Tom Brady is no stranger to the spotlight, and this week, he landed a magazine cover: "Men's Health."
The cover story gives insight into Tom's training, his longevity, the TB12 method and his life during a week of training in the Bahamas. Here are some things we learned from the in-depth story.
On "cheat meals."
Despite claims of an intense diet and the infamous avocado ice cream, Tom tells "Men's Health" that if he wants to indulge, he's not going to deny himself something. "If I'm craving bacon, I have a piece. Same with pizza. You should never restrict what you really want. We're humans, here for one life. What's changed as I've gotten older is now if I want pizza, I want the best pizza. I don't eat a slice that tastes like [expletive] and then wonder,Why am I eating [expletive]_ pizza?"
Hard throws. Really.
Writer Ben Court traveled to the Bahamas for the story, and even caught some passes from Tom during his training sessions. He was told to put his arms out, and Tom would hit him. Well, Ben caught about 30 passes, and Tom threw so hard, that his arms ended up bruising. Talk about a new perspective and appreciation for Tom's abilities and for the receivers who make catches week after week.
On his marriage.
In talking about his relationship with his wife, Gisele Bündchen, Tom says he often keeps her grounded.
"She's like a kite flying in the sky, and I'm kind of tethering her. Sometimes I have to hold on hard. But she knows I'm always there for her," he said.
*On difficult lessons. *As a parent, Tom said he has turned his own trials into lessons for kids, like after Super Bowl LII. With a devastating loss to the Eagles, Tom said he got off the field and saw how upset his three kids were.
"I had to put my emotions aside so I could deal with their emotions. I said, 'Guys, look: Daddy doesn't always win. That isn't the way life is. You try really hard—that's the most important thing. If you gave it your best, you live with the outcome,'" he said.
On making healthy choices.
And, finally, he hits us with truths about accountability when it comes to achieving fitness goals.
"No one has to be Tom Brady. I just get to be Tom Brady. You get to be you. Everyone has a choice," Tom said. "But if you want to be good at sports, you have to work hard at it. If you want to be healthy, you have to work at it. But you can't say, 'I want to be healthy,' then eat s* food and do crappy workouts."
