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Jay Cutler’s Pre-Contest Diet Plan
In this article, I explain Jay’s diet philosophy, provide examples of how he composes his meals, and show you how his cardio is distributed throughout the week. Jay’s preparation consists of three steps:
Step 1: Transition Phase
Week 20 to 15 (4 weeks)
During these four weeks, Jay eats six times a day, every 2.5 hours, and eats the same thing every day. His training intensity also increases, and he trains faster with less rest between sets. He also tries to sleep more at night, preferably for 10 hours (which is why he only eats six times).
During these first few weeks, the focus is mainly on cleaner eating and reducing carbohydrates, even eliminating simple carbohydrates altogether. This kick-starts fat burning.
Week 16 to 13 (4 weeks)
Here, he assesses his body fat percentage and sets his diet for the coming period. He keeps his calories constant and aims for 350 grams of protein and 500 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Example meal plan for these four weeks
| Meal 1: | 15 proteins (egg whites) |
| 2 whole eggs | |
| 125 grams of oatmeal with a tablespoon of honey | |
| 1 banana | |
| Meal 2: | 3 scoops NitroTech (his protein powder, 51 grams of protein) |
| 2 packets of sugared oatmeal (pre-packaged, packet is 45 grams) | |
| 100 grams of honey (carbohydrates) | |
| 295 ml (10 ounces) of Gatorade (30 grams, carbohydrates) | |
| 6 rice cakes | |
| 2 small jars of applesauce | |
| Meal 3: | 230 grams of fish |
| 370 grams of rice | |
| Vegetables | |
| Meal 4: | 3 scoops NitroTech |
| 2 small jars of applesauce | |
| 185 grams of rice with 1 tablespoon of honey | |
| Meal 5: | 145 grams of shrimp |
| Large portion of asparagus/broccoli/mushrooms | |
| Meal 6: | 3 scoops NitroTech ‘soup’ (crush a lot of ice, cold water and NitroTech) |
Step 2: Zigzag Phase
Week 12 to 9 (4 weeks)
This period mainly involves alternating high calorie/high carbohydrate days with low calorie/low carbohydrate days, with a medium day in between as a ‘maintenance day’.
On a low day, he eats between 250 and 325 grams of carbohydrates, about one gram per pound of body weight. Sometimes even less. To compensate, protein intake increases to about 425 grams on a low day. A low day always falls on a non-training day, in principle, every non-training day is a low day.
The medium day falls on a training day. Protein intake between 350 and 375 grams, carbohydrates between 400 and 450 grams.
Every fourth day is a high day. Carbohydrates between 700 and 750 grams, protein between 250 and 300 grams (carbohydrates take over). On high days, he eats no animal fats, only protein, fish, and protein powders.
If everything is going too fast, he sometimes adds an extra high day.
For example, if it needs to go faster, it could look like this:
Free day: low
First training day: medium
Second training day: medium
Free day: low
First training day: medium
Second training day: high
For example, if it needs to go even faster, this is a good example:
Free day: low
First training day: low
Second training day: medium
Free day: low
First training day: medium
Second training day: high
Recommended low day
Carbohydrate intake: 0.9 to 1.2 grams per pound of body weight
Protein intake: 1.5 grams per pound of body weight
Fat: he doesn’t count it
Example for Jay’s body:
| Meal 1: | 15 proteins (egg whites) |
| 125 grams of oatmeal with a tablespoon of honey | |
| 3 scoops NitroTech | |
| Total: 80 proteins, 75 carbohydrates | |
| Meal 2: | 4 scoops NitroTech |
| 115 grams of cereal | |
| Total: 65 proteins, 80 carbohydrates | |
| Meal 3: | 350 grams of fish |
| 345 grams of rice | |
| Broccoli | |
| Total: 65 proteins, 80 carbohydrates | |
| Meal 4: | 3 scoops NitroTech |
| 120 grams of honey (carbohydrates) | |
| 70 grams of Gatorade (carbohydrates) | |
| 70 grams of table sugar (carbohydrates) | |
| Total: 65 proteins, 100 carbohydrates | |
| Meal 5: | 3 scoops NitroTech |
| 50 grams of Gatorade (carbohydrates) | |
| 6 rice cakes | |
| 2 jars of applesauce (carbohydrates) | |
| Total: 65 proteins, 90 carbohydrates | |
| Meal 6: | 240 grams of shrimp |
| Large portion of asparagus/broccoli/mushrooms | |
| Total: 65 proteins, 0 carbohydrates |
Step 3: Pre-Contest Phase
Week 8 to 1 (8 weeks)
Starting from eight weeks before the competition, Jay follows a low-carb diet and starts doing 1.5 hours of cardio each day. He has one low-carb day, one medium-carb day, and one high-carb day. This is to ensure his body never gets too accustomed to a certain level of caloric intake.
During this phase, Jay’s primary focus is on maintaining muscle while losing body fat.
Example meal plan
Low carb day:
Meal 1: Protein shake
Meal 2: Chicken breast with vegetables
Meal 3: Fish with vegetables
Meal 4: Protein shake
Meal 5: Steak with salad
Medium carb day:
Meal 1: Protein shake
Meal 2: Chicken breast with brown rice
Meal 3: Fish with sweet potato
Meal 4: Protein shake
Meal 5: Steak with quinoa
High carb day:
Meal 1: Protein shake
Meal 2: Chicken breast with brown rice and vegetables
Meal 3: Fish with sweet potato and vegetables
Meal 4: Protein shake
Meal 5: Steak with quinoa and vegetables
As the competition date approaches, Jay gradually decreases his carbohydrate intake while increasing his protein and fat intake. This helps him to get rid of any remaining water weight and achieve maximum definition on stage.
It’s important to note that this meal plan is tailored specifically to Jay Cutler’s needs and may not be suitable for everyone. It’s always best to consult with a nutritionist or dietitian before making significant changes to your diet.
