Donald Trump reportedly indulges in an unusual fast food-heavy diet, complete with a copious intake of Diet Coke.
The 78 year old former President, eyeing another stint in the Oval Office with the US election on November 5, jokingly claimed he could reach 200 years if he wasn’t partial to a bit of fast food. His preference for a greasy meal was made evident when he served up a fast food feast from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King at a state dinner.
The erstwhile leader is also known to drink around 12 cans of Diet Coke daily. Ex-campaign chief Corey Lewandowski revealed Trump had a White House button just for his soda calls.
According to Lewandowski, Trump could sometimes skip eating for up to 16 hours, a habit the politician himself disclosed in a Fox News interview with Jesse Walters back in 2016.
Trump mentioned: “If I can, I’ll avoid breakfast. In terms of that, I will have a lunch but my big thing is dinner. Breakfast, Jesse, if I can avoid it, I’m very happy to do that.”, reports Gloucestershire Live.
Lewandowski further asserted that aboard Air Force One during Trump’s presidency, the menu essentially comprised “McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, pizza, and Diet Coke.”
Standing 6ft 3in tall, Trump’s weight was publicised as 239lb, or about 17 stone, by the White House back in 2018, where it was also conveyed that he received the all-clear health-wise, notwithstanding suggestions to increase his exercise regime.
So, bearing all that in mind, I had to wonder if myself, a 32 year old journalist, could survive a day mirroring the diet of the Republican presidential hopeful. This is my experience.
For breakfast, although Trump has admitted he’s not big on the morning meal, occasionally ditching it for a can of Diet Coke, he does indulge now and then. On his breakfast preference, he has told Fox: “My favourite would be bacon and eggs…bacon medium and the eggs over-well.”
With this information, I decided on bacon and eggs as well. I accompanied these with a can of the much-favoured Diet Coke by Trump, which felt rather out of place at 5.15am on a Wednesday.
Choosing streaky bacon seemed more fitting for a President than the medallion types I usually prefer. And for clarity, ‘easy over-well’ refers to the eggs being fried on both sides until the yolk is thoroughly cooked.
It wasn’t an awful way to begin the day. Perhaps the egg’s consistency was a bit contentious for my taste.
Yet, it wasn’t vastly different from my usual scrambled eggs although I thoroughly missed my customary morning coffees, especially after waking up at the crack of dawn to let the dog out; the Diet Coke simply didn’t suffice.
Come lunchtime, Trump is known to enjoy a meatloaf sandwich. Alternatively, he opts for steak, well-done, slathered in ketchup, alongside a side salad.
I hesitated on the idea of preparing meatloaf. I might have tried, but as the song almost goes, ‘I would do anything for journalism, but I won’t do that’.
Even sourcing a premade one proved equally daunting.
So, I opted for a steak. I can’t confirm if Trump pops to his local supermarket before taking his dog for a stroll to pick up a 12 pack of Diet Coke and a £2.99 steak – but that’s what I found myself doing.
Initially, the idea of a well-done steak was horrifying surely it should be rare or medium rare?
However, Trump is known to prefer his steak cooked until it starts to curl up.
The first thing I noticed was the lengthy cooking time. Normally, I’d toss a steak in the pan, cook it a bit, flip it, and voila.
But instead, I found myself waiting an age until it finally felt solid enough to potentially be used as a weapon.
Consuming the meat was equally challenging. Having to chew on a slice until my jaw hurt before swallowing it was far from enjoyable.
The experience was made even worse when I realised I had no tomato sauce to fully replicate the Trump lunch.
Dinner.
Trump’s dinner consists of two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish and a small milkshake. That’s over 2,100 calories worth of Maccies.
Unsurprised now at his decision to often skip lunch, I was faced with a mountain of McDonald’s food.
Figuring out how to tackle this colossal meal was a task in itself. I decided eating the Filet O’ Fish, Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, Big Mac in that order would provide some variety.
In fact, the first Filet-O-Fish was a pleasant surprise. I’m not a regular McDonald’s customer, but it brought back a wave of 90s nostalgia, reminding me of childhood birthday parties with the Hamburglar in a party room in Crewe.
However, the Big Mac that followed was a different story. With its hefty 590 calories, it is, quite rightly, a meal in itself.
Straight away, I found it tough. The Filet-O-Fish had left me feeling good, but I knew immediately that this was where the real test began.
It felt like a slog to get through so much meat after the initial burger.
Despite the struggle with the Big Mac, I managed to finish off the second Filet-O-Fish, using it almost as a palate cleanser. But the second Big Mac was a real battle.
Each mouthful made me wonder how Trump manages to consume this much meat at once.
I persevered, wondering if I would end up being sick on my laptop later, only to be faced with another hurdle – a chocolate milkshake. I may have cheated slightly here, as when the paper straw inevitably fell apart, I switched to a spoon.
Not exactly presidential, perhaps, but it helped me complete Trump’s dinner routine.
Defeated by Diet Coke.
Trump’s 12 Diet Cokes equate to roughly four litres a day. To tackle this, I devised a plan, dividing the day into sections: four in the morning, four in the afternoon and four in the evening.
However, my day-to-day activities interfered, and by 11am I was already lagging behind in my Diet Coke consumption after a routine trip out for errands. This left me playing catch-up to make it through to lunchtime.
In reality, despite lining them up next to me as I worked, hoping I’d casually sip away at the cans, I never truly bounced back from it. With each can, the task became more challenging as the day wore on.
A formidable volume of liquid remained as the day advanced. I had hoped that a run, with four cans left and having finished work, would help me finish them off, but simply put, it wasn’t meant to be, and with three cans left, I had to concede defeat.
How did I feel after eating like Trump?
I like to think I generally maintain a healthy diet and stay active. But I felt like my body was undernourished, my movements felt lethargic and I felt bloated throughout the day.
And while I do enjoy the occasional Coke Zero, it was certainly a struggle trying to consume 12 Diet Cokes in a day. Nothing against the beverage, whatever your opinions on a diet soda-type drink are, but nearly four litres of Diet Coke in a day was excessive.
Having to consume such a colossal quantity of drinks as well as a 2,100 calorie dinner was almost unbearable.
According to reports, Trump has even been known to snack on Doritos or crisps as well. I’m not sure I could have managed that.
In the end, I was left feeling defeated by Trump’s diet, with his favourite Coca-Colas sitting on my desk, taunting me as I failed.
So how does Trump’s diet stack up against Kamala Harris?
According to TikToker Cooking with Congress, Kamala Harris’s diet is a world away from her political rival. The Democrat reportedly kicks off her day with raisin bran and almond milk, accompanied by a green tea.
Lunchtime sees her tucking into curd rice – an Indian dish – served with pomegranate, coriander, green chilli, coconut oil, and spices. She’s also a fan of the North American dish gumbo for dinner.
The Vice President is known to enjoy a Doritos snack and has a sweet tooth, according to the blogger. She regularly indulges in treats like bourbon pecan cake.
But what’s the recommended daily calorie intake for an adult?
The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK provides general guidelines for daily calorie intake. However, individual calorie needs can vary based on factors such as age, gender, body size, and physical activity level.
As a general guideline, the NHS suggests:.
For adult women: around 2,000 calories per day.
For adult men: around 2,500 calories per day.
These figures are aimed at maintaining a healthy weight for the average adult. It’s important to adjust these recommendations based on personal health goals and lifestyle factors.
For specific dietary advice, it’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional.