Motivation is at an all-time high for Jay Cutler who is currently transforming his physique before turning 50. In a recent YouTube video on JayCutlerTV, the bodybuilding legend discussed his ambitions for 2023 and the high-protein diet he’s using to rebuild his body.
Jay Cutler was a proven force during his time as an active Men’s Open pro. He is well known in the community for his rivalry with eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman. In 2006, Cutler dethroned Coleman with a blend of conditioning and mass. After upsetting the long-standing champ, Cutler would eventually lose the title in 2008 to Dexter Jackson.
The following year (2009), Cutler became the only Men’s Open pro in history to regain a Mr. Olympia title that was lost. Retiring with four Sandow trophies, the Massachusetts native remains one of the sport’s most popular and visible ambassadors.
Late last year, Cutler’s physique update spurred comeback discussions online. He trained and posed in the company of fitness influencer Lexx Little. Shortly after the collaboration, Cutler had to inform his fans that a return to the sport was not a part of his agenda. Instead, he explained that he was transforming his body for a fit-for-50 challenge. Taking to another podcast, Cutler discussed his latest progress and the types of food he’s utilizing to get back in shape.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
Jay Cutler Reveals Struggles of Fit-for-50 Goal: ‘There’s Holes in My Physique & Atrophy in Certain Areas’
Cutler believes muscle atrophy and ‘holes’ in his physique are preventing him from returning to guest pose. He shared that his legs, biceps, and lats are all areas where he’s struggling to regain volume.
“You know what, I’ll be honest, it’s motivating, so… we asked for – I asked people what motivates you to go to the gym, the simplest term is progress right? When you see your body changing that’s where you in a positive way, whether you’re losing weight or adding muscle or getting leaner,” said Jay Cutler. “It’s like you’re trying to prove things but the question is does this give me more motivation when people are like, ‘Are you doing the Masters?’ But it does not make me think, ‘Maybe I should do it.’ And I’ll be honest, that’s one thing about [me] I’m very transparent, I have no no no no intentions of getting on stage and competing.”
“Listen man, I would love to feel like I could get up there and guest pose at a contest but I don’t even think I could do that, no. Because I just, my body still has somehow can I say this… there’s some holes. There’s some holes in my physique that I feel are just biceps the legs are definitely smaller, atrophy in certain areas. The lats aren’t ever going to come back to what they were. For me, I think it’s just going to hurt it a little bit.”
According to Cutler, his biggest obstacle was consuming food during the height of his career. Despite the reservations about his physique, Cutler underlined that he’s happy with the way he looks today.
“As I lead into, I’m pretty much back on May 2nd. That’s when I kind of start this full push of this thing. And we got to get a physique update here pretty soon before I leave. I got to have to lock into a gym session at some point, I leave on, I think I leave next week.”
“My appetite is really good. That was my biggest fear is when you get a little older, people’s problem is, when they’re trying to get bigger, even these young kids; they don’t eat enough. Even you know, you have to eat a ton to stay at it right? So, I’m hoping that continues because if you remember and a lot of our viewers don’t actually know this, my biggest obstacle was the food when I was really big.”
“Sometimes it was obviously the anabolics I took too, right? Yeah, so, I think now doing it with a very very little help in that area it’s going to make it a lot better, I think my look is going to be a lot better. I’m happy with the way I look today. Yesterday I felt really good in the gym. Today, I’m going to get a good workout in.”
Cutler Talks High-Protein Focused Diet
Cutler mentioned that he’s tracking his food carefully and named chicken, steak, and bison as his protein sources.
“I ate good yesterday, that was one thing, I’m trying to stay on track keeping with the food. Like I said, the title of our last video was ‘I quit cardio,’ and it’s kind of true. In the comments people were like, ‘Dude you’re walking around the neighborhood,’ this was kind of stop-and-going because Capone was with us. At the same time, this is considered cardio right?”
“I’m focusing more on chicken and steak from Trifecta and bison and that kind of stuff,” added Cutler.
The last time Cutler took a closer look at nutrition he discussed the differences between bulking and lean-bulk diets. He shared that most people today outside of the bodybuilding industry desire a leaner body. To achieve this, Cutler emphasized the importance of setting realistic goals, overcoming challenges, and making recovery a priority.
Upon announcing his fit-for-50 goal, Cutler laid out a framework that he plans to follow. The four-time Mr. Olympia made it clear he’s exclusively using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) over more powerful compounds like Trenbolone.
RELATED: Bodybuilding Legend Jay Cutler Discusses The Rock & TRT: ‘I’ll Never Say It’s Not A Steroid’
Cutler will be in attendance at the 2023 Masters Olympia contest, which formally announced its roster last week. Fans look forward to seeing the results of Cutler’s physique transformation in the near future.