LeBron James Reportedly Spends $1.5 Million a Year on His Body, but the Pregame Meal He Loved Was a Simple Chicken and Shrimp Pasta

The number has followed LeBron James for about a decade: a reported $1.5 million a year spent on keeping his body in top shape. Cold plunges, trainers, massage, a carefully planned schedule. But ask the personal chef who cooked for him for five years what he wanted before a big game, and the answer is not exotic at all. It was a plate of chicken and shrimp pasta..

That contrast is what makes this story so fun. One of the most famous athletes in the world, with every tool money can buy, still reached for the kind of comforting, homemade dinner you could cook on a Tuesday night. Here is what has been reported about his routine, what his former chef shared about his food, and a family-size chicken and shrimp pasta recipe you can make tonight.

The $1.5 million question

The figure first came from sports writer and podcaster Bill Simmons, who said in 2016 that a confidant told him James spends about $1.5 million a year on his body. Fortune revisited the number when James appeared in Netflix’s documentary series Starting 5. He did not confirm or deny it. “I’ve heard this crazy notion about how much money I spend on my body each year,” he said, adding, “I kind of just chuckle.”

Whatever the real figure is, the routine Fortune described is intense. On game days he is reported to wake around 6:30 a.m., take a 10 to 15 minute cold plunge, warm up on the court in the morning and nap from about noon to 2 p.m. before stretching, massage and core work ahead of a 7 p.m. tip-off. In the off-season, he reportedly sticks mostly to whole foods and avoids sugar, fried food and highly processed food.

His longtime trainer, Mike Mancias, pointed to something that costs nothing at all. “The most important thing is what he gets for free, which is sleep,” Mancias told Fortune. That is a tip any family can borrow, no budget required.

The chef behind his favorite chicken and shrimp pasta

Glenn Lyman worked as James’s personal chef for five years. In a 2011 interview with Charlotte Magazine, later summarized by The Daily Meal, Lyman said James did not eat a lot of red meat or pork. “Over the five years I probably made 300 different things for him,” Lyman said.

Out of all those dishes, the one Lyman named as the go-to before games was chicken and shrimp pasta. It makes sense for an athlete: pasta for energy, chicken and shrimp for lean protein, and a sauce that feels like comfort food. If you love easy pasta nights too, our 30 minute pasta dinners are full of ideas for busy weeknights.

The sweet side: ice cream and dessert with every meal

Here is the part that makes LeBron feel a lot more like the rest of us. Lyman also said James ate a lot of Ben and Jerry’s, especially Chunky Monkey, the banana ice cream with walnuts and chocolate chunks. And in February 2020, former teammate Tristan Thompson told The Athletic that James eats “desserts with every meal” and “loves sweets,” as reported by CBS Sports.

So yes, even a superstar with a world-class training plan has a sweet tooth. The lesson for the rest of us might be balance: a strict routine most of the time, and room for the foods you love.

How to make chicken and shrimp pasta at home

This is our own family-size version, not a copy of any chef’s recipe. It uses a light garlic cream sauce, juicy seared chicken and quick-cooking shrimp, and it comes together in about 35 minutes. It serves four to six, and leftovers reheat well for lunch.

You will need: 1 pound penne or linguine; 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin; 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; salt and black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons butter; 5 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 cup heavy cream or half and half; 3/4 cup grated Parmesan; 2 cups baby spinach; juice of half a lemon; chopped parsley; red pepper flakes (optional).

How to make it: 1. Cook the pasta in well salted water until just al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water, then drain. 2. Season the chicken and shrimp with paprika, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. 3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side until it reaches 165 degrees F, then move it to a plate. 4. Add the remaining oil and cook the shrimp 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Move them to the plate. 5. Lower the heat and melt the butter. Cook the garlic for 1 minute. 6. Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits, then add the cream and simmer 3 minutes. 7. Stir in the Parmesan until smooth, then the spinach until it wilts. 8. Add the pasta, chicken and shrimp and toss, loosening with pasta water as needed. 9. Finish with lemon juice, parsley and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Tips and swaps: This chicken and shrimp pasta is easy to adjust. For a lighter sauce, use half and half or swap half the cream for more broth. Whole wheat pasta adds fiber. Add a bag of frozen peas or broccoli florets for more vegetables. If someone in your family does not eat shellfish, cook their portion with chicken only. For a dessert nod to the Chunky Monkey story, slice bananas over vanilla ice cream with a few walnuts and chocolate chips.

Simple habits regular families can borrow

You do not need a $1.5 million budget to take something from this story. Sleep, which his trainer called the most important thing, is free. Cooking at home, the way his chef did, means you know what goes into your food. Eating mostly whole foods most of the time, while still leaving room for a treat, is a balance most families can manage. Even a short nap or a cool shower on a busy day may help you feel refreshed.

Would you try LeBron’s favorite pregame pasta at home? And which would you pick for dessert afterward: a scoop of banana ice cream or a plate of warm cookies?

Sources and further reading: Fortune (via AOL), on the reported $1.5 million routine and LeBron James’s comments in Netflix’s Starting 5; Charlotte Magazine’s 2011 interview with chef Glenn Lyman, as summarized by The Daily Meal; Tristan Thompson’s comments to The Athletic, as reported by CBS Sports on February 13, 2020.