The Real-Life Diet of Andre Drummond, Whose Offseason Routine Featured a Beer a Day

Andre Drummond is a lot of man: 6’10” and 279 pounds, to be more precise. Those measurements guarantee that the 26-year-old Detroit Pistons center isn’t going to blend in with the masses while walking down the street, playing Top Golf, or bowling (the latter two are some of his favorite off-the-court activities), but he’s mostly cool with that. Case and point: His Today With Dre series on Overtime, in which he allowed cameras to document the full extent of his comings and goings, including his musical-minded pursuits. The series shows he’s a defensive menace who’s just as unfazed by an incoming dunk attempt as he is the prospect of spitting bars at a venue. “My music is a little bit of everything—R&B, hip-hop, EDM,” he says. “I have a bunch of songs that I’ll get out sooner or later.”

Like his Overtime series, Drummond’s admitted beer-a-day habit has also piqued the Internet’s interest of late. But I wanted to find out what really gives him his pre-game fuel, so we chatted prior to him catching a flight to Chicago. Given Drummond’s stature, you wouldn’t be off-base assuming he eats enough to feed a family of four at every meal. As it turns out, however, the current league-leader in rebounds is only swallowing up boards at a proficient rate.

GQ: You’ve been in the NBA for eight seasons now. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given about staying healthy since you started?

Andre Drummond: It’s all about icing, stretching, the things you eat, the time you go to sleep, and the pregame preparation. I like to eat a lot of fruit and starchy things to give myself more energy before games. But it’s the off-the-court things, like how I’m taking care of my body, that are most important.

What time do you usually get up in the morning?

I’m up around 8 or 8:30. But if we’re talking about the morning after a game, then I’m up much later, like 12ish. I try to get eight or nine hours of sleep a night, and if I don’t, I’ll make sure to take a nap.

What’s your breakfast routine?

I work directly with my personal chef on my breakfast and making sure I have enough fats and proteins to perform without overindulging. In the morning, I’ll drink some water, and then it’s usually an omelet with some potatoes and veggies. I’ll go for any vegetables except zucchini, really. I hate that stuff. I’ve also cut out red meat and processed foods, which means that I don’t eat steak or anything crazy like that. I feel a lot better since I’ve done that. My diet is now a lot of fish and leafy green vegetables, except I don’t like tilapia.

Are you a coffee person?

I drink coffee a lot before my games. I take it with cream and sugar.

Okay, so after the coffee, what happens?

Well my meals and overall food intake are pretty low, because I don’t want to eat too heavy. Some days it’s just a bunch of fruit, plus the omelet with potatoes and veggies in it. I’ll maybe have a cup of tea. I also take fish oil and vitamin D supplements. The natural sugar in the fruit plus some coffee before go-time acts as a natural pre-workout. I also usually drink Essentia Water and my chef makes his amazing homemade peanut butter chocolate chip protein bars. That's pretty much it. The last thing I want is to feel like I’m weighed down on the court.

It sounds like you’re not too big on lunches.

It really just depends on the day. Same for if I eat after the game, which depends on whether my adrenaline is still pumping. I definitely won’t eat right away when we’re done playing. Usually my post-game meal is something like pasta to get the carbs back that I’m missing. Over the past year, I completed a few physical tests to figure out what works best for my body, and I got leaner and stronger in the process. I’ve tried a ton of different diets, but this has been one of my best seasons yet.

Has anyone ever told you that you’re not eating enough?

I know what works for my body. I have a chef and we have a team nutritionist who helps us figure things out. When I wake up in the morning, the food stuff is all done. I just go down to the kitchen and grab it.

I read recently that you drink a beer every day. What’s the deal with that?

I went through a phase where I did that to make sure that I was getting in the calories I needed. If I drink a beer, it’s usually a Miller Lite or Corona. Sometimes, that one beer would get me to the right place, and especially in the summer, it’s nice. Now it’s not always the same routine.

You mentioned drinking water in the morning. How much are you consuming throughout the day?

I probably drink about a gallon-and-a-half a day. I’m the guy that’s carrying a jug with me everywhere I go.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Real-Life Diet is a series in which GQ talks to athletes, celebrities, and everyone in between about their diets and exercise routines: what's worked, what hasn't, and where they're still improving. Keep in mind, what works for them might not necessarily be healthy for you.


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Originally Appeared on GQ