Derek Lunsford, a former 212 Olympia champion, is turning up the intensity with 17 weeks until his next competition. In a YouTube video, Lunsford shared a full day of eating and discussed the cardio training strategies he recently implemented from his coach Hany Rambod.
“The cleaner the diet, the better. Mentally, I don’t think it helps mentally, if anything you’re going to be craving more sweet stuff or more food, or you’re just going to want to fall off the plan,” Lunsford explained.
If anyone has learned the importance of capturing a moment on stage, it’s Derek Lunsford. Last May, he single-handedly asserted himself in the Open class discussion with an explosive guest posing appearance. He posed alongside top-tier talent at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro such as Nick Walker, former Olympia Brandon Curry, Hunter Labrada, and Quinton Eriya.
Instead of residing in the 212 to collect titles as Flex Lewis did, Lunsford accepted a special invite to compete in the Open Mr. Olympia last year. Lunsford’s arrival in the category was a big moment for the sport. When he first stepped on stage, the crowd watching gasped as Lunsford hit an iconic front relaxed pose.
In a turn of events, the former champion, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was removed from his throne. Lunsford fought Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan in the finals. And while the contest was considered very close, his teammate, Choopan, secured the win. With a sterling debut in the Open class, fans, and even Lunsford’s rivals, believe it’s only a matter of time before he claims a Mr. Olympia title.
Lunsford opted to forgo March’s Arnold Classic in favor of making improvements to his physique. His last appearance was at this year’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro guest posing event, where he stood alongside a crop of title contenders such as Samson Dauda, Walker, Big Ramy, Shaun Clarida, and Labrada. Now, with less than four months until the biggest show of the year, Lunsford is sharing his latest prep diet/supplementation.
Derek Lunsford Sticks to 5 Whole Food Meals and Protein Shakes to Fuel His 2023 Mr. Olympia Prep
Below, you can find the common food plan Lunsford sticks to on a daily basis.
“I don’t just eat like for your body, for your mind. I feel it’s obvious that adding extra condiments and sweeteners is not necessary to result in a better physique. That’s pretty obvious, people can argue it but I just don’t believe it.”
Meal 1
- 250 grams egg whites
- 3 oz of chicken
- 100 grams of oats
- EVOGEN Greens
Meal 2
- steak
- white rice
- EVOGEN shake
Meal 3
- chicken
- white rice (cup and a half)
- hot sauce
- EVOGEN GDA (for digestion)
Post-workout
- Smores post-workout protein shake
- EVOGEN Carnigex
Meal 4
- chicken
- white rice (cup and a half)
- hot sauce
- EVOGEN GDA (for digestion)
Meal 5
- steak or preferably salmon (for Omega 3 fatty acids)
- white rice
Cardio Update, Derek says Hany Rambod Wants Him Walking 5x Per Week for 20-25 min
Before wrapping up his meals for the day, Lunsford opened up about his cardio and possible workout collaborations with Samson Dauda and Nick Walker.
“Yeah, the cardio that we’re doing. We talked a couple days ago. The cardio he wants me doing right now is five days a week basically. Just go for a walk, 20-25 minutes. I figure, you know what, if I’m not going to be on a treadmill or machine cardio, my pace probably won’t be quite as fast. I’m not trying to slow down or anything like that.
But when you’re on the machine you can make sure you’re going at a certain speed and keeping a certain heart rate when you’re walking freely like this, unless you have a Fitbit or an Apple Watch tracking your heart rate, it’s a little harder to gauge exactly what your heart rate is. As long as you’re going at a fairly decent pace and you can feel your heart rate coming up,” Derek Lunsford said.
Since Lunsford has shared training sessions with ‘The Mutant’ and Dauda in the past, he figures he may run it back with them soon.
“That’s a good idea [I should reach out and train with Nick Walker]. I haven’t trained with him in a while actually. Then, we just did the Olympia battle with Samson so, I don’t know, maybe if he’s available I’ll hit him up.”
Oftentimes, fans see their favorite bodybuilders on stage but forget about the daily sacrifices they endured along the way to step on stage. Lunsford has been open about some of those obstacles. In a deep interview with his coach Hany Rambod on The Truth Podcast, Lunsford touched on how he’s been dealing with anxiety and depression throughout his latest season. He emphasized that balancing his personal and professional duties has been the biggest challenge.
With eyes shifting to the 2023 Mr. Olympia show taking place in November, bodybuilding veterans are beginning to talk about possible favorites. If you asked eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman who the next champion will be, he’d say Derek Lunsford. Not only that but ‘The King’ has stated that his favorite bodybuilder of this generation is Lunsford.
As for Nick Walker, he’s not sold on Hadi Choopan’s dominance. He recently said that the next title will be decided following a battle between himself and Lunsford. Another former Arnold Classic champion, William Bonac, disagrees with Walker. He says Hadi Choopan will likely retain his title later this year.
With Lunsford’s commitment and discipline to his craft, it’s hard to imagine he won’t bring an improved look to the upcoming show. There is still plenty of time for other athletes to qualify, but many are in agreement that Lunsford is one of the biggest threats heading into Florida in Nov.
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