Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua took the NFL by storm in his rookie year, breaking several rookie receiving records and revitalizing an offense that had lost its way in previous years.
Nacua was able to carry the passing game when Cooper Kupp missed the start of the 2023 season, but even when the veteran returned the then-rookie continued to impress with his understanding of head coach Sean McVay’s offense. Now, heading into his second year, Nacua will be expected to do more heavy lifting though he’ll have more help this time around.
This offseason, Nacua took his preparation much more seriously as he spent it working with Kupp in the offseason. However, he’s also down well to lose weight by changing his diet thanks to the help of team nutritionist Sebastian Zorn whom Los Angeles hired in April.
Zorn has helped players like Nacua figure out whats work for them and it’s worked as the latter admitted he doesn’t like vegetables and needs to get his dietary fiber from other sources, via Sarah Barshop of ESPN:
Nacua doesn’t like any vegetables, listing green onions and asparagus before saying, “I don’t do any of those.” And so instead, he replaces the nutrients from vegetables with watermelon and pineapple in the morning to go with his eggs and bacon.
“Those are how I get some of my fiber and stuff like that because like, hey, you got to poop somehow,” Nacua said. “And I’m like, I’m not getting it from any veggies.”
Nacua’s admission goes to show that even professional athletes aren’t the hugest fans of greens somehow, but the star wideout still does what is necessary to get his body right. During OTAs, Nacua looked noticeably leaner which should help with his speed and quickness on the field.
However, aside from his diet, the real work will come during training camp which is set to take place in a couple of weeks. Unlike last year, McVay won’t need to spend as much time onboarding as he’s got a good number of returners. With a better understanding of the playbook and an improved body, Nacua could be in store for another big year.
Eric Yarber speaks on Rams’ Puka Nacua’s body transformation
Rams wide receiver coach Eric Yarber has to be pleasd that Puka Nacua listened to his advice this offseason. Yarber wanted Nacua to stick with Cooper Kupp, but he also noted how much lean muscle he’s gained while losing body fat.
