3 Daily Tips An NFL Hall Of Famer Swears By To Feel Healthier Than Ever

"I'm 55 years old, and I'm in the best shape of my life," says NFL Hall of Famer and broadcaster Troy Aikman on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast. Physically, Aikman has always been fit—he's a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, after all—but he considers mental and emotional fitness just as important for overall health and well-being (a sentiment we certainly share here at mbg).

Aikman is a huge fan of the pegan diet, an eating plan coined by mbg Collective member Mark Hyman, M.D. We have a full guide to the pegan diet, if you're interested, but here's the gist: It's a plant-heavy diet that doesn't totally write off animal products; think of vegetables taking center stage, with meat as a side dish. It's a combination of a paleo and vegan diet—hence the term, pegan. "I tried a vegan diet briefly, but I've always found that my body responded favorably to [animal protein] over the years," Aikman says. "So this diet really hits the sweet spot for me." 

He typically eats meat once a day—usually pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed beef, or wild-caught fish—for lunch and dinner. "I do intermittent fasting, so I have a big lunch at noon and eat dinner at 5 p.m.," he notes, and that usually fills him up for the day. "It's pretty surprising that for someone my size, I don't feel deprived," he notes. If he is feeling hungry before bed, he'll nosh on some organic granola—we certainly approve, since magnesium-rich nuts and seeds can help set you up for a great night's sleep. 

Says Aikman, exercising his mind is just as important as exercising his body. He swears by a 30-minute morning meditation right when he wakes up, as it helps center his emotions and prepare him for any situations in which he would feel uneasy. While guided meditations can be helpful if you don't know where to start, "I just tend to like the silence as much as anything," Aikman says. 

While we're on the subject of exercising your mind, Aikman finds it important to challenge his brain as he grows older. His days on the football field may be over, but he has found new ways to fulfill his purpose and keep his brain sharp: broadcasting. "There's so much recall that's required," he explains. "After a game, I'm able to recall information, players, or whatever [stats] it might be." That way, he keeps his brain constantly engaged and learning new skills.