Have you ever wondered what it would be like to consume 10,000 calories in a single day? The infamous 10,000 calorie challenge has taken the internet by storm over the past few years, with fitness enthusiasts, competitive eaters, and content creators pushing their digestive systems to the limit. But what actually happens to your body when you consume five times the recommended daily caloric intake?
Is it as fun as it looks? And what are the real physical consequences?
In this post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the 10,000 calorie challenge – from what motivates people to attempt it, to meal planning strategies, and the surprising science behind how your body processes such an enormous caloric surplus.
What Exactly Is the 10,000 Calorie Challenge?
The 10,000 calorie challenge is exactly what it sounds like – consuming 10,000 calories within a 24-hour period. To put that in perspective, the average adult needs around 2,000-2,500 calories per day, meaning this challenge requires eating approximately four to five times the normal recommended intake.
The challenge originated on YouTube and other social media platforms, where fitness influencers and bodybuilders would document their epic cheat days. Since then, it has evolved into a popular internet challenge with thousands of videos showing people attempting to conquer this caloric mountain.
As one YouTuber who completed the challenge put it: “I felt like I could do another one of those Nutella things… I should totally just try to keep pounding.” The enthusiasm usually fades quickly as the challenge progresses.
The Science Behind Consuming 10,000 Calories
What actually happens in your body when you consume such a massive caloric surplus? The science is fascinating and somewhat surprising.
Fat Storage vs. Glycogen Storage
When you consume excess calories, your body does several things with them:
- Glycogen storage: When you’re depleted of glycogen (stored carbohydrates), your body can store significant amounts of carbohydrates without converting them to fat. One study found that when subjects were put in a 50% caloric surplus from carbs, only about 10% of excess calories were stored as fat in the first 24 hours.
- Direct fat storage: Dietary fat, however, is much more efficiently stored as body fat. The same study found that when the surplus came from fat, about 60% of excess calories were stored as fat within 24 hours.
- Increased thermogenesis: Your body actually increases its calorie burning in response to overeating. This process, called adaptive thermogenesis, can burn off some of the excess calories as heat.
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As one fitness expert explains: “The thermic effect of food, especially protein, will increase your energy expenditure. My estimated total daily energy expenditure is roughly 3,000 calories, so subtracting that from 10,000 calories leaves a 7,000 calorie surplus. Taking into account increased thermogenesis, we’re probably looking at storing around 0.5-0.6 pounds of fat from a one-day surplus.”
Short-Term Weight Gain Reality
After a 10,000 calorie challenge, you might see the scale jump by 3-5 pounds or more, but this is mostly:
- Water weight: For every gram of carbohydrate stored, your body retains approximately 3-4 grams of water
- Undigested food: The sheer volume of food is still making its way through your digestive system
- Sodium retention: Most challenge foods are high in sodium, causing water retention
The actual fat gain from a single day of extreme overeating is typically less than a pound, despite the massive caloric intake.
Popular Foods for a 10,000 Calorie Challenge
Based on many documented challenges, here are some of the most common foods people choose when attempting to hit 10,000 calories:
Breakfast Options
- Loaded oatmeal: “I started with a cup and a half of oats, brown sugar, and a pack and a half of beef bacon,” reported one challenger.
- Stacked pancakes: Often with butter, syrup, whipped cream, and chocolate chips
- Fast food breakfast sandwiches: Multiple egg and cheese sandwiches from McDonald’s or other chains
- Cereal with whole milk: “Two servings of crave cereal with a cup of milk” is a common starter
Main Meals
- Pizza: A large pizza can provide 2,000-3,000 calories
- Burgers and fries: Multiple fast food combo meals
- Fried chicken: “KFC just has one of the best chicken sandwiches out there,” mentioned one challenger
- Taco Bell: “A crunchwrap, cheesy gordita crunch, and multiple tacos”
Snacks and Desserts
- Ice cream: Ben & Jerry’s pints are particularly popular
- Donuts: “An assorted dozen Krispy Kreme donuts”
- Cookies and brownies: “Pillsbury cookies” and other similar treats
- Peanut butter: Often eaten straight from the jar or in shakes
- Nutella: “I was going to do this too… it’s another 180 calories”
Beverages
- Milkshakes: “We mixed up a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, tablespoon of Nutella, and maple syrup… it actually comes to 2,580 calories”
- Eggnog lattes: Seasonal but extremely calorie-dense
- Soda: Usually consumed with fast food meals
One challenger shared their strategy: “I know myself. I got to stimulate. The more I start to eat consistently, the more hungry I’ll get. That’s why intermittent fasting works so well for me.”
Real Physical Effects of the 10,000 Calorie Challenge
Those who’ve completed the challenge report several common physical effects:
Immediate Effects (0-24 hours)
- Extreme fullness: “You know it’s bad when you’re taking short, shallow breaths out of your mouth.”
- Digestive discomfort: “I literally woke up at like 3:00 a.m. feeling just horrible.”
- Energy fluctuations: Initial sugar highs followed by crashes
- Bloating: “I feel like I’m 20 months pregnant right now.”
