Samson Dauda’s 2025 Arnold Classic Prep

Dauda on Whole Foods & Preparation

2024 Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda attributes a lot of his success to eating whole-food meals. In other words, “You won’t see much coming out of a packet, or can,” says the 2024 Mr. Olympia. “[Whole foods] is something people are shifting away from,” he insisted. “To progress, you must have more whole foods.”

While no one would argue with Dauda, he demonstrated that protein shakes are helpful for his dieting needs.

Mr. Olympia Breakfast

* Five eggs
* Oatmeal
* Large protein shake

Almost every bodybuilder eats eggs for breakfast, and Dauda is no different. He kicks off daily with five eggs for high-quality protein, fat, calories, and essential nutrients. That’s paired with oatmeal for a steady release of carbs for energy and stable blood sugar. Moreover, Dauda chugs a large protein isolate shake from a blender to shuttle key nutrients.

Lunch & Pre-Workout Blitz

Holding the Mr. Olympia title comes with great responsibility, and Dauda won’t lose at the Arnold because of a lack of preparation. He takes home-cooked food wherever he goes, optimizing nutrient intake every few hours. Plus, splitting meals helps maximize the absorption of proteins, which are the building blocks for muscle gains. Dauda needs a hefty daily dose to grow and maintain during a cut. Lunch is:

* 200 grams of steak
* 350 grams of Sweet potato

The next meal, Dauda’s pre-workout carbs and protein, carries him through intense training and post-exercise. Research shows adequate protein before training feeds muscles and prolongs the anabolic window. (1)(2)(3)

* 300 grams of white pasta
* 180 grams of Ground beef

Dauda kept his supplements simple with a pre-workout and amino formula for intra-training support.

Post-Workout and the Champ’s Dinner

After an extensive workout, Dauda feeds his muscles with 250 grams of chicken breast and 1.5 cups of white rice, which he replicates for dinner, his last meal. Though some may assume Mr. Olympia has a special diet, Dauda demonstrated that lean, clean, whole foods make a champion.

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References

1. Tipton KD, Hamilton DL, Gallagher IJ. Assessing the Role of Muscle Protein Breakdown in Response to Nutrition and Exercise in Humans. Sports Med. 2018 Mar;48(Suppl 1):53-64. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0845-5. PMID: 29368185; PMCID: PMC5790854.
2. Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon A, Wilborn C, Urbina SL, Hayward SE, Krieger J. Pre- versus post-exercise protein intake has similar effects on muscular adaptations. PeerJ. 2017 Jan 3;5:e2825. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2825. Erratum in: PeerJ. 2017 Aug 1;5:e2825/correction-1. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2825/correction-1. PMID: 28070459; PMCID: PMC5214805.
3. Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA, Krieger JW. The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Dec 3;10(1):53. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-53. PMID: 24299050; PMCID: PMC3879660.