Shannon Sharpe diet plan: How does NFL legend maintain incredible physique at 54?

Former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe turned 54 on June 26. The co-host of Skip and Shannon: Undisputed sent fans into a frenzy by flaunting his shredded physique.

Posting front and back shots while flexing his muscles, the former Denver Bronco revealed his age.

"The front and back of your favorite Unc (uncle) celebrating his 54th bday. Yes, unc turned 54 today. Had I not told you my age. You prob (probably) wouldn’t have guessed it. Now that I’m telling you, you prob don’t believe it. Happy birthday to everyone celebrating a bday today and Cancer’s rule the world."

Maintaining such an impressive physique is no easy task, even for someone who has played in the NFL. Sharpe has managed to achieve the feat thanks to his discipline and his love of workouts. While his training and diet aren't as rigorous and structured as it once was, the former TE still likes to monitor what he eats and keep his workouts intense.

Speaking about his diet, the 54-year-old revealed in the past that he favored egg whites, oatmeal, grilled chicken, turkey and salad. In an interview with GQ, he listed out his diet:

"Breakfast varies: egg whites, oatmeal, and fresh fruit. My lunch is usually some grilled chicken, bison meatballs, brown rice, and steamed vegetables. Dinner would look something like turkey, pork, a salad or steamed vegetables—typically broccoli."

Speaking about the need to monitor his diet, he added:

"But as I start to age, I understand that I don’t have the advantage of youth on my side, and I don’t have the luxury of exercising for hours a day, so I definitely monitor what I eat—chicken, lean protein, vegetables, egg whites."

Shannon Sharpe also admitted to being a 'big breakfast guy' and that he loves pancakes and French toast.

Shannon Sharpe likes to workout three to four times a week

Diet is not the sole factor that goes into developing such an impeccable physique. The three-time Super Bowl champion said that he tries to exercise at least three or four times each week.

His workout routine mainly consists of free weights to build muscle and CrossFit for cardio. He told GQ:

"I’ll do free weights and then allow myself to get some rest, hang with my dogs, and eat. Then I’ll come back and do CrossFit."

He gave a brief idea of what his typical day looked like:

"I wake up at 3 a.m., and I’m out the door by 3:30 for a 4 a.m. production meeting at Fox Studios. We go live at 6:30 a.m., and the show comes down at 9 a.m. After I walk the dogs, I’ll lift in the morning, have some lunch, take a nap, and prep for the next day’s show. Sometimes I’ll squeeze in a CrossFit session in the afternoon."

The sports analyst played 14 seasons in the NFL, establishing himself as one of the greatest players in his position. Sharpe retired as the all-time leader in receptions (815), receiving yards (10,060) and receiving touchdowns (62) by a tight end.