Twitter CEO’s health regimen sparks debate

New Delhi, April 14

Fasting over weekends and taking food only on Sunday evening, eating one meal a day along with three ice baths — Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has created a storm over social media by revealing a punishing health regimen that helps him “stay sharper”.

In a podcast with Ben Greenfield on “Diet Fat Loss and Performance”, Dorsey who earned $1.40 as salary in 2018, said the one meal a day consists of “meat or fish with salad or green vegetables, followed by mixed berries or some dark chocolate”.

“During the day, I feel so much more focused. You have this very focused point of mind... I can go to bed and actually knock out in 10 minutes, if not sooner than that,” Dorsey told Greenfield. Dorsey’s unconventional eating habits (five meals a week) have created a debate among the health conscious on social media.

“These aren’t ‘wellness hacks’. These are disordered eating behaviours. Encouraging anyone to eat one meal a day and to go an entire weekend without eating as part of ‘wellness’ is normalising and glamorising eating disorders. This is dangerous and offensive,” tweeted one user.

“It sounds like Jack Dorsey might have a serious eating disorder. Walking 5 miles a day while only consuming one meal per weekday and no meals on weekends is not a wellness hack… it’s a disease,” tweeted another.

Dorsey, who also does two-hour meditation daily, walks to office and takes “lots of vitamin C” every day, tweeted in January his eating routine, facing a barrage of criticism from users. “Been playing with fasting for some time. I do a 22-hour fast daily (dinner only), and recently did a three-day water fast. Biggest thing I notice is how much time slows down. The day feels so much longer when not broken up by breakfast/lunch/dinner. Anyone else has this experience?” he tweeted.

One user replied: “Ahh yes. Disordered eating to approximate the suffering induced by poverty and/or access to potable water. Playing is so much fun.”

Nutrition experts, however, say intermittent fasting and eating one meal a day is not harmful where a person shortens the eating window. “This is an old practice of fasting. However... should be done under supervision,” nutrition specialist and Pilates expert Madhuri Ruia said. 

Dorsey said ice-cold bath in morning “unlocks” his mind and he can take on any challenge while a 15-minute sauna in evening, followed by another three-minute ice-bath, relaxes him. On his birthday on November 19 last year after visiting India, Dorsey did a 10-day silent meditation in Myanmar. In Myanmar, the Twitter CEO lived in a single room. “During the 10 days: no devices, reading, writing, physical exercise, music, intoxicants, meat, talking, or even eye contact with others,” he tweeted. — IANS