Phil Heath – an American professional bodybuilder, seven-time Mr. Olympia titleholder. He has held the top position in prestigious bodybuilding competitions for almost a decade. Naturally, it is interesting to delve into the secrets of his life philosophy to broaden our understanding of how to eat properly for muscle mass gain.
In the section Motivation, we will introduce you to Phil Heath’s nutrition principles, tell you how he manages to stay in shape every day throughout the year, and as a bonus, share some meal recipes and an example of a weekly menu.
Phil Heath: “I consume about 400 grams of protein a day“
For many years, Phil has only eaten food prepared at home, almost never fast food
Usually for breakfast, Phil eats egg whites with semolina porridge
The main carbohydrate in Phil’s diet is oatmeal; sugar easily ruins definition
He loves fish, sushi; during competition preparation – lean types of fish
The total caloric intake of his diet is about 5000 calories per day
Did you know that 240 grams of beef contains 50 grams of protein?
| Phil Heath |
|---|
| Anthropometric Data |
| Height: 175 cm Competition Weight: 114.31 kg Off-Season Weight: 127.01 kg |
| Bodybuilding Career |
| 2003 Northern Colorado State (novice, light heavyweight) – 1st place 2003 NPC Colorado State (light heavyweight) – 1st place 2004 NPC Colorado State (heavyweight) – 1st place 2005 NPC Junior Nationals (heavyweight) – 1st place 2005 NPC USA Championships (heavyweight) – 1st place 2006 Colorado Pro Championships – 1st place 2006 New York Pro Championship – 1st place 2007 Arnold Classic – 5th place 2008 IFBB Iron Man – 5th place 2008 Arnold Classic – 2nd place 2008 Mr. Olympia – 3rd place 2009 Mr. Olympia – 5th place 2010 Arnold Classic – 2nd place 2010 Mr. Olympia – 2nd place 2011 Mr. Olympia – 1st place 2011 Sheru Classic – 1st place 2012 Mr. Olympia – 1st place 2012 Sheru Classic – 1st place 2013 Mr. Olympia – 1st place 2013 Arnold Classic Europe – 1st place 2014 Mr. Olympia – 1st place 2015 Mr. Olympia – 1st place 2016 Mr. Olympia – 1st place 2017 Mr. Olympia – 1st place |
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Phil Heath’s Nutrition Philosophy
There were times when one of the most important daily tasks for professional bodybuilders was to eat excessively, until it became simply impossible to stuff anything else in. Burgers, pizza, and ice cream were devoured with enthusiasm… and ice cream was a must.
The result of such a “gluttonous” existence was a pitiful semblance of physical ideals with beer bellies, where the only signs of distinction from the crowd were detected by their proud gait.
Against this backdrop, professional bodybuilding competitions looked like the aspirations of ordinary “guys” who were tired of drinking beer, trying to prove to the world that they still amounted to something.
But that is the past.
Today, it is becoming increasingly fashionable among professionals and amateurs to abandon the practice of bulking in the off-season and to maintain a shredded physique every day throughout the year.
One of the first to popularize this principle was Arnold, and Phil Heath adheres to it as well. And judging by the numerous awards at prestigious competitions, he is succeeding.
Of course, not without the help of sports pharmacology (the entire professional bodybuilding community is hooked on the needle). But any pharmacology without proper nutrition and training is nothing.
Therefore, there is much to learn from Phil Heath.
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Phil Heath’s nutrition philosophy is expressed in the following four postulates:
- you always look great: “My profession is a professional bodybuilder, so I must live up to my title not just for two weeks during competitions, but all year round”.
- you always feel fantastic: “When I have a lot of fat, I feel sluggish and apathetic. A little body fat is a good thing for extra energy during workouts, but if there’s too much, you feel like a lazy fat guy”
- you are always in working shape: “Now that I’m a professional, I can be invited to guest posing at any moment. The better I look, the more likely I am to get invited again”.
- preparation for competitions is significantly easier: “It’s much easier to get into competitive shape when you have 5 kg of fat to lose than when you have 25.”
Phil Heath’s nutrition principles for gaining muscle mass
Although Phil’s entire diet regimen, like that of all pros, is based on scientific data (as is the case with most pros), it would be more accurate to describe it as “metaphysical” rather than strictly scientific.
Phil is not one to count every gram of protein, carbohydrates, and fat he consumes; he eats more instinctively. Yes, he weighs his food, but mainly just meat, to know the exact amount of protein.
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1 Protein: red meat, eggs, and sushi
As a source of protein, Phil prefers red meat, particularly its lean cuts.
