Less than seven weeks stand between competitors and the 2026 Mr. Olympia. In an August 9 YouTube video, Derek Lunsford broke down his new diet approach and recapped Nick Walker’s impressive victory at the Tampa Pro.
Lunsford sits atop the Men’s Open division thanks to a dominant 2025 bodybuilding season. He won the Arnold Classic, Pittsburgh Pro, and Mr. Olympia consecutively. His triumph in Vegas marked him as one of only two bodybuilders to recapture the Sandow trophy, alongside Jay Cutler.
Lunsford faces one of the most stacked lineups in Mr. Olympia history. Former titleholders Hadi Choopan and Samson Dauda aim to regain their championship status. Meanwhile, Andrew Jacked (Chinedu Andrew Obiekea) is surging in the class after winning the 2026 Arnold Classic Ohio and UK contests.
Nick Walker was the latest to join the party. He qualified for the Mr. Olympia after earning gold at the Tampa Pro. Despite a handful of contenders waiting in the wings, Lunsford believes he’s got the winning strategy heading into Vegas.
Derek Lunsford’s Weight ‘Close’ to 250 With New Diet, Talks Nick Walker’s Tampa Pro Win
During the Rx Muscle – Truth in Bodybuilding interview, Lunsford explained that unlike previous seasons, he’s frontloaded most of his carbohydrates in the morning, and consumes more protein toward the end of the day.
“This is a little different this year. We have been frontloading the carbohydrates and backloading the protein. So, in the morning, the first two meals, protein might be a little bit lower, but the carbs are a lot higher. Post-workout, this [banana] is the only carbs I get post-workout. Everything else is like protein is really, really high.”
With eight weeks until showtime, Lunsford revealed that his food is high at this point in prep. He mentioned that his weight is close to 250 pounds but wouldn’t mind dropping a couple more pounds before stepping onstage.
“Food is really high right now, to be honest, but the cardio is also really high because we are eight weeks out.”
“What did I weigh this morning? Close to 250,” shared Lunsford. “242 [at Olympia last year]. I think this year, even if I came down a couple more pounds, I think that will be a nice balance between the Olympia and the Arnold look, so that’s what we’re going for.”
As for Walker’s momentum swing in Tampa, Lunsford was at the event and said he reminded “The Mutant” who the Mr. Olympia champ is.
“I thought he looked great,” Lunsford said. “I just got to remind him who the champ is. I let him know now. I let everybody know that.”
Lunsford hasn’t held back in the lead-up to his Mr. Olympia title defense. During an Olympia Battle workout with Andrew Jacked, Lunsford told the Men’s Open star he’d never be champion as long as he’s around. The two exchanged in a heated back-and-forth and share the same coach.
With a revamped nutrition plan, Lunsford is checking every box possible before stepping onstage. The 2026 Mr. Olympia will take place from September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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