T Nation

One MASSIVE Meal a Day

#1

I talked to a fellow Strongman today wont say his name but I have watched him Pull 780lbs, Squat 500 for reps, and One motion a 340lbs log like it was a empty bar. But either way I asked him how he ate today and he kinda laughed said he eats 1 freaking time aday.

A absolutely massive meal right after he trains and that's it. He said it usually consists of a Large Pizza on wheat crust with a pound of beef and washes it all down with a big fruit and protein smoothie consisting of 2-3 scoops protein powder, 6-8 eggs, and various fruits.

It comes out some 4000 calories plus. He is not a crazy fat Strongman either he is a heavy weight 285lbs at 6ft but is in fairly good shape considering some of his competitors. He also stated if he gets hungray during the day which doesn't happen much he has protein shake. Also has coffee before every session but that's it other than that one meal.

Is this a viable option for gaining strength. I mean it is very appealing to me to sit down to absolutely awesome feast once a day and then be free of food till the next day.

#2

Try it. It’s not as awesome as it sounds.

#3

isn’t it called intermittent fasting?

#4

[quote]basily wrote:
isn’t it called intermittent fasting?
[/quote]

IF has a bunch more guidelines that just not eating and then stuffing your face.

Eating a giant meal once day would suck IMO.

#6

this is more or less how I eat now and I think it’s better for me IMO. I get that dip for a half hour afterwards where you feel shit then it’s fine you bounce back and the hunger is gone.

#7

[quote]sexyxe wrote:

[quote]basily wrote:
isn’t it called intermittent fasting?
[/quote]
IF has a bunch more guidelines that just not eating and then stuffing your face.
[/quote]
Strictly speaking intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that involves periods of fasting followed by non-fasting. So yes, the OP’s friend’s is intermittent fasting.

Diets involving intermittent fasting such as Lean Gains have more guidelines than just stuffing your face.

#8

It’ll work for a while i guess…4000 cals is somewhat of a lot but not crazy, for a strongman atleast.

#9

[quote]Reed wrote:
It was a insane amount of food a literal feast of holy damn. But after 40mins I finished it all off and was absolutely miserable for about 30 mins but after that was fine. Went to work and made it through the entire day up until now having nothing but water and have not even almost been hungry or even wanted to snack on something. Its only been 11 hours but I may have found a way of eating I don’t mind finally. Ill keep ya posted.[/quote]
It has been along time since I read the book but I believe Ori Hofmekler, creator of “Warrior Diet”, recommends popping a few probiotics during the fasting period followed by a couple digestive enzymes tabs before the largest meal of the day.

Each author of an IF style diet has a few tricks and tips to preparing your digestive system for a meal of that caliber.

#11

Obviously, one monster meal is one extreme (and eating every 90min would be the other) but the overall point is that meal frequency just doesnt matter much.

Whatever approach enables consistency – whether that’s some polar extreme or happy medium – is going to be successful for any given goal.

#12

[quote]chillain wrote:
Obviously, one monster meal is one extreme (and eating every 90min would be the other) but the overall point is that meal frequency just doesnt matter much.

Whatever approach enables consistency – whether that’s some polar extreme or happy medium – is going to be successful for any given goal.

[/quote]

Well put.

#13

This is interesting. I have been eating this way since December mainly for convenience and have wondered if it has hampered my progress. However after rechecking logs I have made a 40 pound increase on my squat and a 20 pound increase on my bench since then, deadlift has yet to be retested. Still I wonder and always get asked if I think I may better my results by focusing more on workout nutrition.

Are you still doing this?

#15

[quote]Reed wrote:
I am still giving it a shot but am finding it very hard to take in the required calories to continue bulking. 3400 is the most I have made it to so far and I literally think I felt food just sitting half way down my throat with no where to go and was stupid miserable for a hopur and half. I really enjoy not having to carry food and stuff every where but I dont see this staying around for much longer as I am steadily dropping weight going from 4500-5000 calories to barely 3000 in a day is not going well for me lol.

But IF I was to ever cut I think I would def use this method. as 2500-3000 calories is relatively doable and with a bit of cardio I could easily see some weight coming off but that is no where near my current goal.[/quote]

You could have another protein shake during the day, some of them have up to 1500 calories in 3 scoops. Costly, but effective. On the other hand, the weight you are dropping just might be water/food on your stomach and whatnot. How long have you been doing it? I would wait about a month to see where my strength and my weight stands before changing it up.

#16

[quote]niksamaras wrote:
You could have another protein shake during the day, some of them have up to 1500 calories in 3 scoops.[/quote]

watch that shit though man, those mass gainers with calories as high as that are so full of sugar you’d be diabetic in 2 weeks of using them.

(I know that you know that already Nik mate, just pointing it out for others who might be reading)

#18

It’s really all about daily calories and convenience. Also, most people would advise you to have this huge meal at night so you have no plans for the rest of the day. Concerning your pro of not having to carry food everywhere: Try two or three meals a day, that should solve both the luggage and the bloatedness issues.

#19

Gonna revive this thread. Bare with me.

Any actual need for a much smaller (less than 1gr/lbs),
or a much bigger (more than 1gr/lbs) animal protein intake,

when eating one MASSIVE meal per day (no BCAAs / Leucine during the day),
for the average gym rat, in a caloric DEFICIT ?

#20

Yes it is and it is something worth exploring as it also has positive health consequences.