Fitness creator Casey Kelly just spent 50 hours eating like bodybuilding’s biggest legends to find the ultimate bulking meal.
In a recent video, Kelly invited some of the most decorated athletes in bodybuilding history—including eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and current champion Derek Lunsford—to design their go-to mass-gaining meals.
Each competitor submitted a meal rated on taste, creativity, and cleanliness, with the winner taking home a custom “Golden Fork of Gains.”
The results revealed surprising insights about what it really takes to build championship-level muscle—and some methods were cleaner than others.
Ronnie Coleman’s Breakfast of Champions
The legendary eight-time Mr. Olympia kicked things off with a breakfast that exemplifies his “lightweight, baby” philosophy: two large pancakes with jelly, grits, eight egg whites, and a burger patty.
Good morning, Casey. Big Ron here. Your breakfast for this morning is two large pancakes with jelly, bowl of grits, eight egg whites, and let’s go with the burger patty. Yeah, buddy. Now go eat that.
Kelly rated the meal a 6 out of 10 for taste, noting the combination felt strange despite each item being individually delicious. Creativity scored a 5 since most items were standard breakfast fare, with the burger patty being the only outlier.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
For cleanliness, Coleman’s meal earned a respectable 7. The egg whites and burger provided lean protein, and grits offered quality carbohydrates, though the pancakes and jelly added unnecessary simple sugars.
Keon Pearson’s Pre-Workout Protocol
Three-time 212 Olympia champion Keon Pearson delivered what Kelly recognized as nearly identical to his own pre-workout meal—and for good reason.
What’s going on, Casey? We’re going to do 120 gram of cream of rice. I prefer the salted caramel Keon Pearson signature flavor, 40 grams of whey, 15 grams of almond butter, and 100 gram of banana. Enjoy it and expect a crazy pump.
The meal featured fast-digesting carbohydrates, moderate protein, and minimal fat—precisely what athletes need before training. Kelly praised the chocolate-caramel cream of rice combination but docked points for the banana, which he personally dislikes.
Taste earned an 8, while cleanliness scored a 9 thanks to quality ingredients: blended rice with minimal sweetener, high-quality whey protein, healthy fats from almond butter, and whole fruit. Creativity received only a 5 since Kelly already ate this meal daily.
After training, Kelly confirmed Pearson’s promise delivered. The workout produced an exceptional pump, pushing every set to failure with impressive results.
Lee Priest’s “Seafood Diet” Approach
Australian bodybuilding legend Lee Priest, who once weighed 285 pounds at just 5’5″, took a dramatically different approach.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
It’s not rocket science. You just go and eat. I go to the fridge and eat whatever’s in it. You’re bulking up. Clean food is when you’re dieting. Eat your steak. Eat your vegetables. Then go have ice cream. Have some chips. Have some chocolate. An hour later, have McDonald’s.
Kelly followed Priest’s advice literally, consuming whatever he wanted for over 1,400 calories and 82 grams of protein. While taste earned a perfect 10, the approach scored rock bottom for cleanliness.
This old-school bulking philosophy works for some professional bodybuilders but isn’t recommended for most people. Kelly emphasized that lean bulking—maintaining a 200-300 calorie surplus—produces better results without excessive fat gain.
Terrence Ruffin’s Rich Piana Special
Classic Physique competitor Terrence “Ruff Diesel” Ruffin submitted late bodybuilding icon Rich Piana’s infamous bulking meal: two burgers, sweet potato fries, and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
My favorite all-time meal to put on size was the Rich Piana special. Two burgers, Alexia sweet potato fries, and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. That was my go-to man every single time.
Kelly praised the taste, awarding it a 9.5 out of 10. However, after examining the Ben & Jerry’s nutrition label, he discovered the regular-sized pint contained over 1,000 calories and 100 grams of sugar—contributing to a cleanliness score of just 2 out of 10.
Combined with two burgers and fries, the meal totaled thousands of calories in one sitting. Creativity earned only a 4 since the meal essentially represented a monthly cheat day rather than innovative nutrition strategy.
Doug Miller’s Natural Approach
Natural bodybuilding legend Doug Miller offered a refreshing contrast with his breakfast formula.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Go-to breakfast for gaining size starts with a cup of old-fashioned oats and a half a cup of frozen blueberries. My favorite meal replacement, Core MRP. And then here’s the key. This is where all the gains come from. Original whipped cream. Cover the top. Delicious. Good to go. Straight to the biceps.
