When it came to eating for size, Rich was undoubtedly ahead of his time. While many other “authorities” were suggesting adding a few hundred calories a day, Rich talked about adding extra meals a day. Of course, he wasn’t necessarily alone, Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler was also a big believer in eating a lot of quality food. In this 2-Part series - Eat For Mass The 5% Way, we’ll look at Rich’s eating guidelines. Plus, we’ll see how the meal plans of other Mr. O’s, like Jay Cutler stack up. Finally, we will present a sample meal and 5% supplement plan so you can get started right away!

Rich’s Extreme Approach To Mass Gaining Meals!

Rich always believed in eating a lot of meals for mass. In 5% Nutrition’s exceptional Bigger By The Day series, Rich advocated up to 10-12 meals a day. When he was competing and seriously training for mass, he ate every hour and a half. He would even break up his sleep to get more meals in. Beyond those extremes, if you’re serious about eating for mass, you should be eating around 8-9 meals a day. If you can, follow Rich’s advice and go even higher! Some of these meals can be shakes, and with that in mind, you could easily hit a high number of meals every day.

How Did Mr. Olympia Eat?

Depending on who you talk to, Mr. O Jay Cutler ate as few as 5-6 or as many as 9 meals a day. Of course, it would depend on the time of year as well. He’d eat more meals off-season than during contest season. Yet even during the contest season, Jay tried to take in around 5,000 calories per day. As noted, one key to eating a high number of meals is to use shakes. Jay Cutler counted his various shakes as a meal.

Real-Life Scenarios That Impact Your Meal Plan

For those of us who lead active lifestyles, it’s going to be hard to sit down to a high number of meals per day. In fact, without the use of 5% Nutrition shakes and high protein snacks, it may be impossible. With this in mind, let’s consider some real-life scenarios. 

Example # 1 - You Work From Home.

If you work from home, you’ve got no worries. You can eat whenever you want. That means you can follow Rich’s prescription of whole-food meals. Still, it makes sense to use 5% shakes at least 2 key times of the day: when you wake up, and immediately post-workout. Have a 3rd shake if that helps you reach your meal goal.

Example # 2 - You Work At Your Place Of Business.

Despite the current trend to work from home, this is the scenario that may fit the lives of many 5%ers. It’s not ideal, but with a couple of pre-made meals, a couple of Real Carbs + Protein shakes, maybe some Snack Time pouches, and you can maintain your macronutrient goals.

Example # 3 - You Work A Job That Keeps You From Eating For Most Of Your Shift. 

Here’s the most challenging scenario. You work a job that makes it difficult to eat during your shift. This means retail jobs where you work alone for most of your shift, jobs where you’re traveling a lot, or any job where you just can’t sit down to a meal when you’re hungry. This means you have to depend on 5% Nutrition functional foods, such as a shake, which can be Real Carbs + Protein and Snack Time pouches. It’s all you may have time for, especially if it’s a busy day. In this scenario, convenience matters.

Part 1 Recap

We’ve looked at some good information in Part 1. Next up, we will calculate calorie needs, break down macronutrients, and check out a sample meal plan. The meal plan will include a sample 5% Nutrition supplement schedule as well. Until then, keep eating!