Chelsea news: Combustible Antonio Conte reveals fitness regime that keeps him healthy

The Italian runs regularly and is careful about what he eats - although he does enjoy spaghetti now and then

Antonio Conte does not hide his feelings on the sidelines (Getty)

Antonio Conte often looks like he may spontaneously combust on the sidelines, so passionate and demonstrative is he, so the Chelsea manager feels a healthy lifestyle is essential to keep the stresses of the job from taking their toll. As such the Italian has revealed that he regularly runs around the pitches at his club’s Cobham training ground to stay healthy and that he is careful about what he eats.

“I pay great attention to it,” the Italian said on Friday at his Cobham press conference. “I prefer to be fit. When I have time to run, to do fitness, I do. I run for 30 minutes. I change the rhythm of my run – nothing too strong! But I run a lot. Not the same runs as the players. I prefer to stay and observe and give instructions during the training session [not join in]. When we finish sometimes when I have time and I’m not tired I have my period of fitness. I run here at the training ground. We have four pitches – I run around them.

“Sometimes I try to involve my staff but Steve Atkins arrives later,” the Italian joked. “He knows to avoid it!

“I know I risk a bit, [with how animated he gets],” he added. “Maybe I will wear a heart monitor but I hope [my heart rate] is not higher than the players!”

Conte has not banned any foods for the Chelsea players but has advised them to adopt a healthy and balanced lifestyle as he has. “At the end of my career I started to eat very well and I felt the benefit. So when I became coach I wanted to have this idea with my players.

"There is no ban [on anything] but I want them to have the right balance, to eat carbs, protein and fat. It is important because you recover from injuries more quickly, you are more fresh mentally.

"I know because I tried this on myself. Now I prefer to avoid carbohydrates. I eat protein with vegetables and fruit."

However, Conte did admit he has a soft spot for his wife’s cooking and that he is not a gastronomic angel all the time. “When I am with my wife, the spaghetti is very good!” the Italian added. “I like pasta but I try to avoid it because a lot of carbs is not good. Sometimes I do eat Nutella too though!”