Lee Priest’s Classic Bulking Diet: Eat Like a Golden Era Legend For Epic Gains

Lee Priest is one of the most iconic bodybuilders with some of the freakiest genetics, earning him the moniker “The Blond Myth.” The 5-foot-4 Priest was widely popular for his gigantic arms, narrow waist, and sprawling quad sweeps.

Priest is from the Dorian Yates era, where bigger and more conditioned bodybuilders were favored. The Australian bodybuilder entered the upper echelons of bodybuilding within a few years of starting competing.

“Nobody can ever blow your mind like Lee Priest looked at 21 years old,” said four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. “I walked in the gym and remember looking at him and saying, ‘How is that even possible?’ He could barely walk because his legs were so big.”

The diet is as important as training for carving a chiseled physique, and Priest is a master of tweaking his diet to achieve the desired results.

In this article, I take you over Priest’s bulking diet and reveal if eating like him can get you similar results today.

Introduction to Lee Priest’s Diet and Training Programs

Priest is no ordinary bodybuilder; he started competing at the age of 13 and turned pro at 17. For the uninitiated, once you start competing, your understanding of diets and how they affect your body weight and muscle mass completely transforms. Priest is in his 50s now, so you can imagine the wealth of experience he has accumulated over the years.

Priest’s Training and Diet Philosophy

Priest followed a high-intensity, high-volume training program and adjusted his training routine based on how he felt. In his prime, he believed in pushing his limits with every workout. Now, you need a dialed-in diet program to recover from this mayhem, and Priest understood this better than anyone else.

Priest didn’t believe in deprivation or overly strict diets, which are now very popular in fitness circles. Instead, he prioritized nutrient-dense whole foods and focused on eating for growth.

Furthermore, he didn’t shy away from cheat meals or high-calorie foods.

Priest was rather liberal during the bulking phase, revealing that he ate whatever he wanted as long as it kept him within his daily calorie goals. Foods high in fats and sugars helped him take his weight over 285 pounds during the bulking season.

Priests Prep Mode Motivation After Completing a Bulk

The Australian bodybuilder tried to add as much size to his frame as possible during the off-season and wasn’t thrilled if he didn’t hit the 280-pound mark, which is significant, considering his height.

“One year, I started my diet. I only got to 250 pounds, and the mental hit was harder because if I’m 285, I’m a fat pig. I figure f**k Lee, you’ve got to train hard, you’ve got to diet strict, gotta do cardio. When I started with 250, I’m like, I’m already 30 pounds ahead. I can take it easy. So, I found it actually harder getting ready when I was lighter. When you’re heavy, you got the motivation to get in shape.” — Lee Preist

Priest typically started dieting 16 weeks out of a bodybuilding show; the remainder of the year was spent in the bulking or maintenance phases.

“I was always ready about 12-13 weeks before a show, and then I did all my photo shoots before the contest, so I’d get in shape pretty quick once I turned it on.”

Bodybuilding experts recommend consuming around 1.2 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight during the bulking phase to ensure optimal muscle gains. While the carb and fat intake is typically lowered during the cutting phase, protein intake remains largely the same to prevent muscle loss. (1)

Deconstructing Lee Priest’s Bulking Diet

Although of small stature, Priest was built like a tank and shredded to the bone — a combination you seldom see. Priest was also one of the most controversial bodybuilders of his era, and his rebellious attitude and dedication are apparent in his dieting strategies as well.

Here is everything you need to know about Preist’s diet:

Calorie Surplus & Macronutrient Breakdown

A calorie surplus is the holy grail of gaining weight and building muscle mass. You must eat more calories than a day than you expend to ensure the needle is budging in the right direction.

Once you have your ideal daily calorie intake target, you must employ a suitable macronutrient split to ensure optimal body composition. As you might have guessed, Priest followed a high-protein diet to ensure optimal muscle gain.

Carbs are the body’s primary energy source and are responsible for fueling your workouts and boosting muscle recovery post-training. Contrary to what most people believe, dietary fats are not the enemy. Instead, they are crucial for hormone production and overall health.

I must add that although Preist is a proponent of a nutrient-dense, whole-food diet, he used multiple supplements to meet his daily macro and micronutrient needs.

Food Choices

Preist emphasizes unprocessed, whole foods in his diet, such as lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, rice, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables.

Unlike many bodybuilders, Priest included a wide variety of foods in his diet. The simple sugars helped replenish his glycogen stores, improved recovery and avoided nutrient deficiencies.

Priest eats a weekly cheat meal to avoid redundancy and boost his motivation. High-calorie cheat meals also ensure the muscles don’t appear flat and deflated due to consistent dieting.

“The thing was I’d go from eating anything I wanted like sh*t food, and come Monday, I’d go strict on my diet. I’d go straight to chicken breast and rice and cardio an hour a day.”

Meal Frequency and Timing

Although Preist follows a regimented diet, he doesn’t conform to a rigid meal schedule. This flexible approach allows him to adjust his eating habits based on his daily schedule.

Priest typically eats a larger meal before a training sesh to ensure optimal energy supply. He follows it up with a high-carb post-workout meal to replenish his glycogen stores.