“I eat much more red meat in the off-season than during competition prep. I love red meat because it really helps me gain muscle mass. I don’t know what the reason is: whether it’s the creatine, the B vitamins, or zinc, but it helps me grow. My body responds very well to it.”
Phil loves red meat and feels that he gains muscle mass largely thanks to it; he chooses lean cuts for his diet
“I remember once I had a barbecue in my backyard, and there were a lot of bodybuilders over, and I was serving them hamburgers. They all asked me: how much fat is in them? I replied: they are absolutely harmless! Just because it’s a hamburger doesn’t mean it’s fatty and forbidden.”
For many years, Phil has only consumed home-cooked food, almost never fast food
“If I cook or my girlfriend cooks, I know for sure what my food is made of.”
Besides red meat, he loves fish, especially wrapped in rice and seaweed.
“I’m a sushi fan. I can eat a lot of salmon rolls throughout the day.”
He also consumes salmon steaks. Salmon is beneficial due to its high omega-3 content, one of the essential fatty acids.
Essential fatty acids are used to treat almost all diseases, from arthritis and heart disease to allergies and asthma. They also help prevent muscle tissue breakdown and are beneficial for weight loss.
Directly during competition preparation, Phil Heath replaces salmon with leaner types of fish, and he consumes omega-3 in capsules.
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Chicken breasts are also sometimes on the menu, but not as often as for many other athletes. He simply doesn’t like them.
Egg whites, usually for breakfast, are another source of protein, and he prefers them with.. semolina porridge.
“I don’t understand why many bodybuilders don’t eat this deliciousness. I love semolina porridge!”
Usually for breakfast, Phil eats egg whites with semolina porridge
2 Carbohydrates: oatmeal, sugar, and definition
The top carbohydrate in Phil Heath’s diet is oatmeal, but it is far from the last.
He usually consumes about 600 grams of carbohydrates per day.
“I know many hear this with disgust, but I’m one of those guys who stays defined while eating a lot of carbohydrates. My body thrives on them.
They keep my muscles full and round, so in the off-season, I can eat as much as I want. But I mean complex carbohydrates, not simple sugar, which easily ruins definition.”
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3 Fats – 1/5 of caloric intake
Phil does not measure the exact amount of fat in his food during the off-season. Most of it comes from beef and salmon steaks.
According to his calculations, the amount of fat in his diet rarely exceeds 100 grams per day.
Considering that there are 9 calories in one gram of fat, 100 grams of fat equals 900 calories. If you add the caloric value of 600 grams of carbohydrates and 400 grams of protein, then the total caloric intake per day is about 5000 calories.
4 Phil Heath on fast food
“I could sometimes allow myself to eat fast food and other unhealthy food in the off-season for mass gain,” says Phil.
“But bodybuilding is my job, which I take seriously. It’s no trouble for me to eat healthy food year-round, and I feel and look much better then.
Therefore, there is no need to eat unhealthy food, even during the muscle mass gaining phase.”
“That’s why, in the off-season during the mass gaining phase, I don’t have to struggle with bloating, stomach cramps, or be forced to roll on the kitchen floor in a fetal position in a semi-conscious state.
Probably the diet I follow now is the next wave of trends in sports nutrition.”
Phil Heath: “… the diet I follow is the next wave of trends in sports nutrition… there is no need to eat unhealthy food, even during the muscle mass gaining phase“
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Sample Meal Plan for 1 Day from Phil Heath
Phil’s typical off-season diet is a diet for gaining tons of muscle mass while maintaining definition.
A usual day in terms of nutrition looks like this:
| Meal | Time | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:00 | 6 eggs, 1 cup of semolina, 240 grams of water |
| 2 | 11:00 | 240 g steak, 2 cups of rice, broccoli |
| 3 | 13:00 | 240 g chicken breast, 2 cups of brown rice, asparagus |
| 4 | 16:00 | shake 60 g protein / 150 g carbohydrates |
| 5 | 19:00 | 240 g steak, 1.5 cups of white rice, spinach |
| 6 | 22:00 | 240 g lean fish (tilapia), broccoli |
The diet is quite typical: there are no bad carbohydrates, a lot of protein, six meals.
The only thing to pay attention to (this is especially important for beginners): throughout the day, Phil takes only one protein shake. The main sources of protein are natural foods. It is important to remember this, as there is a common belief that muscle mass cannot be gained without sports nutrition.
Sports protein is just a convenience that does not require long preparation.
10 Favorite Dishes of Phil Heath
- Steak (filet)
- Salmon steak
- Chicken breast
- Egg white
- Semolina
- Oatmeal
- White rice
- Brown rice
- Broccoli
- Sushi (mainly salmon)
Did you know that 240 grams of beef contains 50 grams of protein?
