Everything in Bauke Hanekom’s life is super-sized, from his physical stature and calorie intakes to the world record he’s attempting to break.

Standing 1.93 m tall and weighing 120 kilos, this personal trainer and gym owner from Cape Town needs serious energy to fuel his body – up to 7,000 calories a day.

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Photo by Dylan Haskin www.dylanhaskin.com

Non-stop lifestyle

I move a lot during the day and I’m constantly on my feet in the gym. I also often join my clients during their training sessions.”

And he’ll tackle any workout, any time. Whether it’s traditional bodybuilding sessions, functional workouts, a sweat fest on the Assault AirBike or callisthenics, Bauke trains up to three times a day.

My approach to training is constantly varied. This ensures I never get into a comfort zone. I love the variety because I hate getting bored. And I am always on the hunt for a new and exciting challenge.”

This desire to keep active stems from Bauke’s active childhood, where he played many different sports.

I participated in rugby, athletics, swimming and biathlon at school and achieved both provincial and national colours. I then entered the health and fitness industry over 10 years ago.”

And don’t think for a second that Bauke sits still when he’s not exercising. “I stay in De Waterkant in Cape Town, which lends itself to an active outdoor lifestyle. If I’m not out swimming, or running on the Sea Point Promenade, you’ll find me hiking or out on the beach.”

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Hunting a world record

But Bauke revels in his on-the-go lifestyle. In fact, he’s even tried to turn it into a world record.

Bauke has completed multiple 24-hour calorie-burning challenges, first for a popular men’s magazine when he tried to burn 10,000 calories.

He then decided to push himself out of his comfort zone by attempting to burn 15,000 calories at his next attempt. Now’s he preparing to tackle the official world record – 20,000 calories in a single day.

Calories in, calories out

Tracking calories is part of my lifestyle. I track my calorie expenditure every day on my Garmin. I make sure that I burn a set number every week depending on my specific goal. I also track my calorie intake.”

When he needs to lean down for a photo shoot or social event, Bauke will create a 500-calorie deficit. His tried-and-trusted approach helps him drop down to a lean 114kg.

He also includes periodic recovery weeks, where he maintains his calorie intake but aims to burn just 5,000 calories a day.

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Photo by Dylan Haskin www.dylanhaskin.com

Instinctive approach

My approach is instinctive. I train hard to push my boundaries but I listen to my body to known when I need a recovery week. Whatever is sore, I rest. If a muscle group doesn’t feel good, then I will train something else, even if that means training legs twice a week, for example.”

Bauke’s weekly workout routine:

  • Monday: Legs
  • Tuesday: Chest
  • Wednesday: Cardio and core
  • Thursday: Shoulders and back
  • Friday: Arms
  • Weekends: Functional training, callisthenics and outdoor cardio.

Supplemental calories

When it comes to physically consuming the vast volume of food he needs every day, Bauke relies a lot on supplements for their convenience.

I’m not too fussed about my macros, I just make sure that I eat sufficient veggies every day and get enough protein to support my muscle mass. I cut out sugar completely when I am trying to lean down.”

The bulk of his nutrition comes from USN supplements due to his busy lifestyle.

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I eat up to 7 USN protein or keto bars a day because it’s a convenient way to get clean calories while I’m constantly on the go.”

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He also drinks a few shakes throughout his day, especially if he feels that he hasn’t had enough calories.

I will blend USN BlueLab 100% Premium Whey – Bar One or Peppermint flavours – or some USN BlueLab 100% Plant Protein with some water, ice, banana and berries for a quick and convenient meal.”

Bauke supplement stack: