5 Ways Michael Phelps' Diet Has Changed Since 2008
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- After Michael Phelps won his 23rd medal during this year's Rio games, he went home and ate a pound of spaghetti, but this wasn't in celebration, he needed to refuel.
Phelps' diet for the 2016 Olympics in Rio was much different than his fairly ridiculous 12,000 calorie diet reported in 2008.
Now 31, Phelps obviously had to alter his diet from what he used to consume in his mid-twenties.
Here are the three biggest differences in his food intake:
- He went from consuming 12,000 calories per day in 2008 to 3,529 calories per day for the 2016 games.
- No more energy drinks. He used to consume over 1,000 calories in just drinks in 2008,but cut them out of his diet for 2016.
- Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, but Phelps streamlined his original meals of 3 fried egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayo, 2 cups of coffee, 1 five-egg omelette, 1 bowl of grits, 3 slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar and 3 chocolate chip pancakes down to 1 large bowl of oatmeal, 1 large omelette with ham and cheese, fresh fruit and coffee.
- He used to eat an entire pizza and then some for dinner, but now it's lean meats and tons of vegetables.
- Out with the enriched pasta and in with the whole grains.
That is still more food than the average person would need to consume, but it obviously worked as Phelps takes home the title of greatest Olympian of all time, along with 28 medals.
You can see his full food regimens posted here.
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