Before flexing his muscles in movies like Terminator and Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger was already in the bodybuilding game. He made bodybuilding what it is today because it used to be all about looking good, and Arnie’s body was totally suitable for it, even by today’s standards.
When the Olympia contest kicked off in 1965, it became the big shot in town because of Schwarzenegger. In the contest, the Austrian Oak snagged 14 world titles, including a cool seven Mr. Olympias.
In bodybuilding, it’s all about pumping up those muscles with high-volume workouts and intense sweat sessions — that comes with a super strict diet. But Arnie has a different approach. He believed in following a diet, but it wasn’t always the hardcore route like most bodybuilders take.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Used to Gobble Entire Cherry Pie Before a Competition
There was a time when Arnold Schwarzenegger used to eat everything he could get his hands on. He told Men’s Health about his younger self and how he used to eat an entire cherry pie before a competition. The actor went on to say:
“Anything that’s in the kitchen sink. Anything you can find on the kitchen floor. Just scrape it up, put it in there, and I will love it. I wasn’t always health-conscious.”
According to Joe Fazer, the Terminator star used to load up on a whopping 4,000 to 5,000 calories daily, a big chunk of it coming from animal proteins.
The diet surely helped him rock his physique on stage, but it wasn’t so great for his health as he got older. So, now Arnie has taken a different route and committed to a plant-based diet, which includes his protein intake.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is Now Embracing a Plant-Based Diet for a Healthier Lifestyle
Arnold Schwarzenegger is rough and tough, even in his 70’s. What’s his secret? He believes in hard work as he says:
“You have to work out harder. You have to do more cardiovascular training, more stretching, more warming up for the scenes. But, I noticed that anything is possible if you prep the right way.”
The star is also now saving animals and has fully embraced a plant-based eating style. No more downing 10 to 15 eggs daily like he used to in Terminator days. He eats more oatmeal, greens, vegetables, and healthy foods, as he explained in an interview with Men’s Health:
“I stay away more from the meats and more from animal products, and animal proteins, because there was this misconception that that’s the only way you get big and strong, so now I back off that and I feel much better.”
Arnie continued:
“So the key thing is not to rely on the supplements as much as you rely on good food. Natural food, a lot of greens, a lot of fruits, and a lot of really good proteins.”
And when it comes to a little treat, Schwarzenegger takes his “secret protein drink” — a German drink called Radler — a blend of lemonade and beer.
Source: Men’s Health, Joe Fazer
