Reigning three-time Arnold Strongman Classic champ, Strongest Man on Earth, and 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Mitchell Hooper recently shared his nutrient-dense, time-efficient breakfast using only eight ingredients.
Takes about 10 minutes to make and one dish to clean up.
—Mitchell Hooper
Hooper’s 1,200-calorie bulking breakfast follows his simplified approach to nutrition: protein for building muscle, carbohydrates for energy, and fats for joint, hair, and skin health. This balance helps him hit his macronutrient goals without using a stove or oven.
[Related: Be Aware of These 5 Protein Myths]
A Strongman’s Hack for Breakfast
Below are the ingredients Hooper used to make his fast and easy morning shake:
- 2 Packets of Oatmeal
- 1 Tbsp of Smooth Peanut Butter
- 1 Medium Banana
- 3 Cups of 1% Milk
- 2 Scoops of Whey Isolate
- 2 Servings of Creatine
- 2 Ice Cubes
- 2 Tbsp Honey
Total Macros
- Calories: 1,200
- Protein: 85 Grams
- Carbohydrates: 141 Grams
- Fats: 22 Grams
[Related: Can Creatine Reduce Depression?]
Oatmeal & Peanut Butter
Soluble fiber is often lacking in typical diets, so oatmeal earned its spot in Hooper’s blender. Soluble fibers have been shown to regulate blood sugar, allowing for sustained energy throughout the day. (1) Oatmeal has a low glycemic index and supports digestive health. (2)
Hooper mixed in peanut butter over natural peanut butter, a personal preference, as it’s less messy from the oil separation. It provides him with healthy fats and can aid satiety, making it an easy addition. (3)
Great for calories, great for some fats.
—Mitchell Hooper
[Related: Do You Really Need High Glycemic Carbs Around Your Workout?]
Hitting Protein Goals
Hooper’s breakfast included 85 grams of protein; most came from 1% fat milk and fast-digesting whey isolate. Milk has been shown to help with post-workout recovery, body composition, strength, and power. (4) Whey isolate promotes muscle growth while being low in carbs and fats. (5)
Throw in a couple of scoops, and you’re good to go.
—Mitchell Hooper
Final Steps
One whole banana and two big ice cubes enhance the shake’s texture. Hooper includes two scoops of creatine, which has been widely researched and linked to helping with high-intensity exercise and speeding up strength recovery after training sessions. (6)
Hooper’s final ingredient is farm-sourced honey, but he cautioned that bigger food corporations produce honey of lesser quality, watering down potential benefits like improved immune health. (7) While honey is quite sweet, its combo of complex carbs softens the blood sugar spike by slowing the digestion of simple sugars.
References
- Behall KM, Scholfield DJ, Hallfrisch J. Comparison of hormone and glucose responses of overweight women to barley and oats. J Am Coll Nutr. 2005;24(3):182-188. doi:10.1080/07315724.2005.10719464 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15930484/
- Valido E, Stoyanov J, Bertolo A, et al. Systematic Review of the Effects of Oat Intake on Gastrointestinal Health. J Nutr. 2021;151(10):3075-3090. doi:10.1093/jn/nxab245 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34486656/
- Reis CE, Ribeiro DN, Costa NM, Bressan J, Alfenas RC, Mattes RD. Acute and second-meal effects of peanuts on glycaemic response and appetite in obese women with high type 2 diabetes risk: a randomised cross-over clinical trial. Br J Nutr. 2013;109(11):2015-2023. doi:10.1017/S0007114512004217 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23122211/
- Pourabbas M, Bagheri R, Hooshmand Moghadam B, et al. Strategic Ingestion of High-Protein Dairy Milk during a Resistance Training Program Increases Lean Mass, Strength, and Power in Trained Young Males. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):948. Published 2021 Mar 15. doi:10.3390/nu13030948 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33804259/
- Cooke MB, Rybalka E, Stathis CG, Cribb PJ, Hayes A. Whey protein isolate attenuates strength decline after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010;7:30. Published 2010 Sep 22. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-7-30 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20860817/
- Wax B, Kerksick CM, Jagim AR, Mayo JJ, Lyons BC, Kreider RB. Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 2;13(6):1915. doi: 10.3390/nu13061915. PMID: 34199588; PMCID: PMC8228369. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8228369/
- Palma-Morales M, Huertas JR, Rodríguez-Pérez C. A Comprehensive Review of the Effect of Honey on Human Health. Nutrients. 2023;15(13):3056. Published 2023 Jul 6. doi:10.3390/nu15133056 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37447382/
Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
