What does a 24-time Grand Slam Champion eat? No one’s diet could better answer this question than Novak Djokovic.
When sports fans see Novak Djokovic defeating players half his age, adding to his record-breaking list of 24 Grand Slam titles, and maintaining his World No. 1 status, we all have to wonder, how does he do it? He is arguably one of, if not the greatest tennis player in history — a benchmark for many other young professionals. One key to his success? His strict diet.
For over a decade now, Novak Djokovic has been crediting his diet as a big part of his recipe for becoming a multiple Grand Slam champ. In his book, Serve To Win, the 14-day Gluten-Free Plan for Physical and Mental Excellence, he shared that his career had transformed after improving his eating habits.
In the book, he explains that he had to eat the right food for the demands that come with his profession. Thus, he follows a diet that mainly includes vegetables, beans, white meat, fish, fruit, nuts, seeds, lentils, and healthy oils — foods that help him feel lighter, sleep better, and provide him with more energy.
Let’s take a little peek into what this kind of diet might look like and how Novak Djokovic himself uses it.
An energy-boosting breakfast
Based on his book, Novak Djokovic likes to start every day with a glass of warm water with lemon to help his body detoxify. Step two is his “energy-boosting” breakfast bowl, mixing different seeds, nuts, gluten-free muesli, fruit, and yogurt. Sometimes, he also adds some manuka honey to sweeten it up a little.
On top of this, the 36-year-old also adds a green smoothie to his breakfast plan, blending together antioxidant-rich vegetables such as spinach, kale, celery, and mint.
His breakfast sets the tone for his day, and packing the carbohydrates and micronutrients in the morning definitely gives him the energy he needs.
More fuel for lunch
Next up is lunch. But if the champ gets hungry mid-morning, he doesn’t shy away from a little snacking. He just chooses the right snack, opting for something healthy like an apple with cashew butter.
For lunch, Djokovic needs to continue packing healthy carbohydrates to fuel him for a training day. Thus, he has shared that he usually opts for gluten-free pasta with cooked vegetables, olive oil, a salad, and sometimes, some white meat or fish.
More protein and micronutrients at dinner
Based on his diet plan, Novak Djokovic seems like he enjoys ending his day by packing the micronutrients and protein, after filling himself with complex carbohydrates earlier in the day. His dinner meals include kale Caesar salads, salmon fillets, tuna salads, a whole lemon-roasted chicken, and of course, vegetables.
Novak Djokovic is religious about his diet, and it shows whenever he takes on the court. He can still go toe-to-toe with whoever the best players of the season are, and though his performances don’t have everything to do with his diet, this facet of his lifestyle is a huge testament to his commitment to the life of an elite athlete.
Banner image from Roland Garros on Instagram.
Related Stories:
5 Lessons Every Athlete Can Learn From Tennis King Novak Djokovic
Books About Nutrition That Can Benefit An Athlete’s Eating Habits
Underrated Nutrients That Can Benefit An Athlete’s Performance