Phil Mickelson has burned a few bridges. Some he might have a little regret about, and some he is extremely proud of. The biggest bridge that he burned, and indeed one he can boast about, is the one with his older self. The Mickelson of the early 2000s and the 53-year-old golfer who is playing at LIV Jeddah have one huge difference. The latter is fit, healthier, and stronger. But it was not always so.

Mickelson was at the receiving end of persistent ‘fat-shaming’ since his poor eating habits started reflecting on his body. The media was ruthless when he welcomed his daughter Amanda in 1999. A journalist quipped, “Was it Phil or Amy who was pregnant?” Two decades later, the table has turned. Lefty is perhaps the fittest 40+ golfer, making everyone wonder what’s the secret to his weight loss journey.

Phil Mickelson followed this diet to get back in shape

The secret to Phil Mickelson’s weight loss is intermittent fasting. It’s a dieting regimen, except that there is little to no ‘diet’ at all. Instead of fasting for a day, during intermittent fasting, you fast for a stretch of five to six days, feeding only a liquid diet to your body.

According to an article in Forbes, your body starts digging into the stored energy reserve to supplement the deficiency. In short, it’s a process of burning fat by fasting. It has found some backing in the athletics world. Most notably, MMA legend George St. Pierre has revealed that he intermittently fasts three to five times a year, drinking only water.

In 2019, the six-time Major winner announced on Instagram that he had completed a six-day cycle of intermittent fasting, drinking only water and a special blend of his own coffee. Mickelson claimed to have lost 15 pounds and felt way more healthy and fresh.

He appeared a further 25 pounds slimmer at this year’s Masters, courtesy of another cycle of intermittent fasting. But progress is not a straight line. The veteran golfer suffered setbacks before finding the perfect balance.

The diet adversely affected his form on the greens

A calorie-restricting diet is often a double-edged sword. It helps you lose fat, but along with that, you also lose muscle mass. The veteran golfer admitted that although he got back in shape, his form was impacted.

Read More: ‘I Stopped Eating Food…Lost Muscle’: After Losing 25 Pounds, Phil Mickelson, 52, Names His Biggest Health Motivator

To his credit, he picked up the signs quite early on. After noticing the impediment to his performance, the golfer started following an aggressive speed-training regimen. To get back the power behind his swings, he started lifting weights.

Phil Mickelson turned a few heads when he became the oldest major champion, lifting the trophy at the age of 51. The PGA Championship victory in 2021 was in large part due to his refocus on health and fitness. And now perhaps more majors lie in the way of the fit senior golfer!

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