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The strange diet Novak Djokovic follows to be the world's number 1 tennis player

Warm water. Lots and lots of warm water.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS currently the best tennis player in the world, but it’s not easy to achieve such a status.

Djokovic pays attention to every little thing he puts in his body, down to the temperature of the water he drinks. In his new book, “Serve to Win,” that comes out in August, Djokovic goes into detail about his strict diet and the regimen he follows day to day.

From the WSJ:

“Want to roll like the world’s top men’s tennis player? Start by drinking loads of warm water all day long, as well as shakes made with pea protein concentrate.

“Avoid dairy and stay away from alcohol during tournaments. Eat lots of avocados, cashew butter and very little sugar. Banish caffeine, other than the occasional energy gel bar before matches.

“Be sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, meditate, do plenty of yoga and tai chi, take melatonin supplements, hook yourself up to a biofeedback machine that measures your stress level and, when you have a free moment or two, keep a diary.

“Feel free to unwind with a cup of warm licorice tea.”

That’s right, Djokovic tries to only drink warm water. Why? Because cold water slows the digestive system down and diverts blood from his muscles. He drinks a lot of this throughout today and likes to have “a little color in his urine.”

Another quirky habit of Djokovic’s is eating manuka honey from New Zealand every morning, and during matches. After he drinks a glass of warm water in the morning, he has two spoonfulls of the honey which has antibacterial properties.

Djokovic also eats gluten-free. After he went 14 days without gluten, his doctor had him eat a bagel which Djokovic said made him feel like he had a terrible hangover. Ever since, he has eliminated gluten from his diet and claims he’s never felt better, he writes:

“My allergies abated; my asthma disappeared; my fears and doubts were replaced by confidence. I have not had a serious cold or flu in nearly three years.”

A large portion of Djokovic’s book focuses on his diet and regimen, but it also talks about Djokovic’s life and rise to number one. It comes out on August 20.

Read more about what’s in the book over at the WSJ >

– Leah Goldman, Business Insider

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