Pedri has revealed that his daily eating routine is a little different from what you might expect from an elite footballer.
The Tenerife-born Barcelona midfielder now eats just two meals a day, lunch and dinner, while following intermittent fasting between his evening meal and lunch the following day.
“I have two meals a day, lunch and dinner,” Pedri explained.
On match days, however, breakfast makes a return. Fair enough really. Trying to play 90 minutes for Barcelona on an empty stomach probably isn’t part of the masterplan.
A change inspired by Ferran Torres
The change came after teammate Ferran Torres encouraged Pedri to give intermittent fasting a try.
Pedri says he feels good following the routine and has decided to stick with it. During the fasting period, he drinks water but doesn’t eat until his first meal of the day.
His diet has also become part of a wider physical transformation. After dealing with injuries in recent years, Pedri has reportedly focused heavily on strength training, nutrition and recovery.
Reports this summer suggested he had gained almost seven kilograms of muscle, helped by double training sessions and a diet designed to support the increased workload.
Carbohydrates and plenty of fish
Despite eating only twice a day on normal days, Pedri isn’t cutting back on the fuel needed for professional football.
His meals include plenty of carbohydrates to support training and match demands, while he has also increased his intake of fish, particularly salmon. Apparently, it wasn’t always one of his favourites.
There is one food, though, that still takes him straight back to his childhood in Tenerife.
His mum’s ham croquettes.
Growing up in Tegueste, Pedri was surrounded by the food and traditions of the island, with his family also linked to the local restaurant Tasca Fernando. These days, the croquettes are more of an occasional treat than a regular part of his carefully planned diet.
Probably wise when you’re trying to build seven kilos of muscle.
Pedri’s new routine might not be for everyone, especially if you enjoy breakfast as much as I do, but for him it appears to be part of a bigger effort to stay fit, recover properly and finally put together a more consistent run of games.
And so far, it seems to be working.