Los Angeles fitness executive says two small meal swaps helped him lose 15 pounds after 57

Carl Daikeler, the 63-year-old co-founder and CEO of the Los Angeles-based fitness and nutrition company BODi, says he lost 15 stubborn pounds that had settled around his waistline after age 57 — without overhauling his diet or giving up foods like pizza and doughnuts.

Daikeler, who has led the health brand formerly known as Beachbody for 28 years, told Fox News Digital he has never been drawn to strictly healthy eating. “I eat like a third-grader, okay? Pizza’s a food group,” he said, adding that he’s always looking for ways to “hack” his health without becoming, in his words, “one of those diehard health and fitness people.”

Instead of cutting out entire food groups, Daikeler changed two meals a day and left his evenings alone.

A structured morning, a free evening

For breakfast, Daikeler replaced his usual food with a roughly 250-calorie shake containing protein, fiber, prebiotics, probiotics and greens — specifically BODi’s own Shakeology product, to which he adds spinach and a banana.

For lunch, he eats a large salad built around baby spinach, carrots and chicken, topped with cheese, nuts and sliced strawberries to mask the taste of the vegetables. “I don’t feel like I’m eating a bowl of vegetables, but I am,” he said.

Those two meals, he said, earn him what he calls a “day pass” for dinner. “I eat whatever I want at dinner,” Daikeler said, though he keeps one rule in place: “I’m careful not to drink too much.”

He said the combination — shake for breakfast, big salad for lunch, open dinner, limited alcohol — made the extra 15 pounds disappear, and it has stayed off since.

Why he avoids strict diets

Daikeler argues that overly restrictive eating plans tend to fail because people can’t sustain them. “If you’re trying to be too restrictive, I don’t think that’s life,” he said. “The whole point is living … So if it’s too restrictive, it’s going to break.”

Rather than banning indulgence foods outright, he practices portion control. “I love pizza. But I’ve learned that I can enjoy pizza without eating the whole pizza,” he said. “I like doughnuts. I’ve learned that I can have literally a quarter of a doughnut and be like, that was delicious. But I get no additional satisfaction by eating the whole doughnut.”

Daikeler frames this balance as part of focusing on “health span” rather than lifespan alone. “Health span versus lifespan is all about quality of life,” he said. “I’m all for longevity, but it’s really about quality of life — a way to live and enjoy life that is balanced with maximizing your time on earth.”

He acknowledged that what worked for him won’t necessarily work for everyone. The National Institutes of Health notes that different eating plans can support weight loss, but the most effective approach depends on a person’s individual health needs, preferences and ability to stick with the habits over time. The agency generally recommends consulting a doctor or registered dietitian for personalized guidance.