Dana White Workout Routine and Diet Plan

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Dana White, the President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), must seem like he is acing his fitness goals. The fitness enthusiast has mentioned his fitness routine and dietary habits in a few interviews and segments over the years. Here’s all the information that you need to know about his fitness routine and diet plan.

Dana White’s Body Statistics

Birth Year: 1969

Birth Date: July 28

Height: 5’11” / 1.8 m

Weight: 85-88 kg

Chest: 44”

Waist: 34”

Biceps: 15”

Dana White’s Workout Routine

At 52, Dana White’s primary fitness goals are to maintain his physique and avoid injury. Dana White’s house in Las Vegas includes a fully equipped gym with facilities for both grappling/boxing and standard cardio/weight training. For recovery, he has a cold plunge, steam room, and massage room. With age, Dana White has shifted his focus from heavy weights to mainly cardio and lightweight training. He emphasizes the importance of perfecting every movement. Dana sees his workout sessions as a time for destress and reflection. He mentioned, “I don’t go out much like I used to. So, coming over to the gym is my quiet time. My ‘get my head together’ time.” After undergoing shoulder surgery, Dana White hired a personal trainer to prevent injuries. He considers working under a trainer’s guidance as a game-changer in his fitness journey, emphasizing the benefits of professional guidance.

Routine:

Cardio Training and Circuits: Monday to Friday are mostly reserved for Cardio Training while on Saturdays, he does circuit training which he refers to as “Circuit Saturday”.

Weight Lifting: While he used to lift heavy weights in the past, Dana White has now shifted to light weights. He emphasizes completing each rep with perfect movements and does it for reps. He’s not trying to break any records but focuses on not getting fat and not getting hurt.

Gym Setup: Dana White’s home gym includes a grappling and boxing floor with padded floors and walls. The other half is a standard gym fully equipped for cardio and weight training. He also has facilities like a cold plunge, steam room, and massage room for recovery.

Pilates: His home also includes a Pilates room with a full-size TV for group exercise classes.

Swimming: Dana White has an outdoor pool where he swims laps against artificial currents.

Sample Workout Routine

Monday to Friday: Cardio and Strength Training

Morning Session (45 minutes to 1 hour):

Warm-up: 10 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking.

Cardio: 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or steady-state cardio on a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike.

Strength Training: Light weight lifting focusing on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead press. Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps for each exercise, ensuring perfect form and movement.

Cool down: 5-10 minutes of stretching.

Evening Session (Optional, 30 minutes):

Pilates or yoga session in the Pilates room with a focus on core strengthening and flexibility.

Saturday: Circuit Saturday

Morning Session (1 hour):

Warm-up: 10 minutes of dynamic stretching and light jogging.

Circuit Training: 3-4 rounds of a circuit that includes exercises like push-ups, burpees, kettlebell swings, box jumps, and medicine ball slams. Each exercise should be performed for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest in between.

Cool down: 10 minutes of stretching and foam rolling.

Sunday: Active Recovery and Swimming

Morning Session (45 minutes):

Swimming: Start with a 10-minute warm-up, followed by laps in the outdoor pool against artificial currents for 30 minutes. This provides both resistance and cardio training.

Cool down: 5 minutes of light stretching in the pool.

Additional Recovery Options (Post-Workout or Evening):

Use the cold plunge for 10-15 minutes to reduce muscle inflammation and soreness.

Spend 15-20 minutes in the steam room to relax muscles and improve circulation.

Schedule a weekly massage session in the massage room to alleviate muscle tension and promote recovery.

Dana White’s Transformation

Dana White underwent a transformation after being told he had around 10.4 years left to live. This prompted him to make significant changes to his lifestyle. He lost 30 pounds and mentioned that his legs were in bad shape, but after the transformation, issues like sleep apnea, snoring, and leg pain were resolved. Dana White’s motivation for working out is his love for food. He works out because he loves to eat and doesn’t want to get fat.

Dana White‘s Diet Plan

Dana White has a profound love for food, which drives his fitness routine. He mentioned, “The reason I work out is because I love food and I love to eat.” Dana’s kitchen is stocked with a mix of treats and healthy options. From sugary sweets and drinks to fruits, vegetables, and yogurts, there’s a variety for everyone. Notably, Dana has a sweet tooth, and sugar plays a significant role in his food choices. Dana White follows the keto diet. He believes in consuming essential fats and amino acids, emphasizing that there’s no such thing as an essential carbohydrate.

Breakfast: Dana White usually starts his day with scrambled eggs, sausages, or breakfast sandwiches.

Lunch and Dinner: He eats his breakfast and lunch at the office and has his dinner at home during weekdays. On weekends, a personal chef prepares his meals.

Sweet Tooth: Dana White’s kitchen is stocked with sugary treats like Boston cream Klondike bars, frozen Snickers, frozen Kit-Kats, several pints of Ben & Jerry’s, powdered donuts, and Pepperidge Farm cookies.

Dana White loves to eat and is not restrictive about his food choices. While he has access to the UFC Performance Institute for nutrition, he admits that his dietary choices might not align with what nutritionists would recommend.

Sample Diet Plan

Breakfast:

Scrambled eggs with spinach, feta cheese, and avocado.

Sausage links or patties (ensure they are low-carb and free from fillers).

Keto-friendly breakfast sandwich: Low-carb bread with bacon, egg, and cheese.

Beverage: Black coffee or tea with a splash of heavy cream.

Mid-Morning Snack:

A handful of mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, macadamias).

Cheese stick or a few slices of cheese.

Lunch (at the office):

Grilled chicken or steak salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta cheese, and avocado. Dress with olive oil and vinegar.

Keto-friendly wrap using a low-carb tortilla, filled with turkey, cheese, lettuce, and mayo.

Beverage: Unsweetened iced tea or water with lemon.

Afternoon Snack:

Celery sticks with cream cheese or almond butter.

A small portion of Greek yogurt (unsweetened) with chia seeds.

Dinner (at home):

Grilled salmon or steak with a side of roasted asparagus or Brussels sprouts drizzled with olive oil.

Cauliflower rice stir-fry with shrimp, bell peppers, and a keto-friendly sauce.

Keto-friendly pizza made with almond flour crust, topped with cheese, pepperoni, and veggies.

Beverage: Sparkling water with a slice of lime or lemon.

Dessert (for the sweet tooth, in moderation):

Keto-friendly versions of his favorite treats, such as keto ice cream, keto donuts, or keto cookies. There are many recipes available that use almond flour, coconut flour, and sweeteners like erythritol or stevia.