Derek Lunsford has become one of the most recognizable names in modern bodybuilding. As the 2021 212 Olympia champion and the 2023 Mr. Olympia Men’s Open winner, he proved his ability to dominate across divisions. In 2024, he placed third at the Mr. Olympia (Men’s Open), showing once again that he remains among the world’s elite. Most recently, in 2025, he captured the Arnold Classic Men’s Open title, solidifying his place as one of the top competitors of this generation.
Derek Lunsford is an American professional bodybuilder who competes in the men’s open class in the IFBB Pro League. Born in Petersburg, Indiana, Lunsford grew up as an active child who participated in several sports, including wrestling and soccer. It wasn’t until his college years that he realized his true passion for bodybuilding.
Derek is no stranger to the bodybuilding world. He won the 212 Mr. Olympia title in 2021 before sensationally winning the open Mr. Olympia title in 2023. This made him the first cross-division champion in the sport’s long history.
In preparation for the upcoming 2025 Arnold Classic, Derek offered a rare insight into his competition diet. In a recent YouTube video, he discussed what he eats during his high-carb, high-fat day. Alongside this, he discussed his mindset in preparation for the Arnold Classic.
Fueling his physique has always been just as important for Derek Lunsford as his time spent in the gym. While he has never released a strict “official” meal plan in detail, his numerous interviews, podcast appearances, and social media posts provide clear insights into how he approaches nutrition. Derek follows a classic six to seven meals per day structure, ensuring his body receives a steady supply of nutrients to fuel his high-volume workouts and support recovery. During the off-season, he eats in a calorie surplus to add size while keeping fat gain minimal. His nutrition philosophy can be summarized as: whole food sources, precision in timing, and consistency.
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Lunsford's Dietary Philosophy
Lunsford’s approach to bodybuilding is a masterclass in consistency, precision, and discipline.
- Whole Food Sources: Lunsford prioritizes whole, unprocessed foods to fuel his body.
- Precision in Timing: He strategically times his meals to optimize energy levels and recovery around his workouts.
- Consistency: Lunsford maintains a consistent eating schedule to keep his body in a stable anabolic state.
A Glimpse into Derek Lunsford's "High Carb, High Fat" Diet for the 2025 Arnold Classic
On February 11, 2025, Derek Lunsford shared a full day of eating in a recent YouTube video. He discussed his high-fat, high-carb diet in preparation for the 2025 Arnold Classic.
In the sport of bodybuilding, most competitors choose not to give updates, especially close to a competition. However, on February 11, 2025, Derek Lunsford shared his diet in preparation for the 2025 Arnold Classic. In his recent YouTube video, he discussed his high-carb, high-fat daily intake, including his perspective leading up to the event.
“I’ve been dieting pretty hard for the last little bit. I can say I’m very happy about today’s high day. Cardio is not too crazy. I actually like cardio all the time, year-round even. Did cardio this morning and abs.”
He splits his day into five meals, with meal one coming after his morning cardio. His next three meals are around his afternoon workout. He ends the day with a high-protein meal before going to bed.
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With just over two weeks left, he continues preparing to take the 2025 Arnold Classic title.
Meal One
At the start of the day, Lunsford begins with one of his favorite meals. He eats this following his morning cardio session. This is something that he likes to do year-round, regardless of his competition schedule.
- 7 Ounces Ground Bison.
- 300 Grams White Rice.
Meal Two
Once meal one has been digested, it’s time for meal two. When discussing this, he talked about his excitement for the upcoming Arnold and the changes to his physique.
- 7 Ounces Ground Chicken.
- 300 Grams White Rice.
- Ray’s No Sugar Sweet and Spicy Sauce.“As far as my updates are going, dude, daily changes and I am getting freaking psyched for this Arnold man. I’m serious. I really can’t believe that we are like three weeks away. That is insane. Three weeks from today will probably be my last workout, most likely.”
Meal Three
With two meals down, it’s time to fuel up for his main workout. He likes to add two cookies to his pre-workout meal and eat them on the way to the gym. His main aim is to get a good pump while enjoying a little treat.
- 8 Ounces Shrimp.
- 300 Grams White Rice.
- 2 Cookies.“This time, two cookies, but I like to eat them on the way. All I can say is today is going to be a crazy pump or I hope. I mean, it should be with this food, right? These cookies each one of them has 410 calories whereas this part says 350 calories so I don’t know”.
Meal Four
For his post-workout meal, Lunsford opts for something quick and easy. With this, he gave his food a quick microwave after the hard session. While he said he could eat it cold, he prefers it warm if possible.
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- 8 Ounces Salmon.
- 300 Grams White Rice.“Sometimes I air fry it, something I eat it cold. Yes, sometimes I like salmon cold but today I’m going to pop it in the microwave.”
Meal Five
Following a hard gym session and post-workout meal, Lunsford said that he tends to fall asleep. After this, he wakes up to eat his last meal before going back to bed again. He chooses to cut out carbohydrates for his last meal of the day, replacing them with some vegetables.
- 7 Ounces Bison.
- Veggies.“I get home, eat my second to last meal, I get tired, I fall asleep on the couch. Wake up, eat my last meal and go back to bed.”
While we might not all be fans of using the microwave, it’s clear that Derek knows his stuff. Looking like him requires constant dedication by following a strict dietary schedule and regular training routine. If this example day is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat when we see him on stage!
Detailed Look at a Full Day of Eating during Off-Season
On June 1, 2022, Lunsford shared a full day of eating on his YouTube channel.
