A first-time Olympian heading to the Paris Games with USA Fencing’s Men’s Saber squad this July is currently gaining an audience on Instagram for sharing his daily meal plans, wellness routines, and training regimen.
Mitchell Saron, 23, qualified to compete in Men’s Saber for both the individual and team categories after an award-winning college career at Harvard University, where he was named Ivy League Champion in Saber two seasons in a row. He earned numerous other titles and accolades during his time at the prestigious school. Before college, Saron was ranked in the top 3 in the U.S. and the World for the sport, winning medals in junior and cadet division championships worldwide.
“Reaching the Olympics is the dream for any athlete, and it’s a profound honor. It’s more than just a personal achievement; it’s a chance to represent my heritage, my family, and everyone who believed in me along the journey,” explained Saron, a New Jersey native who is proud of his Filipino heritage.
But Mitchell Saron isn’t just gaining attention for his phenomenal sword skills and athleticism. He’s also disciplined about his health, regularly sharing videos on Instagram that detail his daily food intake, fitness regimen, and behind-the-scenes Olympic preparations.
His followers will see that he eats organic, whole foods, and has a particular love for raw parmesan cheese, which seems to appear on nearly all of his plates. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is a fantastic source of probiotics because of the grasses eaten by cows in the specific parts of Italy where it’s made, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It’s also uniquely high in bioavailable protein and calcium and low in fat and carbohydrates– all traits that make the cheese a great choice for a professional athlete.
In a recent video, Saron’s meal plan included health foods like grass-fed ribeye steak, watermelon and spaghetti squash for breakfast; a raw parmesan cheese snack; pasture-raised eggs, raw goat cheese, kiwi fruits, organic avocado, and a grass-fed Greek yogurt bowl topped with grass-fed whey protein, collagen, colostrum, blueberries, dates, cacao, and raw honey for lunch; and wild salmon, beets and sauerkraut for dinner.
The superstar athlete’s videos also show him meditating, taking ice baths, undergoing red-light therapy, and running with friends.
“Transforming my wellness routine started when I took full ownership of not only my results in fencing, but in my entire life,” said Saron recently. “I ditched alcohol and processed foods and I eat a primal, organic diet. My secret weapons became daily ice baths, heat and red light therapy, and of course, getting full nights of sleep.”
Saron was a talented and highly ranked athlete for years before making those lifestyle changes, but he says they’ve had a material impact on his fencing.
“I credit my health habits to making it to the Olympics,” he said.
TMX contributed to this story.