Tom Brady & Alex Guerrero Share 12 Health Tips & a Strength Workout

Now is the perfect time to do some spring cleaning when it comes to your daily routine and health habits, and Tom Brady, his body coach Alex Guerrero, and the team at TB12 – the health and wellness company co-founded by the famous QB – are sharing their tips on how to get in shape and set a healthy routine for this season and for years to come.

The way to achieve your optimal well-being and performance goals is by focusing on nutrition, hydration, and mental and physical wellness, as modeled by the superstar NFL QB who is about to begin his 23rd season in the NFL at the age of 45 (which he turns in August).

Though Brady already has a seat waiting for him at the Fox Sports Desk (where a lucrative commentating contract starts whenever he puts down the ball for the last time), Tom is still at it, playing as the oldest QB in the league, in an effort to show age is but a number, as he attempts to lead the Tampa Bay Bucs back to the Superbowl.

Brady and Guerrero share their go-to simple healthy habit and specific lifestyle changes to help you move better and recover faster, as well as their best advice on how to stay in the game and do what you love for longer.

Get inspired by these 12 health tips that Tom Brady follows, then check out the latest full-body functional strength and conditioning workout video inspired by Brady's conditioning moves from Tampa-based TB12 Head Body Coach Bryan Hart, streamed and ready for you to try anytime, for free, for effective do-at-home moves that require zero equipment.

Here are Tom Brady and body coach Alex Guerrero's top tips for being healthy, staying active at any age, and getting fitter, starting with your outlook.

According to a post on the TB12 blog, the TB12 mindset is "a set of principles that guide us in our approach to the challenges life throws at us every day – inspired by the mindset that Tom has honed and refined over the last 20-plus years." To elaborate:

“The right mindset and attitude give us opportunities to do the best we can and to realize the potential that’s in every one of us." – Tom Brady.

Though we can’t all be NFL greats, there’s so much we can learn from the mindset that helped Tom get to where he is. To quote from that mindset:

"How do you build this principle into your own life? By taking action at the beginning of your day. When you wake up, consciously choose a positive outlook for the day ahead." He adds: "If you don't believe in yourself, why is anyone else going to believe in you?"

Here are Tom Brady and Alex Guerrero's other tips for reaching your personal health, fitness, and wellbeing goals:

You need more water than you think. The amount may astound you. On the blog, Tom Brady shares what he drinks in a typical day:

How much water should you drink? Registered Dietician, Nicole Osinga who created The Beet's VegStart Diet recommends using this simple formula: Multiply your weight in pounds by two-thirds (or .67) and the number you get is the number of ounces of water to drink in a day. Meaning that if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink 120 ounces of water every day, or about 12 to 15 glasses of water per day.

“When people ask if I’m a vegan or a vegetarian,” Tom Brady says, “I tell them no, decidedly not.” But neither does he anything and everything. He eats mostly plant-based foods.

According to the TB12 blog, "Tom’s meals consist of roughly 80 percent plant-based foods and 20 percent animal-based foods. In months outside of the cold New England winter, that 80 percent might stretch up to 90 or 95 percent."

The TB12 blog explains that the best approach to eating is to never get overly full: "Be mentally prepared to leave the table feeling 75 percent full, and then stop eating when you reach this point. This enables your body to absorb and digest your food more easily.

Most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, which is important for immune health and overall wellbeing. In extreme cases, like the current COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control recommends having a supply of electrolytes and vitamins on hand as a precautionary measure," according to the TB12 blog.

The average adult should be getting 600 IU or 15 mcg/day according to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), and while it's possible to get some vitamin D from being outside in the sunshine as the sun's UV rays help convert vitamin D to its active form in the body, it's difficult to achieve the required levels for most people who work inside.

Instead, Brady and the team recommend an electrolyte solution that is free of sugar and harmful additives, like the TB12 Electrolyte blend, as a way to replenish minerals you may lose during a workout, or if you think your diet may be lacking. They recommend supplementing with Vitamin D, a Multivitamin, or a Probiotic to help support a healthy immune system.

