Mitchell Hooper has big plans for the season, which is why he decided to try out a new approach to certain aspects of his training. Specifically, he is paying a lot of attention to his diet, as seen in his recent YouTube video. So, with just weeks remaining until the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic, Hooper shared his insane 7,000-calorie full day of eating.
Mitchell Hooper has won the past three editions of the Arnold Strongman Classic and is hoping to do the same this year as well. Seeing that he is going up against a stacked set of athletes, Hooper understands that he will need to bring his A-game. Well, his new diet will certainly keep him fueled for all of the massive feats of strength that await.
Mitchell Hooper’s Full Day of Eating
Meal 1: Breakfast
At the start of the video, Mitchell Hooper revealed that he has been working with Erin Gauley for some time now. Gauley is an IFBB Pro and is helping Hooper tune his diet to perfection. With that out of the way, the two started preparing breakfast. The aim was to combine a lot of healthy foods, focusing on digestion and a balanced macro intake.
- Eggs
- Oats
- Bread (with Grass-fed Butter)
- Pineapple
- Orange Juice
- Pink Salt
Macro Stats: ~70-75g Protein, 180-190g Carbs, ~40g Fat.
Supplements: Choline & Inositol (liver health), Berberine (insulin sensitivity), Telmisartan (blood pressure support), Aspirin (heart health), CoQ10, Fish Oil/Omegas.
“By tracking your food, your salt, and your water, you’re able to gauge your strength a lot better… randomly eating is not going to be as effective and we want to really control what is breakfast, what is pre-workout…” said Erin Gauley
Meal 2: Lunch (‘Pre-Pre-Workout’)
Mitchell Hooper’s second meal of the day serves an important function, coming after breakfast and fueling him up for a workout session that is scheduled later in the day. It is loaded with carbs, which is one of the key aspects of Hooper’s entire diet. Not only does it help performance, but Erin Gauley also revealed that they incorporated it because of recovery.
- 8 oz Beef
- 300g Rice
- 150g Pineapple (or two Kiwis / one Apple)
- 6 Rice Krispie Bars
Macros: 60g Protein, 220g Carbs, 22g Fat
“One thing that I haven’t talked about in particular that Erin has is water. I drink more water now than ever for sure, and less Diet Coke than ever…” said Hooper.
“If he is irregular or not digesting foods properly, he is not going to perform properly… it’s super crucial that we’re focusing on digestion,” said Gauley
Pre-Workout & Intra-Workout
Mitchell Hooper drinks his pre-workout shake while making his way to the gym but then consumes another shake during his training session. Although he does not spend a bunch of time under tension, his training requires him to move extremely heavy loads, which also exerts a lot of energy. So, pre-workout and intra-workout shakes are necessary to help him achieve the results he strives for in the gym.
Pre-Workout Shake:
- Non-stim Pre-workout
- 10g Creatine
- Salt (10 cranks/heavy serving)
- 5g Taurine
- 68g Candy
- 50g Carbohydrate Powder
- 1 scoop EAAs (Essential Amino Acids)
Intra-Workout Shake
- Carbohydrate Powder
- Salt
- EAAs (Essential Amino Acids)
Post-Workout Shake
After completing some heavy squats, Mitchell Hooper moved on to other responsibilities. In the meantime, it was time to consume some macros to optimize recovery. It was once again very carb-dominant, but the focus was also on reducing the intake of fats.
- 2 Scoops Protein Powder
- 200g Banana (~2 bananas)
- 150g Berries
- 100g Honey
Macros: 73g Protein, 185g Carbs, 37g Fats
Supplements: Berberine, Creatine
“We’re keeping the fats out because the main purpose is to replenish glycogen to ensure that he’s recovering as quickly as possible and getting an adequate amount of calories,” said Erin Gauley
Meal 4: Dinner
Although Hooper did consume a couple of shakes to replenish his energy supplies, he still needed to have a proper meal post-training. So, he went to a restaurant with Erin Gauley. In turn, they had to adjust their meal plan based on the menu but found a good substitute that fits the criteria.
- 10 oz Steak (ordered slightly larger to account for cooking shrinkage)
- 2 Baked Potatoes (substituted for the planned 350 grams of rice)
- 20g Butter (added to potatoes)
- Sourdough Bread (planned, 15g)
Macros: 60g Protein, 150g Carbs, 25g Fats
Meal 5: Nightly Parfait
Mitchell Hooper did not show the final part of his meal, but he did reveal that he consumes a parfait consisting of yogurt, protein powder, and granola.
- Yogurt
- Protein Powder
- Granola
Total Daily Macros:
- Protein: 350-360g
- Carbs: 1,100g
- Fat: 100-120g
- Calories: ~6,700 calories
Watch the full video here:
Related: Strongest Man on Earth Mitchell Hooper Breaks Down His Peptide Stack
Mitchell Hooper has a very busy schedule ahead of him. He will first try to secure his fourth Arnold Strongman Classic title but will then also try to reclaim the top spot at the 2026 World’s Strongest Man. Once he completes both competitions, Mitchell Hooper will make his way to Las Vegas, where he will battle Hafthor Bjornsson for the Deadlift World Record at the 2026 Enhanced Games. So, his diet definitely has to be perfect in order to allow him to pursue all of his goals for the season.
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