Mitchell Hooper, the reigning World’s Strongest Man, has given fans an inside look at his bulking diet as he prepares for the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic and World’s Strongest Man competition.
Currently weighing 320 pounds, Hooper aims to increase his weight to 330 pounds before competition day.
His diet is carefully designed to maximize calorie intake, maintain strength, and fuel recovery, while keeping meals practical and efficient. Here’s a breakdown of what a day of eating like a World’s Strongest Man looks like.
Jump to:
Breakfast: The “Orange Slurry” and a Protein-Packed Start
Hooper’s morning meal starts with a high-calorie shake, something he refers to as the “orange slurry”, inspired by strength coach Stan Efferding.
- Ingredients:
- 2 cups of orange juice
- ¾ cup of plain Greek yogurt
- Blended for a smooth and easy-to-drink calorie boost
Alongside this shake, he eats:
- 3 eggs
- 2 ounces of ground beef (leftover from the previous day)
- A protein shake with two scoops of Mutant Whey
For coffee lovers, Hooper reveals he only drinks decaf, as he is among the one-third of people who don’t respond to caffeine. He advises others to critically analyze if caffeine is truly boosting their energy or simply elevating blood pressure.
Grocery Haul: Stocking Up for Three Days on the Road
While traveling, Hooper prioritizes grocery shopping over eating out, ensuring he controls his nutrition. His three-day grocery haul included:
Drinks & Dairy
- Milk
- Orange juice
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Diet Coke (his go-to soft drink, especially with lime)
Breakfast Staples
- Bread
- 18 eggs
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Ground beef
Lunch & Dinner Proteins
- Chicken breast (5 lbs.)
- Ground beef (5 lbs., purchased in a “tube”) (a budget-friendly American find)
- Prepped meals from “Mr. Meals” (chicken, sweet potato, and broccoli / salmon, rice, and broccoli)
Dinner Additions
- Potatoes
- Peppers, garlic, spinach
- Feta cheese
- Asparagus (his second favorite vegetable after Brussels sprouts)
- Chickpea pasta (for higher protein content)
Snacks & Quick Calories
- Halo Top ice cream (300 calories per container, 18g protein, 69g carbs, 6g fat)
- Pea chips (low-fat, high-carb snack, ideal for fueling workouts)
- Chickpeas with hummus
- Biscoff spread (a peanut butter alternative with a better carb-to-fat ratio for strength athletes)
- Birthday cake ice cream (for an extra treat)
Hooper emphasizes the importance of staying in control of meals while traveling, recommending Airbnbs over hotels since hotel breakfasts are often low-quality and not ideal for recovery and performance.
Training & Pre-Workout Nutrition
For his leg day at The Battle Axe Gym in Miami, Florida, Hooper fueled up with:
- Two scoops of Madness pre-workout
- No structured pre-workout meal (since strength training doesn’t burn as many calories as endurance workouts, he doesn’t stress eating extra carbs beforehand)
His workout routine included:
- Squats (3 sets of 6 reps at 670 lbs.)
- Leg presses, curls, extensions, and calf raises
Post-Workout & Second Lunch
After training, Hooper rotated between a post-workout shake or a proper meal. This day, he opted for:
- Chicken, sweet potato, and broccoli (light on volume to avoid feeling overly full)
Later, he had a protein shake with milk, providing:
- 70g of protein
- Additional calories for recovery
Dinner & Final Calories
His last structured meal included:
- Two chicken breasts
- Salad with avocado, peppers, spinach, and feta cheese
- A side of asparagus
- Lime for extra micronutrients (and flavor in his Diet Coke!)
Final Calories & Macros Breakdown
By the end of the day, Hooper’s total intake was:
- 4,579 calories
- 400g of protein (higher than necessary)
- 158g of fat
- 358g of carbohydrates (way below his target of 800g!)
Despite aiming for 5,500–6,000 daily calories, Hooper admits he fell short on carbs due to the challenges of eating while traveling.
Takeaways from a Strongman Diet
- Liquid calories are a cheat code – Shakes like his OJ + Greek yogurt mix make high-calorie intake easier.
- Meal prep is essential – A structured grocery haul keeps nutrition on track while traveling.
- Carb intake matters – Missing his 800g carb goal meant Hooper fell 1,000 calories short of his target intake.
- Protein balance is key – His 400g of protein intake was higher than needed, meaning more carbs should have been prioritized.
Would you be able to eat like a World’s Strongest Man? Let us know! 💪
