Strongman diet secrets

James Fennelly, Ireland’s strongest man, tips the scales at 19 stone. However, he regularly competes against far heavier strong men in international competition, some of whom have a full 10 stone on the Killkennyman.

So how does he keep his weight within the range of a normal, healthy human while still giving himself the sort of brute power needed to compete in his grueling discipline? A big chunk of the secret he believes, is his diet.

“I put away more than the average fella,” says the 26-year-old with a gift for understatement.

• The first meal of James’ day normally consists of a bowl of porridge, a selection of fruit, protein supplements and various vitamins.

• Two hours later comes the second meal of the day – this time it’s scrambled eggs, a tin of sugar free beans, brown or wholegrain bread and a large glass of orange juice.

• For brunch, three hours later, it’s wholegrain pitas with tuna, cheese and tomatoes.

• Lunch would normally consist of a chicken stir fry with brown rice or boiled chicken with potatoes and veg.

• The main evening meal comes after training. It would be made up of steak with more potatoes and vegetables or maybe chicken with noodles.

• The hunger pangs occasionally come knocking some time before bed and James wouldn’t be one to ignore the call. So, super would normally be more tuna and cheese pitas or wholegrain sandwiches along with a bowl of porridge or muesli.

• On top of that, James snacks on various fruits throughout the day, takes protein shakes and other supplements and drinks two litres of water. “Water is key,” he insists. “It’s very important to keep hydrated.”

Fennelly admits that having a diet this complex and extensive involves a major time commitment: “My head is wrecked and it’s especially difficult if I’m working,” he says.

But there is a knack to it: “Preparation is vital. You can’t just go off in the morning without having everything ready so I prepare my meals the night before hand.

“I know exactly what I am going to eat at 12 o’clock and 2’oclock etc. I would have it all set up and ready to go alongside my supplements. You have to be on the ball.”

Fennelly attaches such importance to diet, that he has been known to walk away from training sessions when his food that day hasn’t been properly organised: “I eat every three hours to keep the blood sugar levels up, to make sure I have enough energy for the day.”

He continues, “If I went more than that without eating I would pull out of a training session. I wouldn’t feel mentally right about it. There is no getting away from it – diet is crucial when you’re training.”

Robert Carry

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