Joey Swoll Workout and Diet
Influencer
Joey Swoll is the internet persona for Joseph Sergo. He was born in Chicago. Swoll was always competitive in sports particularly football. In college, he was bullied for his small size, which prompted him to take up bodybuilding. Swoll chronicled his fitness journey online, and gained a significant following. He was involved with the supplement Shredz which suffered significant negative press for fake competitions and photoshopped physiques. Swoll left the company in 2017. He then co-founded the supplement company Ryse. He also endorses the sauce brand Taste Flavor. Swoll calls himself the ‘CEO of Gym Positivity,’ and is famous for calling people out for workout shaming. He offers online coaching and has his own line of apparel. Swoll also started an anti-bullying campaign for kids called Flex Your Heart. Swoll wrote a book called Train Harder Than Me. He is a relationship with fellow fitness influencer Crystal Reneau. Swoll has millions of followers on social media. He is 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs about 210 lbs.
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Joey Swoll’s Diet
Diet Summary
Swoll eats a classic bodybuilding diet which means lots of egg whites, lean animal protein, rice, and veggies. He eats up to 6 times a day. Post-workout, he consumes carbs to replenish his glycogen stores and he has a cheat meal once a week. He supplements with fish oil, multivitamins, and calcium, and usually has caffeine before hitting the gym. He drinks plenty of water every day.
Estimated Macros
Medium Fat
Low Carb
High Protein
Diet Details
Classic Bodybuilder Eats
Swoll adheres to bodybuilder staples: lots of egg whites, rice, chicken, and some veg for fiber and vitamins.
All Protein All the Time
Even Swoll’s bread is protein-rich. He swears by Ezekiel. His other protein sources include chicken, beef, tuna, egg whites, and protein shakes.
Flavor Matters
Swoll endorses the low-cal sauce brand Taste Flavor, and uses it in his weekly meal prep.
Get Your Fiber
Swoll doesn’t skimp on the veg. He eats 2 cups of spinach with his breakfast egg white omelette, a cup of broccoli, peppers and onion, and at least 1 salad per day.
Cheat Time
Swoll is very dialed in on diet, but so he doesn’t burn out, he allows himself a treat once a week. Pancakes and burgers top his list of treat faves.
What to Eat
- Egg whites
- Ezekiel bread
- Spinach
- Chicken
- Ground beef
- Jasmine rice
- Black beans
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Peppers
- Onions
- Broccoli
- Salad
- Protein shakes
- Almond butter
- Orange juice
- Water
What to Avoid
- Processed food
- Fried foods
- Junk food
- Added sugar
- Artificial ingredients
- Chemical additives
Swoll on eating right
‘I don’t care how hard you train, guys. If you don’t make time for meal prep, you’re cheating yourself.’
Swoll on proper nutrition
‘Get it done right in the kitchen. I don’t want to hear excuses.’
Swoll on his typical Sunday
‘First it’s off to train legs, then to the grocery store, then home to meal prep for the week.’
Joey Swoll’s Workout Routine
Workout Routine
Always Active
Swoll was always into sports, football being a favorite. He thought he could continue to compete in college, but he got shot down due to his small stature.
Anti-Gym Bro Bro
Swoll looks like your typical gym bro, but he takes pains to promote positivity rather than jealousy, shame, and hatred.
Don’t Overtrain
Swoll says that overtraining is counterproductive, an hour a day of work is plenty, and rest periods are essential to build a ripped physique.
Daily Dose
Swoll works out at least 6 days a week, but he doesn’t live at the gym. His sessions are relatively short, usually not more than 60-90 min.
Intuitive Training
Swoll does not follow a specific routine. Although he may concentrate on one body part per session, he works on whatever muscles he thinks need work.
Recovery Matters
Swoll says recovery time is as important as pumping iron. He gives his muscles plenty of time to rest.
