Chow Down Like Michael

Fueling up for a tough workout is necessary for any athlete. But for Olympic swimming phenomenon Michael Phelps the “adequate calories” factor has been taken one step above. OK, make that six times above the typical amount of 2,000 calories required for the average man to keep moving throughout the day.
 
Phelps, 23, has a definite caloric recipe for success. He eats 12,000 calories a day and lives by a “eat, sleep, swim” strategy.
 
Take a peek at his daily menu and you might think his food requirements resemble that of a member from Overeaters Anonymous rather than one of the world’s greatest athletes.
 
Phelps, who currently holds 11 gold medals—more than any athlete in history—kicks off his day with three fried-egg sandwiches topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise. But he’s not done yet: He follows that up with two cups of coffee, a five-egg omelet, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast with powdered sugar and three chocolate chip pancakes.
 
All this food fuels him through 17 matches during the nine days he is in Beijing, and he trains to compete five hours a day, six days a week. So, food shoveling is the name of the game, and lunch and dinner are both also 4,000 calories each, including two pounds of pasta, energy drinks and a whole pizza.
 
We want to know: What do you do to fuel up for a workout? If you could compete in the Olympics, what would be your game of choice?  [The New York Post]