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JJ Watt’s insane body transformation with star in better shape in retirement after reducing 7,500-calorie diet
The NFL star hinted he could be open to a return to the league
NFL legend JJ Watt recently stunned fans by showing off his insane physique.
The former Houston Texans' defensive end proved he is as chiseled as ever with a topless workout photo he captioned "Progress."
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And Watt's epic body transformation in retirement is thanks in large part to not having to eat huge quantities of food any more.
The 35-year-old used to eat around 7,500 calories a day during his playing days.
This included six meals a day – two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners.
But after retiring in 2022, Watt now says eating is no longer like "a job."
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“One of the nicest parts about being retired is that I don’t have to eat at the same level that I had to before," Watt told The Overlap.
“When I was playing, my average intake was about 7,500 calories a day, and right now I’m on around 4,500 calories a day.
"I train weights four days a week and do cardio three days a week.
"At my peak, it was two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners.
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"It was like a job, and it all had to be very healthy.”
While Watt ate 7,500 calories a day on average - he sometimes ate up to 9,000 a day to keep up his energy.
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His semi-keto, semi-Paleo diet was rich in fats such as avocados, olive oil, and bacon.
Healthy carbohydrates are then mixed in, in the form of sweet potatoes, for example.
In an interview with GQ in 2016, Watt laid out an example of his daily meals.
He begins with oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries, six eggs, and a banana and an apple.
He'll kick off his second breakfast with another four eggs, along with two slices of wheat toast teamed with peanut butter, banana, and honey.
Then Watt will have another two slices of wheat toast, this time accompanied by jelly.
Moving on to his first lunch, Watt will team whole wheat pasta with three chicken breasts, Italian dressing, and a side of broccoli.
His second helping of lunch can include yet more chicken breasts alongside mashed sweet potatoes and steamed carrots.
To finish off the day, Watt adds to his whole wheat intake with more pasta, lamb chops, and grilled asparagus.
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His second dinner, and final meal of the day, consists of whole wheat pasta, steamed broccoli, and a filet.
Watt said eating so much food on a daily basis was far from easy.
"It's literally, if I'm not working out, I eat the whole time I'm not working out," Watt told ESPN.
"It's exhausting. You have to force-feed. You have to force yourself to eat food."
Watt has become a broadcaster since hanging up his cleats in 2022.
But he told Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans that he would return to the field if needed.
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"I told DeMeco last year, I said, 'Don't call unless you absolutely need it, but if you ever do call, I'll be there," Watt said.
"And, he knows not to call unless he absolutely needs it."
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