Deion Sanders, also known as Coach Prime, is an electrifying figure in college football. Renowned for his charisma, motivational prowess, and relentless pursuit of excellence both on and off the field, the Hall-of-Famer has undoubtedly discovered a winning formula. Even now, Sanders is currently enjoying the offseason, making sure he keeps his routine in check. He begins the New Year with a strict diet and intense workout routines.
The "Look Good, Feel Good" Philosophy
One of the first things you’ll take note of upon walking into the office of the University of Colorado football coach are some of his most famous quotes emblazoned on the wall behind his desk. In bold lettering and right in the middle? You Look Good, You Feel Good, You Feel Good, You Play Good, You Play Good, They Pay Good!
Sanders prioritizes working out almost every day, and he eats clean-never to the point of feeling stuffed. Despite having recently celebrated his 57th birthday, the only sign of age is the gray in Deion Sanders's beard.
"Well, I'm the person who coined the phrase look good, feel good," Sanders told GQ. "Those words are sitting right behind me now. I would be a fool to look bad, feel bad. That don't work for me. I’m not going to look out of shape, feel out of shape, you know? You look good, feel good. When I look in the mirror, I want to be happy with me. I really don't give a damn what somebody else would think or their perception, but I want to be comfortable, happy and secure with me."
Deion Sanders' Morning Routine
Coach Prime is an early riser, typically waking up around 4:15 or 4:30 AM. He starts his day with a sauna session to warm up his muscles.
Read also: Sanders' Fight Against Bladder Cancer
His workout includes:
- Elliptical: A mile on the elliptical.
- Hydrow Rowing Machine: Incorporating rowing for a full-body workout.
- Core Work: Exercises with a 10-pound medicine ball to target both upper and lower abs.
- Dumbbell Exercises: Strength training with dumbbells.
- Leg Extensions and Curls: Focusing on leg strength.
- Bench Press: Upper body strength training.
- Walking: A couple of miles with his coaches after practice.
Sanders shared another inspiring Instagram post with followers on Tuesday, publishing a video from the gym on his Colorado ranch with his fitness coach Kevin Mathis. "We're serious about our health and keeping the body tight & right. Day 3 for me," read the second half of the caption of the post.
Evolving Diet: From Soul Food to Healthier Choices
Sanders admits his diet has evolved significantly over the years. While he used to indulge in soul food daily, he now focuses on healthier options.
"I eat right. I used to eat everything. I used to eat soul food every day. I love it and it’s wonderful, but you got to make some healthier decisions," he explains.
A typical day of eating for Sanders might include:
Read also: Heather Sanders' weight loss: A tale of transformation.
- Morning: Juicing and a parfait-type yogurt cup with wheat and banana prepared by his chef.
- Throughout the Day: Chicken, turkey, and fish are his primary protein sources, with occasional beef or steak. He avoids fried foods as much as possible.
He spoke with GQ on rising early to kick off his workouts, why a childhood staple will always have a special place in his heart and on his plate, and why the noise around him and the Colorado Buffaloes isn’t exactly loud to him.
The Importance of Snacking and Almonds
Snacking smart is a key component of Sanders' diet. He relies on almonds to curb hunger between meals and maintain a healthy eating plan.
"The snacking is the thing and that's where the almonds play a vital role. It helps me with the snacking. If I'm coming off the football field because I got up so early-I eat breakfast probably around 6:30. Then we’re on the practice field at 8:30 or 9:00. We’re out there for an hour and a half, two hours at the most and I'm getting hungry again. Instead of grabbing some junk food or whatever, I just grab some almonds and they will hold me. They hold me and they keep me straight and they’re actually healthy for me."
As Sanders the the Colorado Buffaloes prepare for the upcoming season, he is tapping into all of his coaching tools to ensure his team is ready for the challenges ahead. A key part of his strategy includes a partnership with California Almonds, which has introduced him to the benefits of almonds for workout recovery.Sanders believes that getting back to full strength is an essential part of winning and emphasizes that it doesn’t have to be complicated. He advises that simply fueling up on two servings of almonds daily can make a significant difference in one’s recovery process.
