Jackson Reed
Michael Phelps is one of the greatest athletes of all time, with 28 Olympic medals under his belt. The swimmer's diet has always been a topic of fascination, with rumours circulating that he consumed a staggering 12,000 calories a day during his training for the Beijing Olympics. However, Phelps himself has debunked these rumours, stating that his actual daily intake was closer to 8,000-10,000 calories. Even so, this is still an incredibly high number of calories, with his breakfast alone reportedly containing around 4,000 calories.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Calories consumed per day | 8,000–10,000 (rumours of 12,000) |
| Calories consumed at breakfast | 4,000 |
| Breakfast foods | 3 fried-egg sandwiches, 1 five-egg omelette, 1 bowl of grits, 3 slices of French toast, 3 chocolate-chip pancakes, 2 cups of coffee |
| Body fat percentage | 8% |
| Training hours per day | 6 |
| Weight in 2008 | 85kg |
| Number of Olympic gold medals | 11 |
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What You'll Learn
Michael Phelps' breakfast: 4,000 calories
While training for the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps was rumoured to consume 12,000 calories a day, with 4,000 calories alone coming from his breakfast. However, Phelps has since debunked this rumour in his autobiography, "No Limits", and in subsequent interviews. He clarified that his actual daily intake was closer to 8,000–10,000 calories, which is still a significant amount compared to the average person's 2,000–2,500 calories.
Phelps' breakfast, often referred to as the "Breakfast of Champions", typically included the following items:
- Three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayonnaise
- One five-egg omelette
- One bowl of grits or grains
- Three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar
- Three chocolate-chip pancakes
This breakfast provided Phelps with the energy he needed to sustain his rigorous training regimen, which involved swimming and burning off calories at an incredible rate.
Now retired, Phelps has transitioned to a different diet that includes more vegetables and is tailored to his civilian life. He has also experienced some post-retirement weight gain, which he has worked hard to manage through a new fitness and nutrition routine.
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He consumed 8,000-10,000 calories daily
While training for the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps consumed a staggering 8,000 to 10,000 calories daily. This is an extremely high-calorie diet, especially when compared to the average person's intake of 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day. Phelps's diet was fuelled by his rigorous training regimen, which saw him burning off those calories by training for almost six hours daily, 365 days a year. This intense routine meant he could consume a vast number of calories without weight gain, as his body efficiently converted food into energy.
Phelps's diet gained widespread attention during the 2008 Olympics, with rumours circulating that he consumed 12,000 calories per day. This rumour was fuelled by reports of his enormous breakfasts, which totalled 4,000 calories alone. A typical breakfast for Phelps included three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayonnaise, followed by a five-egg omelette, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar, and three chocolate-chip pancakes. This so-called "Breakfast of Champions" was enough food for an average person for a whole day.
However, Phelps himself has debunked the 12,000-calorie rumour, stating that it was “not even close to being fact". He clarified that his actual daily intake was significantly less, falling in the 8,000 to 10,000-calorie range. This still allowed him to maintain his rigorous training schedule and perform at the highest level, as evidenced by his eight gold medals in a single Olympics.
Phelps's diet was designed to provide him with the energy needed to sustain his intense training regimen. While it may seem extraordinary, it was tailored to his specific needs as an elite athlete. His diet also included vegetables, and he listened to his body, sometimes opting for a second breakfast instead of lunch. Phelps's nutrition routine was coupled with a disciplined training routine, allowing him to maintain his weight and perform at his best.
Since retiring from competitive swimming, Phelps has adjusted his diet to suit his post-athletic lifestyle. He has worked hard to find a nutrition and fitness routine that suits his civilian life, incorporating more vegetables into his meals and focusing on his mental health.
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He trained 6 hours a day, 365 days a year
Michael Phelps is one of the greatest athletes of all time, with 28 medals to his name. The swimmer has spent the better part of two decades dominating the sport. However, his name is also synonymous with his diet, which is said to have included 12,000 calories a day. This included a 4,000-calorie breakfast, dubbed the "Breakfast of Champions", which consisted of three fried-egg sandwiches with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayonnaise, a five-egg omelette, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar, and three chocolate-chip pancakes.
