Western Force star Carlo Tizzano’s 8000 calorie diet offers a window into the world of rugby nutrition

For the average Australian, the consumption of 8000 calories represents approximately four days’ worth of eating — but for Western Force star and Wallabies loose forward Carlo Tizzano, it is all in a day’s work. Gluttony may be one of the seven deadly sins, but a five-meal day is necessary for the 102kg flanker, to provide him with the mass and muscle to adequately protect him from the heavy physical blows he both receives and delivers. Breakfast for the loose forward comprises of 4-6 eggs, yoghurt and fruit toast with butter before his pre-training routine involving a coffee, muesli bar, high-carbohydrate training gel and peach cup. Post-training comes lunch, which often contains more than 1000 calories and some, or all, of: pasta, potatoes, meat, salad and protein-heavy banana bread or more yoghurt. A jumbo-sized afternoon snack doubles as a second lunch prior to a generous serving of dinner, packed with protein and carbs. But while the daily buffet may seem like a gourmand’s dream, Tizzano is quick to nip the notion in the bud. “People say it must be so good be able to eat so much all the time; not really, it’s actually a massive chore,” Tizzano told The West Australian. “You have to be so organised, constantly thinking about ‘what am I going to eat next?’ “Even at night, I’m absolutely cooked from the training day and I need to have my protein shake before bed — and that’s about 1500 calories.” When the WA product was knocking on the door of a Wallabies call-up in 2024, coach Joe Schmidt told the then-94kg forward he needed to bulk up to triple digits. Tizzano not only hit the gym, but also upped his macros to put on 7kg over a four-week spell. “The biggest thing was doubling all my serve sizes and reducing the amount of running I was doing, the amount of energy I was burning during the day,” he said. So why the need for such an excessive, unrelenting intake? “All players need to possess a high degree of lean mass and be able to withstand frequent collisions in training and games,” Western Force club dietitian and nutritionist Sophie Foreman said. Foreman works with players to plot out a tailored nutrition plan, taking in advice from their high performance staff to map out a culinary attack which factors in players’ dietary requirements, lifestyle, travel schedule and budget. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, Foreman said 8000-calorie diets were not unusual given rugby’s high physical demands, particularly during heavy training blocks or in pre-season. “Sometimes nutrition plans can be limited and short-lived. Empowering players with the education and understanding around how to work outside a plan and that their needs change across pre-season, for games, whilst on the road and across the season, is more powerful,” she said. Foreman said while protein was a common denominator for all rugby players to preserve muscle mass and aid recovery alongside fruit and vegetables, diets were also position-specific. “Forwards tend to have greater muscle mass and are involved in more physical collisions, scrummaging, and ruck contests. They generally require a higher overall calorie intake to meet their workload and support recovery, aiming for at least 2g of protein per kg of body weight per day. “Backs are typically leaner and rely more on speed, agility and repeated sprint efforts. Their overall energy needs are still high and it’s critical they also fuel and refuel adequately, particularly with carbohydrates to maintain performance across high-intensity efforts.” While a well-oiled nutrition plan eases the weekly grind, it snaps into sharp focus on game-day eve, with players encouraged to increase their carbohydrate intake. “Players often don’t realise the importance of this window and can worry about overeating and feeling too full,” Foreman said. “It could be as simple as prioritising snacks, incorporating liquid carbohydrate rich drinks, reducing fibre or switching protein rich meals and snacks in favour of carbohydrate-rich meal choices.” On match-day, Foreman advises players to opt for familiar, well-tolerated foods. “If nerves are a problem, then it’s a matter of working around that and incorporating foods and liquids that are well tolerated, she said. “Timing and meals are dependent around the kick-off time but the focus is on easy-to-digest carbohydrates, lower fibre and fat and less focus on protein. “Generally the pre-game meal is consumed 3-4 hours before kick-off to allow time for digestion and reduce the risk of nausea, bloating and fullness. “Appetite is often blunted post-match and players struggle to consume food straight away. Liquid-based options such as chocolate milk and protein shakes are a great way to kick-start recovery. “Getting the calories back in with appealing flavours and foods is a priority. Often handheld items and finger food, burgers, sushi, pizza are a popular choice.” The incessant intake has its drawbacks; Tizzano admitted food occupied his thoughts and constant grocery runs take their toll on his wallet. “After training I struggle to eat, so that’s probably the biggest battle I have: post-training or post game, getting enough food in me,” he said. “If you miss a meal, you’re playing catch up constantly, and you end up over-eating. It can be quite a vicious cycle. “In a season when you’re travelling and your body’s all bashed up, all you want to do is put your feet up and chill – but then you end up cooking for an hour.” Tizzano, whose mother is also a nutritionist, was also eager to not glamorise the seemingly never-ending food and drink he consumes. The Butterfly Foundation’s 2024 report found 27 per cent of the 1.1m Australians who live with an eating disorder were 19-years-old or younger. “It is very scary. You have to be careful with what you tell people, what you put out there because people believe anything they see online these days,” Tizzano said. “It’s super important to be well-educated around that, and more parents to be educated on it, to make sure they can help their kids out.” But while there is a lot on Tizzano’s plate — physically, mentally and financially — when it comes to his diet, it is a price worth paying. “Nutrition is your fuel. You don’t put 91 in a Ferrari,” he said.