Exercise Style
A Joey Swoll Routine
Day 1: Back
- Barbell row: 12-4 reps x 5 sets (drop 2 reps per set)
- Wide grip pull up: 8-10 reps x 5 sets
- Single arm dumbbell row: 12 reps x 6 sets
- Underhand cable pulldown: 10-12 reps x 4 sets
- Seated cable row: 10-12 reps x 4 sets
Day 2: Chest
- Barbell bench press: 8 reps x 3 sets
- Dumbbell fly (inclined): 10-12 reps x 3 sets
- Leverage decline chest press: 10 reps x 3 sets
- Pushups: 3 sets to failure
Day 3: Arms
- Barbell curl: 12-6 reps x 4 sets (drop 2 reps per set)
- Triceps rope pushdown: 12-15 reps x 4 sets
- EZ bar preacher curl: 10 reps x 4 sets
- EZ bar skullcrusher: 8-10 reps x 4 sets
- Overhead cable curl: 15 reps x 4 sets
Day 4: Shoulders
- Seated military barbell press: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
- Side lateral raise: 10-12 reps x 3 sets
- Front cable raise: 10-12 reps x 3 sets
- Upright cable row: 10-12 reps x 3 sets
- Reverse machine fly: 10-12 reps x 3 sets
Day 5: Legs
- Barbell squat: 6-10 reps x 4 sets
- Leg press: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
- Romanian deadlift: 8-12 reps x 3 sets
- Leg lying curls: 8-12 reps x 3 sets
- Dumbbell walking lunge: 10-14 steps/side x 3 sets
Day 6: Pick any area that needs more work.
Day 7: Light cardio or rest.
Swoll on why he loves the gym
‘The gym is my therapy. It’s just me, my music, and the iron.’
Swoll on his preferred gym time
‘My favorite place to be on a Friday night: an empty gym, all to myself. It doesn’t get better than that.’
Swoll on the importance of proper technique
‘It’s not how much you lift. It’s how well you lift it.’
Joey Swoll’s Supplements
Protein
Swoll usually has at least 1 protein shake a day to build and retain muscle. He is a co-founder of the brand Ryse which offers both whey and plant-based protein. Because he loves pancakes, the brand also makes a protein pancake mix.
Pre Workout
Swoll hits the gym pretty hard, and likes to use caffeine to help him stay focused and energized. Ryse offers several varieties of pre workouts, with and without caffeine.
Multivitamin
Swoll eats pretty clean, but his food tends to be repetitive. He covers his nutritional bases with a multivitamin.
Omega-3s
Swoll takes omega-3 fatty acids to combat inflammation and for overall health.
Joey Swoll’s Lifestyle
School of Hard Knocks
Swoll intended to play wide receiver in college, but was so fiercely bullied, he almost dropped out of school. The gym became his refuge.
Innovative Influencing
Swoll says Shredz supplements innovated the idea of using fitness pros to promote product, which led to a lot of jealousy from other brands.
Shredz Gets Shredded
Swoll left Shredz after it suffered serious negative press over photoshopped bodies and ran fake contests. Swoll stands behind the products to this day.
High Praise
Swoll teamed up with the king of bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger, on the topic of gym positivity.
Dark Days
In 2020, Swoll became addicted to opioids. He says he became extremely depressed, to the point of considering suicide. He took a break from social media to work on his mental health and is now clean and strong.
Swoll on the therapeutic effects of working out
‘No matter how upset, depressed, sad, or just plain stressed out I was, I always left the weight room feeling free.’
Swoll on gym culture
‘It’s very sad to see negativity highlights so much on social media.’
Swoll on the Shredz scandal
‘It really wasn’t [a scandal]…The actions of certain people didn’t reflect the company.’
Swoll on being part of Shredz
‘I miss it.’
Swoll on big expo events
‘I like to connect with the people.’
Swoll’s advice to would-be influencers
‘Stay level-headed. Be smart. Save your money.’
Swoll on his viral videos
‘I’m not doing anything special. I’m telling people something they already know: to treat others like they want to be treated.’
Swoll on himself
‘I’ve never changed who I am. I’ve never tried to be someone who I’m not.’
Recommended Products
Joey Swoll Coaching
Joey Swoll Merch
Ryse Supplements
Taste Flavor Sauces
Ezekiel Bread
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