For breakfast, Lunsford wastes no time packing on the protein and carbs. In total, his breakfast comes out to 50 grams of protein and 60 grams of carbs. Lunsford notes that he generally aims to eat something similar at each meal. He also generously lathers buffalo wing sauce and light ranch all over the chicken. Lunsford explains that it’s the off-season, and he’s giving himself some breathing room. I like consistency when I eat.
For his third meal of the day, Lunsford leans on a pre-workout shake with an unspecified amount of cream of rice. This adds up to 50 grams of protein and 75 grams of carbs. “Normally, I like to eat most of my meals, and a protein shake is like post-workout,” Lunsford says. “Sometimes I’ll even have a second shake of the day, but I like to eat whole food.
Lunsford says he still does cheat meals where he treats himself in the full throes of his off-season. His fourth meal of the day is a reflection of that. After waking up from a late nap, the bodybuilder eats eight ounces of ground chicken with taco seasoning and eight ounces of rice. “Today, I’m not training. I’m resting.” Lunsford says. “So, I’ll eat five meals for sure, and late tonight I’ll eat a sixth meal.
For his (usual) fifth meal of the day, Lunsford goes to one of his tried-and-true staples: An unspecified amount of steak and white rice. “I think you need to eat at least one red meat meal a day in the off-season, maybe two,” Lunsford says. “I wouldn’t eat too much, but one to two meals a day is good.
Lunsford has one more protein shake to close out his day of eating before sleeping. On the whole, Lunsford’s entire day’s total of protein comes out to 300 grams.
Supplement Stack
Note: This supplement stack is based on Derek’s interviews, social media updates, and prep logs.
Lunsford shared all his daily supplements. “Digestion is one of the most important things,” said Lunsford, emphasizing the importance of probiotics for gut health. Before training, Lunsford takes a pre-workout. Consuming a protein shake immediately post-workout is a staple for Lunsford. (1) Research shows an immediate effect on muscle repair when combining protein supplementation with resistance training. Lunsford prefers whey isolate, a purer form of protein powder that may offer benefits over other protein supplement forms. Lunsford has two scoops of whey isolate or 50 grams of protein right after training.
Diet Adjustments for Shredding
Lunsford lowers his calories significantly during a shredding phase to drop body fat. He keeps protein high to preserve muscle tissue and remains anabolic during this process.
“You all are going to be so excited about this one,” says a sarcastic Lunsford. The champ knows he can’t have another steak to achieve his most shredded look. “[Cod] is the leanest thing you could possibly eat in terms of protein meat,” says Lunsford. The cod supplied a modest 1.83 grams of fat, the only fat in the meal. During his Olympia prep, Lunsford avoids adding fats, as the meat and eggs supply enough. While rice is his primary carb source, Lunsford may add potatoes at some point to change things up. Salt and Adobo seasonings were added to Lunsford’s likings.
Lunsford’s highest-calorie meal is his breakfast of two poultry proteins and slower-digesting carbohydrates. Muscle Fit Meals pre-cooks and packages Lunsford’s meats.
Sample Off-Season Diet
Lunsford’s off-season diet consists of six meals a day with an eye toward protein- and carb-rich foods that fuel his lengthy workouts. On Aug. 23, 2022, Lunsford pulled back the curtain on what a full day of eating looks like in a video on his YouTube channel.
Lunsford says he usually performs fasted cardio before breakfast, but after waking up late that morning, he opted to eat breakfast and take his supplements first. This meal clocked at roughly 50 grams of protein and 65 grams of carbohydrates. Evogen is one of Lunsford’s sponsors, and he included their products throughout his day. “I like this meal because it’s refreshing, but mostly it’s super light on the stomach,” Lunsford says. Lunsford is still in his off-season diet, so he’s not concerned by the 11 grams of fat in the Wholly Avocado cup. Plus, the carbs and fats here support his current heavy training.
Lunsford opted to eat this next meal before heading to the gym to meet bodybuilder Ryan Crowley for a workout. To add flavor to his food, Lunsford took advantage of healthy fats like avocados, almonds, and coconut oil rather than traditional sauces with high fat or sugar content. This adds calories to his meals, but it’s factored into his off-season plan.
After Crowley and Lunsford hit their chest and ab workout, Lunsford drank a shake totaling 50 grams of protein.
For his sixth and final meal, Lunsford crushed another fish dish consisting of salmon, white rice, and mango salsa. Lunsford stressed that his meals are nothing special, saying, “I don’t think the meals that you eat for bodybuilding really have to be all that genius.” He focuses on clean food that is easy to digest and helps improve training.
Conclusion
Derek Lunsford's diet plan exemplifies the dedication and precision required to reach the pinnacle of bodybuilding. His approach, characterized by consistency, strategic timing, and whole food choices, provides a framework for aspiring bodybuilders to emulate. As the 2025 Arnold Classic fast approaches, tension continues to build as the main competitors continue their preparations. With a new coach and new ideas, it would be a mistake to count Derek out for the title. In just over two weeks, we’ll find out who will take home $500,000 and the Arnold Classic title.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Derek Lunsford?
Derek Lunsford is a professional bodybuilder who competes in the IFBB Pro League. He won the 212 Mr. Olympia title in 2021 and the Open Mr. Olympia title in 2023. This made him the first bodybuilder to become a two-division champion.
What are his chances of winning the 2025 Arnold Classic?
As a top bodybuilder with two titles to his name, he stands a good chance of coming in the top three. If he can bring everything together and take the previous criticisms on board, he has every chance of winning.