One thing people often overlook in their health journey is the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids, the so-called heart-healthy oils that are in nuts, seeds, fish, and beans, among other healthy foods. Omega-3s are part of an anti-inflammation diet and help promote longevity.

"Omega-3s help shield against chronic inflammation and are incorporated into cell membranes throughout the body, aiding cellular stability," the TB12 blog explains. Studies have linked higher blood levels of omega-3s with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. To get more omega-3s, make a point of consuming nuts, seeds, flaxseed, and chia seeds. Check out this list of 7 plant-based foods with the most omega-3 fatty acids.

When most people think of added sugar, they immediately think of weight gain. But excessive amounts of sugar can do even more harm, the TB12 team wants you to know. "The average American consumes about ½ a cup of added sugar per day and over time this adds up and causes excess inflammation in your body.

"In addition to making you feel sluggish and achy, chronic inflammation heightens your susceptibility to health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and clogged arteries. If you want to perform your best and increase your longevity, minimizing chronic inflammation in your body is key.

Make like Tom and skip the sugary drinks, cut down on the amount you add to your coffee or tea, and check food labels since you'd be surprised at how many seemingly unsweet foods (like tomato sauce) include cane sugar on the label. Have a craving? Reach for a piece of whole fruit instead.

This is obvious, coming from the source. The TB12 team is bullish on working out hard, having fun, and taking time to recover, including making time for recovery and relaxation. But even going on vacation doesn't mean leaving your routine behind, they write.

Rest and recovery are critical to your training at all times of the year. Even if you don't have a full hour to get to the gym, make a point to move every day, and try to work "pliability" into your day whenever possible, which means using your body weight to build strength and train for functional fitness. If sore muscles have you sidelined, the TB12 Vibrating Pliability Mini Sphere can help for rolling out tight spots. And try the easy at-home pliability workout below.

For better immunity, energy, and cell function, get vitamin C daily. Women need 75 milligrams a day and men should aim for 90. If you want to mix it up from the usual orange slices, here is a favorite smoothie to get a heaping dose of C into your routine:

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth, and serve.

Your body needs both vitamins and minerals to function at its best – including electrolytes lost during sweat sessions like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. Zinc plays a role in supporting your overall health, and especially your immune system, studies have shown.

Zinc is a nutrient that people need to stay healthy, according to the National Institutes of Health. Zinc is found in cells throughout the body. It helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses.

The body also needs zinc to make proteins and DNA, the genetic material in all cells. During pregnancy, infancy, and childhood, the body needs zinc to grow and develop properly.

Athlete or not, we all need protein in our diet, the TB12 team reminds us. "Primarily, it is required for the growth, maintenance, and recovery of muscle tissues," they write. "Though we often just associate protein with muscle, proteins are also needed to make blood, hair, enzymes, antibodies, and connective tissue – to name just a few."

But protein doesn't have to come from animal sources. "Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds, and nuts are great sources of plant-based protein to incorporate into your diet." Other good sources of protein include peas, as well as "beans, and seeds (hemp, chia, flax), tree nuts, quinoa, avocado, and raw, leafy greens." For the top 20 vegetables with the most protein per serving check out this list.

Supplements with plant-based protein such as pea protein, have been found to be as effective as animal protein in building muscle, and contain complete amino acids, but are easier on digestion for some people.

Sleep is vital to every part of your health equation: working out, focusing, recovering from tough training sessions. Shoot for eight hours of sleep every night.

How to start? Skip the pre-bedtime snack, keep your room cool, and if you have to exercise at night, try to do it earlier to allow your body to fully calm down and relax before bed.

Put the phone down at least 30 minutes before bed, and turn off the television and other screens, since studies show that blue light from these devices suppresses melatonin, making it harder to get restful sleep or feel refreshed the next day. Blue light studies have linked it to a number of adverse health effects, including headaches.

Try powering down all of your electronics and screens at least a half-hour before going to sleep and if you need some relaxation, read a book instead.

