His quest for Olympic gold has made Michael Phelps a national hero.

But it's what he eats every day that really has people in awe.

With his six-pack abs, one might never guess that the 23-year-old swimming phenom packs in 12,000 calories a day! That's six times what the average guy eats!

All that chow supplies the energy Phelps needs, according to nutritionist Tanya Zuckerbrot. Zuckerbrot says that in order to provide his body with the energy it needs to stay charged during the long, hard hours of training, Phelps needs lots of carbohydrates.

Not to be outdone, INSIDE EDITION Correspondent Paul Boyd embarked on his own Olympic quest at the "Good Enough to Eat" diner in New York City. 

Can he go the distance with the Michael Phelps breakfast?

On the menu:
- Three fried egg sandwiches
- One, five egg omelet
- Three pieces of French toast with powdered sugar
- Three chocolate chip pancakes
- One bowl of grits
- Two cups of coffee

Racking up 4,000 calories with his first meal of the day, breakfast marks a whopping one-third of the superstar's daily requirement.

Boyd gets off to a fast start, and even remarks, "This looks like a piece of cake." A crowd has gathered to egg him on.

Right around the second piece of French toast, our correspondent finally hits the wall. "I am done," he announces, somewhat defeated.

It appears our INSIDE EDITION Correspondent did indeed bite off more than he could chew!