Extra cookies, extra pumps.
Final up to date on February seventeenth, 2025
Two-time Olympia champion Derek Lunsford is carb biking to organize for his Arnold Basic (AC) debut from Feb. 28 to March 2 in Columbus, OH. Lunsford’s carb consumption ranges from over 200 grams on low days to heaps of rice and chocolate chip cookies on higher-calorie days.
Lunsford wasn’t planning to compete on the ‘25 Arnold Basic till late 2024, after a collection of nerve-racking occasions, together with opening a public fitness center. Nonetheless, he’s hungrier than ever to beat his rivals in Ohio and honor his grandmother’s needs to win a 3rd Olympia title later in 2025.
I’m freaking psyched for the 2025 Arnold.
—Derek Lunsford
Cardio and ab training earlier than breakfast have been sport changers for Lunsford, serving to him maximize his productiveness. “It begins my day so significantly better. I really feel achieved,” he divulged. In mid-February, Lunsford reveals his high-carb day parts for a chest exercise three weeks out from the Arnold Basic:
[Related: Terrence Ruffin on the Future of Classic Physique: “It’s Scary”]
Breakfast, Lunch, and Starvation Technique
Lunsford’s meals are structured round protein selection. On high-carb days, he incorporates two bison meals, rooster, shrimp, and salmon, for additional fats, which helps preserve a stronger urge for food and stop weight loss program burnout.
Every meal included 300 grams of Jasmine white rice to take care of power with out sparing protein. Basmati rice is a extra satiating various on Lunsford’s low-carb days. He topped up a rooster and rice meal earlier than his pre-workout vitamin.
Efficiency Macros & Diet Timing
Lunsford pan-cooked seven ounces of shrimp and stirred in 300 grams of rice as his predominant pre-workout meal. Per his coach, Chris Aceto, Lunsford is allotted two cookies for an additional carb increase.
Lunsford fuels his physique persistently. Instantly post-training, he eats two bananas and swigs 50 grams of whey protein isolate, aligning with the literature on post-exercise protein and carb consumption for muscle protein synthesis and maximizing next-day efficiency. (1)
Analysis exhibits a balanced pre-workout meal has the identical impact on protein synthesis as post-workout vitamin. Whole each day vitamin issues extra. (2)
Publish-Exercise Meal, Bedtime Gasoline
Fruit and whey maintain Lunsford over till he can get a correct post-workout refuel at residence. It contains eight ounces of salmon and 300 grams of white rice. His final meal of seven ounces of bison and veggies retains him in a fat-burning state till the morning.
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References
- Díaz-Lara, J., Reisman, E., Botella, J., Probert, B., Burke, L. M., Bishop, D. J., & Lee, M. J. (2024). Delaying post-exercise carbohydrate consumption impairs next-day train capability however not muscle glycogen or molecular responses. Acta physiologica (Oxford, England), 240(10), e14215. https://doi.org/10.1111/apha.14215
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon A, Wilborn C, Urbina SL, Hayward SE, Krieger J. Pre- versus post-exercise protein consumption has comparable results on muscular variations. 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.
Featured picture: @dereklunsford_ on Instagram