Hafthor Bjornsson, better known as ‘The Mountain’ from Game of Thrones, has revealed how he maintains his ultra-muscular physique — and it includes eating four steaks and 5lbs of rice per day.
The 35-year-old former World’s Strongest Man who played a bone-crushing character in the hit TV series consumes three meals and three snacks daily, all adding up to 8,000 calories.
The Icelandic native said they are vital to maintain his Herculean frame — with the 6-foot 9-inch strongman weighing in at 423lbs.
While his caloric intake is far from the 2,000 calorie-a-day recommendation for women and 2,500-a-day for men, it is less than the 10,000 daily calories he was eating in 2018 when he took home the title of World’s Strongest Man.
The above graphic shows what Hafthor Bjornsson devours in a single day, which includes four steaks and five pounds of rice
Hafthor Bjornsson pictured in 2019 in New York with his wife Kelsey Henson
Mr Bjornsson’s diet is part of his training regimen for the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic competition, which he has won three times from 2018 to 2020.
Held next month in Columbus, Ohio, the competition sees men transport timbers bolted together up an inclined ramp, carry heavy concrete objects over a four-foot high bar and lift a stone that weighs 410lbs up to their shoulders.
Talking about how he gets through so many calories every day, he said: ‘What helps is that when I eat, I treat this as my work.
‘I stay off my phone… By doing that, I eat my food faster.’
People who eat food faster are more likely to eat more, doctors say — because there is about a 20minute delay between the stomach becoming full and the brain sending out signals to stop eating.
Revealing his daily meal plan in a YouTube video, Bjornsson said every morning begins with three eggs, 1lb of cooked rice, half a cup of strawberries and two cups of milk.
He also has a shake that consists of one cup of orange juice, nearly one cup of Skyr yogurt and half a cup of blueberries.
He then returns to the kitchen for a ‘snack’ of a 4oz steak, nearly two more cups of rice, half a cup of vegetables and an avocado.
He has the same for lunch, skipping the avocado, before washing everything down with another shake without the blueberries.
He also has plenty of water and electrolytes, which come from products including Reign Total Body Fuel. The product contains 300 milligrams of caffeine as well as vital vitamins.
Mr Bjornsson says these are crucial for ensuring his muscles do not cramp, and that there are enough nutrients in his body.
After every meal, he makes sure to do at least 10 minutes of light exercise and a cold plunge, saying this helps with his digestion.
But Mr Bjornsson doesn’t stop there. He then has another ‘snack’ of two cups of milk and a jam and peanut butter sandwich.
He also eats banana slices.
For dinner, he has another 1,369 calories — consisting of one pound of rice, a 5oz steak and half a cup of beans.
Just before bed, he fits in one more snack — another 4oz steak, pound of rice and half a cup of vegetables, as well as half an avocado.
After his day of eating, Mr Bjornsson said: ‘I am feeling satisfied, and I am feeling full.
He added that his extensive menus are prepared by his father Bjorn Reynisson.
On some days, the menu varies slightly — with Mr Bjornsson known to be a fan of ice cream, pizza, burgers and sushi.
Hafthor Bjornsson is pictured above after having finished his breakfast
After breakfast and a quick workout, he returns to the kitchen for a ‘snack’ of a 4oz steak, nearly 2 cups of rice, half a cup of vegetables and an avocado.
Part of his daily routine also includes cold plunges, which can help with reducing inflammation
He added: ‘There’s nothing more boring than eating food you don’t like.’
While he has detailed his intense diet regimen, Mr Bjornsson has not revealed his training routine for the 2024 Arnold Strongman competition.
A personal record he’s achieved as part of his fitness routine includes a 1000lb squat — more than four times what the average man can lift — and a 550lb bench press — or three times that of what the average man.
The strongman suffered a serious injury in April last year, after tearing his pectoral muscles — those in his chest — when he tried to set a new bench press personal best.
He lifted the 556lb weight, but as he was lowering the barbell his pectoral tore — causing a loud popping sound, according to Men’s Health.
The injury was so severe he had to stop working out for nearly three months. He had surgery the following month to repair it, but then suffered an infection as a result — with this leaving a large scar on his chest.
Hafthor Bjornsson is pictured above in Game of Thrones, where he played ‘The Mountain’ that was said to be so strong he could cut a man in two
Mr Bjornsson has been heavily into weight training since he was young and he worked on the family farm with his father.
He was initially on Iceland’s basketball team but, after suffering several ankle injuries, he took up weight lifting in 2006.
Since then, he has won Iceland’s strongman competition for nine consecutive years and held the World’s Strongest Man title in 2018.
He has also won the Arnold Strongman competition three times and Europe’s Strongman competition five times.
