Ambassador Belli talks health & fitness

In co-ordination with Rogers Sportsnet, Subway Canada wants you to become the new face of healthy living.

To help Canadians get off the couch Rogers Sportsnet talent have taken the time to inspire future ambassadors by answering five questions about their personal career, how each stayed in shape & what each former athlete does to keep fit now that their playing days are over.

Up next is Adriano Belli, Sportsnet TV Analyst and former CFL/NFL/XFL player

1. Give us an overview of your professional career?
First and foremost, I guess people know me as having been the all-time penalty leader. Signed with the Atlanta Falcons (NFL) out of University of Houston. Spent better part of the year with the Falcons before signing on with the Las Vegas Outlaws in the XFL. Yes, being 21-years-old and living in Vegas was a special time.

After that I signed on with the New York Giants (NFL). Spent the better part of a year there before coming up to Canada to join the B.C. Lions (CFL) for six months before being traded to the Montreal Alouettes. After Montreal, I signed on with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) for three years. Followed up Hamilton by spending the last few years in my hometown with the Toronto Argonauts (CFL), where I have cemented myself as the most penalized player in CFL history, but more importantly had a chance to start my foundation for sick kids called the Big Kiss Fund. Certainly couldn’t be a prouder Canadian after spending the past 10 years in our great league!

2. What do you attribute to getting you to the top?
Hard work, never taking ‘No’ for an answer.

3. What role did training play in your success?
I trained in my Dad’s butcher shops growing up … Makes for a strong defensive tackle.

4. What role did nutrition play in your success?
I ate everything and anything while I was playing. Come on! I was a lineman! Eat a lot, and then burn it off on the field.

5. What did you do to motivate yourself to train when you didn’t want to?
I would think about how hard my parents had to work to make ends meat when the first came to Canada.

6. How do you keep in shape today?
Retired offensive lineman have to be aware of what they eat, and I am no different.

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