Probiotics are healthy bacteria that support the growth of so-called "good bacteria" in your gut that help your body conduct healthy digestion, boost your immune system, promote heart health, and even regulate your mood. The entirety of this microbial population makes up what's called our gut microbiome,

Probiotics, whether they come from food sources like fruits and vegetables, or supplements, contain many of the good live bacteria that live in our body and can have a profound effect on whole-body health. Consuming them can prevent a buildup of “bad” bacteria (that multiplies when we eat unhealthy food (such as added sugars, high-fat dairy, and fried foods) and maintain the nutrient balance we need to stay healthy.

For TB12's head body coach virtual workout from Tampa, for do-anywhere strengthening moves, you can follow along here. All you need is your body weight, which for some people is more than others. Here is Bryan Hart's video workout, introducing the concept of "self-pliability," guiding you through a 30-minute workout class inspired by Tom Brady’s functional strength & conditioning routine.

Tom Brady credits his positive attitude, plant-based nutrition, and functional strength training for his longevity as a star NFL QB and optimal health in general. He and his longtime body coach and friend Alex Guerrero founded TB12 to help others share the secrets to success.

For more great content like this, check out The Beet's coverage of plant-based athletes who ditched meat and dairy for the sake of optimal performance and quicker recovery times.

The number one tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, went plant-based more than twelve years ago to enhance his athletic performance and win more matches. In recent interviews, he has credited going vegan with helping him rise from third place in the world to first in the world because it helped clear his allergies. Before changing his diet, Djokovic had searched for cures to the breathing issues that cost him matches and focus which caused him to struggled during his most intense matches. The allergies used to make him feel like he couldn’t breathe and would be forced to retire from competitive matches as he did in Australia. "Eating meat was hard on my digestion and that took a lot of essential energy that I need for my focus, for recovery, for the next training session, and for the next match," he said. Djokovic emphasized he does not eat foods that require a lot of digestion, especially in the morning, when he needs all of his energy for training. Instead, he starts the day with hot water and lemon, then celery juice, and some superfood supplements.

Tia Blanco won gold at the International Surfing Association Open in 2015 and credits her success to her vegan diet. Blanco reports that a vegan diet helps her stay strong and she enjoys eating different forms of vegan protein like nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. The professional surfer was influenced by her mother, who is a vegetarian and grew up in a veggie-forward household, Blanco has never eaten meat in her life, which made the plant-based switch much easier. And speaking of making things easier, Blanco has an Instagram cooking page called @tiasvegankitchen where she shares her favorite simple vegan recipes so all of her fans can eat like their favorite professional vegan athlete. In addition to her home-cooked meals, Blanco recently became an ambassador for vegan company Beyond Meat and now she posts Instagram stories and highlights of her favorite meatless meat recipes.

Steph Davis has been vegan for 18 years now and says, "there’s nothing in my life that hasn’t become better as a result, from climbing and athletics to mental and spiritual well being." Davis has competed on some of the most challenging verticle routes on the planet –like Concepcion (5.13), which is known to be one of the hardest pure climbs anywhere. Davis holds the third overall ascent and is the first female to ever make the ascent of the route. Davis described it as her "most technically demanding climb ever." Davis explained why she went vegan eight years ago when she partnered with PETA. "What can we do to start making changes in a positive way? And if it just so happens that changing our lifestyle leads to environmental benefits, health benefits, economic benefits, and positive social change, then all the better. One thing I’ve learned is you don’t have to do or be anything you don’t want to be, and you can change anything in your life just by starting to do it. It’s you who chooses who and what you are, by the things you think and the things you do." She goes on to add, "no one says you have to become a “perfect” vegan overnight. But why not start making small changes and see how it feels? I believe it’s the small choices people make that have the biggest power to change, and nothing is more simple yet also more far-reaching than changing how and what you choose to eat. We’re all here for a short time, in the end, and living a well-intentioned and compassionate life seems like what ultimately matters the most, the only real goal that I aspire to."

Tennis champion Venus Williams swears that making the switch to veganism was one of the factors that helped to improve her performance and get over an auto-immune disease. The tennis star went vegan back in 2011 when she was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, a debilitating autoimmune disease with a range of symptoms from joint pain to swelling, numbness, burning eyes, digestive problems, and fatigue. She chose to eat plant-based to recover to her formerly healthy self, and it worked so she stuck to it. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion recovers faster on a plant-based diet now, compared to how she felt back when she ate animal protein. When you have an auto-immune disease you often feel extreme fatigue and random body aches and for Venus, a plant-based diet provides energy and helps her reduce inflammation. The Beet reported on Willaim's diet and what she normally eats in a day to stay healthy, fit, and win more matches. Talking about her favorite dinner meal, Williams adds, “sometimes a girl just needs a donut!"

