Dwyane Wade Shares New Ways He 'Challenges' His Mind and Body After Retirement: 'I Love Hot Yoga' (Exclusive)

Dwyane Wade.Photo:Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Wade, 42, tells PEOPLE, “I think in retirement, I’ve become a better student of my mind and body,” while discussing his continued partnership with Thorne, a science-driven wellness company that the former NBA star says has changed the way he thinks about fitness and nutrition.

In August,Wade shared with PEOPLEthat he struggles with “mental fog” at times. Now, six months later, Wade says he’s “learning how to handle” the issue through challenging his mind and body in new ways.

“It’s really been a learning experience for me. When I was playing the game of basketball, I pushed through it. I would say the mental fog comes with taking care of your mind, and I try to do that from the standpoint of working out and persisting with my workouts.”

His new favorite way to keep his mind and body sharp? “Hot yoga,” says Wade. “That is a whole different challenge mentally for me, as well as physically. But the mental challenge of being in 100 plus degree [heat]…we’re really in there training.”

Dwyane Wade for Thorne.Courtesy of Thorne

Courtesy of Thorne

“It was 75 minutes I was not prepared for,” he says. “My mind was trying to think about everything on the outside of that door, to escape, and I was like, oh, this is a familiar thought. This is a familiar place for me to be.”

Wade explains, “As an athlete, your mind tries to escape you all the time. As people in general, our mind is always escaping to the least path of resistance.”

Dwyane Wade plays basketball at home with his son.Courtesy of Thorne

And when he’s practicing hot yoga, Wade says, “It’s a mental challenge to be in there, and I mentally have to be so locked in, and it’s hard to be locked in at 6:30 in the morning, and doing all those things. I was like, oh, I’m looking for this challenge. So that’s what got me into it, was the challenge of the mental mind trying to escape, and it’s something I want to be consistent about.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Wade also likes to be consistent in the products he uses from Thorne, with his favorite being the Daily Greens.

“I don’t really eat a lot of greens on my own, you’ve got to force me,” Wade admits. “Understanding what that gives me, I need that. I need focus.”

The father-of-five and current Oscar nominee says he also looks for way to stay energized so he can keep up with his demanding schedule. “I need energy. I need these things to help me with everything I’m trying to give and get out to the world.”

source: people.com