"Screw it, let's go for it" - Tom Brady reveals the one occasion when he ditches his strict TB12 diet 

Tom Brady's name is now synonymous with the term TB12, which refers to the strict dieting regimen that Brady follows at direction of his trainer, Alex Guerrero. At the tender age of 44, Brady's diet is one of the primary reasons that the quarterback has been able to maintain as one of the premier athletes in sports today.

However, like most of us mere mortals, there is at least one occasion in which Brady lets himself indulge a bit and stray away from his TB12 diet.

Tom Brady tells of rare occasion he stays away from TB12 diet

On a recent episode of his "Let's Go" podcast, Tom Brady interviewed the one and only Oprah Winfrey and they talked at length about more than a few topics. One of those topics was Thanksgiving and Brady revealed a nugget as to how he balances the temptations of the delicious foods prepared for the holiday with his TB12 diet.

"That's the one meal where I'm like, screw it, let's go for it. And we all get to enjoy it."

For those in the know, this is quite a 180 degree turn from what Brady once thought about 'cheat days.' Back in 2017, as a member of the New England Patriots, here's what Brady had to say about 'cheat days' when it came to his eating regimen.

"I don't plan 'cheat days' … I actually don't believe in the idea. The way I eat makes me feel great. But I believe in the ideas of balance and moderation, and if I'm in a place with incredible food, I'll absolutely try it."

In the shape that he is in, Brady is most certainly deserving of one (or even a few) cheat days in his diet. Especially with the rigorous diet that TB12 consists of.

What is the TB12 diet?

The TB12 diet is a plan created by Alex Guerrero, the trainer to Tom Brady. With Brady's input and suggestions here and there, Guerrero developed a nutritional plan for the quarterback to follow in an effort to provide him with the nutrients needed while staving off unnecessary calories.

The plan was devised to get Brady to play the quarterback position to the optimum level for as long as possible.

Needless to say, it seems as if it's working.

The plan itself calls for Brady to consume an 80 to 20 ratio of food. With TB12, he is to consume 80% of fruits and vegetables with nuts, seeds, and whole grain included. The 20% is to consist of protein acquired from animal consumption.

There is a noticeable absence of sugar, dairy refined carbohydrates and processed meats.