- Increased body temperature: Due to the thermic effect of processing so much food
Next-Day Effects (24-48 hours)
- Disrupted sleep: “I came down here pacing back and forth, then the feeling just wouldn’t go away.”
- Water retention: “I’m down like 7 lb since last night” (after the body processes the excess water)
- Digestive issues: Often continuing into the next day
- Decreased appetite: “I actually woke up not even hungry.”
Mental Effects
- Flavor fatigue: “When you’re in the state of extreme flavor fatigue, you got to resort to things that you love.”
- Psychological impact: “I thought I could eat forever, but now I don’t even want to look at food.”
- Sense of accomplishment: “I’m still pretty proud that I successfully did it.”
The 10,000 Calorie Challenge vs. Athletic Performance
Interestingly, many fitness enthusiasts attempt this challenge, and some even pair it with extreme exercise.
One ambitious YouTuber combined his 10-day, 10,000-calorie-per-day challenge with:
- Riding 100 miles on his bike every day
- Running a half marathon each day
- Donating money to charity for each mile completed
He noted: “My calorie expenditure was very very high during this challenge and I still gained weight… probably about 3 pounds realistically.”
This approach highlights an important point – even with extreme levels of exercise, consuming 10,000 calories consistently will lead to weight gain. Professional athletes like Michael Phelps who reportedly consumed similar amounts did so because their training demanded it, not as a challenge.
Tips for Attempting the 10,000 Calorie Challenge
If you’re determined to try this challenge (which we don’t necessarily recommend), here are some strategies from those who’ve succeeded:
- Start early: Begin eating as soon as you wake up to give yourself the full day
- Liquid calories: Include calorie-dense shakes and beverages
- Plan your meals: Map out what you’ll eat in advance to ensure you hit your target
- Calorie density: Choose high-calorie, low-volume foods like nut butters, oils, and fatty foods
- Exercise before: Some report that a morning workout increases appetite
- Space out meals: “You got to eat what you crave” – listen to your body’s hunger signals throughout the day
- Digestive support: “I tried some new things the week before… a shot or two of apple cider vinegar, taking a different probiotic, and some other different digestion strategies, and I feel like it really did help out a lot.”
Why People Attempt the 10,000 Calorie Challenge
The motivations behind attempting such an extreme eating challenge vary widely:
- Content creation: Most participants document their experience for YouTube or social media
- Testing physical limits: Similar to athletic challenges
- Celebrating milestones: “This is something that I was initially going to do on my channel when I hit 10,000 subscribers.”
- Scientific curiosity: Some approach it as a personal experiment
- Post-competition refeeds: Bodybuilders often dramatically increase calories after competitions
Is It Dangerous to Eat 10,000 Calories in a Day?
For most healthy individuals, a single day of extreme overeating is unlikely to cause lasting harm. However, there are potential risks:
- Gallbladder stress: The organ may struggle to produce enough bile to process so much fat
- Blood sugar issues: Massive carbohydrate intake can cause extreme blood glucose fluctuations
- Digestive distress: “That story I told… about regurgitating… that actually happened and I haven’t done that in over 10 years.”
- Psychological impact: Can potentially trigger disordered eating patterns in susceptible individuals
Medical professionals generally advise against such extreme caloric challenges, especially for those with existing health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or digestive disorders.
The Aftermath: Recovery From a 10,000 Calorie Day
Most challengers report that their bodies naturally regulate hunger following an extreme day of eating:
- Decreased appetite: “I’m not even hungry and it tastes good. That’s how you know it’s really good food.”
- Increased water intake: Helps flush excess sodium
- Return to normal eating: “You don’t really have to deliberately reduce calories the next few days – your body will naturally want less food.”
- Exercise: Many find that light movement helps with digestion and bloating
One fitness expert noted: “How much of the fat gain is permanent from this challenge? I think the simple answer is none of it, or well, at least it depends on how you eat in the coming days. The body is in a constant state of either anabolism or catabolism, so imposing a sufficient caloric deficit in the days following would offset the fat gain.”
Beyond the One-Day Challenge: Extended High-Calorie Experiments
Some content creators have taken the concept even further. One YouTuber documented eating 10,000 calories every day for 10 consecutive days, noting: “This is going to be the longest food challenge that I’ve ever attempted to do.”
The results were predictable but still fascinating:
- Significant weight gain (though less than theoretical calculations would predict)
- Digestive adaptation: “A lot of those mornings were brutal”
- Flavor fatigue: “You got to resort to things that you love”
- Exercise as mitigation: Attempting to offset some calories through extreme activity
Conclusion: Is the 10,000 Calorie Challenge Worth It?
After reviewing countless experiences and the science behind this extreme eating challenge, the consensus seems to be that it’s an interesting experiment, but not one without consequences.
As one challenger put it: “I found this very challenging, but I’m glad that I finished it.” Another more bluntly stated: “I would never want to actually eat 10,000 calories like I did in this video every single day.”
Whether you’re curious about the challenge from a fitness perspective, scientific interest, or pure entertainment, the 10,000 calorie challenge demonstrates the remarkable resilience of the human body – but also its limits. If you do attempt it, proceed with caution, listen to your body, and perhaps have some digestive aids ready for the aftermath.
