Why Travis Kelce’s 4,000-calorie diet boosts muscle — and overall fitness

It’s a meal plan fit for a Super Bowl king.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has shared how he manages being both a professional athlete and a picky eater.

The 6-foot-5 athlete devours a healthy and delicious 4,000-calorie diet on game and training days to weigh in at about 250 pounds.

“Travis Kelce is a hugely influential athlete with a lot of eyes on him, which is why fans are so interested in how he maintains his physique and what he eats,” a spokesperson for fitness gurus SET FOR SET told The Post in a statement.

Restrictive or fad diets have been found to cause more harm — and usually more weight gain — than good.

Instead, experts recommend sticking to a healthy and manageable regimen that works for your body and lifestyle — which, thanks to Kelce’s childhood friend and personal chef Kumar Ferguson, he’s able to do.

“Travis is a perfect example of an athlete who maintains a healthy, balanced diet that works wonders for his performance on his team,” the SET FOR SET spokesperson said.

“Travis’s diet is an excellent example for his younger fans to look up to, but it also showcases that you don’t always have to cut all of your favorite foods out of your life to have your ideal body.”

The Chiefs star has shared some of his menu items — and they might be yours, too.

French toast 

The two-time Super Bowl champion has shared that he prepares for every game with a sweet stack of a breakfast mainstay.

“I have to grab some French toast, get my blood sugar going, get some carbs in,” Kelce previously told Men’s Journal. “I’m big on French toast. Always eat that at the team’s pregame meal.”

The carbohydrates from the bread help prevent the muscles from breaking down as the proteins help build and maintain that muscle strength.

French toast also has nutrients vitamins B6 and B12, iron, calcium and magnesium.

Steak

Health experts recommend athletes enjoy a high-protein meal such as steak to fuel their bodies for major exertion — say, for instance, a three-hour game of football — and continue building muscle during training.

“His dad is actually a grill master, so that’s where I got filets in our diet,” Ferguson told Kansas City Magazine, adding that the football star also consumes Hawaiian “heat” wings and deep-fried Australian lobster to keep him lean.

Studies have linked some varieties of red meat to chronic health conditions like heart disease and cancer, but the food also contains important nutrients like protein, vitamin B12 — which helps the body turn food into energy — and zinc, which strengthens muscles and immunity.

Spinach

The tight end’s personal chef also revealed that the athlete doesn’t rush to load his plate with vegetables — his older brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, called him a “picky eater” on their podcast — but spinach will always be a key component of his diet.

The anti-inflammatory properties in the dark, leafy green allows the body to recover quickly after muscle exertion. It’s also loaded with antioxidants and nutrients and has high potassium levels, which helps lower blood pressure and increase energy while supporting healthy bones. 

Seafood alfredo

To end the day, Ferguson often cooks up a seafood alfredo for Kelce to chow down.

The heavy, creamy meal is a great source of dairy, carbohydrates and all the nutrients packed into fish.

While experts caution that the dish’s saturated fat and cholesterol can be problematic for heart health, fish and shellfish are great sources of vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids, nutrients that boost brain development, help maintain a healthy heart and support the immune system.

The fatty acids in fish are perfect for any athlete and can provide a wealth of zinc, iron, potassium and magnesium to the body.