Jesse James West, a prominent figure in the fitness world, has garnered significant attention for his engaging YouTube content, impressive physique, and willingness to explore the extreme diets and workouts of celebrities and athletes. This article delves into Jesse James West's diet and workout plans, examining his approach to fitness and nutrition.
Who is Jesse James West?
Jesse James West is an American bodybuilder, social media fitness influencer, brand ambassador, and YouTube vlogger. He is also a strength coach, offering various training programs and diet plans for clients to achieve peak physical fitness and health. Jesse has built a huge following on his Instagram account and YouTube channel for being a refreshing, young personality in the fitness industry. Before venturing into the online fitness realm, Jesse was a dedicated lacrosse athlete who initially teamed up with a friend to share lacrosse videos on YouTube. After parting ways, he began producing independent content in 2016, gradually shifting his focus to fitness, training, and diet tips.
Jesse James West's Approach to Fitness
From a young age, Jesse James West loved playing sports and staying active. He was always participating in physical activity in his New Jersey hometown and played lacrosse at the collegiate level at Montclair State University. On his YouTube channel, Jesse shares some of his favorite exercises, gym routines, his favorite foods to eat before a good lift, and some entertaining lifestyle content. Jesse always seems to be enjoying his life and having a good time, whether he’s working out in the gym, completing a celebrity fitness challenge, or pranking his girlfriend.
Workout Principles
Jesse James West incorporates strength training workouts to burn fat, achieve hypertrophy faster, and develop muscles more effectively. He works out five days a week, whether in the gym or doing other cardio workouts at the beach in New Jersey. He’s been an athlete for most of his life and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to training, so his fitness routine changes depending on what his current goals are. Jesse James West does intense, structured training, focusing on different muscle groups daily. He uses upper and lower body split training, which helps him balance and ensures he hits every part of his body. Before starting his workout, West takes a pre-workout drink. This study proves that taking pre-workouts before your exercises can help improve your exercise performance.
Sample Workout Routine
While we’ve done thorough research on Jesse James West’s workout routine and diet plan, this is not his exact routine. It’s a compilation of his commentary on YouTube and social media, interviews Jesse has done, and information from experts in the industry.
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Here is the Jesse James West workout routine:
Monday - Back and Chest
Jesse is in the gym on Monday morning, training his back and chest in this high-volume workout inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Bench press (5 sets, 8 reps)
- Wide grip pull up (5 sets, 5 reps)
- Incline barbell press (5 sets, 10 reps)
- T-bar row (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Bent over row (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Dumbbell fly (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Tricep dip (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Reverse grip lat pulldown (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Dumbbell pullover (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Cable fly (5 sets, 10 reps)
Tuesday - Arms and Abs
Jesse James West trains abs almost every day, so here’s a compilation of two workouts he performs several times a week.
- Cable curl (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Cable extension (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Bar hang (4 sets, 30 seconds)
- Dumbbell curl (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Skull crusher (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Incline curl (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Tricep pushdown (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Plank (4 sets, 60 seconds)
- Cable crunch sit-up (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Reverse crunch (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Hanging leg raise (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Oblique crunch (4 sets, 15 reps)
Wednesday - Rest
Jesse takes a day off during the week to let his muscles recover.
Thursday - Back and Biceps
West works his back and biceps in this diverse program on Thursday.
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- Wide grip pull-up (3 sets, rep til failure)
- Seated dumbbell row (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Lat pulldown (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Cable row (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Seated barbell curl (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Incline dumbbell curl (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Zottman curl (3 sets, 10 reps)
Friday - Abs and Legs
After hitting the beach, Jesse trains his abs and legs in this bodybuilding-style workout where his focus is on building mass and developing the muscles.
For his ab program, Jesse doesn’t count actual reps in each set. He completes as many reps as possible (AMRAP) for the ultimate burner.
- Leg circuit:
- Barbell back squat (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Hack squat (4 sets, 15 reps)
- Stationary lunge (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Calf raise (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Leg extension (4 sets, 20 reps)
- Hamstring curl (4 sets, AMRAP)
- Ab circuit:
- Hanging leg raise (4 sets, AMRAP)
- Russian twist (4 sets, AMRAP)
- Dead bug (3 sets, 30 seconds on, rest, repeat)
- Crunch (2 sets, AMRAP)
Saturday- Surfing
Jesse lives near the beach in New Jersey and often paddles out on the weekend to get some cardio. Surfing has impressive health benefits; from cardiovascular exercise to strength training in the back, core, and shoulders. Surfing is a workout Jesse enjoys when he needs a break from heavy lifting in the gym.
