Sure, we assume sports stars eat mainly healthy, but the truth is they can have some of the ugliest diets. Here are 10 athletes who eat junk food and think they’re getting away with it – until we wrote this post, that is.
1. Michael Phelps
You know him as the swimmer who holds the most medals ever in Olympic competitions, but you might not know about his junk food eating habits. He’s wolfing down Sour Patch Kids and chips. You might also catch him reaching for a slice of pizza. Surprised? We were too.
2. Brandon Graham
The defensive end for the Eagles might get a little defensive himself about his diet. When Graham suffered a torn ACL a few years back, he packed on 20 pounds eating Philly cheesesteaks. Given he was only training for 2 months, that must have been a whole lot of cheesy goodness.
3. JJ Redick
Are you a fan of the Los Angeles Clippers too? Then it’s high time you knew that superstar player Redick gets a high from eating rice crispy squares. He regularly chows down on the sugary, butter-filled treats before tip-off. We figure maybe we’re only a snap, crackle and pop away from playing the NBA too.
4. Georges St-Pierre
And then it was time to fight, with a belly full of the Golden Arches. Just ask ultimate fighter GSP. McDonald’s is what he craves, including french fries, cheeseburgers, and *cough* Chicken *cough* McNuggets. We just cross our fingers St-Pierre won’t barf during a spinning back kick.
5. Ted Ligety
Ski racer Ted Ligety has a winning formula when it comes to beating his competition. The key is not that he started skiing at the age of 2 or that he’s spent ever winter on the slopes since he was 13 years old. Nope, it’s the ice cream that he loves to pig out on. We bet he likes to think of the ski hills as big scoops of vanilla ice cream. Care to wager on it?
6. LeBron James
There’s nothing quite like chowing down on a big bowl of the sugar-infested breakfast cereal Fruity Pebbles or at least that’s what LeBron James seems to think. Rumor has it that this go-to treat that is the inspiration behind the running shoes Nike made for him. Well, on the bright side, you don’t need to ask him if he’s Got Milk.
7. Justin Verlander
As pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Verlander has got more up his sleeve than a strong arm. He’s also hiding the secret that he often grabs Taco Bell on the go and eats it at home. Run for the border may have been the fast-food giant’s slogan but we’re guessing that Verlander makes many runs to the toilet instead after eating those meals.
8. Peyton Manning
A list of athletes eating junk food has got to include Peyton Manning. The Denver Broncos quarterback promotes about 25 brands, many of which are less than nutritious. Among them are Oreos and Papa John’s pizza. What, you don’t think he’s getting some free slices and sugary cookies? The chances are good that he’s putting on a few extra pounds from eating the unhealthy food too.
9. Shani Davis
He won Olympic gold for speed skating, but Davis isn’t winning over any fitness buffs with his food habits. While in Chicago, he likes to eat some of the local pizza. The skater also chooses McDonald’s fries and Chicken McNuggets when the munchies hit him. Good thing he’s a racing machine, burning up calories, or he’d have a belly holding him back on the circuit.
10. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
This boxer has won 11 professional titles, and we want to add a 12th one: The Junk Food Kid. Yes, the Karate Kid has nothing on him. Mayweather Jr. downs candy, pop tarts, soda, and Burger King fries. If you think he has made his personal chef’s life a lot easier, we agree with you.
The next time you reach for junk food, you might not feel so guilty. Are we right? Even the biggest athletes are cheating on their diets, from Michael Phelps to LeBron James. It just goes to show that a few sugary snacks are all part of life. Now you just have to burn thousands of calories a day to stay in shape the way these sports heroes do. No pressure.