According to research funded by the Almond Board of California, participants who ate two servings of almonds daily, compared to a calorie-matched cereal bar, experienced reduced fatigue and tension, improved leg and lower back strength during recovery, and decreased muscle damage after exercise. This research highlights the potential benefits of almonds as part of a workout recovery routine, which aligns with Coach Prime's focus on both physical and mental preparation.
Read also: Public Perception of Sarah Huckabee Sanders
"We got almonds everywhere, Sanders told SI's Nick Ferguson on the Nick Ferg Show. "It's not something we endorse, it's a lifestyle." He went on to say, "I thank God that I care about all the attributes of life. Not only looking good on the outside, but feeling good on the inside as well. So, I want things to match. Almonds plays a wonderful part in helping me simulate those two qualities."
Cheat Meals and Childhood Favorites
Despite his disciplined approach, Sanders admits to having a soft spot for KFC, considering it more of a "lifestyle" than a cheat meal. "I don't count KFC as a cheat meal. KFC is a lifestyle. I grew up on KFC and soul food but I try my best to do right."
He also revealed what his prime breakfast looked like. After his workout, he had a bowl of oats with banana accompanied by another plate of eggs, bacon and tomato. "I'm coming," read the caption on the photo itself.
Coach Prime's Diet for His Team
Good food is the secret of CU Buffaloes’ success as Deion Sanders and his team are fans of Buffalo-sized meals. As Coach Primes’ second fall camp in Colorado is underway, the diet plan they follow is quite tempting.
On August 12 Thee Pregame Show Network premiered a video capturing a live meal preparation for Coach Prime and the team by Chef Solomon, the video instantly got thousands of views in less than an hour with people giving their wholesome reactions in comments saying “Anybody else starving after watching this??” The video featured Shilo walking into the cafeteria and interacting with the staff, showcasing the mouth-watering catering. The server excitedly asks him, “How many grilled cheese would you like?”
The diet menu was so fulfilling that it left everyone drooling, Coach Prime and his team roughly 8-10 protein-packed meals, which included Shilo’s favorite crab legs followed by the whole week menu that includes oatmeal, grits, cheesy scrambled eggs, fried eggs, bacon, turkey sausage, pork sausage, hash brown patties grilled chicken breast, lobster rolls, rice and salmon which is a perfect blend of protein and fiber.
Deion Sanders also mentioned how today’s fast-paced game schedule expects players to commit much more time to their sport. A well-structured meal will improve their performance and is crucial in a physically demanding sport like football.
The Evolution of Athlete Nutrition
Sanders reminisces about his NFL days diet plan. Last year in an interview, Deion Sanders said he didn’t think much about high-end nutrition plans during his “Prime Time” years. “Back then, we used to eat soul food and then go to practice like it wasn’t nothing,” But unlike today’s game scenario, the nutritional needs have changed drastically with vigorous practice sessions players need a well-balanced diet. Coach Prime also expresses how he is happy for the young kids getting nutritionist and meal plans whereas they were just happy just to have three square meals a day.
In contrast, the young athletes he trains as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, a Division 1 school with a 4-5 record so far this season, have a comprehensive support system for their diet as well as the rest of their training. "Now you have a nutritionist, you have dietary people, you have strength and conditioning guys," Sanders said. "There are so many resources that you have. These kids have meal plans, they have everything, we didn't have all that stuff. We were so happy just to have three square meals a day."
The tradeoff, he said, is that today's up-and-coming athletes are also expected to commit much more time to their sport. "Now you're one sport all year-round. It's hard to have an off-season," said Sanders, who built his legacy in both football and baseball.