Sunday - Rest
Jesse takes Sunday off from the gym; he spends time with his family, films video content for YouTube, and lets his body relax.
Jesse James West's Diet
Jesse James West believes that muscles are developed in the gym and revealed in the kitchen. With this in mind, he doesn’t eat restrictively or follow any diet too seriously. He believes in cheat meals and knows how his body will react to most junk food. He may avoid carbs when he’s trying to drop weight, but a big part of Jesse’s YouTube content is completing fitness challenges where he eats the exact diet of a celebrity or famous bodybuilder.
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Exploring Celebrity Diets
Jesse James West has mimicked the extreme diets and workouts of elite athletes and celebrities. For example, he followed the eating habits of Thor actor Chris Hemsworth.
The Chris Hemsworth Diet Challenge
In one of his videos, West tried out a day in the life of Thor actor Chris Hemsworth. The day included two workouts and 6 meals and snacks.
Here is Jesse James West’s diet, following the eating habits of Thor actor Chris Hemsworth:
- Meal 1: Cup of oatmeal with raisins, four egg whites and one egg, fat-free milk, orange juice, protein shake, cup of coffee
- Meal 2: Cottage cheese, cup of yogurt, mixed nuts, sliced turkey
- Pre-Workout Snack: Beef jerky
- Meal 3: Chicken breast, kidney beans, steamed broccoli, brown rice, fat-free milk
- Meal 4: Grilled salmon, asparagus with quinoa, fat-free milk
- Meal 5: Two hardboiled eggs, two slices of bread
Macros and Calories
On this diet, West consumed approximately 3,398 calories, consisting of 341g of protein, 342g of carbs, and 74g of fat.
The Conor McGregor Diet Challenge
YouTuber Jesse James West has also mimicked the extreme diets and workouts of MMA fighter Conor McGregor.
- Meal 1: Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, kale, and cherry tomatoes, totaling 561 calories.
- Pre-Workout Meal: Yogurt, coffee, and almonds (162 calories)
- Meal 3: Steak and veggies (631 calories).
- Pre-Workout Snack: Nuts, fruit and coffee (160 calories).
- Meal 5: Chicken with sweet potatoes and string beans (784 calories).
West noted the high protein and high fat content, a common trend among professional athletes' diets.
The Eddie Hall Diet Challenge
In his most recent day-long challenge, West takes on the training regime and 6,000+ calorie meal plan of former World's Strongest Man winner turned would-be boxer, Eddie Hall.
- Meal 1: Steak and eggs with orange juice.
- Meal 2: Heaped plate of chicken breast, vegetables, and white rice.
- Pre-Workout Snack: Granola and strawberries
- Meal 3: Chicken, rice and vegetables.
- Meal 4: Chicken, potatoes, and asparagus, with plenty of oil, butter and mayo.
- Meal 5: Orange juice, almonds, fruit and yogurt
West's total day in macros came to: 400 grams of protein, 456 grams of carbs, and 278 grams of fat.
General Dietary Preferences
Jesse’s diet is pretty much the same as any other influencer focused on lean gains. He prioritizes lean proteins - such as beef, chicken, and fish - and also likes his whole grains. West enjoys healthy and nutritious foods and always pays attention to his supplements, especially when preparing for exercise. He occasionally adopts some diet plans of well-known bodybuilders, but he has a strict diet plan.
Supplements
Jesse James West is sponsored by Gorilla Mind supplements, and he is well-educated on which supplements he needs to fuel his body before, during, and post-workout.
Here’s his supplement list:
- Mass Gainer
- Creatine
- Fat Burner
- BCAAs
- Pre-Workout
Critique of Jesse James West's Approach
While Jesse James West's enthusiasm and dedication to fitness are admirable, some aspects of his approach may not be optimal for everyone. For example, his high-volume workout routines may not be suitable for beginners or those who prefer heavy lifting. Additionally, his willingness to experiment with extreme diets may not be sustainable or healthy in the long term.
One critique suggests that there are too many workout days in the week. Most people (even professional athletes) need two rest days per week. Some people prefer volume over heavy lifting, and Jesse does as well. He even says he doesn’t believe 10 sets is enough to build muscle.