Mike Tyson recently said he is "in the best shape ever" thanks to his vegan diet. The boxing legend then announced he's getting back into the rings after 15 years, to fight against Roy Jones, Jr. in California later this fall. Tyson went vegan ten years ago after dealing with health complications and in the wake of having cleaned up his life: “I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe." Tyson said, “I had high blood pressure, was almost dying, and had arthritis." Now, the 53-year-old powerhouse is sober, healthy, and fit. "Turning vegan helped me eliminate all those problems in my life,” and "I'm in the best shape ever." His new trainer agrees: Watching Iron Mike's speed during recent training sessions, observed: "He has the same power as a guy who is 21, 22-years old."

Oklahoma City's point guard Chris Paul decided to ditch meat and dairy and was asked join on as a co-executive producer for the popular documentary, The Game Changers. For breakfast, Paul enjoys oatmeal with plant-based milk and nut butter. For lunch, he fuels up with pasta or brown rice with Beyond Meat sausage, grilled vegetables, and a curry sauce. His chef told USA Today, "The main thing is, we try to keep it as light and clean as possible for his normal routine, with organic ingredients. Anything that can minimize body inflammation. Chris is always worrying about what he can and can't eat." So far it appears he's getting it right. In an exclusive interview with The Beet's Awesome Vegans columnist Elysabeth Alfano, Paul said eating a plant-based diet helps him keep up with players half his age.

In 2016, Kaepernick made the switch to veganism with his longtime girlfriend to recover from a series of injuries that had him down for the count. The Beet recently reported on how this dietary switch has allowed Kaepernick to stay strong and healthy. Now, he's in the gym building muscle and looks fitter than ever. But will he be picked up? The professional football player claims that a vegan diet makes him feel "always ready" to perform his best on the field.

Cam Newton just replaced Tom Brady, who also follows a mostly plant-based diet, as the New England Patriot's QB, after having made the plant-based switch back in March 2019. The NFL Star first decided to ditch meat and dairy to recover quicker from injuries when he learned that a plant-based diet is proven to help reduce inflammation. "I've seen such a remarkable change in the way my body responds to the food that I eat," Newton told PETA for his recent partnership for a new campaign called, "Built Like a Vegan," proving that you don't need to eat meat to be strong. Newton enjoys a meat-free burger on a pretzel bun, heavy on pickles and sauce. He adds: "People often ask, 'How do you get your protein?' I just say, 'I get it in the same way you do, but it's fresher and cleaner.' " Newton shares how to do it: "My advice to a person who wants to become vegan is to eat on schedule. If you can eat on a schedule, you won't miss [a meal or crave meat] or think anything different, and you'll be alright."

Elijah Hall says about his vegan diet: "Going vegan was the best decision" he has ever made. Hall holds records in the indoor 200 meters and was training for the Tokyo this summer when it got postponed by a year due to the pandemic. Hall said "the effects that it’s having on my body are amazing. Becoming a plant-based athlete has opened many doors to my health and my training." We predict he'll only get faster in the next 11 months and break records, come home with golf and be the world champion in 12 months.

Five-years ago, Morgan Mitchell went vegan and it made her faster, leaner and happier. Last year she was featured in the plant-based athletes documentary The Game Changers and said, “Being vegan has helped me immensely. I don’t feel sluggish like I did when I was eating meat, and my recovery from training really took off. It felt like an overall cleanse for my body, and I started seeing greater results on the track.” Now Michelle is committed for the planet as well. “Ultimately helping the environment and not contributing to animal cruelty was a big thing for me, too. That was my initial reason for going vegan, and the rest of the benefits were just added bonuses.” Mitchell describes what she eats in a day for enhanced performance and more energy to win sprints. “I like to make sure I have three different types of protein in there. I use tofu, beans, and mushrooms, along with spinach, vegan cheese, and hash browns,” she says. “I also love to add Beyond Meat for more flavor, which is a great source of plant protein as well. That usually keeps me full for the better part of the day," she told Well + Good.

