Derek Lunsford‘s diet is dialed in heading into his Mr. Olympia title defense. In a July 27 YouTube video, he detailed his full day of eating nine weeks before stepping back onstage.
In 2025, Lunsford built incredible momentum in the Men’s Open division. He won the Arnold Classic, Pittsburgh Pro, and Mr. Olympia consecutively. At these contests, he bested some of his greatest rivals, including Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, and Hadi Choopan.
Lunsford is on the precipice of making history. The sport hasn’t seen a three-time Mr. Olympia since Phil Heath, and Lunsford hasn’t folded under pressure. Though Arnold Classic Ohio and UK winner Andrew Jacked has emerged as a top threat, Lunsford is staying focused on his nutrition as he aims to come out on top in Vegas.
Derek Lunsford’s Diet for the 2026 Mr. Olympia
Find his meals from the video below:
Meal 1
- 4 eggs
- 2 pieces of toast
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 1 cup of oats
At this point in prep, Lunsford revealed that he reduced fat and carb intake to get stage-ready.
“A few weeks ago, when we started this prep, I actually had a little bit more fat so I had some avocado in this meal. We pulled that out.
Everything else, as far as the carbs and the protein is the same, but overall, we are now starting to reduce the fat, reduce some of the carbohydrates, increase the cardio, because it’s time to get shredded.”
Meal 2 (Pre-Workout)
- 400 grams of rice
- 7 ounces of chicken breast
Instead of using the microwave, he cooked his pre-workout meal on the stove.
“When I’m in a hurry, of course, I do the microwave, but when I have a minute, it’s always better to cook this on the stove. I think it tastes more delicious,” he shared.
Meal 3 (Post-Workout)
- 3 scoops of Isophorm protein powder
After training arms and shoulders, Lunsford refueled with a protein shake.
“75 grams of protein. This is the isolate protein from Dragon Pharma. Today is Blueberry Ice Cream, it’s one of my favorite flavors.”
“This is like a little treat every day after training. We come in the gym, train hard, and look forward to this post-workout shake every day.”
Meal 4
- 9 oz Angus Steak
- 200 grams of rice
He was tempted by burgers at home, but settled with steak and rice to keep his fourth meal lean.
“We got French fries, we got burgers, buns, all this, that’s for them. I’m actually eating something else. Close, I could probably eat the burgers if I wanted to, no cheese, because I think it’s lean burgers, but I’m going to stick to the Mega Fit steak.”
Meal 5
- 10 oz of shrimp
- 1 cup of broccoli
While he said it’s not the most spectacular dish, Lunsford was happy to end the day with a little protein and vegetables.
“Shrimp and broccoli… not a very exciting meal, I know, but hey, listen, something is better than nothing, and having some extra protein at the end of the night with broccoli, if that’s all I get, I’m not going to complain.”
Despite his recent success, some in the sport want to see Lunsford lose. Bodybuilding veteran Dennis James recently argued that Lunsford is the most hated bodybuilder since Phil Heath. He believes today’s fans want to see champions lose.
Lunsford, coached by Chris Aceto, continues to look after his diet closely ahead of his title defense. The 2026 Mr. Olympia is scheduled for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
