Soccer star Tim Howard reveals his diet and fitness secrets

It takes phenomenal conditioning to be a professional athlete, and few places is this as apparent as on the soccer field. But it’s not easy to maintain the physique required for this sport, and Tim Howard can attest to that.

With the World Cup here, Tim and his teammates are in full cup mode, and that means a strict exercise and diet regime. What works for Howard? The soccer pro says it’s his Paleo diet and an exercise routine specifically designed to fatigue his muscles.

SEE ALSO: Paleo diet: Can eating like a ‘caveman’ really make you healthy?

“My personal trainer suggested paleo to build muscle while staying lean, and it’s one of the first plans that’s worked for me,” he told DETAILS. “Sure, I like ice cream, but when you keep a healthy lifestyle, it’s: Do you prefer sweets and crappy food, or do you prefer to have a nice body? It depends on what you want more. Breakfast is meat or eggs, and nuts. Lunch and dinner are more meat and a steamed green vegetable. Depending on how intense training was, I throw in extra carbs, like sweet potatoes.”

The paleo diet is based on the simple premise of “if a caveman didn’t eat it, you shouldn’t either,” suggesting that much of humanity’s health issues are a result of eating processed foods and getting away from the diet we were originally intended to stick to.

On the paleo diet, individuals eat primarily meats, fish and vegetables in proportions dependent on what their fitness needs are.

U.S. News and World Report indicates the research supporting a paleo diet is minimal and considered inconclusive, though some small studies have linked the regime with the ability to reduce blood pressure and bad cholesterol.

Diet, however, isn’t the only way Tim Howard is making sure to be in top physical condition.

“Three mornings a week, I exercise before eating—it’s called fasted cardio—to burn fat. I go to the Hale Country Club & Spa near my house outside Manchester and do an intense walk—as fast as I can without running—on the treadmill at a 1 or 1.5 percent incline for 30 minutes,” he said.

“Mid-morning, I’m on the field for about two hours with my club team, Everton. I do goalkeeper training—the coach kicks balls at me and I’m diving all around. Kind of natural plyometrics, getting wet and muddy. Then I do tactical work with the rest of the team and implement a game plan for that week. I’ll switch my focus to the U.S. national team once the last whistle blows on the Barclays Premier League. I’m looking forward to it.”

SEE ALSO: Paleo-vegan diet: Yes, it’s a thing

Howard indicates a big part of his fitness routine involves exercises called super-sets, repetitions intended to fatigue muscles and thus encourage them to grow more.

But, no matter how hard the soccer star trains, he makes sure to do one very important thing in his health routine.

“Ideally, I’m in bed by 10 P.M. That’s all I have left,” he said. “I like to get more than my normal 10 hours of sleep nights before a game. Athletes do so much to take care of their bodies, yet sleep is the element most get wrong. I even nap for an hour after practice. It’s my favorite part of the day.”