Four-time Men’s Physique Olympia champ Jeremy Buendia is eyeing the 2025 Arnold Classic (AC), marking his AC debut and what might be his bodybuilding career’s swan song.
Buendia’s bulking diet exceeds 4,000 calories to gain five to 10 pounds of muscle before shredding, which may require even more food. “[5,000 calories] is where I felt my body was operating at its best, and I was my biggest,” he shared.
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Breakfast: 748 Calories
Eating over 4,000 calories of healthy foods can be challenging. An extensive breakfast helps avoid cramming meals later. Buendia’s first meal includes simple carbs and protein:
- 90 grams of oatmeal
- 100 grams of strawberries
- Two whole eggs
- 240 grams of liquid egg whites
- Slice of sourdough bread
Breakfast has a macro ratio of 47 grams of protein, 93 grams of carbs, and 20 grams of fat.
Meal Two: 576 Calories
Buendia’s pre-training meal is clean, lean, and simple:
- 180 grams of chicken tenderloin
- 350 grams of sweet potato
- Pico de gallo
“I always feel a lot better during my workouts when I get a whole food meal in, especially sweet potatoes,” Buendia emphasized. Though he dreads this meal, mainly, “[It’s just boring]…the price to be successful.”
To make it palatable, Buendia adds salsa, pickles, and guacamole. “I’ve always struggled to eat,” he confessed, chasing each bite with a beverage. He consumes 61 grams of protein, 70 grams of carbs, and six grams of fat before training.
Buendia loads pre-workout, carbohydrate powder, essential amino acids, and peptides for greater protein uptake and pumps.
Post-Workout Shake: 853.5 Calories
A fast-digesting whey protein shake with simple carbs kickstarts the growth process and restores energy. (1)(2) Buendia combines four ingredients:
- Two scoops of whey protein
- 200 grams of frozen berries
- 50 grams of oatmeal
- 12 ounces limeade
Packed with 57 grams of protein, 102 grams of carbs, and eight grams of fat, the shake spikes Buendia’s insulin and shuttles nutrients into his muscles. He dosed more peptides to enhance the process.
Buendia avoids sugar when cutting. “Your body won’t burn fat when you have a lot of sugar,” he explained, underscoring nutrient allocation.
Meals Four and Five: 1,462.5 Calories
Buendia switched to beef protein for meal five, which offers more nutrients and muscle-building amino acids, adding olive oil, a healthy fat and superfood.
- Meal four: 180 grams of chicken tenderloin, 300 grams of rice, and 20 grams olive oil
- Meal five: 180 grams of lean ground beef and 180 grams of rice
“Food manipulates everything,” Buendia emphasized. “If you want to pack on muscle or get lean, you’ve got to stick to a certain diet with the right nutrients.”
Meal Six: 649 Calories
While loading on sugar isn’t ideal before bedtime, Buendia needs the easy calories for his bulk, making a shake:
- Two scoops of whey protein
- 150 grams of frozen berries
- 70 grams of oatmeal
- Six ounces limeade
Buendia’s calories and macros totaled 4,293 calories, 332 grams of protein, 541 grams of carbs, and 89 grams of fat.
Buendia will swap sugar for whole foods to peel off his body fat as he approaches his Arnold prep. But for now, more food and good habits are key to Buendia’s mass gains. “Most people won’t reach their goals without consistency,” he concluded.
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References
- Margolis LM, Allen JT, Hatch-McChesney A, Pasiakos SM. Coingestion of Carbohydrate and Protein on Muscle Glycogen Synthesis after Exercise: A Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021 Feb 1;53(2):384-393. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002476. PMID: 32826640; PMCID: PMC7803445.
- 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: @jeremy_buendia on Instagram
