An in depth look at the off season diets of the pros.

The off season. When the average Joe hears this phrase they’re usually thinking some rest, some relaxation, some time to soak in the glorious rays of victory or perhaps time to lick your wounds and scheme for next years possible triumphs. To pro bodybuilders it’s the most important time of the year. It’s the time when they have to bulk up or work on their problem areas, to perfect their physique in order to come back next season in the best possible condition. There’s no time for laziness, no time for relaxation, not in the off season. It’s a time to have full dedication to the craft. If you’re slipping during the off season it’s a good chance you’ll be paying for it when competition season begins. Most of all, a pro has to keep their diet under strict control. There’s no room for mishaps or half steps when it comes to the fuel a bodybuilder puts into their body. Check out this off season diet plan for Big Ramy – reported by Flex Online.

Big Ramy: Diet Plan

MEAL 1
12 egg whites
3 whole eggs
8 oz sweet potato

MEAL 2
5 oz of rice
8 oz chicken breast

MEAL 3
Protein shake

MEAL 4
4 whole eggs
8 oz sweet potato

MEAL 5
8 oz chicken breast
1 cup brown rice
1 cup sliced pineapple

MEAL 6
10 oz salmon
1/2 cup cooked white rice

MEAL 7
10 oz steak
Green salad

MEAL 8 (taken in the middle of the night)
Protein shake
2 tbsp peanut butter

The massive intake athletes like Big Ramy and Flex Lewis must consume on the off season is staggering. They must maintain or build their bulk and muscle without gaining fat. Eating clean is key to positive gains. You don’t gain muscle by eating McDonald’s and Burger King on the off season. It’s not only the portions, but what they choose to put in the mouths in the first place. The clean protein of eggs and steak are macros that will help build and maintain muscle mass. Just looking at the list you have to wonder how hefty that grocery bill must have been. Each of these athletes could easily end up with a bill over three hundred dollars for just a weeks worth of meals. It’s this kind of dedication to eating and supplementation that separates the pros from the amateurs. Some may scoff and say “Eating? What’s so hard about that?”. There’s plenty of difficulties with maintaining a diet of six to seven meals per day, a virtual agony for someone unaccustomed to pro level training. Here’s another pro off season diet courtesy of Flex Online.

Flex Lewis: Diet Plan

MEAL 1
2 whole eggs and 10 egg whites
4 oz dry-weight oatmeal
1 slice wholegrain toast with peanut butter
3 oz of Live Natural Yogurt
2 oz mixed berries
20 min after Meal 1:
1 serving of Anavite tablets
2g omega-3 fish oils
vitamin B complex

MEAL 2
3 oz dry-weight, wholegrain brown rice
8–9 oz fish
3 oz greens
10–15 min before Meal 2:
1 serving digestive enzymes

MEAL 3
9–10 oz sweet potato,
8 oz ground turkey
3 oz greens
2–3 oz fresh pineapple
45 min before training:
1–1.5 scoops of SuperPump Max
15–20 min before training:
1 Scoop Amino last,
½ scoop Glycofuse
1 serving Vasotropin
1 serving Anavite (3 tablets)
During workout:
½ scoop Size on Max
Post-workout:
½ scoop Size On Max
1-1.5 scoops Glycofuse
40–45g of Isofusion whey isolate
10–15 min before Meal 4:
1 serving digestive enzymes

MEAL 4
9–10 oz baked potato
8oz steak, 1 whole egg
3 oz greens

MEAL 5
5–6 oz dry-weight, wholegrain rice
9 oz salmon
3 oz greens

MEAL 6
1 slice whole-grain toast
100g low-fat cottage cheese
1tbsp natural peanut butter
1.5 scoops of Myofusion Elite

When looking at the diet plans of two pros, one a massive open weight contender, the other a 212 Olympia Champion, it’s hard to notice much of a difference in terms of intake. Genetics also have their part to play in terms of how much size a man can pack on during the off season. The two are also diligent in taking supplements and digestive enzymes to ensure that they’re breaking down the food correctly. Whatever differences the two may have in size, their similarities in meal count just goes to show that whether big or small you need tremendous calorie intake to compete at the professional level.

Take a pro like Jay Cutler. According to bodybuilding.com, Jay consumes around 4,700 calories a day when prepping for competition in order to enhance muscle growth. The idea is that not only does he put in tons of work in the gym, but that he puts the same amount of work into nutrition as well. In order to build the body ready to take on the bodybuilding world once competitions begin you have to eat right to make the cut. Jay’s diet plan consists of forty percent protein, forty percent carbohydrates, and twenty percent fats. Building and maintaining muscle requires the correct ratio of macro nutrients which are different depending on each competitor. The process has proven to be a daunting task and Jay himself has stated he doesn’t look forward to meals. Instead he looks at the process as fueling his body to give him the energy to perform in the gym and on stage when the time comes for it.

The off season is an important time for a professional bodybuilder. The sacrifices they endure in maintaining a strict diet will reap tremendous dividends come the on season. Eating such a great deal may prove to be a chore for some, but it’s a chore that can’t be skipped or avoided. If you want to gain muscle and win competitions you have to do whats necessary.
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Cover photo courtesy of Rx Muscle.