Phelps himself has debunked this rumour in his autobiography, "No Limits", and in subsequent interviews. He clarified that his actual daily intake was closer to 8,000–10,000 calories. Phelps trained rigorously to burn off these calories, spending almost six hours a day, 365 days a year, in the pool. With an intensive training schedule, he could burn off 1,000 calories per hour, despite having just 8% body fat. His muscle-intensive physique and metabolism allowed him to convert food into energy much faster than the average person.
Phelps' diet was designed to meet the demands of his intense training regimen. He needed to consume a large number of calories to ensure he had sufficient energy for his workouts and to prevent glycogen depletion, which can occur when athletes do not consume enough carbohydrates. The swimmer's diet allowed him to maintain his performance and energy levels during competitions, despite the demanding schedule of heats, semi-finals, and finals.
Phelps' diet is a far cry from the average person's 2,000–2,500 calories per day. While his diet may seem indulgent, it was tailored to his specific needs as an elite athlete. Now retired, Phelps has transitioned to a different diet, focusing more on vegetables and finding a nutrition routine that suits his civilian life.
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He weighed 85kg in 2008
Michael Phelps is a US-born Serbian swimmer and the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time. He won an impressive 82 medals in major international long course competitions, including 23 gold medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals, Olympic gold medals in individual events, and Olympic medals in individual events.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps weighed 85kg and took home eight gold medals, breaking the previous record of seven set by his countryman Mark Spitz in 1972. His performance in the 2008 Games further cemented his reputation as a swimming superstar and one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Phelps' success in the pool has been attributed to his rigorous training regimen and his diet. He swam an astonishing 13 kilometres a day, six or seven days a week, amounting to at least 80,000 meters weekly. He typically split his training into two sessions, spending 5-6 hours in the pool each day, in addition to functional training with weights at least three times a week.
To fuel his intense training routine, Phelps consumed a high-calorie diet. Rumours circulated that he consumed 12,000 calories per day, including a breakfast of:
- Three fried-egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayonnaise
- One five-egg omelette
- One bowl of grits
- Three slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar
- Three chocolate-chip pancakes
However, Phelps debunked these rumours in his autobiography, "No Limits," stating that his actual daily intake was closer to 8,000–10,000 calories. This still far exceeds the average person's intake of 2,000–2,500 calories per day. Phelps' ability to consume such a large volume of food without gaining excessive fat is due to his muscle-intensive physique and metabolism, which efficiently converted food into energy.
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He no longer eats 10,000 calories a day
Michael Phelps' diet has long been a topic of fascination for many. The Olympic swimmer's diet was rumoured to consist of 12,000 calories a day, with a 4,000-calorie breakfast. This breakfast, dubbed the 'Breakfast of Champions', included three fried-egg sandwiches with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayonnaise, a five-egg omelette, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast, and three chocolate-chip pancakes. However, Phelps himself has debunked this rumour, stating that his actual daily intake was closer to 8,000–10,000 calories.
Phelps' high-calorie diet was necessary to fuel his intense training regimen. He trained for almost six hours a day, 365 days a year, burning off those calories and maintaining a low body fat percentage of just 8%. His muscle-intensive physique and metabolism also contributed to his ability to efficiently convert food into energy.
Despite the rumours, Phelps' diet during his athletic career was still significantly higher than the average person's 2,000–2,500 calories per day. Now retired, Phelps is no longer consuming 10,000 calories a day. He has had to figure out a new fitness and nutrition routine that suits his post-retirement lifestyle and civilian life. This transition is common among athletes, especially swimmers, who often struggle with adjusting their diets after their competitive careers.
Phelps has shared that his new diet includes a lot more vegetables, and he aims to incorporate a salad into his dinner every night. He also prioritises sleep, aiming for 7 to 9 hours each night, and focuses on his mental health by going to therapy and talking to people. While his diet during his athletic prime was extreme, Phelps' current focus on finding a balanced approach to nutrition and well-being is commendable.
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