Long gone are the days of Brian Shaw consuming 15,000 calories and competing for World’s Strongest Man (WSM) titles. But even though he doesn’t need to fuel up to pull planes or hoist Atlas Stones, the legendary strongman still eats far more than the average human being.
Like any performance-focused athlete, Shaw has adjusted his nutrition to support his new sporting endeavor: arm wrestling. In a YouTube video published on Nov. 7, 2024, the four-time WSM champion shared a full day of eating as he prepares to face Eddie Hall at King of The Table 13 on Dec. 14, 2024.
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A Full Day of Eating With Brian Shaw
What does an aspiring arm wrestler eat to compete against massive men with behemoth biceps? Here’s a rundown of the six meals Shaw consumed in a single day.
Meal One
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
- 2 rounded scoops of whey isolate protein
Shaw started his day with a shake that delivered about 50 grams of protein and a serving of frozen blueberries for a low-sugar source of carbohydrates.
Meal Two
- 6 whole eggs, plus the equivalent of 6 egg whites (just under 1 cup)
- 8 baby carrots
- 3 pieces of sourdough bread with raspberry spread
According to his nutrition plan from coach Nathan Payton, Shaw’s second meal must include each of the following: a protein source, a carbohydrate source, and a veggie.
- “It is a lot of variety, so I never get bored of my diet,” he explained.
Between six whole eggs and about one cup of egg whites, Shaw was able to add roughly 60-70 grams of protein in a single sitting. Meanwhile, sourdough bread topped with raspberry jam represented a bit of a “treat” for the big man.
Meal Three
- 20 ounces of steak and broccoli
- 2 cups of white rice
Proving that it is possible to stay on track while dining out, Shaw took a trip to Wahoo’s Fish Taco for lunch. Not only did he order clean foods, but he also brought his food scale for accountability and accuracy. Although he went a little over his 16-ounce portion of meat, Shaw wasn’t too worried about it since the extra weight likely came from the broccoli he threw in the bowl.
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Meal Four
- 12 ounces of grass-fed bison
- 1 cup of green beans
- 20 frozen grapes
Unlike his 10,000-calorie strongman diet that included plenty of pasta and carb-heavy meals, Shaw’s scaled things back quite a bit. Per his coach’s instructions, he chose one protein source, one veggie, and one fruit.
Sticking with the simple approach, Shaw went with grass-fed bison and green beans—something that resembles more of a bodybuilding meal prep than a strongman feast. Just like his blueberries, Shaw has an affinity for grapes in their frozen form.
“It’s like a dessert with this meal,” he explained.
Meal Five
- 16 ounces of brisket
- 1 bag of organic sweet potato fries
- Green beans
Shaw’s penultimate meal included homemade brisket, an entire bag of organic sweet potato fries, and another serving of green beans. He acknowledged he’s had to get used to eating large quantities of meat at lunch and dinner.
“I’ve definitely been having to adjust to it a little bit more because it’s a bigger portion than I have been eating,” Shaw explained. “Nathan threw it out there for a reason — we’re trying to maximize performance.“
Meal Six
- 2 scoops of collagen peptides
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
The Colorado native capped his day with collagen peptides to help with inflammation and muscle recovery. Of course, his final meal also included a third serving of frozen blueberries and a vote of self-confidence about his impending arm wrestling debut.
“Power is definitely going up, and I’m going to put that on display in December.”
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Featured Image: @shawstrength / Instagram
