Rory McIlroy cut out two foods and has savage daily gym routine to remain the PGA king

Rory McIlroy has ditched pork and eggs in his bid to stay in peak condition and give himself the best chance of winning more tournaments. The Northern Irishman has been victorious at four events since the start of last year and is currently second in the world rankings, behind only Scottie Scheffler.

McIlroy’s latest triumph came at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic last month, beating Adrian Meronk by a single stroke. His return to form over the last few years has coincided with a new high-protein diet, which he says has helped him to build enough strength to gain more control over his swing.

The 34-year-old was motivated to change his diet in 2022 in a bid to turn extra fat into muscle, with McIlroy now eating a gram of protein per pound of body weight each day.

In an interview with Golf.com two years ago, he revealed: “I had to up my protein intake quite a bit. I’d eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight. I still do that, 170 grams per day of protein.”

McIlroy has also banished pork and eggs from his diet, which is now gluten-free in order to improve digestion. He explained: “It just doesn’t agree with my body. Those are more of a personal thing that’s unique to my body.”

The high-protein nature of McIlroy’s diet meant cutting back on two of his previous guilty pleasures, chocolate and ice cream. He still indulges every now and then but only enjoys them in moderation, having moved past the guilt that initially came with eating unhealthy foods.

“I don’t think you want to demonize food,” he said. “It’s about being able to fit it into your diet so you can have it every once in a while and feel good about it and not feel guilty. There’s so much guilt associated with eating. If you can break that mental barrier, you’ll be better off.”

McIlroy is also known for putting in long hours at the gym in order to maintain his physique, which has improved significantly from his early days on the professional circuit. His relentless gym routine includes a thorough warm-up, which consists of light jogging, lunges and rotational squat jumps.