IFBB Pro Open bodybuilder Rafael Brandão’s intense bulking diet was shared five weeks into his offseason in late February 2025. The Brazilian mass monster weighed 126.5 to 127 kilograms (278.9 to 280 lbs) and is “dirty bulking” to steadily gain 300 grams of body weight weekly under coach Neil “Yoda” Hill.
It’s time to gain muscle mass.
Brandão medaled at the 2024 Arnold Classic before winning the 2024 Arnold Classic South America and Romania Muscle Fest to lock his spot at the 2025 Mr. Olympia. Check out his full day of eating below:
Disclaimer: The video content is in Brazilian Portuguese and was translated via YouTube. Some details may have been lost in translation.
Breakfast, Gym Fuel & Post-Workout
Brandão whips homemade pancakes, providing a balanced ratio of protein, carbs, and fat for breakfast. He blends:
- 4 egg whites
- 3 whole eggs
- 140 grams of oats
- 1 Banana
- 2 scoops of whey protein
For lunch, Brandão loaded his plate with chicken breasts, 300 grams of rice, 200 grams of mashed potatoes, veggies, and 10 milliliters of olive oil (bulking hack) — fueling a brutal leg day.
A large meal before training prolongs the need to refuel after lifting, also known as the post-workout anabolic window of opportunity. (1) A 2023 study by Trommelen et al. found that a larger protein dose (100 grams) is more anabolic than a smaller dose of 25 grams. (2)
Brandão eats the same meal after his gym session. Though it seems monotonous to eat the same meals, it’s time-saving and predictable.
Meal Five & “Free Meal”
Brandão ramps up to 450 grams of rice, 200 grams of chicken, and veggies for his next meal to saturate his muscles with glycogen. Carb cycling, or alternating higher and lower carb days, optimizes recovery, controls fat gain, and helps Brandão maintain his strong appetite. He sometimes goes as high as one kilogram or 1,000 grams of carbs.
Brandão is also allowed “free meals” to keep his calorie intake high: Japanese food and burgers, since they’re nutrient-dense.
“It will help me more than pizza…just fat and carbs,” Brandão explained, although cheese is a decent protein source, and the carbs are stored in the muscles and used to fuel training. Brandão’s last meal was two beef burgers and fries at 10 p.m.
References
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon A, Wilborn C, Urbina SL, Hayward SE, Krieger J. Pre- versus post-exercise protein intake has similar effects on muscular adaptations. PeerJ. 2017 Jan 3;5:e2825. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2825. Erratum in: PeerJ. 2017 Aug 1;5:e2825/correction-1. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2825/correction-1. PMID: 28070459; PMCID: PMC5214805.
- Trommelen J, van Lieshout GAA, Nyakayiru J, Holwerda AM, Smeets JSJ, Hendriks FK, van Kranenburg JMX, Zorenc AH, Senden JM, Goessens JPB, Gijsen AP, van Loon LJC. The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit in magnitude and duration in vivo in humans. Cell Rep Med. 2023 Dec 19;4(12):101324. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101324. PMID: 38118410; PMCID: PMC10772463.
Featured image: @rafabrandaopro on Instagram
