The Michael Phelps Diet

This is an article from MensHealth.com ... I just found it interesting and thought I would share.


PACKING ON THE CALORIES

Remember the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when Michael Phelps won eight gold medals and also became known for his gigantic caloric intake? He said he ate 12,000 calories a day. If you tried to down that much food in one 24-hour period (and didn't follow up with hours and hours of swimming or some other kind of exercise) they’d be putting eight gold medals around your neck, where they’d rest comfortably against your eight chins and your Buddha belly.

Four years later, for the London Olympic Games, Phelps is still winning lots of gold, but he’s not eating at the crazy amounts he used to. “My main goal used to be to just eat a ton of calories. But over the years I've adjusted my diet,” he says. “Now I’m eating less, but I’m getting my calories from nutrient- and protein-dense foods.” That means he no longer down entire pizzas, followed by milkshakes. He still eats lots, though, and burns 1,000 calories for each hour of exercise.

Here’s what Phelps used to eat for just one breakfast, when he was training for Beijing:

Three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayonnaise
Two cups of coffee
One five-egg omelet
One bowl of grits
Three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar
Three chocolate-chip pancakes

Compare that to his London breakfast training regimen:

One large bowl of oatmeal
One large omelet with ham and cheese
Fresh fruit
Coffee