Health
Golfer Phil Mickelson’s strict weight loss diet: Doctor shares what to know
Professional golfer Phil Mickelson, who made his 32nd start in The Masters this week, has been open about his commitment to health and wellness.
The six-time major champion and three-time Masters winner has said he follows a five-day prolonged fast, which led to him dropping 25 pounds in 2023.
Intermittent fasting (IF) has become a popular weight-loss strategy in recent years.
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There are several types of intermittent fasting — but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating.
Phil Mickelson is pictured competing in golf tournaments 24 years apart, in 2001 (left) and 2025 (right). The six-time major champion and three-time Masters winner has said he follows a five-day prolonged fast, which led to him dropping 25 pounds in 2023. (Reuters / AP )
With a time-restricted approach, the dieter only eats during a certain window. For example, with the 16/8 method, the person fasts for 16 hours and then can eat within an eight-hour span, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Other versions involve fasting for a full 24 hours once or twice per week — or only consuming limited calories on fasting days.
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Dr. Christopher Rhodes — a longevity, fasting and biomimetics researcher in California, shared his thoughts on Mickelson’s radical fasting program, which also includes drinking coffee with supplements.
“A five-day prolonged fast like the one Phil Mickelson follows will have profound effects on metabolism and weight loss,” he told Fox News Digital.
Phil Mickelson watches on the sixth hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament on April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia. The athlete has been open about his commitment to health and wellness. (AP Photos)
“It fundamentally shifts the energy state and fuel sources in the body and forces stored fat to be burned as energy, but certainly at the expense of elite athletic performance, especially in the later stages of a fast.”
Potential risks
Fasting for longer than 24 hours will deplete the body’s glycogen stores and cause it to enter ketosis, a state where it primarily burns fat and ketones for energy, according to Rhodes, who is also the founder of nutrition company Mimio Health.
“While this will accelerate fat loss and provide benefits to overall metabolic health, the body will still need to produce some of its own glucose in order to support brain function and will start to break down protein sources, like muscle, to maintain proper glucose levels.”
“A five-day prolonged fast like the one Phil Mickelson follows will have profound effects on metabolism and weight loss.”
Over time, this will result in muscle breakdown, strength loss, fatigue and lower overall energy levels, which could hinder athletic performance, according to the expert.
Mickelson has spoken about his own muscle loss as a result of his fasting.
“I also lost muscle, so I had to start lifting, and I’ve been lifting and slowly have been getting my speed and strength back to where I need it to be,” he said during the 2023 Masters.
There are several types of intermittent fasting — but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating. (iStock)
For elite athletes, maintaining muscle mass and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said.
“Extended fasts may slow down recovery, impair high-intensity exercise performance and even reduce power output if not properly managed.”
The doctor cautioned that a prolonged five-day fast should not be performed more than a few times per year, with plenty of recovery time in between.
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Certain groups — such as those at risk of muscle loss, like the elderly — should avoid five-day fasts, he said.
“While fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, cognition, cellular function and metabolic efficiency, shorter intermittent fasting windows or fasting-mimicking strategies may offer similar metabolic benefits without the drawbacks of extreme caloric restriction,” Rhodes added.
Smart supplements
Mickelson reportedly drinks coffee with supplements during his fasts, something Rhodes recommends as a means of preserving energy and muscle mass during weight loss.
“During prolonged fasting, the body begins to break down both protein and fat for energy, which can lead to muscle loss,” he said.
Mickelson reportedly drinks coffee with supplements during his fasts, something Rhodes recommends as a means of preserving energy and muscle mass during weight loss. (iStock)
“Supplements such as amino acids, fatty acids, electrolytes and certain metabolic bioactives can help mitigate this.”
The doctor noted that supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), creatine or HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate) can help to preserve muscle tissue, performance and strength while staying in a fasted state.
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“Likewise, supplementing with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and omega 3s like EPA and DHA, which the body cannot produce on its own, would be crucial for maintaining high-level functionality during prolonged multi-day fasting,” he added.
Phil Mickelson hits from the fairway on the first hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament on April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia. For elite athletes, maintaining muscle mass and metabolic flexibility is critical, Rhodes said. (AP Photos)
Caffeine from coffee can also serve to provide calorie-free energy, Rhodes noted, while also suppressing appetite and providing a cognitive boost to combat potential fasting-induced brain fog.
“Prolonged fasting can deplete electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium, which are essential for muscle function, hydration and energy production,” he said. “If his supplements include these electrolytes, they may help prevent cramping and fatigue.”
Importance of strength training
Regarding Mickelson’s comments about lifting weights during his fasting stints, Rhodes agreed that weightlifting is essential for preserving and building muscle during weight loss.
“The body operates on a ‘use it or lose it’ principle, especially during periods of caloric restriction or fasting, where it’s actively needing to mobilize energy sources from the body to sustain itself,” the doctor said.
“Muscle is one of the most energetically costly tissues to sustain, so if we’re not using it on a daily basis, the body will preferentially start breaking down muscle to conserve energy.”
Weightlifting is essential for preserving and building muscle during weight loss, experts agree. (iStock)
Resistance training sends a signal to the body that lean mass is essential for survival and tells it to prevent excessive muscle breakdown, prioritizing fat for fuel.
“For athletes like Mickelson, weightlifting also helps maintain neuromuscular coordination, joint integrity and power output,” Rhodes said.
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“Strength training improves insulin sensitivity, enhances metabolic rate and ensures that weight loss comes primarily from fat rather than muscle.”
It’s also important to refuel after a fast with adequate protein intake, the expert added.
Finding healthy patterns
Ultimately, according to Rhodes, the best way to support long-term weight loss and metabolic health is to find a pattern of eating that works for the individual and can be sustained for the long haul.
“During prolonged fasting, the body begins to break down both protein and fat for energy, which can lead to muscle loss.”
“While some find that periods of fasting are helpful in resetting their hunger and satiety cues and developing a better relationship with food, others may find it too restrictive and overwhelming, setting themselves up for failure and rebound binging down the road,” he said.
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“Every person is different, but prioritizing nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that are rich in fiber, protein and healthy fats can aid significantly in reducing cravings and improving quality of life and meal satisfaction.”
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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