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Long Before Michael Phelps, ‘Incredible Hulk’ Lou Ferrigno Tried Out an Insane 10k Calorie Diet to Find Out How Big He Could Get During His 20s

Published 11/10/2022, 12:30 PM EST

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Lou Ferrigno is one of the most prominent personalities in the sport of bodybuilding. The giant bodybuilder won Mr. Universe and Mr. America but couldn’t win the Mr. Olympia title. Although he never won, he is remembered for his huge physique, which had the potential to win the biggest titles in the world. However, 1977 turned out to be the best year of Lou Ferrigno’s career.

Firstly, the release of the documentary and then getting cast in ‘The Incredible Hulk.’ Chiefly, Lou got the role because of his bodybuilding and physique. And other than training, the most important thing for a sportsman is the diet they intake. On this note, Lou Ferrigno and the legendary swimmer, Michael Phelps, have something in common between them. 

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Bodybuilding legend Lou Ferrigno ate like a beast in his prime 

The passion for one’s aim can make you do things that seem unbelievable to most. The same was the case with the two legends. Michael Phelps and Lou Ferrigno wanted to attain their aim with everything they had. The commonality between these two is their strong passion and the diet they once had to make themselves stronger.

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Lou Ferrigno once admitted that he once used to have a heavy diet. A reporter asked him, “Over what period did you gain most of your size?” Lou replied, “Well probably at the age of 20 because I was eating about seven to eight meals a day and took my bodyweight up to 300 pounds. I just wanted to see how big I could get, so I would consume eight to ten thousand calories a day and trained heavier to put on size.”

READ MORE- “Louie Was Dark and Brooding”: Pumping Iron Director Gave Intrinsic Details About Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno’s Rivalry

Lou Ferrigno is considered one of the biggest bodybuilders in the history of bodybuilding. And rightly so, the 6’5″ tall Lou could have made anyone look smaller in front of him in the days back then.

Michael Phelps followed the monstrous 10k calorie diet before the 2008 Olympics

Michael Phelps once managed to eat a diet only equaled by the likes of “The Hulk” himself. Phelps ate a 10k-calorie diet before competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The swimming legend practiced like he owned the pool and that’s exactly what he did in Beijing.

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Michael Phelps conquered the pool by winning a record (8) number of medals in a single Olympic. He once said“Eat, sleep and swim, that’s all I can do.” Moreover, he shattered several Olympic and world records that year. 

Watch this story: 5 WWE Stars Who Have a Bodybuilding Past

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Lou, on one hand, consumed 10k calories in his 20s to analyze the level of growth he can reach. On the other hand, Phelps did an outstanding job by eating and training so hard that it reflected the results of the 2008 Olympics.

What are your views on the monstrous diets of these legends? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Kaivalya R Pillai

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Dr. Kaivalya R Pillai is a US Sports author working at EssentiallySports. An accomplished academician, he recently completed his doctorate degree in pharmacy.
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Edited by:

Rupak Kumar Jha