Photo Credit: KCS Presse / Splash News
How do you celebrate 12 years of friendship and amicable competition? With a pound of spaghetti at the Rio Olympics, that’s how!
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte did some serious carbo-loading on August 11th after they competed head to head in the 200-meter individual medley. The two men have been competing against each other for over a dozen years, but there is only comradery here, and the sharing of good food after making history (of which both did, but for different reasons).
The race was likely the pair’s final face-off. Lochte shared a photo on Instagram of the two Olympic swimmers sharing their spaghetti dinners, commemorating what was for them a special moment in their friendship, with the caption “One last time!” Phelps took first place in the semi-final with a time of 1:55.78 and Lochte was close behind at 1:56.26.
Their takeout containers were incredibly large, but considering the diet of an Olympic athlete is far from normal, it makes perfect sense. The athletes undoubtedly follow diet plans, but they aren’t suitable for everyday people because most of us don’t workout and burn the same number of calories that these Olympians do.
In 2008, it was revealed that Michel Phelps ate upwards of 12,000 calories a day. A normal man’s daily caloric consumption hovers at 2,500 calories. The difference is staggering, but Phelps uses it all and he needs the fuel to live up to the title of “Flying Fish” and his diet has allowed him to earn 22 medals throughout his career as a swimmer.
During the Beijing Olympics, Phelps told NBC that all he does is eat, sleep, and swim; he tries to get as many calories into his body as he can while training for the Olympics. Seems not much has changed between the Beijing Olympics and the ones that just passed in Rio, where he earned five gold medals and one silver.
What Does Ryan Lochte Eat When He Trains?
Lochte’s training diet is balanced when preparing for events, though he has been known to indulge in some less than healthy food, including potato chips, McDonald’s egg McMuffins, hash browns, and pizza.
But, even athletes have indulgences they choose to enjoy once in a while, and Lochte seems to be no different. As an athlete, he knows he needs to make healthy choices when it comes to food because it is what fuels his body to perform at such outstanding levels.
When training, the swimmer has been known to consume upwards of 10,000 calories a day. He typically eats six small meals, which include fruits, vegetables, eggs, yogurt, oatmeal, chicken, and whole grain pasta. There is a clear focus on protein, which every athlete prioritizes.