Miller’s innovation was adding meal replacement powder directly to overnight oats—a diet hack Kelly had never considered. The whipped cream provided an unexpectedly pleasant textural contrast.
Taste scored 7.5, creativity earned a 7 for the novel additions to a familiar meal, and cleanliness received a solid 8. The only detractors were the whipped cream and meal replacement powder, which weren’t quite as clean as whole food sources.
Derek Lunsford’s Pre-Workout Power
Current Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford submitted his pre-training staple: 8 ounces of bison, 400 grams of rice, and “a couple cookies.”
So, my go-to meal has to be 8 ounces of bison and 400 grams of rice. And don’t forget to salt it. Sometimes I like to add a couple cookies.
Lunsford’s emphasis on salt was strategic. Sodium improves muscle pumps and performance by enhancing fluid balance and nutrient delivery. Combined with lean protein and fast-digesting carbohydrates, the meal checks every pre-workout box.
Kelly admitted he over-salted the meal, making it almost unbearably dry without sauce. Taste earned a 6, boosted slightly by the cookies. Creativity scored only a 3 for the basic combination, while cleanliness received a 7, with the cookies preventing a higher score.
Despite the modest ratings, Kelly’s subsequent leg workout produced an incredible pump, validating Lunsford’s formula.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Jay Cutler’s Post-Workout Classic
Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler provided what Kelly called “one of the most perfect post-workout meals”: 5 ounces of angel hair pasta, 8 ounces of ground bison, and half a cup of spaghetti sauce.
The perfect post-workout meal. 5 oz of pasta here. 8 oz of ground bison. And of course, we have half a cup of spaghetti sauce. We’re going to put that all on top. And that is going to be the ultimate post-workout meal. You want to get huge, you got to get huge the right way.
Kelly appreciated the nutritional completeness: quality carbohydrates from pasta, lean protein from bison, and micronutrients from the meat. However, he questioned Cutler’s pasta choice, calling angel hair “the worst pasta in the world.”
The meal scored a 7 for taste (docked for the pasta selection), an 8 for cleanliness (only missing vegetables), and a 5 for creativity since pasta with meat sauce isn’t particularly innovative.
Phil Heath Takes The Crown
Seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath secured victory with his complete bulking dinner: an iceberg wedge salad, filet mignon cooked medium-rare, loaded baked potato, loaded sweet potato with butter and cinnamon, and dinner rolls.
All right, Casey. You say you want to get swole. Here’s my favorite bulking meal. Iceberg wedge salad. We got a filet mignon cooked medium rare. And then we got not one but two potatoes. One is going to be a loaded baked potato and the next is going to be a loaded sweet potato that includes butter, cinnamon, and sugar. And last but not least, we got to throw in those dinner rolls, man.
Heath’s genius lay in the structure. The meal contained all essential components—lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and vegetables—but strategically added calorie-dense toppings that make reaching surplus targets effortless.
These small additions transform a cutting meal into effective bulking nutrition without requiring massive portions or junk food.
Build Strength and Conditioning With One Simple Tool
FULL-BODY TRAINING
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
Kelly awarded perfect marks across the board:
- Taste: 10/10 – Perfectly cooked steak, sweet and savory potato options, fresh salad
- Creativity: 9/10 – Strategic calorie additions without sacrificing nutrition
- Cleanliness: 6.5/10 – Core components were clean, toppings slightly less so
Key Takeaways For Building Muscle
After consuming over 4,000 calories and 200 grams of protein across eight legendary meals, Kelly identified several principles for effective bulking:
- Pre-workout meals should emphasize fast-digesting carbs and moderate protein with minimal fat to fuel performance rather than slow digestion
- Post-workout nutrition benefits from combining quality protein with carbohydrates to support recovery and replenish glycogen stores
- Strategic calorie additions make surplus eating sustainable without resorting to complete junk food
- Lean bulking (200-300 calorie surplus) produces better results than aggressive overeating for most people
- Sodium before training can significantly improve pumps and performance through enhanced fluid balance
Kelly tracked everything using Macro Factor, which dynamically estimates daily calorie expenditure based on food intake and body weight changes—ensuring accurate surplus calculations without guesswork.
While professional bodybuilders can handle aggressive bulking strategies, most people achieve better body composition results with controlled surplus eating and consistent training.
Phil Heath’s victory demonstrated that championship nutrition doesn’t require sacrificing food enjoyment or eating exclusively “clean” foods. Strategic indulgences within a structured framework produce sustainable results—a lesson from someone who knows a thing or two about winning Mr. Olympia titles.