"We were taught that eating animal products was good for us but we've been lied to for hundreds of years," said Lewis Hamilton. The Beet reported on Hamiltion's vegan diet quoting The New York Times that he credits his new plant-based diet with making the difference in his career. Hamilton gave up processed food and animal products for vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, because of his strong compassion for animals, for the benefit of the environment, and his own health. Hamilton isn't the only vegan in his family. His dog Rocco is fully vegan and Hamilton says he's "super happy" on Rocco's very own IG post. Earlier this year, Hamilton gave up his private jet because he said it's a big pollutant and aims to live a sustainable lifestyle. Back in February, he started a line of sustainable clothing with Tommy Hilfiger at London Fashion Week.

Featured in The Game Changers for his elite strength and his superhuman ability to lift a car, Patrik Baboumiam is one of the strongest men in the world and also happens to be vegan. Baboumian lifted 358 pounds in the 2009 German log lift nationals. Back in 2014, Baboumiam partnered with PETA in his campaign "Want to be Stronger" describing powering yourself with plants and how you can build muscle without eating meat. One of his 2019 PETA campaigns showed him posing with crossed arms and leaves in his mouths with the text: "The world's strongest animals are plant-eaters: Gorillas, buffaloes, elephants and me." Bahoumiam's diet consists of a dairy-free shake for breakfast with 8 grams of protein and 0 carbohydrates. For lunch, he enjoys vegan sausage, falafel, low-fat oven fires, peppers, and more grilled veggies. He normally eats 250 grams of carbs and 90 grams of protein just for lunch. Dinner includes vegetables cooked potatoes, and tofu. If you want to eat like Boubanian, he reports his food diary on his blog BarBend.

Here's a guy who has worn many hats: Bodybuilder, Terminator, California Governor, and now vegan and advocate for the plant-based lifestyle. Arnold Schwarzenegger ditched meat and dairy and has proven that you don't need to eat animal products to be strong, healthy and reverse symptoms of heart disease. Now 73, he had a pulmonary valve replacement 1997 due to a congenital defect and underwent emergency open-heart surgery in 2018 to replace the valve again. He then changed his eating and fitness habits and now extolls the virtues of plant-based eating for the environment as well as health reasons. He is a producer of The Game Changers (a movie with many masters) and an advocate for going vegan for health, the environment and the sake of animals (he posts on IG with his pet donkey and miniature pony, both household dwelling animals). Schwarzenegger said last year: "Right now, seven million people are dying every year. That is alarming and everyone in the government has the responsibility to protect the people.... 28 percent of the greenhouse gasses come from eating meat and from raising cattle, so we can do a much better job."

Jurek is an extreme ultra-marathon runner who has won the Hardrock Hundred, the Badwater Ultramarathon, the Spartathlon, and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (you get the idea). Jurek has been vegan for almost two decades, after easing into it by cutting out meat in college, he slowly stopping seafood and finally giving up all animal products once he realized that eating this way made him feel healthier and happier. To run such an extreme amount of miles, you need to fuel your body with plant-based foods that will give you enough energy and carbohydrates to go the distance. The goal is to eat 5,000-6,000 calories of plant-based foods daily. Jurek outlined his plant-based diet in an interview with Bon Appetite. Instead of waking up to a hot cup of coffee to boost energy, he prefers to drink tea and a green smoothie with spirulina or chlorella and a host of other ingredients. He adds bananas, frozen pineapple slices, or mangoes, brown rice and pea protein, (for protein) to rebuild what's lost in training. This is not just any smoothie.

Soccer star, Alex Morgan is one of the beloved members of the USA National Team that won the World Cup and has shown that the female players deserve to get equal pay as their male counterparts by the US Soccer Federation. She is also an animal rights advocate and longtime vegan, having given up meat when she decided that "it didn't feel fair to have a dog, and yet eat meat all the time,” referring to her adorable pup Blue. Morgan aims to eat 90 grams of plant-based protein daily to stay fit and lean, especially for her workouts and on the field. Morgan admitted that breakfast was difficult because "a lot of the things I love like pancakes and French toast had dairy and eggs." But now she enjoys oatmeal with nut butter and berries, smoothies, rice, quinoa, veggies, black beans, protein shakes, Mediterranean food, Impossible burgers, Mexican beans, and sauteed veggie burritos, she told USA Today.

