Back in May, Sam Sulek went into a smart bulking plan to head into the summer as strong as possible. Having won his IFBB Pro card in February, the social media star explained that eating more eggs, eating less fat, and ramping up the carbohydrates was his preferred plan. But with his IFBB Pro debut coming up at the Arnold Classic, and Arnold Classic UK, in March 2026, how is he prepping for the perfect peak?
Sulek revealed his current day of eating during a vlog for his 4.35 million subscribers, explaining that while he’d been eating a surplus of calories in that bulking stage, he had never found himself in a place where he was “too soft.”
The bodybuilder said that at his heaviest, he’d found himself at around 265 pounds when weighing himself in a fasted morning state. “And now, after a little bit over three months of dieting, I’ve kind of worked my way down to now, like 240,” he shared, noting that he considers this to be his baseline from here on out. Sulek hopes that in the next twelve weeks or so, he can lose another twelve pounds. To do this, the young lion says needs to be in a suitable deficit. “If you boil it down,” said Sulek, “I’ve gotta do one thing: that’s burn more energy every day than I eat.”
Sam Sulek’s Macro Nutrient Breakdown
Currently down to 240 pounds, Sulek says he will eat around one gram of protein for every pound that he weighs. “I usually do lower fat,” shared the big man, explaining that if the goal is to burn body fat, he doesn’t want to over-indulge. Sulek also prefers to have carbs in his system, as for him, it makes training feel better. As Sulek’s weight continues to go down, he explains that the carbs will take the biggest hit in order to reduce calories without losing muscle gains.
Sam Sulek’s current daily meal plan
Meal One: Pre-workout Meal (250 calories)
- Ground Beef. 2.5 ounces / 70.9 grams
- Rice Cakes x 2
(Both had sugar free seasoning / toppings)
Meal Two: Breakfast (475 calories)
- Ground Beef. 8 ounces / 227 grams
- Instant Peach Oatmeal x 2 Packs
Sulek points out that the added 8 grams of sugar that is present in the peach oatmeal is no big deal. “I don’t understand the hate for carbs in a dieting phase,” he explained. “I think everyone has these misconceptions that are hard-wired into us, from when we were raised, and like watching TV.” This bodybuilder shuns the old-school ‘chicken, broccoli, rice only,” mantra, noting that sweeter flavors can be introduced if calculated correctly, and they will also make food more fun to eat.
Meal Three: Lunch
- Ground Beef. 10 ounces / 283 grams
- 4 Plain salted rice cakes (crushed and mixed in)
Seasoning: Barbeque sauce, garlic powder
The bodybuilder said that he eats eight to ten grams of ground beef per meal (aside from his smaller pre-workout meal) to hit his 50-gram benchmark for protein. Adding rice cakes, or plan rice, or oatmeal is a hack that he uses because “it’s just more food.” This makes perfect sense, because feeling full via calorie dense foods is the key to maintaining a calorie deficit.
Before meal four, Sulek engages in a cardio session and shared that he often takes an energy drink at this point, noting that a caffeine hit in the morning and then again later in the day not only helps his energy levels but also has a slight appetite supressing effect. He is careful not to take caffeine too late, however, so that it doesn’t interfere with sleep.
Meal Four: Post Cardio
- Turkey Breast. 11 ounces / 312 grams
- Instant Blueberry Oatmeal x 2 Packs
Seasoning: Barbeque sauce
There’s a whopping 72 grams of protein in this meal said Sulek, who feels that his momentum for building muscle is still good despite eating less than he did several weeks ago. “I’m gonna eat the main course, protein side first,” he shared, noting that the sweeter oatmeal can serve as a dessert.
The rising IFBB pro said he does snack between meals from time to time and may partake in additional rice cakes with sugar free jam when desired. Sulek explained that he doesn’t eat many vegetables, but does take a multivitamin pill, and says thorough blood testing shows he’s not deficient in nutrients.
Meal Five: End of the Day
With his protein macros completed with that huge haul of Turkey, Sulek weighs up the rest of his macros to round out the day, slamming down another five sweetened rice cakes. “That all adds me up to 2,541 calories for the day,” detailed the dedicated bodybuilder. “As long as I’m on track and I can see the scale continue to, kinda, just creep down, every so steadily at the weight that I want to see, well that means I’m good.”
Here’s the final tally:
- Calories: 2,541
- Protein: 249 grams
- Carbohydrates: 303 grams.
In a few weeks, with this IFBB Pro debut drawing closer, Sulek told viewers that he will drop even more fat by cutting out the ground beef and switching to lean turkey, tuna, and egg whites. Until then, you can watch the complete video below.