Nutrition is probably a big factor (if you do not have enough of it) but yes probably not in the way some people think of it, specially for a 6 foot 5 kids that play sports, the giant caloric intake is something they absolutely need and is something hard to do (and can even hurt you) if you try to get it without what some people think has being junk food.
That was Micheal Phelps usual day of eating when training:
- Three fried-egg sandwiches with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayonnaise.
- Two cups of coffee.
- - One five-egg omelette.
- - One bowl of porridge.
- - Three slices of sugar coated French toast.
- - Three chocolate-chip pancakes.
- - Half a kg of pasta.
- - Two large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayonnaise on white bread
- - Energy drinks that supplied him with another 1,000 calories.
- - Half a kg of pasta
- - An entire pizza
- - More energy drinks.
Not sure the 1,000 calorie powder shake athlete have access now were mainstream in the 80s.
I club sandwich with fries would not look out of place at all in there I think.