The holiday binges are coming to an end, and Lee Priest wants to help his fans get in shape. On Dec. 30, 2025, via YouTube, he discussed how gradual dieting changes can shed belly fat more effectively than cutting off foods cold turkey.
During his career, Priest was known for his unconventional eating habits. In off-seasons, he’d balloon up in weight, but as soon as contest prep kicked in, eating clean took center stage. Priest would dramatically transform his physique in the lead-up to contests, making him a top threat throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
In retirement, he still keeps up with a busy workout schedule. With the New Year here, Priest is breaking down some of the dieting mistakes and secrets he’s encountered. In the latest Sam’s Fitness – Gym Equipment YouTube video, he gave his two cents on how to sport a leaner stomach in 2026.
Lee Priest Says Gradual Diet Changes Beat Going Cold Turkey for Belly Fat Loss
During the video, Priest said training, cardio, and eating clean food are all you need to shed stubborn belly fat.
“You know what’s bad, you know what’s good,” he said. “Stay away from the shit and just eat clean food. Do cardio and train, and you’ll get rid of that pudgy little belly fat. I know I gotta do it. I just don’t want to cut out all the good food. When I say good food, I mean the ice creams and stuff.”
While prepping for contests, he would drink diet soda to combat food cravings. Additionally, Priest pointed out how quickly snacks can hamper a calorie deficit.
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“If it wasn’t time to eat again and I’ve got hunger pain, I’d go and just drink [diet soda]. Because as soon as you get hunger pain, then you eat and you eat. When I used to bulk up, it was all that little bit of snacking.
If you add up all the little snacks you have during the day. By the end of the day, that could be an extra 2,000 calories just from grabbing something here, a banana here, a chocolate bar here, a handful of cashews here. When you cut all the snack food out, it makes a huge difference.”
Priest explained that going cold turkey can cause you to feel sick, making it more difficult to adhere to.
“Your body does go into shock because you just cut out all the fats and sugars. The first week I get lightheaded, and my stomach is like oh god. It’s almost like being a drug addict. When I was on OxyContin, I cut that out, and your body still craves it and wants it.”
“Generally, when you go cold turkey after a couple of days, you’re like fuck this.”
Instead of quick transitions, he shared that simply swapping out sweeter foods with healthier options can go a long way.
“Do little things slowly. Say you’re eating junk food… maybe just have half, and then slowly, slowly, fade it out, or replace it with something healthier.
If you’re eating a chocolate, maybe grab some grapes, then slowly eat into the sweetness of the grapes, or peaches, or something. Substitute it for something healthy and make the change rather than go cold turkey.”
Above all else, he admits that clean eating is the biggest lever to pull for belly fat loss:
“If you can get down and stay down, like I used to for contests, you don’t have to go contest crazy, extreme. But if you just want to eat clean to lose weight, have your abs, and feel better, just eating clean food, it’s not that bad.”
Priest hasn’t been the only bodybuilder to help with belly fat loss. Lee Labrada also tackled the challenge. He emphasized four concepts for better results: maintaining higher protein intake, eating five meals a day, moderating carbs, and sticking to daily cardio.
Priest always knew how to dial in his nutrition when it counted. He believes eating clean, training, and avoiding cold turkey diets offers the best route to success.
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