James: He did Dry January.
The 34-year-old Lakers forward is already among the greatest athletes of all time, and will be able to stake a legitimate claim to GOAT status by the time he retires for good. His diet and lifestyle, though, are surprisingly relatable for an NBA superstar. (Who among us hasn't meandered onto a basketball court holding a glass of red wine?) We recently spoke with Mike Mancias, James's longtime trainer and an adviser for Ladder—a nutritional-supplement company co-founded by James—to learn how his most famous client has managed to maintain this level of play for 16 seasons and counting. The short answer: consistency, and a few cookies whenever he feels he's earned them.
GQ: LeBron recently suffered a groin injury, so I'm assuming his training gets switched up a bit when these things happen. How do you go about addressing these types of injuries?
It's always a blow when you have an athlete down with an injury, especially a guy like LeBron. We do everything under the sun, from prehab treatments to strength training, in order to help curtail injuries. First and foremost, we need to focus on getting the groin better and stronger. As far as his diet goes, we've eliminated extra carbohydrates and extra sugars in order for him to drop the weight, because the more weight he's carrying around, the more stress that can be on the body.
The whole world knows he's a wine aficionado, but we've kind of cut down some of that extra alcohol, the liquors, the wines, etc. Starting January 1, we promised each other we both cannot have a sip of alcohol, especially red wine, until after he plays his first game back.
So he did Dry January like everyone else?
We're doing it for all of the reasons, not just as a New Year's resolution. But it will eventually be a little reward after all the hard work and rehab he's doing.
Before the injury, was he still drinking wine daily? He used to post about that a lot on Instagram.
I wouldn't say daily, but pretty often he'll have a glass with dinner, at home or on the road. That's one of his ways to unwind for the day and get a good night's sleep.
Other than diet and exercise, what are some important factors in his recovery? Does he do yoga? Meditate? Are there any wellness trends he incorporates into his lifestyle?
Yeah, as part of the rehab, we do have a flexibility and stretch session. I guess that could qualify as yoga; there are some yoga parts to it. He utilizes a hyperbaric chamber for his recovery. And there is a daily meditation. He'll either do that first thing in the morning or at night, once he's calming down and getting ready for bed. He kind of reviews the day and prepares for the next one.
Does he use any apps for a guided meditation, or is he a pro at it?
He's getting better and better. He does it on his own. He does use a sleep app, though—I think it's called Calm.
You mentioned taking him off carbs and sugar. A few years ago, his off-season Paleo diet made headlines, but it doesn't seem like he's doing that now. Has his diet gotten less strict? Or is his diet a lot cleaner than we think, and he's just showing us the fun stuff?
He's definitely showing all of the desserts and the fun stuff. As far as Paleo goes, that was a one-time trial. It started off as sort of a challenge amongst his friends—I think Ray Allen, one of his teammates in Miami, was also doing it with him. It was a 30-day experiment, but he ended up doing it for two months because he was looking so lean. But about a month before the season started, we started eating regular again. Just clean eating all the time, with the occasional dessert and glass of wine.
As his trainer/nutritionist, do you find yourself saying no and threatening to clean out his pantry? Or is he pretty disciplined on his own?
After 15 years of working together, I joke with everyone, "This machine runs itself." We've seen the trends, and we've tried some of them, and at this point he is so regimented. We've educated ourselves together throughout these years, so we can tell when something is just a trend or a fad, and we stay away from that. We keep it simple.
Is there a specific trend you aren't a fan of?
For us right now, I wouldn't be doing Paleo. He needs the extra carbs because of all the minutes he plays. I would not do Paleo in-season.
As he's gotten older, is there a type of food or specific thing you've added to his diet that you think is important?
Along with his chef, we've tweaked his diet over the years. Early on in his career, he stopped eating a whole lot of red meat. He didn't want to touch pork—he wouldn't touch any pork products.
Is that because he doesn't like it, or thinks it's unhealthy?
He doesn't like the taste, and we feel like there are healthier choices, especially for him.
And what have you added?
The number one thing we added, religiously: After a hard practice or game, he takes a protein recovery shake. We do it because the body is in a deficit, so we have to make sure we give him something clean to replace everything that he's losing—not only with hydration but with the simple calories.
How many calories is he eating in a day?
It's a very high caloric intake. Do I have a specific number for you? I do not. The key thing for him is balance. He eats about five times a day: a traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and a couple of snacks in between those meals.
For breakfast, he loves an egg-white omelet with a couple of pieces of French toast. We'll do a turkey bacon or turkey sausage; some nice avocado on the side. If he doesn't have French toast, then regular wheat toast. For a snack, the chef does a good job of dehydrating fruit along with mixed nuts and a protein shake pre- or post-practice.
There was an incident in 2014 where he got cramps during a Finals game, which allegedly led you to develop your own protein powder. Is that true?
Yeah, the one we developed after 2014 was really, really clean. But it still had some ingredients I wasn't too sure we needed, and I wanted to add a probiotic to it, too. Through research and development, it's even cleaner now—the best in plant protein, the best in whey protein.
Would his training and his diet change the day after a loss? If he wins, is the next day a free-for-all—just eat whatever he wants to to celebrate?
No, in his mind, he wants to be consistent with the training, nutrition, and daily routine. He won't stray. Maybe he'll have a chocolate chip cookie from time to time, but he's not going crazy having pizza and burgers.
What's his favorite indulgence—other than wine?
In the summertime, when he wants to give himself a treat: chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream.
Let's say he wakes up one day feeling a little off, whether he's under the weather or just tired. What things are you advising him to eat, drink, and do?
A greens drink, or a little turmeric shot, or a little ginger. Basically, try to hit everything naturally, without using all of these over-the-counter medications. And he definitely has to start hydrating. He's got a combination of water and electrolyte drinks with carbohydrates, so he probably takes in between 180-240 ounces of liquids a day in peak season—like during the playoffs.
What do you think that the average person can reasonably take away from LeBron's lifestyle?
Once you find something that works for you—because we're all different—stay consistent with it. There are going to be hard times, and times you'll be challenged. It's easy to have a beer or two, or have dessert! But you have to stay disciplined for the betterment of your health.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