A Testament to Healthy Living
Coach Prime's endorsement of California Almonds is not just a sponsorship but a testament to how he integrates healthy habits into his daily routine. He often emphasizes that success comes from wanting to win, working for it, and taking care of oneself, including proper recovery. His enthusiasm for almonds is evident in his motivational style, as he encourages his players and fans to incorporate almonds into their daily lives as part of their journey to success.
"It’s been phenomenal, and you’ve got to understand-I'm not a youngster by any means. I just celebrated a phenomenal birthday. My whole thing is to stay healthy, looking good and feeling good. Almonds present the whole package to me, man. They got me still feeling and looking like I’m in my prim-regardless of these gray hairs on my beard. So we keep them stocked up and I use them fairly every day. I work out probably four days a week. I want to recover tremendously and I want to eat right. Almonds are a very healthy choice."
Sanders' Perspective on Aging and Training
Sanders admits he isn’t your typical workout warrior and doesn’t subscribe to a traditional training routine. “There’s no reason for me to have a program,” he says. “I just do me.” But his Texas estate (east of Dallas) is the ultimate home gym. Kettlebells, dumbbells, stability balls, and pullup bars are dispersed throughout. There’s even a treadmill on his porch, so skipping a training session is not an option. But Sanders is known for speed-at the 1989 NFL Scouting Combine, he ran 40 yards in a legendary 4.27 seconds-so running remains his passion. He’ll pop on headphones (“I like to run to Lil Wayne”) and run for 15 minutes at a nearby course. It may not be the glitzy and trendy workout, but take it from the master of swagger: Do something, and you won’t dispute the results.
Prime Time is now 50. Even though it has been more than a decade since his last sideline streak for a touchdown, Sanders still looks game-ready. “I’ve got about a quarter of a game in me,” he says. Sanders is leaner and more muscular today, and he says he feels better than he did in 1989 as the Gucci-glasses-wearing Atlanta Falcons phenom the sports world wasn’t quite ready for. Instead of covering Jerry Rice, he’s defending his body against aging. “I want to look good,” Sanders says. “I don’t want to be the strongest and the fastest.
Even Prime Time’s face is still fab, courtesy of Botox Cosmetic. “I’m different at 50,” Sanders says. “I’m a go-getter. I don’t sit back and ask for permission to do this or that. I go and get it. When I train, if I say,‘I don’t like the way I look in that shirt, ’well, dammit, I’m gonna do something about it-eat right, work out, cardio, abs work.
His secret: “I live on purpose, with purpose. Sanders knows his training style may not work for everyone. (“I’d make a terrible personal trainer,” he says.) But his words will always be a timeless motivator. “You need to make time for you,” he says. “You are your biggest commodity.
Advice to His Younger Self
Sanders said if he could give his early self some advice, it would be to eat healthier. "I probably would have taken care of my body a lot more," he said.
Staying Grounded Amidst the Noise
There isn’t a conversation about college football without your name being mentioned. How have you managed over the course of your life to not be consumed with the outside noise and criticism?
What's noise to others ain't noise to me because this is how it's always been. I've always been criticized, ridiculed and attacked because I've always been different. I've always been unapologetically me. I've always made no excuses and no apprehensions for who I am, what I am, and how I get down. So I didn't allow y'all to tell me who I was. I told y'all who I was, and that's where the conflict came. I don't let somebody sit down and run over me or tell me what I ain't. The media has changed now. You can't you can't tell me nothing about me. I could tell you about me.
What we do here is huge. Our team and what my son does is huge. We can't sit back and let you dictate who we are and what we are. Those days have been over for a long time. So, I'm thankful that now athletes have their own voice. They have their own podcast. They have their own programming, and they're doing a wonderful and phenomenal job. Former athletes that I played with back in the day-I am having some wonderful podcast that make noise. So, if I want to put something out there, I could just pick up a darn phone. I don't have to wait for what they call the mainstream media to tarnish me or say whatever. I don't play that game with them either.