Wesley Vissers, the Dutch bodybuilder, placed second at the 2025 Detroit Pro. After the event, he had a huge cheat day, eating more than 11,000 calories. This served as a mental and physical reset for him before to rigorous training.
“I’’m not trying to stay shredded for Instagram anymore,” Vissers explained. “We’re going to train like real bodybuilders again, which means eating big to get big.”
Vissers decided not to compete in any more shows this year. He came close to winning at the Arnold Classic (losing to Mike Sommerfeld) and the Detroit Pro. Instead of pushing himself through the season, he chose to rest and improve his weaknesses. He plans to return stronger in 2026.
“This break helps me reset,” Vissers said. “I want to get bigger, build a stronger physique, and be ready for a full competition.”
A Cheat Day for Muscle Gain
This recovery-led training block began with Vissers eating his way through a day that featured including donuts, pancakes, Turkish food, and Dairy Queen. He consumed more than 11,000 calories that day.
He gained about 17 lbs (8kg), going from 257 pounds to 272.7 pounds. He says that most of this weight is water. “It’s easy to eat too much when you have fast food – calories add up quickly because it’s cheap and convenient.”
Here’s a Look at Vissers’ Full-Day Feast
Breakfast (Rounds 1 & 2 + Dessert)
Honey Glazed Donut
Buttercream-Filled Donut
Chocolate Donut
Dutch Crown Donut
Mini Cinnabon
Cinnamon Beignets
Slider Buns
French Fries
Coffee (2 cups)
Pancake trio: Cinnamon Glazed, Apple Crumble, Nutella Banana
Lunch (Turkish Meal)
Balloon Bread and Dips (hummus, tahini, baba ganoush)
Half a Chicken
Grilled Vegetables
Golden Rice
Dinner (Dairy Queen)
Cheeseburger
Oreo Fudge Brownie Blizzard
Despite hitting nearly 2,000 calories at Dairy Queen alone, Wesley admitted he could have kept eating.
“I felt fuller before going to Dairy Queen than after… I ate almost 2,000 calories there and still had room.
The Purpose Behind the “Feat”
Even though 11,000 calories seems like a lot, for bodybuilders like Vissers, this type of refeeding is planned. After weeks of strict dieting, the body runs out of energy stores – glycogen, fluid, and fat. Eating more calories helps restore balance in hormones and starts muscle growth.
“Moving from being very lean to full size is part of the plan,” Vissers explained. “You can’t build muscle while you’re restricting calories. This was also a mental reset.”
A Reality Check About Fast Food
Besides the enjoyable aspect, Vissers used this cheat day to talk about how calorie-dense foods can be dangerous.
“These foods are cheap, tasty, and you don’t realize how many calories you’re eating. That’s the problem.”
Lessons for Everyday Lifters
Even though this level of calorie intake isn’t right for everyone, there are important things to remember for regular gym-goers:
– Don’t be afraid to eat when you’re trying to build muscle – food is what fuels your body.
– Carefully track how many calories you eat during refeeding periods so you stay focused on your goals.
– Choose healthy foods after a cheat day to avoid falling back into unhealthy habits.
– Pay attention to changes in water weight—a short-term gain doesn’t mean you’ll permanently gain fat.
Related:
How Cheat Meals Help You Lose Weight
