Michael Phelps Binged on Junk Food to Achieve 10,000 Calorie Days

Michael Phelps revealed that he eats “cleaner now" than he used to while opening up about binging on junk food to achieve 10,000-calorie days during his Olympic career.

"There's no way you can just eat clean and get all those calories," Phelps admitted to E! News at the premiere of his new docuseries, Fueled Up. "So, I was trying to cram ice cream and whatever I could into my system."

Reflecting on his marathon 10,000-calories days, Phelps admitted there were times when it felt like swimming felt took a backseat to chowing down. "Eating was a full-time job for so long, so now I kind of just eat what I need and what I want to—not just pretty much devouring everything in my sight," he said.

"I probably eat cleaner now than I used to,” the 39-year-old Olympian revealed. “And that's just because I'm not eating as much as I used to.”

Phelps, who shares four sons with wife Nicole Johnson, previously told GQ during a 2021 interview that he “put on 30 to 35 pounds” post-retirement before “cleaning up” his diet.

"I really want to make sure I’m giving my body the best chance to be healthy and be the best me,” the 23-time gold medalist said at the time. “Right now, my goal is to build and repair muscle."

"Post-retirement it’s challenging to eat sometimes," he continued. "Think about this: For 25 years, eating was a part of my job, it was a part of my profession. Because of that, I have a deep understanding of what my body needs. I’m not trying to plow food into my system now. It’s different."

When he finally eliminated junk food from his diet, Phelps "saw a significant change in how I felt—I've reminded myself of that time and time again." He added: "I was seeing more clearly in all aspects of my life, and didn’t feel like a blob.”