Cristiano Ronaldo Diet & Fitness Regime

Cristiano Ronaldo is possibly the biggest fitness fanatic in football.

Despite now being 36 years old, he’s still one of the fittest players on the planet and could keep playing for years to come.

He’s reached such high levels of athleticism through an obsession with healthy living.

Here, Built for Athletes takes a look at what Ronaldo eats and how he conditions his body.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Diet

Ronaldo recently drew headlines for moving a bottle of Coca Cola at a Euro 2020 press conference, telling people to drink water instead.

He’s extremely conscious about how he fuels his body and bases his diet around a variety of fresh, natural food sources.

"A good workout must be combined with a good diet," Ronaldo says. "I eat a high-protein diet, with lots of wholegrain carbs, fruit and vegetables, and avoid sugary foods."

The Juventus star is not afraid to think outside the box, and he favours eating small regular meals every few hours. Sometimes he’ll eat up to six times per day.

"Eat regularly," he tells people. "If you train regularly it’s important to keep energy levels high to fuel your body for better performance.”

For breakfast, Ronaldo eats foods like cheese, ham, low-fat yoghurt and lots of fruit.

He’ll then eat meals built around fish or meat throughout the day. His favourite meal is a Portuguese dish called Bacalhau a Bras, consisting of scrambled egg, potatoes and salt cod.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Fitness Routine

Ronaldo focuses on high-intensity work to replicate the regular sharp sprints he does on the pitch.

He’ll do regular circuit training using exercises like box jumps and lots of squats.

In the weights room, Ronaldo works on his leg strength with power cleans and barbell squats. He’ll usually end his workouts with sprint drills. 

Work On Mentality

Those close to Ronaldo say he has always had an obsession with being the best in the world, and the multiple Ballon d'Or-winner says you have to develop your mental capacities as much as your physical ones.

"Learn to train your mind as well as your body," he says.

"Be disciplined. Keeping yourself motivated and sticking to your routine is key.

“Living a relaxed lifestyle helps you to be the best you can be, physically and mentally. I spend my free time with family and friends, which keeps me relaxed and in a positive mindset."