Lee Preist’s Bulking Meal Plan

Preist generally consumes six to seven meals (including snacks) in a day. Here is an overview of his diet:

Meal One: Breakfast

• Eggs — Five
• Oatmeal — 80 grams
• Blueberries — One cup
• Banana — One large
• Apple — One large
• Total: 940 calories, 42g protein, 30g fat, 133g carbs

The breakfast is Priest’s biggest meal, and he doesn’t skimp on it. A healthy breakfast ensures your body has all the nutrients it needs to kickstart recovery and fuel you throughout the day.

Snack One

• Apple — One large
• Protein shake — 25 grams
• Total: 200-250 calories, 25g protein, 0-5g fat, 25-35g carbs

“I ate a ton of fruit, and now I hear some bodybuilder saying they’re starting to have fruit in the diet. I’m thinking I always did that. Because when I went to America, people were like, can’t have fruit, it’s got sugar in it. I’m like, I’m training twice a day. I’m doing two to three hours of cardio. I don’t think having a couple of apples is going to do anything to me.” — Lee Preist on eating fruit.

Mean Two: Lunch 

• Chicken — 200 grams
• Rice — 200 grams
• Total: 590 calories, 65g protein, 15g fat, 55g carbs

Preist’s second big meal is the good old chicken breast with rice.

Meal Three: Post-Workout

• Chicken — 200 grams
• Potato — 200 grams
• Total: 510 calories, 64g protein, 14g fat, 40g carbs

Meal Four: Evening

• Steak — 200 grams
• Rice — 200 grams
• Vegetables — One cup
• Total: 800-900 calories, 57g protein, 31-41g fat, 65g carbs

Priest believes in keeping things simple when it comes to a muscle-building diet and meal prep.

“People think that there’s some secret to how I cook it or what I put on it. But my cooking couldn’t be any more basic. Don’t overthink it.” Lee shared.

Meal Five: Late Evening

• Chicken — 250 grams
• Potato — 200 grams
• Total: 595 calories, 79g protein, 17g fat, 40g carbs

Snack Two

• Protein shake — 25 grams
• Total: 100-150 calories, 25g protein, 0-5g fat, 0-10g carbs

Daily Totals 

• Calories: 3,435-3,635
• Protein: 378g
• Fat: 112-132g
• Carbs: 403-423g

Can You Pack on Muscle Like Lee Priest With His Diet?

So, can you build like Priest by following his diet? Absolutely! But you must consider the following things:

Science of Muscle Growth

Muscle building ultimately boils down to muscle protein synthesis. Lifting weights results in micro muscle fiber tears. Eating a high-protein diet helps build bigger and stronger muscles. Furthermore, you must ensure progressive overload to keep your muscles out of their comfort zone and promote consistent growth. (2)

Adapting Preist’s Diet

Although I have listed Preist’s complete diet above, you shouldn’t follow it as it is. Following someone else’s diet, even if they are bodybuilding superstars, can lead to substandard results and may even cause health issues like constipation.

Instead, use Preist’s diet as a blueprint and adapt it according to your current fitness levels, lifestyle, metabolism, and training objectives.

Avoid foods you are allergic to and stick to a macronutrient split you are comfortable with. I highly recommend beginners work with a registered nutritionist to prevent nutrient shortfalls and ensure optimal progress.

Potential Challenges

Following a bodybuilding legend’s diet is easier said than done. Even if you have all the details of their diet, sticking to it requires tremendous grit, discipline, and commitment.

You must also listen to your body and tweak your diet based on any reactions like bloating, flatulence, or acid reflux.

You must make this new diet a part of your lifestyle and stick to it for the long term to achieve meaningful results.

Role of Genetics and Training

Even if you train and eat like Priest, there are no guarantees that you’ll look like him. The shape and size of your muscles and how quickly you build them depends on multiple factors, including genetics, age, gender, training experience, and goals.

Furthermore, Priest had access to some of the best nutrition and diet coaches and performance-enhancing drugs (PED).

There is nothing wrong with chasing a physique idol, but you shouldn’t expect the same results. Run your own race, enjoy the process, and you’ll be on your way to building your dream body.

You must also learn to listen to your body. Pull back on your diet or training if something doesn’t feel right. Don’t hesitate to seek an expert’s guidance if you feel lost or overwhelmed. A little help goes a long way in this sport.

Conclusion 

Unlike most other bodybuilders of his era, Priest wasn’t all about freaky size. He built a balanced, symmetrical, and aesthetically appealing physique thanks to his dieting and training approach.

This isn’t a dirty bulk diet where you down anything you can get your hands on. Instead, it involves a strategic eating approach to maximize muscle growth and performance. I encourage you to take this diet and alter it to suit your personal preferences, experience level, and fitness goals. The results will speak for themselves.

If you have any questions about Priest’s diet, post them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References

1. Gentil P. A nutrition and conditioning intervention for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: observations and suggestions. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:50. Published 2015 Dec 21. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0111-x
2. Atherton PJ, Smith K. Muscle protein synthesis in response to nutrition and exercise. J Physiol. 2012;590(5):1049-1057. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2011.225003

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