The RL diet: Joe Philbin on intermittent fasting and not eating until midday
Photo courtesy of Richard Long
The rugby league diet is our new feature where we give you an insight into the eating habits of your favourite professional players, in partnership with Heaven ‘N’ Health.
Great Britain and Warrington forward Joe Philbin is our fourth guest…
Sum up your diet…
“I used to be very out of shape but now I’m only a little bit out of shape! I reckon my diet is a lot better now and I just have the occasional treat here and there.
“Pancakes are my special treat, they are probably one of main things that hold me back when it comes to my diet but I would say I eat pretty good.”
Intermittent fasting…
“I’m not really a breakfast person to be honest, so I try and put off my first meal until around midday – it is called intermittent fasting. As long as I’m drinking a lot of water and have my black coffee in a morning then I’m sweet.
“I usually have my first meal at 12pm and that will just be a normal lunch and then I will have two big meals at like 4pm and 8pm, with a few protein snacks between those meals.”
Favourite foods…
“I like chicken and steak but bread is my go-to food. I love a bagel – bacon medallions are the ones you want because they are healthier than the ones with all the fat. I’ll have a lot of chicken, rice and potatoes so I keep my calories pretty high because we train a lot.
“I’m a big steak man though, it’s got to be medium rare.”
Your ideal meal…
“I love a good calamari dish and Thai food as well but I think it would have to be a steak with loads of chips. My mouth is watering now.”
Your guilty pleasure when it comes to food…
“It has got to be pancakes – but I can only have them like every six weeks or so. My pancakes are how I enticed my missus I reckon!
“I made the pancakes and gave her the platinum package when I was getting to know her. I was trying to play it smooth but I think she started to expect the pancakes all the time and I was like ‘I need to keep to my diet here!’ so I love pancakes but they are a special treat. I can’t be having them all the time.”
More on site
Oliver Gildart on what his pre-season bulking regime is like
Jackson Hastings discusses his eating routine in our new food feature