There is much to be learned from the GOAT

Tom Brady's winning edge can teach us a lot about how to take care of ourselves. If you want to stay young, have more energy and live longer, just do what Tom Brady, arguably the greatest football player of all time, does. As you may already know, Brady does not train the same way most professional athletes do. And yet the age-defying athletic edge he has achieved is undeniable. It's hard to believe that Tom was once told he didn't have the "right body for football". The take-away is that only YOU can decide what you can achieve, and if you want it enough to make it happen. Making some of the lifestyle choices Brady has made is sure to help us achieve our fitness goals.

YOU vs. Time

Tom Brady's Winning Edge: Tom's unbeatable strategies off the field can work for you too

MINDSET A positive mindset is the first step, and the most important action you can take. If you can visualize it, you can achieve it.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Move at least 30 to 60 minutes a day. Balance conditioning, strength and flexibility. Brady's workouts include lunges, squats, planks and shoulder exercises. He combines strength and cardio in high-intensity workouts using resistance bands.

BRAIN EXERCISES Tom performs cognitive exercises following his strenuous physical workouts. Neuroplasticity creates new connections in your brain, and can be enhanced with training. This allows you to continue to learn and remember as you age. Like our muscles, the more we train our brains, the more developed and capable they become.

PROPER NUTRITION Tom Brady's winning edge is due, in large part, to the superfoods he eats. A whole food diet with lots of protein and fiber keeps you healthy and full of energy. Brady gets 80 percent of his nutrients from vegetables, whole grains and beans, and twenty percent from fish, seafood and lean meats.

What do you eat on a typical day if you're the GOAT? You might have a pre-workout blueberry banana smoothie, and eggs with avocado for breakfast. Lunch would likely be a salad with fish. Snacks could include hummus, guacamole or mixed nuts. And for dinner you would feast on roasted vegetables and chicken.

Tom's diet does NOT include: gluten, dairy, corn, soy, MSG, coffee, alcohol, GMO's, sugar, artificial sweeteners, trans fats or highly processed foods. Eat locally-sourced, organic whole foods for optimal health.

HYDRATION Drink half of your body weight in ounces of water daily, and add electrolytes so that it is fully absorbed.

OPTIMAL SLEEP A good night's sleep allows your muscles to recover, regulates your hormones and improves brain function. Try not to eat within 3 hours of bedtime. Tom generally gets 9 hours of sleep a night.

KEEP FAST-TWITCH MUSCLE FIBERS IN WORKING ORDER Do high intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance band exercises. This will make you stronger. It will also improve your range of motion and mobility.

PLIABILITY Tom Brady's winning edge is due, in part, to his method of keeping muscles soft and supple rather than rigid. Working on your flexibility leads to better athletic performance, strength, agility and recovery. Resistance band training, foam rolling and deep tissue massages all improve your natural "pliability".

SUPPLEMENTS (if needed) Make sure you're getting enough vitamin D, Zinc, vitamin C, Prebiotics and essential fatty acids.

If you want to look and feel much younger than your years, following Tom's lead is a sure-fire strategy. We can't all be the GOAT but we can be healthy and fit if we work out, eat right and have a positive mindset. Why not learn from Tom Brady's winning edge strategies? Golden Home Fitness can set you on the right path.

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Endnotes: tb12sports.com; verywellfit.com; www.sportscasting.com; manofmany.com; cnbc.com; jackedgorilla.com; The TB12 Method, How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance, Tom Brady, 2017