The winner of 28 medals, Michel Phelps is hailed as the most successful and most decorated Olympic athlete of all time. He remains the all-time record holder for the most Olympic gold medals. With such incredible success in the pool, it’s safe to say that Phelps changed competitive swimming forever.
In an appearance on the Jimmy Fallon Show, he said, “The only reason I ever got into the water was my mom wanted me to just learn how to swim. My sisters and I fell in love with the sport, and we decided to swim.” He took to the water like a fish, and thanks to his incredible talent, he went on to become the youngest member of the US swim team in 68 years.
When he was in 6th grade, Phelps was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Swimming was a good outlet for him. Phelps retired from competitive swimming in 2016 with a significant net worth.
Outside of swimming, Michael Phelps is a philanthropist. He launched the Michael Phelps Foundation, which focuses on growing the sport of swimming. He also has the Michael Phelps Swim School, and KidsHealth.org. He’s made several TV appearances and has, in the past, been in the tabloids for his active personal life. Today, Phelps tries to stay out of the spotlight and spends most of his time hanging out with his wife, Nicole Johnson, and son, Boomer.
Wondering what a day in the life of the world’s greatest swimmer is like? Read on for an overview of Michael Phelps’ daily routine.
Inside a day in the life of Michael Phelps
Mornings
Michael Phelps starts his days early, rising at around 6:00 am. After taking care of personal needs, he hits the pool at about 7:00 am and swims for 2 hours. When he gets out of the pool and dries off, he lifts weights for roughly one hour.
When he’s finished his workout routine, Phelps reenergizes himself by grabbing something to eat. A lot of hullabaloo has been made about his 12,000 calories per day diet. However, in an interview with 60 Minutes, the swimmer revealed that he actually eats between 8,000 to 10,000 calories per day (which is still a lot compared to the average). If he didn’t consume this much, he would lose as much as 10 pounds a week, because of his arduous training routine.
Afternoons
At about 12 noon, Michael Phelps takes a midday nap for about an hour. After napping, he attends to obligations, runs errands, takes care of other personal responsibilities, and of course, hangs out with his wife and son.
Now that he’s retired, he also enjoys partaking in some of his favorite activities, which include golf, fishing, and poker.
Evenings
Though he’s retired from competitive swimming, Phelps still loves swimming. So, at about 4 pm, he jumps back into the pool for another swim session, which lasts around 2 hours.
After he’s finished swimming for the day, Phelps has dinner, usually with his family. He usually spends the rest of the evening at home, but on occasion, he’ll hang out with friends.
By about 10:00 pm, he calls it a night and goes to bed.
