Upon retiring, former San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley sounded eager to get into shape, joking that he would undergo a Joe Thomas-type transformation.
He may not have been exaggerating too much, as the 13-year NFL veteran told ESPN's Emily Kaplan that he has already lost 50 pounds since ending his football career, going from a size-40 waist to a size-36. What is he going to do with all of his old clothes? Staley has already donated five garbage bags worth and restocked his closets with new belts.
"As an offensive lineman, you're always known as this big, humongous, unathletic blob," Staley told Kaplan. "Offensive linemen get casted in a movie, and they're always 500 pounds. Then you get the opportunity to be healthy again, and all of the effort you used to put into football, you put into that. It gives you a focus once you retire. It's a little bit vain, but I'm starting to see abs that I've always wanted. And it's kind of exciting."
Staley has cut out unhealthy carbs and thrown out temptatious food from his home, which included various snacks. They have been replaced with healthier alternatives like raw broccoli and Bitchin' Sauce — an almond-based vegan dip. Now, Staley eats smarter and in moderation.
"In the NFL, I always ate when I was hungry and whatever was available," the retired offensive lineman said. "If it was salmon, great. If it was frozen pizza, I'd eat that too."
Staley has come a long way since trying to add weight at Central Michigan, where he transitioned from a tight end to an offensive lineman, going from 215 pounds to 295.
"I had these premade weight-gainer shakes; they were probably 2,000 calories each," Staley said. "I'd wake myself up in the middle of the night, down that, go back to bed."
At the time, Staley tried to make sure he added "good weight." Still, he feels the unnecessary body fat and unnatural eating habits took a toll.
"I was bloated for four years straight," Staley said. "You know when you overeat after a really nice dinner at an Italian restaurant, you just eat all these courses and leave feeling gross? That's how I felt the entire time in college."