Professional bodybuilders enter a calorie deficit in the weeks leading up to a show to cut fat to improve their muscle conditioning and definition. However, a side effect of the cutting phase is hampering muscle fullness and appearing flat. Bodybuilders sometimes eat a hefty cheat meal during their shredding phase to replenish muscle glycogen stores and add some pop to their physique. (1)
On Oct. 3, 2023, four-time Men’s Physique Olympia champion Jeremy Buendia took to his YouTube channel to share the high-calorie cheat day he eats to fill out his muscles five from the 2023 Olympia, on Nov. 2-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL. Check it out below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1fsNfLsVTc&ab_channel=JeremyBuendia
Buendia’s 2023 Olympia Cheat Day/Full Day of Eating
Buendia ate six meals on his cheat day, and this is what they included:
Meal One
- Oats — 70 grams
- Strawberries — 120 grams
- Kodiak cakes — 60 grams
- Whole eggs — Two
- Egg whites — 10 ounces
- Monkey bread — One slice
- Sugar-free maple syrup
- Spray butter
Meal One Macronutrients
Although it was a rest day, Buendia started the day with a 45-minute fasted cardio session to improve his muscle conditioning and definition. He ate a hearty 974-calorie breakfast to begin his refeed.
Meal Two
- Chicken breast — 6–7 ounces
- Ramen noodles — 350–400 grams
- Spicy tuna — Eight pieces
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Green onion
- Teriyaki
- Smoothie
Meal Two Macronutrients
- Protein — 52 grams
- Carbs — 180 grams
- Fats — 2 grams
- Calories — 946
Buendia ate his second meal at Tokyo Joe’s and revealed that he tipped the scales at 187 pounds in the morning. His body weight went up to 192.6 pounds after the second meal. He expected to weigh 197 by the end of the day.
[Related: Terrence Ruffin’s 2023 Olympia Back Training with Fellow Classic Physique Competitor Mike Sommerfeld]
Meal Three
- White rice — 250 grams
- Chicken tenders —155 grams
- Banana —One medium
Meal Three Macronutrients
- Protein — 44 grams
- Carbs — 97 grams
- Fats — 2 grams
- Calories — 582
After eating nearly 1,000 calories in each of the first two meals, Buendia returned to the basics for his third meal.
Meal Four
- White rice — 100 grams
- Chicken breast — 155 grams
- Sourdough bread — 100 grams
- Strawberry spread — 32 grams
Meal Four Macronutrients
- Protein — 49 grams
- Carbs — 107 grams
- Fats — 5 grams
- Calories — 669
Buendia ate the second and third meals at his coach, Watty Watkins’, home and kept his fat intake low to have a generous upcoming cheat meal at In-N-Out Burger for his fifth meal. Even though Buendia ate four meals already, he didn’t feel full.
Meal Five
- Animal-style burger (with extra patty) — One
- Cheeseburger (with extra patty) — One
- Fries — Two
Meal Five Macronutrients
- Protein — 74 grams
- Carbs — 182 grams
- Fats — 96 grams
- Calories — 1,888
Buendia ate a 550-gram carb refeed day a few days before this cheat day. However, his glycogen-depleted muscles soaked up all the carbs — his aesthetics were not negatively affected at all nor did he see a change in body weight the following day.
A full day of eating with the intent to restore his glycogen stores resulted in an 800-gram refeed day to ensure a caloric surplus. Should the scale not budge when checking the following day, Buendia would load carbs again.
This cadence and specific cataloging of his weight helps Buendia determine the precise number of days before the Olympia to carb load again and the number of cards to sufficiently fill out his physique.
Meal Six
- Kodiak cakes — Three slices
- Cinnamon bread — Three slices
- Strawberries — 200 grams
- Egg whites — 200 grams
- Spray butter
Meal Six Macronutrients
- Protein — 55 grams
- Carbs — 143 grams
- Fats — 10 grams
- Calories — 882
Buendia loaded carbs on his final meal of the day to supply enough glycogen overnight.
Total Macronutrients
- Protein — 337 grams
- Carbs — 840 grams
- Fats — 137 grams
- Calories — 5,941
Road to 2023 Olympia
Buendia last competed at the Olympia in 2018, finishing fourth overall. As a former Olympia champion, Buendia has a lifelong qualification to compete in the Men’s Physique division.
Buendia will challenge the reigning Men’s Physique Olympia champ, Erin Banks, for a fifth career Olympia title. Given that Banks just suffered defeat to Kyron Holden at the 2023 Legion Sports Fest Pro on Oct. 7-8, 2023, the podium in Men’s Physique is far from hardlocked.
References
- Ivy JL. Regulation of muscle glycogen repletion, muscle protein synthesis, and repair following exercise. J Sports Sci Med. 2004;3(3):131-138. Published 2004 Sep 1.
Featured image: @jeremy_buendia on Instagram
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