Golfer Phil Mickelson’s strict weight loss diet: Doctor shares what to know

Professional golfer Phil Mickelson, who made his 32nd commencement successful The Masters this week, has been unfastened astir his committedness to wellness and wellness.

The six-time large champion and three-time Masters victor has said helium follows a five-day prolonged fast, which led to him dropping 25 pounds successful 2023.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has go a fashionable weight-loss strategy successful caller years.

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There are respective types of intermittent fasting — but they each travel the aforesaid conception of alternating betwixt fasting and eating. 

Phil Mickelson is pictured competing successful play tournaments 24 years apart, successful 2001 (left) and 2025 (right). The six-time large champion and three-time Masters victor has said helium follows a five-day prolonged fast, which led to him dropping 25 pounds successful 2023. (Reuters / AP )

With a time-restricted approach, the dieter lone eats during a definite window. For example, with the 16/8 method, the idiosyncratic fasts for 16 hours and past tin devour wrong an eight-hour span, betwixt 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. 

Other versions impact fasting for a afloat 24 hours erstwhile oregon doubly per week — oregon lone consuming constricted calories connected fasting days.

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Dr. Christopher Rhodes — a longevity, fasting and biomimetics researcher successful California, shared his thoughts connected Mickelson’s extremist fasting program, which besides includes drinking coffee with supplements.

"A five-day prolonged accelerated similar the 1 Phil Mickelson follows volition person profound effects connected metabolism and value loss," helium told Fox News Digital.

Phil Mickelson watches connected the sixth spread during the archetypal circular astatine the Masters play tourney connected April 10, 2025, successful Augusta, Georgia. The jock has been unfastened astir his committedness to wellness and wellness. (AP Photos)

"It fundamentally shifts the vigor authorities and substance sources successful the assemblage and forces stored abdominous to beryllium burned arsenic energy, but surely astatine the disbursal of elite diversion performance, particularly successful the aboriginal stages of a fast."

Potential risks

Fasting for longer than 24 hours volition deplete the body’s glycogen stores and origin it to participate ketosis, a authorities wherever it chiefly burns abdominous and ketones for energy, according to Rhodes, who is besides the laminitis of nutrition institution Mimio Health.

"While this volition accelerate abdominous nonaccomplishment and supply benefits to wide metabolic health, the assemblage volition inactive request to nutrient immoderate of its ain glucose successful bid to enactment encephalon relation and volition commencement to interruption down macromolecule sources, similar muscle, to support due glucose levels."

"A five-day prolonged accelerated similar the 1 Phil Mickelson follows volition person profound effects connected metabolism and value loss."

Over time, this volition effect successful musculus breakdown, spot loss, fatigue and little wide vigor levels, which could hinder diversion performance, according to the expert.

Mickelson has spoken astir his ain musculus nonaccomplishment arsenic a effect of his fasting.

"I besides mislaid muscle, truthful I had to commencement lifting, and I've been lifting and dilatory person been getting my velocity and spot backmost to wherever I request it to be," helium said during the 2023 Masters.

There are respective types of intermittent fasting — but they each travel the aforesaid conception of alternating betwixt fasting and eating.  (iStock)

For elite athletes, maintaining musculus wide and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said.

"Extended fasts whitethorn dilatory down recovery, impair high-intensity workout show and adjacent trim powerfulness output if not decently managed." 

The doc cautioned that a prolonged five-day accelerated should not beryllium performed much than a fewer times per year, with plentifulness of betterment clip successful between.

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Certain groups — specified arsenic those astatine hazard of musculus loss, similar the elderly — should debar five-day fasts, helium said.

"While fasting tin amended insulin sensitivity, cognition, cellular relation and metabolic efficiency, shorter intermittent fasting windows oregon fasting-mimicking strategies whitethorn connection akin metabolic benefits without the drawbacks of utmost caloric restriction," Rhodes added.

Smart supplements

Mickelson reportedly drinks java with supplements during his fasts, thing Rhodes recommends arsenic a means of preserving vigor and musculus wide during weight loss.

"During prolonged fasting, the assemblage begins to interruption down some macromolecule and abdominous for energy, which tin pb to musculus loss," helium said.

Mickelson reportedly drinks java with supplements during his fasts, thing Rhodes recommends arsenic a means of preserving vigor and musculus wide during value loss. (iStock)

"Supplements specified arsenic amino acids, fatty acids, electrolytes and definite metabolic bioactives tin assistance mitigate this."

The doc noted that supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), creatine oregon HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate) tin assistance to sphere musculus tissue, show and spot portion staying successful a fasted state. 

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"Likewise, supplementing with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and omega 3s similar EPA and DHA, which the assemblage cannot nutrient connected its own, would beryllium important for maintaining high-level functionality during prolonged multi-day fasting," helium added.

Phil Mickelson hits from the fairway connected the archetypal spread during the archetypal circular astatine the Masters play tourney connected April 10, 2025, successful Augusta, Georgia. For elite athletes, maintaining musculus wide and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said. (AP Photos)

Caffeine from java tin besides service to supply calorie-free energy, Rhodes noted, portion besides suppressing appetite and providing a cognitive boost to combat imaginable fasting-induced encephalon fog. 

"Prolonged fasting tin deplete electrolytes similar sodium, potassium and magnesium, which are indispensable for musculus function, hydration and vigor production," helium said. "If his supplements see these electrolytes, they whitethorn assistance forestall cramping and fatigue."

Importance of spot training

Regarding Mickelson’s comments astir lifting weights during his fasting stints, Rhodes agreed that weightlifting is indispensable for preserving and gathering musculus during value loss. 

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"The assemblage operates connected a ‘use it oregon suffer it’ principle, particularly during periods of caloric regularisation oregon fasting, wherever it’s actively needing to mobilize vigor sources from the assemblage to prolong itself," the doc said. 

"Muscle is 1 of the astir energetically costly tissues to sustain, truthful if we’re not utilizing it connected a regular basis, the assemblage volition preferentially commencement breaking down musculus to conserve energy."

Weightlifting is indispensable for preserving and gathering musculus during value loss, experts agree. (iStock)

Resistance training sends a awesome to the assemblage that thin wide is indispensable for endurance and tells it to forestall excessive musculus breakdown, prioritizing abdominous for fuel.

"For athletes similar Mickelson, weightlifting besides helps support neuromuscular coordination, associated integrity and powerfulness output," Rhodes said. 

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"Strength grooming improves insulin sensitivity, enhances metabolic complaint and ensures that value nonaccomplishment comes chiefly from abdominous alternatively than muscle."

It’s besides important to refuel aft a accelerated with capable macromolecule intake, the adept added.

Finding steadfast patterns

Ultimately, according to Rhodes, the champion mode to enactment semipermanent value nonaccomplishment and metabolic health is to find a signifier of eating that works for the idiosyncratic and tin beryllium sustained for the agelong haul. 

"During prolonged fasting, the assemblage begins to interruption down some macromolecule and abdominous for energy, which tin pb to musculus loss."

"While immoderate find that periods of fasting are adjuvant successful resetting their hunger and satiety cues and processing a amended narration with food, others whitethorn find it excessively restrictive and overwhelming, mounting themselves up for nonaccomplishment and rebound binging down the road," helium said. 

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"Every idiosyncratic is different, but prioritizing nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that are affluent successful fiber, macromolecule and steadfast fats tin assistance importantly successful reducing cravings and improving prime of beingness and repast satisfaction."