The Truth About Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's Extreme Diet
You know how they say you are what you eat? Well, if you want to be like Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, here's some bad news for you: You won't be eating very often. Obviously it takes a lot of discipline to become a tech billionaire before you turn 40 (or at all, for that matter). Dorsey is no stranger to a stoic lifestyle, and frequently tweets (of course) about his personal wellness habits, some of which seem a bit... extreme. According to CNBC, he tries to meditate at least two hours a day, he takes regular saunas and ice baths (although not every day, he admitted in a recent YouTube Q&A for Wired), he walks five miles to work, he has a standing desk, and he does high-intensity workouts. One of the most controversial — and hard-to-imitate — aspects of his routine, however, may be his practice of intermittent fasting, since he only eats just one meal per day.
Why Jack Dorsey practices intermittent fasting
The reason Dorsey endorses skipping breakfast and lunch and eating only dinner is because he welcomes how much of his time it frees up for other things. "It just became so apparent to me how much of our days are centered around meals...the time back from breakfast and lunch allowed me to focus more on what my day is," he said. He's even been known to do an occasional extended fast where he consumes nothing but water from Thursday night through Sunday evening, but for the most part, he regularly consumes seven meals per week.
Dorsey does not claim any particular weight-loss benefits from his regime — and indeed, there's still insufficient research to prove that intermittent fasting is any more effective than any other form of diet. He does, however, claim that intermittent fasting helps him to think more clearly and to sleep soundly.
What Jack Dorsey actually eats
In an interview recorded last spring for the Fitness: Diet, Fat Loss and Performance podcast (via People), Dorsey revealed that his preferred window for eating is between 6:30 and 9 p.m. During this time, he will usually eat some type of protein — chicken, fish, or steak — accompanied by a vegetable dish such as asparagus, Brussels sprouts, spinach, or a salad. While he prefers to avoid sugar for the most part, he will make several exceptions, permitting himself a daily treat of mixed berries, dark chocolate, or a glass of red wine.
Sounds tasty, but still kind of Spartan. No binging on pizza or donuts or leftover Halloween candy, no "vacation calories don't count," and certainly no Thanksgiving food coma for Dorsey. Very much in keeping with his "all work and no play" philosophy, which may have made Jack a dull boy, but sure made him a wealthy one. Perhaps there is something to be said for self-discipline — ha, not that we'll ever know, since isn't it about time for an epic Super Bowl pig out?