Cam Newton is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in NFL history. He holds the league’s records for rushing attempts (1,118) and rushing touchdowns (75) by a quarterback. His 5,628 rushing yards are the third-most all-time among quarterbacks. He likely absorbed a literal ton of hits in his career. They took a major toll on his body, contributing to his injuries and downswing after turning 30 years old. These days, though, Newton is feeling fantastic.
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The 36-year-old has a regular role on ESPN and successfully runs two popular podcasts. He’s still around the game he loves, just in a different way. He doesn’t need to be in peak physical form anymore, but a new practice he implemented in recent months has him in great shape.
Newton briefly spoke on his custom during the latest episode of his 4th&1 podcast. He told his co-host, Omari “Peggy” Collins, that he started intermittent fasting roughly three months ago.
“Ain’t nothing better than me. Vegan, by the way. I don’t do all that meat. don’t partake in that twine… [and] why I’m looking a little skinny? I’ve been fasting… I’m on like Day 88. Day 88, intermittent fasting.”
Newton said he began fasting and took “about two weeks off” from working out because “things [were] becoming redundant.”
He has never been one to sulk when his life feels stale. His appearance on season three of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test demonstrated that.
As Newton mentioned, intermittent fasting isn’t the only action he has taken for a healthier life. He turned vegan more than six years ago (March 2019) and was far from the first NFL player to transition to a plant-based diet. Former running back Theo Riddick and linebacker Wesley Woodyard each made the change in their playing careers. Woodyard posted career-highs in tackles and tackles for loss in 2017, the year he became a vegan.
It’s hard for non-vegans to fathom why anyone would voluntarily give up meat. Woodyard was part of the skeptical group before his teammates convinced him of its merits. Back in 2019, Newton pointed out that “some of the world’s strongest species” rely on plants alone for fuel.
“When you look at gorillas, when you look at elephants, they find their source of protein in plants, and I do the same thing. I’m loving how I’m feeling,” Cam Newton told Great Vegan Athletes
It’s safe to say that while Newton’s occupations may be ever-changing, his diet will stay the same. And as long as he sticks to his vegan diet, he’s primed to continue making headway in the media business just like he did on the gridiron.
