During the off-season, competitive bodybuilders prioritize muscle growth and strength gains by following a calorie surplus (ensuring daily caloric intake exceeds expenditure).
During his off-season, Labrada pulled back the curtain on his full day of eating during a training day. Due to improved gut health since the 2023 Olympia, he must eat less food than he previously did to add new muscle tissue.
I’m considerably larger [this off-season] than I’ve ever been.
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[Related: A Guide to the Best Pre-Workouts in 2024, Tested and RD Approved]
Meal One: Breakfast
Rice — 300 grams
Steak — 180 grams
Whole Eggs — Four
Japanese Barbecue Sauce
Labrada eats 300 grams of rice on training and rest days for breakfast to maintain glycogen levels and a consistent energy supply. After the meal, Labrada got a deep tissue massage to alleviate muscle stiffness and enhance recovery.
Meal Two: Pre-Workout Meal
Rice — 300 grams
Chicken — 200 grams
Ghee Butter — 12 grams
Labrada saw improvement in his digestion after replacing nut butter with ghee butter. Ghee’s higher smoke point than olive oil makes it suitable for frying and high-heat cooking.
The Texas native fuels his workouts with 50 grams of Karbolyn, a quick-digesting carb source from potato, rice, and corn. Like many carbohydrate supplements, it is used to promote muscle endurance and hypertrophy and accelerate recovery. (1)
Meal Three: Post-Workout Meal
Karbolyn — 70 grams
Hydrolyzed Isolate Protein — 60 grams
Labrada’s post-workout meal prioritizes high-quality carbohydrates and proteins to initiate recovery, replenish glycogen stores, and maintain energy levels for the remainder of the day.
Meal Four
Beef — 200 grams
Rice — 300 grams
Over Easy Egg — One
The 31-year-old Labrada eats his fifth meal at a Vietnamese restaurant. However, he sticks to the basics and avoids any additives to avoid excess carb and fat intake.
Meal Five
Rice — 300 grams
Chicken — 200 grams
Ghee Butter — 14 grams
Labrada consumes his fifth meal an hour and a half after his post-workout meal, which is a repeat of the second meal.
Meal Six
Hydrolyzed Isolate Protein — 60 grams
Labrada’s final meal of the day is 60 grams of hydrolyzed isolate protein, which he consumes at midnight. Hydrolyzed isolate protein is a form of whey protein broken into smaller peptides and amino acids to promote rapid delivery to the muscles during sleep, which can maximize recovery and growth.
Labrada avoids carbs in this meal to prevent excess calories from being stored as fat due to a slower metabolic rate and reduced physical activity during sleep.
Labrada must win a pro show before Sept. 15 to qualify for the 2024 Olympia, scheduled for Oct. 10-13 in Las Vegas, NV. His best career Olympia performance thus far was fourth place in 2021.
Reference
Campbell C, Prince D, Braun M, Applegate E, Casazza GA. Carbohydrate-supplement form and exercise performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2008 Apr;18(2):179-90. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.18.2.179. PMID: 18458361.
Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram | @gilcoproductions on Instagram
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