Paul Rabil who played for the Boston Cannons and the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, ditched meat and dairy after his 2019 season ended and revealed he's now "officially" vegan on YouTube. "At first [switching to a plant-based diet] was to help solve some pain and trauma that I was going through. Over the last two years, I've had two herniated discs.... and that has led to a ton of shooting pain down my legs, its called sciatica," Rabil explains the purpose of his diet switch. He adds: "I've tried to a lot of things; I've had a number of cortisone shots; I've done physical therapy for two years. And I reached a place where I was thinking 'okay maybe I can solve this with nutrition because a lot of our pain stems from inflammation. Within a few weeks, I started noticing a lot of alleviation so I started focusing and doubling down more on veganism"

Hannah Teter won Olympic gold and silver in the halfpipe and is also a seven-time XGames medalist. She changed her diet after watching the documentary, Earthlings when she discovered how "horrible" factory farming is. After a strict vegetarian diet, Teter liked the way she performed and believes that her diet helped her win gold at the 2006 games. She now considers herself "plant-based" and in an interview with the Huffington Post, Teter said, "I feel stronger than I’ve ever been, mentally, physically, and emotionally. My plant-based diet has opened up more doors to being an athlete. It’s a whole other level that I’m elevating to. I stopped eating animals about a year ago, and it’s a new life. I feel like a new person, a new athlete."

Djokovic is not the only tour player to go plant-based. Nick Kyrgios shared that he does not eat meat anymore because of his strong compassion for animals. During the time of the Australian wildfires, the Aussie native explained: "I've been passionate about animal welfare for some time now. I don't eat meat or dairy anymore. That’s not for my health, I just don’t believe in eating animals." "I tried a vegan diet a couple of years ago but with all the travel I do, it was hard to stick to it. Since then I've managed to make it work, and I've been vegetarian for quite a while. "Seeing the footage of these animals suffering from the fires only reinforces why I've chosen this diet. When I see these terrible photos, I can’t comprehend eating meat."

Matt Frazier has run 27 ultra-marathons in his career so far and continues to write about the endurance strength of being a vegan athlete in his personal blog, which he started 11 years ago: No Meat Athlete. The Beet recently interviewed Frazier about his vegan journey and how to be a successful athlete on a plant-based diet. When asked about the first time he ditched meat Frazier replied, "I had already cut 90 minutes off my first marathon time. I was still 10 minutes away from the Boston Marathon qualifying time. I had plateaued, and I was not sure how I was going to find 10 minutes. [Plant-based eating] was what I was missing. That’s what it took. The other big noticeable difference to me [after going vegan] was I stopped getting injured. Injuries had always been a big part of my running journey. When I became vegan, it was around the time I ran three 50-milers and a 100-miler. I didn’t have any injuries. If it’s done right, [plant-based diets] can really help you recover faster."

Rowing is grueling. It's known as the toughest endurance sport in the world. The world record-breaking female rower, Michaela Copenhaver went vegan in 2012 for ethical reasons, she told Great Vegan Athletes. “Initially, I just wanted to eat more vegetables. Those things are super good for you, and they're delicious. Being vegetarian and vegan made me more conscious of how many servings I was getting a day (or not).” When she switched from vegetarian to vegan it was almost accidental: “I was traveling for a regatta in the fall of 2012. I had been vegetarian for 1.5 years already but relied pretty heavily on dairy and eggs. While I was traveling, I was bouncing from couch to couch and had no way to safely store dairy or eggs—so I decided to try a week without them. I felt great, and it wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought. I’ve been vegan ever since.” Now it's a value system: “Once I stopped eating and using animals, I felt I could finally address a question that had been bothering me for a long time—what right do we have to exploit other creatures? Now, I understand that we have no right, and my motivations are primarily ethical.”