Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson might be one of the most recognisable faces in Hollywood, known for drawing in a crowd to the theatre for action films that have a knack for making sizeable profits and spawning any number of spin-off franchises. But if there’s one thing The Rock is known for outside of his bankable action-star career, it’s his penchant for gruelling gym workouts and even more punishing cheat meals.
Often taking to Instagram to share the latter, the Rock’s Cheat Day meals are something to behold. Where his gym workouts might have many questioning if they too could achieve the same in the gym, the reaction is similar when it comes to what he sticks on a fork. Though his recent role in DC’s Black Adam saw him stick to a clean diet of protein-rich meals between 5,000 and 7,000 calories a day to maintain his impressive physique and bulk-up, his cheat days would involve scarfing down upwards of 10,000 calories in indulgent meal form. From pizza, to sushi, French toast and pancakes, the list goes on.
But where one cheat day meal is a big enough challenge for anyone, YouTube star Brandon William decided it would make for entertaining viewing to eat like Johnson on cheat day, taking on a menu of six of the actor’s go-to treats. With the help of his friend Adam, the pair select six of the actor’s cheat meals and put them on a spinning wheel, selecting at random and then eating the choices at each mealtime until they hit the 10,000 calorie mark.
For the challenge, William first has to eat a stack of 12 buttermilk pancakes with syrup. He struggles after just a few thousand calories, calling into question his ability to push through the rest of the challenge. “This is going to be a tough challenge,” he says. The second meal then consists of double cheeseburgers with bacon and fires. Both guys have worked up something of an appetite by this stage after tackling one of Johnson’s back workouts, but they make the mistake of ordering their burgers at a restaurant renowned for its large portions.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to eat anything else today, I’m so full,” says William, forcing down the last of his burger. At this point they’ve reached 6,000 calories, with just one more of Johnson’s cheat meals to go. William lets his Instagram followers decide the last meal, settling on four pizzas. Unfortunately, William and Adam are so full by this point that they’re unable to finish the pizzas and take no enjoyment in eating at all – something that speaks volumes of Johnson’s cheat day meals and the punishing toll they take on the stomach.
“It’s insane that The Rock would have all this by himself in a day,” says William. “That actually shocks me.”
