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Phil Mickelson’s Weight Loss Secret Spilled: How He Looks Fit at 54
Phil Mickelson’s weight loss journey is a story of his sheer commitment to dietary plans with a workout regimen. Currently, his lean look is worth the stare!
Philip Alfred Mickelson, the professional American golfer, recently embarked on a fitness journey and shed 25 pounds. Fans noticed his slim figure at the start of the 2023 Masters. It was evident that he had lost a considerable amount of weight. Phil Mickelson's weight loss journey revolved around intermittent fasting, drinking coffee, and focusing on strength training.
Philip has had his share of body shaming and received backlash in the 2000s due to poor eating habits. Years later, he decided to improve his health and fitness not just for his body but also for his golf career, which made him alter his diet.
After shedding a few extra pounds, he feels light and healthier and has great energy levels. According to Sunaina Sindhwani, a clinical nutritionist and an internationally certified skin specialist, “Weight could be reduced naturally by limiting processed foods, adding protein with respect to your body weight, adding good fats, incorporating physical activity in your regular routine, focusing more on whole foods and also by adding thermogenic foods to the diet.”
However, for Phil, it wasn't just intermittent fasting that helped him tone down. Scroll down to get the insights his Phil Mickelson's career highlights, diet, and fitness routine.
Why Did Phil Mickelson Reduce Weight?
The pro-golfer Phil Mickelson suffers from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, a chronic inflammatory joint disease that is incurable. It is a chronic inflammatory joint disease with symptoms like inflammatory changes in attachments of articular capsules, tendons, and ligaments to the bone surface. There are also times when destructive changes in bones usually appear after a few months, due to which the disease flares or little pain or disability is experienced (3).
In addition, one is more likely to suffer from obesity, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (4).
Moreover, Mickelson's weight loss was also driven by a desire to improve his health, including his ability to maintain swing speed and overall fitness for his golf career. He revealed in an interview that he still has to "hit the shots" and be fit for the sport, which is why he has "got to be in shape" so that he can have the speed that allows him to compete. In an interview, he jokingly mentioned that he "stopped eating food," which was a "big help" for him - this was in reference to his intermittent fasting.
Post weight loss, he shook the world with his physical transformation. In the year 2023, he was among the fittest 40+ golf players, leaving everyone wondering about his keys to weight loss.
In one of the interviews, Mickelson revealed that he wanted something different. He wished to have more fun with his other three teammates at a certain level. In the year 2021, he won the PGA Championship; however, the next year, he did not attend it.
To everyone’s surprise, he lost a whopping 25 pounds ahead of the 2023 Masters and PGA Championship. He confessed to maintaining a strict diet for tasting success by keeping himself healthy and fit. After all, he didn’t want his health to affect his form on the greens.
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Phil Mickelson’s Diet Plan
Phil Mickelson’s weight loss was a success due to his commitment to intermittent fasting due to which he not only lost fat but also muscles. This dieting regimen is more of little to no diet consumption. Rather than fasting just for a day, one does fasting for five to six days. In this case, you need to feed your body a liquid-based diet.
For Phil, water and his very own coffee helped. As per a study, intermittent fasting is an alternative and easily applicable dietary intervention for caloric restriction (5).
Back in 2021, Phil revealed that coffee saved his career. Plus, he is extremely picky about his brew and hence, always carries a flask along. In one of the interviews, he shared that coffee helps him in balancing his immune system. It is also true that coffee stimulates the immune system with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (6).
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Phil Mickelson’s Workout Regime
Phil lost weight due to 36 hours of intermittent fasting, however, his form was affected as he also lost his muscle mass. To regain it, he committed himself to a strict workout routine. He engaged in an aggressive speed-training regimen that involved the simultaneous development of various physical qualities and skills, such as maximum strength and power capacities, speed endurance, total body power, and speed technique (7). He also shared that he did quats and prepared with stretches and exercises.
To get back the power behind his swings on the green ground, he lifted weights. He also stated that the PGA Championship victory back in 2021 was largely the result of his refocus on health and fitness. Our expert Sunaina adds, “ Working out helps in weight loss by boosting metabolism. Metabolism boost can help the body to burn more calories and stored fats as well.”
Mickelson also admitted that his weight kept fluctuating. During his break in the year 2022 from the PGA Championship, he was able to focus better on his health and of course, his golf career. He strived hard to manage his game around the course with good hits, swings, and shots. Undoubtedly, his body shape allowed him to compete well with the speed he desired.
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Social Media Reactions to Phil Mickelson’s Weight Loss
Phil Mickelson’s weight loss diet and workout regime bore him sweet fruits. Below are a few social media reactions when he shared his before and after images through his social media handle.
“What an awesome journey, you can be so proud!”
“You look 36 now and 50 back then.”
“I’m glad we took a moment to pay tribute today.”
“Killing it Phil.”
“Looking good Phil.”
“You look awesome Phil.”
“You’ve lost so much weight well done Phil.”
“That's awesome Phil! Keep up the hard work!”
“Phil. That is awesome! You inspire me, brother! Always have! You make the game of golf great!”
Phil Mickelson’s weight loss photos are proof that he is a man of perseverance and dedication, which directed him to the path of fitness success. He committed himself to a diet and workout routine, which helped him lose 25 lbs. With the help of intermittent fasting, drinking coffee, and indulging in a strict workout routine, he transformed himself successfully.
Once, he shared that one learns about health and fitness after turning older. Until then, one can responsibly enjoy food and wine! From being shamed for his body shape to being the fittest golfer in history, Phil deserves applause!
Contributor: Sunaina Sindhwani, Dietician and skin specialist
Sources:
1. Intermittent Fasting And Human Metabolic Health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/
2. Caffeine intake is related to successful weight loss maintenance
3. Psoriatic arthritis
https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3596149/
4. Psoriasis: a brief overview
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8140694/
5. Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting: a narrative review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9946909/
6. Coffee and its effects on the immune system
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352468622_Coffee_and_its_effects_on_the_immune_system
7. Speed Training Practices of Brazilian Olympic Sprint and Jump Coaches: Toward a Deeper Understanding of Their Choices and Insights
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10694730/
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