Celebrity Fitzness Report: Heisman Trophy Winner & Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly, our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

My guest this week is one of those people who really puts me in awe. Desmond Howard has scooped up two of the most impressive and revered awards in the entire sport of football, a Heisman Trophy and a Super Bowl MVP. As I sat with Desmond on a sunny and breezy day in the University of Florida football stadium, The Swamp, I wondered what if felt like to achieve such greatness. Most boys feel lucky to make their high school JV football team. To play in college is an honor. To do what Desmond's done ... indescribable.

I love talking to professional athletes because they have had access to the best of the best opportunities in fitness. They have been trained for perfection and have proven to have mastered the art of discipline. Surely, they have something to share!

ince retiring from playing football, Desmond now works as a color analyst for ESPN's College GameDay. He doesn't have the luxury of an aggressive coach barking at him each day to maximize his potential. He trains because he loves being fit, and just like you and me, he has had to find creative ways to work it into his schedule.

On a personal note ... for someone with so much success in one of the most testosterone-driven sports in the world, Desmond was one of the most down-to-earth non-egotistical men I've ever met. He maintained a gigantic smile (with ridiculously perfect white teeth) throughout our entire conversation and was just a pleasure to spend time with. He's smart, funny, and everything I would want my son to become if he followed in a similar athletic path. Plus he praised his Mom, and of course, I want my baby to do that too. If you haven't been able to keep up with Desmond's success in sports, but would like to achieve great fitness as an adult ... read on.

Fitz: You've retired as one of the most successful football players in both the NFL and NCAA. What do you do now to stay fit?

Desmond: I usually try to work out four-five times a week, but it's kind of difficult when I travel a lot. When we do a lot of college football games, I'll ask the Sports Information Director of the university where we'll be if we can use their weight room. Sometimes the hotels we stay in have pretty nice weight rooms too. We really don't need a lot. I try to do cardio. I like the elliptical machine a lot, because it's low impact on my knees. If they don't have that I'll do the stationary bike. I always get in at least 35-40 minutes of hard cardio, work my core, and then work some other muscle group.

Fitz: Do you have any significant injuries from your playing days?

Desmond: No, I don't have any major injuries. I've had some surgeries, but nothing that prevents me from doing anything.

Fitz: How old are you?

Desmond: I'm 37.

Fitz: Oh my! You still look like a baby! And that's amazing to have escaped the NFL without a major injury.

Desmond: Yeah. I've had injuries, but nothing major. Nothing below the waist. No knees surgeries or anything like that. I've had shoulder surgery, but my shoulder's OK.

Fitz: How has your training changed since you retired?

Desmond: It's less intense! When you're in professional sports, you're surrounded by professional athletes and you push each other. When I was working out back then, I was preparing to go do battle every Sunday. Now, I'm not preparing for battle any more!

Fitz: When you travel for GameDay and end up working out around the present college athletes, do you crank things up a notch?

Desmond: No, cause they're usually not there. We don't want to be in the weight room while the college athletes are training. We don't want to be in the way, because that's their space. Our show is pretty popular, and as you can imagine, we'd probably cause a distraction. We don't want to hog machines either, we'd rather just come use the facilities when the athletes are done. I'm just appreciative of the opportunity to get a work out in.

Fitz: What do you think about the progress universities are making with their training facilities?

Desmond: Oh my! You should go check out the Florida Gators gym. It's being renovated and it sounds like it's going to be fantastic.

Fitz: Are you a big push-up guy?

Desmond: Yeah.

Fitz: How many can you do?

Desmond: I never max out with them. I just try to do about 60-70 while I'm watching a show, but I never even try to max out.

Fitz: What about pull-ups?

Desmond: No, cause I don't have anything to pull up on! To do pull-ups, you have to have something to pull-up on, and I don't. I'm a busy man, I don't have time to go get one and put it up. Pull-ups are great, I just am not set up for that right now.

Fitz: Tell me about your eating habits.

Desmond: I definitely watch what I eat. First of all, I don't eat beef and I don't eat pork, so that eliminates a lot of different unhealthy dishes. I substitute those things though, with lean ground turkey. I eat a lot of chicken and fish too.

Fitz: What changes have you noticed since you cut out beef and pork?

Desmond: You know, it's kind of hard to say. I cut out pork while I was in high school, and beef while I was in college. So, it's been a while.

Fitz: You don't miss it?

Desmond: No, not at all. There are great substitutions for both. You can have lasagna without the beef, just make it with ground turkey, or make it a vegetable lasagna.

Fitz: I love hearing you say that, cause I have a similar history removing those meats. But men are more likely take that advice from you than from me. It truly is easy to live without those lesser choices.

Desmond: Absolutely! It's not hard at all.

Fitz: What's your favorite healthy food?

Desmond: Probably baked grouper and steamed vegetables. I love Caesar salad too.

Fitz: What's your favorite not-so-healthy food?

Desmond: Any cake my mother makes! In fact, I probably don't even have to eat the cake, I could probably just eat the batter. Just lick the bowl.

Fitz: That'll make your Mom happy to hear that.

Desmond: Yeah it will! She knows!

Fitz: Where is your favorite vacation spot?

Desmond: Ahh. I don't really vacation a lot. I live in Miami, so I don't really have to go anywhere. I like the islands, but once you've been to one ... they all start to look quite similar.

Fitz: Do you work out when you are on vacation?

Desmond: Yes, definitely. I like to start my day by working out, and then I have the rest of my day to do whatever it is I want to do. I actually start to feel uncomfortable if I don't exercise. It just feels like something is missing.

Fitz: Would you ever compete on Dancing with the Stars?

Desmond: OH, I think Lee Corso would do the best out of our crew. He's got great footwork. He's the most active of all of us. When we watch games, he's up and down the sidelines about a hundred times. I can stay put for a whole half, but he's a mover.

Fitz: Do you have any children?

Desmond: Yes, I have twin boys who will be two in June and a 15-year-old daughter.

Fitz: What do you do to promote fitness to your children?

Desmond: My boys just run around like crazy and do what they do. My daughter runs track, so she's good too.

Fitz: And what about their eating habits?

Desmond: My kids eat what we eat. It's not like we bring in pork chops just for them to eat, or anything like that. We're consistent.

Fitz: What's your advice for the average Joe or Jane trying to get in better shape?

Desmond: To me, it's all about your diet and all about discipline. A person can have all the books, DVDs, or gyms to go to, but at the end of the day it's up to each individual to have discipline and make sacrifices to make it work.

Fitz: OH! And one last question, since we're here in The Swamp. If Tim Tebow has another amazing season, would you be in favor of him winning a second Heisman Trophy?

Desmond: Yes! But it's hard to do; it's a competitive field.

Fitz: Think he can do it?

Desmond: I don't know. It's tough and that's only been done once!

Fitz: Thanks for spending so much time with me Desmond. Come kickbox with me next time you're in town! We'll go easy on your knees.