He is in the middle of his best ever season and the heavy favourite to win a sixth world crown but Ronnie O’Sullivan says his secret is simple – a green salad and a jog.

The Rocket has transformed from party animal to the new Joe Wicks and plans to release a nutrition book in December.

And he needed all the extra energy he now has to reach round two at the Betfred World Championship, coming from 4-0 and 6-3 behind to beat Stephen Maguire 10-7 at the Crucible Theatre.

“I feel like I could live to 200, I feel better now than I ever have done – it’s odd,” he said.

“I have tried all sorts of diets and if you don’t get it right then you can feel really bad. I know this one works and it will work for everyone. I am super-excited for the next 40 years.

“I was always fit but through injuries I could not run as much and I ballooned up to 15 stone and now I have lost two through eating differently.

“I am never hungry, I have masses amounts of energy and I just want to help as many people as I can and compared to the average Briton I will always look well because we are an unhealthy country.”

O’Sullivan is not in action again until Friday, when he will take on the winner of Mark Allen, who beat O’Sullivan at The Masters, and Liam Highfield.

And he will know he must improve after a dreadful first session on Saturday, where he gift-wrapped Maguire a 6-3 overnight lead.

He found his swagger yesterday and took advantage of multiple Maguire errors to win seven frames out of eight – including his 1000th at the Crucible – in a result which left the Scot feeling blue.

“I have accepted now that I will be qualifying here,” he said.

“I might get lucky one year and be a seed, but the odds are I will be floating about the top 32 for the next few years without breaking into the top 16.

“I have to get on with it and accept the fact these boys are a step better than me really. It is hard but it is accepted.

“I think they have improved whereas I have just stayed the same. I don’t think I have declined, I just think these boys play the game now that when they play well they are awesome and I don’t have that.

“I need the top players to have an off day and me to be really good to go deep in a tournament.”

In other action, two-time runner-up Ali Carter came from behind to see off 2006 champion Graeme Dott 10-8, while Kyren Wilson beat Matthew Stevens 10-3.

Watch the snooker World Championship LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with Colin Murray and analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.