Ryan Crouser, a two-time Olympian, requires a lot of food to fuel his quest for gold at six feet seven inches and 320 pounds. To be strong and large, the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist in shot put needs to eat about 5,000 calories a day.
Two portions of oatmeal and a cup of blueberries are usually served after a five-egg omelet with cheese and a quarter pound of turkey sausage for breakfast. He’ll have a pound of lean ground beef or chicken and twelve ounces of rice for each of his two lunches. In the meantime, he has dinner with his girlfriend. “We’ll adhere to a four-person family recipe. I’ll eat three servings and she’ll have one. Three portions provide me 1,200 calories, which is the average serving size for most dinners,” he explains.
All in all, Crouser is accustomed to accruing substantial grocery bills at his neighborhood Sam’s Club. “It certainly becomes costly. I make between $200 and $250 a week by myself,” he declares. “The way that I look at it is that it’s a pretty significant investment in my athletic performance.” Speaking to Make It to promote his collaboration with Thorne, the current world record holder doesn’t skimp on purchasing the best components available. Even if buying organic, grass-fed beef is “30% to 40% more” than buying the alternative, he will still treat himself.
“If I’m getting higher quality food in, I’m getting higher quality training out,” he asserts. “My training and performance have improved, that much is certain. It is financially sensible to invest in it. The self-taught Crouser chatted with CNBC Make It about his method of Olympic preparation as he attempts to win gold in Paris 2024.