LeBron James is losing a bunch of weight this summer. He lost a reported 10 pounds in the first few weeks of the summer, and shocked the NBA world when he posted of photo on Instagram looking downright skinny. A key part of LeBron's weight-loss plan is cutting carbohydrates. Miami Heat teammate Ray Allen came into camp in the best shape of anyone on the team last fall, Windhorst reports, and that influenced LeBron this summer. Some are referring to it as a "paleo" diet, although it's unclear if LeBron is calling it that. Ken Berger of CBS Sports did a long article on the rising popularity of paleo diets among NBA players in December. Here's his definition of "paleo:" "The Paleolithic diet -- Paleo, for short -- involves eating like our caveman ancestors did: lean meats, wild-caught fish, vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar or processed foods. Its proponents call it the 'anti-inflammatory diet' on the theory that avoiding processed carbs and sugars decreases inflammation in the body -- the kind that causes joint pain and the kind that a growing number of medical authorities believe contributes to heart disease, obesity and diabetes." So what's LeBron eating? His Instagram holds some clues. For one lunch he had "arugula salad with chicken, strawberries, mango, cashews and olive oil/lemon vinaigrette dressing" with a bowl of squash and zucchini. This meal is full of "powerhouse" foods. Arugula is the 18th most nutritious food in the world, strawberry is 30th, and winter squash is 32nd. Another particularly delicious-looking dinner was lobster salad with asparagus and mango chutney: As with any diet, the key here is sticking to it. While he was in Greece, a restaurant made LeBron a personalized cake, and he didn't eat it. "To dang on bad I can't eat it! Grrrrrrrrrr!! Smh." he said on Instagram. As you can see above, all of LeBron's meals feature lean meats and vegetables. LeBron's wife, Savannah Brinson, is also into eating healthy. She opened a shop called The Juice Spot in Miami last year that calls itself, "Miami's first Wifi bar fully equipped with organic cold pressed juices, superfood smoothies, Acai and Oatmeal bowls." Last December LeBron was eating Acai bowls and beet juice from the juice bar, so he has a history with these sorts of food: Kobe Bryant was the first NBA superstar to recognize the importance of dieting and losing weight once you enter the back half of your career. Now Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, LeBron and others are following suit. The result is a leaner, more energetic LeBron James, which is terrifying for the rest of the league. Join the conversation about this story »
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