“I want to show that I’m Mr. Olympia. God told me you must do the Arnold [Classic],” 2023 Mr. Olympia champion Derek Lunsford said in a recent YouTube video.
After losing the Mr. Olympia crown to Samson Dauda in 2024, followed by his title-winning coach Hany Rambod retiring and his grandmother’s declining health, Lunsford found himself at a crossroads.
Lunsford became the first two-division Olympia champ under Rambod, winning the 2021 212 Olympia title before his Open victory two years later.
He decided to compete at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH, in early March 2025 after hearing his grandmother’s wish to see him claim Olympia gold again. Lunsford was emotional when she told him, “Promise me that no matter what happens, you will do the [Arnold].”
With Lunford’s new coach, whom he didn’t disclose, he vowed to reclaim the number one spot, “I want to do this for my midwest supporters. $500,000 check can go a long way for me and my family.”
A few days later, Lunsford shared his Arnold Classic prep diet plan. During his offseason, his diet has been more disciplined, keeping his body fat within striking distance of his contest shape.
“I’m coming to win. The Arnold Classic title is something I’ve always wanted.”
—Derek Lunsford
[Related: Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda’s Full Day of Eating During 2025 Arnold Classic Prep]
[Related: Sadik Hadzovic’s Bulking Diet Surges To 4,000 Calories]
Hold the Omelettes; More Carbs
Unlike most bodybuilders’ diets, eggs are not a breakfast staple for Lunsford, as they make him feel bloated. Instead, he opts for seven ounces of Bison from Mega Fit Meals and 450 grams of rice, nearly doubling his carbs to bulk up.
“I’m eating more carbs than I ever did,” Lunford disclosed. “The most anabolic thing is food.”
Lunsford prefers ground meat as he feels it digests better than whole meats, but he likes a variety of meat for a spectrum of nutrients and protein-to-fat ratios.
Lunsford decreases his intake close to training and onward. He embraces salt since he says it helps with pumps, hydration, and performance.
The next meal included 400 grams of rice and seven ounces of chicken with hot sauce. Lunsford miscalculated, initially scooping 450 grams of rice; he adjusted accordingly. On lower-carb days, he drops to 300 grams of rice per meal.
Pre-Workout Meal
Lunsford dreads his pre-workout meal of eight ounces of cod fish and 400 grams of rice, as it has little fat or flavor. To mask the blandness, he douses it with pineapple mango hot sauce. It digests quickly, and he trains around an hour later.
Lunsford prefers to train after two meals, though he’d need the extra energy for leg training with bodybuilding legend Chris Cormier.
Post-Workout, Dinner, & Late Night Fuel
To start the repair process, Lunsford downs two bananas and 50 grams of protein powder before leaving the gym. Consuming protein supplements before and after training may have a pronounced effect on muscle hypertrophy. Adding creatine and branched-chain amino acids might exacerbate this effect. (1)
Shortly after, Lunsford ate meal five, comprised of seven ounces of salmon and 400 grams of rice, hitting a diet milestone.
“This is the most carbs I’ve ever eaten in a day on a meal plan,” he confessed.
Since his sixth and last meal is consumed late at night, he prepares it beforehand: seven ounces of chicken, 425 grams of cooked potatoes, and one tablespoon of olive oil. “Sometimes I don’t want to eat, so I force it down.”
We’ll see if the additional calories and carbs can help Lunsford win the 2025 Arnold Classic and improve the likelihood that he reclaims the Mr. Olympia title.
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Reference
- Park Y, Park HY, Kim J, Hwang H, Jung Y, Kreider R, Lim K. Effects of whey protein supplementation prior to, and following, resistance exercise on body composition and training responses: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem. 2019 Jun 30;23(2):34-44. doi: 10.20463/jenb.2019.0015. PMID: 31337204; PMCID: PMC6651693.
Featured image: @dereklunsford_ on Instagram
