麻豆约拍

4,500 calories, 220 grams of protein, a mountain of carbs and hours in the gym - just another day for Paul Olima, body double to some of the biggest sports stars in the world.

Paul features in the latest episode of the All Hail Kale podcast - ‘Is Exercise Insanity?’ - click here to listen and subscribe on 麻豆约拍 Sounds.

"If you’d have told me that a small, skinny footballer from Dublin would ‘become’ the world’s fastest runner, I would never have believed you. My life has certainly been surreal.

"It all started during a sports modelling shoot when a production manager approached me with the question, ‘Would you be Mario Balotelli’s body double?’ Turned out I was exactly the same height and weight as the Man City and Liverpool footballer (now at Brescia). So the next time you see a sports ad or poster with Balotelli, that behind is mine!

"Work as Balotelli’s double soon paved the way for my next sporting role: Usain Bolt."

"The shoots can be long - not for the sports stars though. When I was working with Bolt, he was often on set for no more than two hours whereas I was there for as much as four days at a time. My main role was to help with the pre-lighting - the production team made me stand in different positions and moved the lighting around me to make sure it was perfect for when Bolt came in.

"Growing up in the north Dublin suburb of Clonsilla, I dreamt big. At 19, I relocated to England to try out for West Ham - and then switched to rugby. Things never quite took off on the pro front but life as a fitness influencer and sports model has paved the way for some amazing opportunities.

"I might not be a professional sportsman, but it takes a pretty mental regime to look like an Olympic champion..."

1. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is have a protein shake, followed by a bowl of cereal.

2. By 11:00 it is time for my second breakfast of the day! I usually have a three or four egg omelette followed by a few slices of toast.

3. At 15:00 I finish up at the gym. I always keep a 36g protein shake in my car which keeps me going until I get home to have my lunch. Around an hour after I get back from the gym I have my lunch.

4. By 19:00 - 20:00 I’m starving, so I start to make dinner. I try to include as many carbs as possible. You can never go wrong with pasta but some other favourite meals are peppered steak or salmon and rice. If I’m still hungry after, I sometimes have a pizza. The more carbs the better!

5. Over the course of the day, I can eat up to 4,500 calories. I don’t watch too closely what I eat - though I don’t buy bad food. It’s just about making the right choices. That said, I won’t say no to the odd KFC! For me, the most important thing is my protein levels - I always make sure they are high. I aim for around 220g of protein a day. As long as I hit that target, everything else is more or less irrelevant.

"Away from all the eating, there’s also a lot of gym work. After the two breakfasts, I hit the gym by 12:00 - and usually spend around two to two-and-a-half-hours in there.

"Each day follows a strict regime, focusing on a different set of muscles which I follow in rotation. I have a day for each of the following:

- Chest
- Back
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Shoulders
- … and then back to the chest again.

"The longest I’ve ever gone without going to the gym was seven days and that’s only because I was on holiday! When I’m at home, I can’t go more than three days without any exercise. I find it really affects my mood, I just don’t feel right, I can’t even sleep. The endorphins you get from leaving the gym, especially if you make the lift - I leave with the biggest smile on my face."

"I’ve been lifting weights for around 18 years now, and it’s gotten to the point where I don’t really care anymore about how I look, I just want to keep lifting heavier and heavier weights.

"It’s no longer about physical appearance - I think I outgrew that mentality in my twenties. I don’t look at myself in the mirror any more like I used to - I could look like a potato for all I care! As long as I keep lifting heavy weights, I’m happy."

"Recently, I’ve become fixated on achieving a 400kg deadlift, as well as working towards my other goal of an Olympic lift. The only problem is that now I am getting too big to be Usain Bolt.

"My latest body double role is boxing champion, Anthony Joshua. I’m not sure I’ll ever get bigger than him - I like a challenge though. In the meantime, someone else might have to be Mario’s backside!"

To hear the full episode of ‘Is Exercise Insanity?’, listen to the All Hail Kale podcast on 麻豆约拍 Sounds.