Interview: Former NFL Pro-Bowl Guard Mark Schlereth (Episode 120)
13 03 2008If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Mark Schlereth’s weight change at various points in his career
Hello and welcome to the world’s premiere low-carb podcast, “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show With Jimmy Moore!”
In Episode 120, our host Jimmy was privileged to have the opportunity to interview a highly versatile renaissance man named Mark Schlereth. Mark began his professional life as one of the most feared beefy 300-pound offensive lineman in the NFL where strict weight requirements forced him to pack on as many pounds as he possibly could–or else risk some rather heavy fines! After a highly successful career playing for the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos for 12 seasons and winning 3 momentous Super Bowl rings, he has since moved on to a new phase in his life where his family and new television career have taken off.
Currently Mark is an integral part of the image-conscious world of television, including gigs at ESPN as a regular football commentator and as the hunky detective Roc Hoover on the soap opera “The Guiding Light.” Yes, it’s an eclectic way to make a living, but Mark Schlereth is eating it up right now along with spending quality time with his family.
However, unlike the National Football League, television networks DON’T pay you to be overweight! How was Mark able to shed the pounds after his professional playing days and how does he stay so fit and trim today? Listen in to today’s show to hear him discuss the rather unique carb-watching strategy he employs as well as an overview of his lightning-fast workout routine!
LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 120
- Official web site for Mark Schlereth
- ESPN columns by Mark Schlereth
- Wikipedia page for Mark Schlereth
- Denver Post story about Mark Schlereth’s low-carb lifestyle
- Mark Schlereth interview about landing a role on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light
- Bloopers with Mark Schlereth on Guiding Light as Roc Hoover
Popularity: 22% [?]
From over 400 pounds to 230, Jimmy Moore is 
Thank you for this one Jimmy. I really liked his thoughts on exercise and general attitude of taking opportunities by the horns. It reminded me of reading the Celastine Prophecy when I was younger and suddenly seeing accidents as opportunities.
It’s funny he mentioned eating most of his carbs in the morning. I tend to eat about 2/3 of my carbs by 1pm. I eat fat for breakfast and then constantly snack all morning on carbs, then around 1pm I am suddenly supper full and have to remind myself to finish eating my carbs at dinner. Many schools of Buddhism also have rules for the monks to eat all there meals before noon. When I was into natural hygiene (food combining) years ago, I would eat nothing but fruit, and again, most of my carbs would be eaten by lunch and dinner would be small and mostly protein… In fact someone just posted three days about eating most of their carbs in the AM on another board. I wonder if this is just the natural way the body cycles when undisturbed by processed junk?
It’s certainly an interesting premise, Maya, and I’ve heard of others who eat their carbs in the morning and go virtually carb-free the remainder of the day. Although Mark eats 60g carbohydrate in a day, that also includes his high-fiber intake. If you subtract 30g of those carbs for fiber, then Mark’s net carb intake is only 30g. That’s pretty low-carb if you ask me! And the greatest part is he still works out on so few carbs. Where does he get his energy from if the body NEEDS carbs for exercise.
Great interview Jimmy. If nothing else, it explodes the myth that football players aren’t smart. Indeed, offensive linemen are often the smartest guys on the field.
I expect you’re right that carbs aren’t necessary to fuel a high-intensity workout. That hasn’t been my experience, though I’m nowhere near an elite athlete
I’d be curious of Mark ever tried going zero carb for breakfast for a few days, to see the effect on his workout performance.
That would have been a great question about the zero carb thing, Dave. Mark was indeed a VERY smart guy.
Awesome interview! Really enjoyed it! Mark is great on ESPN and NFL Live and great to see another low carber!
I LOVED Mark’s work on ESPN, too, which was why I was excited to get to interview him. What a super nice guy, too. And he’s livin’ la vida low-carb.