Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day
By Chris Chase
After he retires from swimming, Michael Phelps might want to try his hand at competitive eating. The Olympic star recently said he consumes 12,000 calories per day, or 9,500 more than the FDA recommends for an active, young male.

Phelps has to keep his intake up in order to compensate for all the calories he burns during the 30-hours per week he spends in training. He told NBC that an average day might have the following menu:

Breakfast: 3 fried egg sandwiches, 2 cups coffee, 5-egg omlette, bowl of grits, 3 pieces of french toast, 3 chocolate chip pancakes

Lunch: 1 pound pasta, 2 ham and cheese sandwiches, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

Dinner: 1 pound pasta, 1 large pizza, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

Three years ago, Phelps told an interviewer:

I eat pretty much whatever I want. I don't have a strict diet. It's all about cramming in as many calories into my system as I possibly can. To be honest with you, I have a tough time keeping weight on.

Michael better be careful there. There's no surer way to turn new female fans into former female fans than by complaining about how hard it is to keep on weight.

I second that thought!

He has one hot body though!!!!

I was thinking just the other day that he must be able to eat an enormous amount of calories, but I guessed around 5,000, not 12,000! That's insane! He does work out pretty much full time though--if we all did that, we'd be able to eat that much too! All that eating and working out must take a lot of time...

He said that sometimes all he does is train, eat and sleep.

WOW!!!!!! That's amazing!

I wonder what happens when he stops training. Does he go back to eating normally? Do you think he has to think about it? Of course, I have my own issues with food, but my appetite doesn't always decrease when I work out less. I wonder what happens when it's your job to workout. I would love to pick the brain of someone with a lifestyle like that because it's soooo different from my own!

But does he have to wait an hour after eating before going in the water? LOL

Honestly, I can't imagine that after eating a breakfast like that you wouldn't look and feel seven months pregnant! I don't know how he could get in the pool and even move after something like that!

I can't believe he floats -- you would think he would sink right to the bottom

It does remind me, that when I exercise even if I don't eat "exactly" as I should, I can still lose weight. I'm amazed at all the athletes dedication.

I just heard it mentioned on the TV that he burns about 4000 calories per exercise session! No wonder he can eat so much

Well.. after hearing that I'm quitting my job and starting to swim full time. lol

I'm with you. Do you think I could just work part-time and swim enough to burn 2,000 calories a day? I'll spend all day in a pool, but cut out having monet for shopping, no thank you?!

you gotta wonder what's going on inside his body. i always wondered why some star athletes just drop dead.....not saying that will happen or it's been the cause of why other athletes have died in training, but jeez.....

that can't be good.....

ps- i am also jealous!

I'm jealous too.

I'm not jealous. I have a hard enough time burning 500 calories on a treadmill. I do not even want to think about what I would have to do to burn 12,000 calories...I'd be dead. I like cake and all, but not THAT much.