With just weeks to go until Olympia 2024, bodybuilding’s great and good are now attempting to drop their bodyfat levels to reveal chiselled physiques after bulking up in the off-season. And, one Olympia icon that is glad to see those days of gluttony go is five-time consecutive Mr. Olympia Classic Physique champion, Chris Bumstead. In a recent social media post, the big man shared his meal plan for bulking in the off-season with his 24 million+ followers.
“When I’m at this point in my off-season, I just don’t love food very much,” says the Canadian. And that’s perfectly understandable when you see what the 29-year-old puts away in the name of becoming the best at what he does.
Chris Bumstead’s Meal Plan For Bulking
Breakfast
- Steak (130g) shallow fried with grass fed butter
- Oatmeal (100g) with almond butter (30g), banana, blueberry, collagen, and a dark chocolate whey isolate protein shake
Mid-morning snack
- Japanese sweet potato (250g)
- Lean Ground turkey (225g)
CBum provides a little insight into the how difficult it is to consume this much food whilst also trying to stay hydrated. “I’m in this, like, battle, needing to drink more water, but if I drink too much water it just fills up my belly and I feel bloated, and I feel like I can’t breathe…” he says.
Post-workout shake
- Dark chocolate whey isolate protein shake x 2 scoops (52g protein)
- Carbohydrate powder (50g)
Afternoon Snack
- Pasta (100g of carbs)
- Ground turkey (150g)
Evening Dinner
- Wild sockeye Alaskan salmon fillet burgers x 2
- Half an avocado
- Olive oil (1 tbsp)
- Arugula
While Bumstead didn’t provide all of the calorific or macronutrient info for each item that he ate, he did provide the totals. “So, calories were 4,551,” he shares, displaying his nutritional tracker than also showed that 37% came from carbs, 33% from fat, and 30% from protein.
As the dad of a baby daughter, Bumstead also shared that he was finding it even more difficult to down his dishes, as cute interruptions delayed his eating and no doubt made him feel full before his meals were finished, but it’s all a small price to pay when you have a loving family and you are working towards an epic sixth Olympia title.
Fortunately, Bumstead will now be able to dial down his intake as he settles into the cutting phase, reducing his calorie consumption to below 2,750. That should bring his bodyfat levels, and his food bill down considerably!
To follow Chris Bumstead’s progress as he leans out for the 2024 Olympia in Las Vegas, follow him on Instagram!