Swimmer diets

[dave rockness]

Wow...if you were Michael Phelps for a day, what would you eat?  (You've got 12,000 calories to work with)

[Michelle Lowry]

Ok this isn't exactly a healthy 12,000 calories, but once I started typing my imagination went loose:

A big banana split (calcium, potasium, protein from the nuts!)
A steak in a pool of butter like at Ruth's Chris and garlic mashed potatoes
A big burger with french fries and a real coke
A breakfast with bacon and sausage and eggs and hashbrowns
sourdough bread WITH butter on it
A salad with full fat ranch on it
A huge piece of warm chocolate cake with whipped cream and heck make it a la mode

Ok, this probably isn't quite 12,000 calories, but perhaps close.  And my body would fully reject this food if I tried to eat more than one of these things.

[Jon Allen]

They had a few articles right after this 12,000 calories/day came out saying it is likely an exaggeration.  For someone of his weight (195 lbs), he would have to swim 9-10 hours per day to burn 10,000 calories.  Add on his base metabolism, and you get about 12,000 calories.  I would be surprised if he really swims that much per day.  Some swimming coaches said it is more likely he actually eats 6,000-8,000 per day- still an amazing number, but likely eliminating Michelle’s banana split and burger/fries.  Sorry, Michelle.

As for me, I would certainly eat lots of healthy fruits, vegetables, and grains, but would greatly increase my protein and would not worry about any splurges (donuts, candy, bloomin’ onion, etc).  8,000 calories is a ton!  I would probably need to drink a lot of the calories, too, with shakes, smoothies, juice, etc.

[Michelle Lowry]

likely eliminating Michelle’s banana split and burger/fries.  Sorry, Michelle.

Can't you take away the salad and the bread instead ))

[Jon Allen]

And the big coke, and you might be there...

[dave rockness]

Gosh, I'd almost rather get in the extra 3-4 hours of swimming to enjoy the "splurge" suggested by Michelle.  I understand Phelps decided to go the burger route upon victory celebration.