The reigning two-time Arnold Classic Classic Physique champion Terrence Ruffin broke down his daily diet in his off-season in a video published on his YouTube channel on Sept. 1, 2022. He cooked up some healthy meals for the camera as he consumes just shy of 5,000 calories per day with just over three months until the 2022 Olympia in Las Vegas, NV, on Dec. 16-18, 2022.
Ruffin explained that he still eats clean during his off-season, but heavily seasons his food so tastes good. Since Ruffin hasn’t had a true off-season in years, often competing in back-to-back shows, he enjoys eating more to grow his physique for the 2022 Olympia. Check out the video below, wherein Ruffin shared his nutrition and his training plan:
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Meal One
- 130 grams of dry weight Rice N’ Grind taco-flavored cream of rice
- 100 grams of pineapple
- 16 grams of peanut butter
- Two Scoops of STEEL Pro-Pudding Protein Pudding (key lime pie flavor)
Macros
- 66 grams of protein
- 125 grams of carbs
- Eight grams of fat
- 850 calories
Many of Ruffin’s meals while traveling are protein shakes. They digest quickly and are efficient.
Meal Two
- 130 grams of dry weight Rice N’ Grind taco-flavored cream of rice
- 150 grams of pineapple
- Two Scoops of STEEL Pro-Pudding Protein Powder (key lime pie flavor)
Ruffin believes the easiest way to increase food intake in the off-season without it being a burden is ensuring it tastes good. It’s a simple but effective approach. He prefers to cut the fat off meats even in the off-season and tenderizes his chicken before dicing it for easier digestion.
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Meal Three (Post Workout)
- Rice Krispies cereal
- Two Scoops of STEEL Pro-Pudding Protein Pudding (key lime pie flavor)
Macros
- 61 grams of protein
- 87 grams of carbs
- One gram of fat
- 613 Calories
Ruffin addressed why he consumes so many shakes in the morning:
“It’s just easier to digest,” Ruffin said. “Eating this much food and training early in the day, I just want the food to get in my stomach and digest quickly so I can train and move on to the next meals after that.”
Ruffin suggested it’s optimal to meal prep three to four days in advance, at most. Any longer than that, and food dries out, making it harder to eat. The additional seasoning he adds to his meals also positively impacts morale.
Meal Four
- 200 grams of chicken breast
- 300 grams of jasmine rice
- Two whole eggs
Macros
- 66 grams of protein
- 80 grams of carbs
- 13 grams of fat
- 725 calories
Ruffin cooks all rice the same day he expects to eat it, so it tastes fresh. Ruffin explained jasmine rice is a two-to-one ratio of water-to-rice — one cup of dry rice requires two cups of water. Ruffin advised adding the salt and seasonings after cooking the rice plain.
Meal Five
- 200 grams of chicken breast
- 300 grams of jasmine rice
Macros
- 54 grams of protein
- 78 grams of carbs
- Three grams of fat
- 579 calories
When cooking, Ruffin coats the entire surface area of the diced chicken in seasoning. He doused his chicken with McCormick’s Brown Sugar Bourbon seasoning on this day.
Meal Six
- Six whole eggs
- 300 grams of jasmine rice
- One pint of Talenti ice cream
Macros
- 51 grams protein
- 123 grams carbs
- 37 grams of fat
- 966 calories
Ruffin’s final meal is an indulgence of Talenti Mango Gelato. Ruffin lets his ice cream melt and then drinks it like a shake for a calorie boost at the end of the day.
I like ice cream but when I’m eating almost 5,000 calories, I let it melt and drink it.
Ruffin’s off-season diet has evolved. He didn’t jump from 2,600 to 4,800 calories instantly. Typically, Ruffin advises adding 200 calories weekly to see and analyze how the body responds. If the body puts on weight, he won’t make further adjustments. If the body is stagnant, he’d up it by another 200 calories.
When adding those calories, Ruffin suggested starting with carbs. Only once carbs are high would he advise adding more protein,
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If you want to grow in an off-season, Ruffin advised writing down a meal plan, journaling everything you eat, and assessing pictures of yourself each week just like one would in contest prep. Fans will see how Ruffin’s diet affects his overall package at the 2022 Olympia in Las Vegas, NV, on Dec. 16-18, 2022.
Featured image: @ruff_diesel on Instagram