Chris Bumstead’s 1,740-Calorie Cutting Diet To Get Shredded In 2026
Chris Bumstead knows what it takes to reach an extreme level of conditioning. The six-time Classic Physique Olympia champion spent years pushing his body to its limits for bodybuilding’s biggest stage, but his approach to getting lean in retirement looks considerably different.
In a recent YouTube video, Bumstead broke down exactly what he is eating to get shredded in 2026. Rather than recreating the highly restrictive diet he followed during his Olympia days, “CBum” designed his current plan around foods that are convenient, enjoyable, and easier for the average person to maintain.
“You don’t need to eat white fish and egg whites all day to get shredded,” Bumstead said.
By the end of the day, Bumstead’s diet totaled just 1,740 calories, including 198 grams of protein, 106 grams of carbohydrates, and 56 grams of fat.
Chris Bumstead’s Full 2026 Cutting Diet
Bumstead starts his morning with a protein smoothie. He explained that it provides an easy opportunity to consume approximately 50 grams of protein while also adding supplements such as creatine, electrolytes, and fiber.
His second meal is especially simple: 200 grams of ground turkey with green beans. Bumstead keeps meals like this frozen and ready to go, arguing that preparation makes it easier to avoid ordering less nutritious food when he is busy.
Throughout the day, Bumstead has also developed a new low-calorie snack: frozen blueberries. He credits his daughter with inadvertently introducing him to them and enjoys their cold, crunchy texture while getting something sweet for roughly 50 calories.
For his more enjoyable meal of the day, Bumstead makes wraps using low-calorie tortillas or egg wraps with chicken, refried beans, pico de gallo, and fermented vegetables.
His final meal consists of beef meatballs, zucchini, and marinara sauce. Bumstead intentionally prefers higher-fat foods such as beef, steak, or salmon later in the day because he finds them more satiating before bed.
His daily foods included:
- Meal 1: Protein smoothie with creatine, electrolytes, and fiber
- Meal 2: 200 grams of ground turkey and green beans
- Snack: Frozen blueberries
- Meal 3: Chicken wraps with refried beans, pico de gallo, and fermented vegetables
- Meal 4: Beef meatballs with zucchini and marinara sauce
Daily Total: 1,740 calories, 198 grams of protein, 106 grams of carbohydrates, 56 grams of fat
Bumstead Says You Don’t Have To Diet Like A Pro
One of Bumstead’s biggest messages was that recreational lifters should not confuse getting visibly lean with achieving contest-level bodybuilding conditioning.
According to Bumstead, someone who looks exceptionally shredded in a gym could be around 8-10% body fat, whereas competitors can push themselves significantly leaner for the stage. He believes that difference means most people do not need the obsessive optimization required during an Olympia prep.
“The average person shouldn’t be feeling like that all the time,” Bumstead said of the exhaustion associated with contest preparation.
Bumstead specifically warned against slashing calories too aggressively. He explained that during his bodybuilding preps, extreme dieting eventually resulted in fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, and other signs that his body was under considerable stress.
For someone simply chasing better abs or a leaner appearance, Bumstead believes the objective should instead be to look good while continuing to feel healthy.
CBum Encourages More Protein, Fewer Unnecessary Carbs
Bumstead also challenged the common belief among lifters that they constantly need additional carbohydrates to maintain their muscle and get a good pump.
He believes hydration and sodium can be just as important for gym performance while emphasizing protein intake when carbohydrates are reduced.
“Less carbs, more protein,” Bumstead summarized.
Despite the more sustainable approach, Bumstead’s current calorie intake is surprisingly similar to what he consumed during the final stages of his Olympia career.
“This is going to be a similar caloric intake as my, like, two-week-out point in Olympia prep.”
There is one major difference. Bumstead said he consumed substantially more protein during contest preparation, sometimes approaching 300 grams per day. He no longer believes most people need anything close to that amount.
Bumstead officially stepped away from Classic Physique competition after winning his sixth consecutive Olympia title in 2024. Although he no longer needs to achieve the extreme conditioning required to defend the Classic Physique crown, the bodybuilding legend clearly has no intention of abandoning his trademark physique.
For Bumstead, his 2026 diet represents the middle ground: getting impressively lean and preserving muscle without living like he is two weeks away from stepping onto the Olympia stage.
Image embed via Instagram @chrisbumstead
