At a 2017 concert, legendary rapper Lil Wayne revealed what he eats to stay fit. “I’m on a good diet,” Wayne said during the show. “I’ve been eating these weak a** rappers.”
All jokes aside, throughout his decades-long career, Wayne has maintained a healthy balance between homemade food and non-regimented exercise to keep himself in top shape.
The rapper, 42, credits his performance longevity and fitness to a flexible diet managed by his personal chef, an avoidance of fast food, and a unique approach to physical activity that includes skateboarding and stretching.
A personal chef
One of the most significant aspects of Lil Wayne’s diet is his reliance on a personal chef. In various interviews, including a 2023 conversation with Zane Lowe on the New Music Daily show on Apple Music, Wayne emphasized the importance of having a personal chef, a piece of advice he received from his mother when he moved to Miami at the age of 19.
“One thing she really wanted me to do was, she wanted me to get a personal chef,” Wayne recalled.
While a personal chef is not an option for most, the decision to hire one has allowed Wayne to avoid the pitfalls of fast food, a staple that many find hard to resist, especially when touring on the road.
A fast-food-free life
Wayne’s avoidance of fast food is well-documented. In a video captured by Daily Loud on Instagram, he mentioned that he has not eaten fast food in decades and doesn’t even “know what McDonald’s smells like.”
“So what that means is I haven’t had a McDonald’s fry, fast food, a chicken nugget … none of that in over 15 years. Simply, that right there, that’s healthy,” Wayne said on an episode of the 4hunnid podcast earlier this year. “I don’t have a regimen.”
Tidal
Wayne’s dedication to a fast-food-free lifestyle extends to his time on the road. In a 2023 Instagram Story, Wayne showed how he manages his diet while traveling. “We had pulled over to eat, and you know I don’t eat fast food, so we had pulled over to cook,” he explained, showing bags of food around his tour bus.
His chef, LeahAngelie Murphy, shared her own video to show what she cooked in a kitchen at the back of the bus, which included steak, vegetables, and fries.
While avoiding traditional fast food is a healthy choice, several studies have linked the consumption of red meat to a number of health issues, including a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Vegetables in every meal
Despite claiming that he doesn’t eat healthily, Wayne’s diet includes a significant amount of vegetables. His personal chef ensures that every meal contains them, providing essential nutrients without compromising on taste.
Tidal
“I have a personal chef. They not making nothing healthy,” Wayne explained on the 4hunnid podcast. “I don’t eat healthy, I don’t have a certain day where I eat something, none of that, I just make sure that I eat my chef’s food every single day.”
“They make sure that vegetables are included in every meal. No matter what I choose to eat every night, they make sure vegetables are included in there,” Wayne said.
Wayne’s favorite vegetable is broccoli, which he often includes in his meals. In fact, while the menu for his 40th birthday featured mostly meat-based dishes, Wayne made sure the chef offered guests a few veggie sides, including broccoli, along with asparagus.
Hydration and boundaries
Another critical component of Wayne’s health regimen is staying hydrated. His health therapist, Karlee Fain, revealed in a 2015 interview with fan site Lil’ Wayne HQ that Wayne drinks a lot of water, a habit that helps maintain his energy levels and overall well-being.
“Not drinking enough water is one of the biggest problems people have,” Fain noted.
Tidal
Wayne also places a strong emphasis on boundaries, a principle that extends to his personal and professional life. Fain shared anecdotes about how Wayne’s strict adherence to his schedule means that anyone who is late when traveling with him risks being left behind.
Mental preparation and play
Before performances, Wayne follows a specific ritual to get into the zone. As described by Fain, this routine involves listening to a mellow playlist and clearing his mind of distractions. This mental preparation helps him focus and deliver high-energy performances, akin to a boxer preparing for a match.
Does the legendary rapper have a gym routine? Not exactly.
“Only gyms I know is Jim Jones,” Wayne previously told Lowe. “I can’t lift a weight. I don’t do no workout.”
How does Wayne get his exercise? He is an avid skateboarder, an activity that offers both physical and mental health benefits.
“Skateboarding, that is his thing,” Fain explained. “It works out his body while at the same time gives him a mental vacation from work.”
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Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.
