• Everything I Eat in a Day

• The Secret to Big Arms

• 4 Ways to Bust a Plateau

• A Natural Recovery Drink

When it comes to my diet, the old bodybuilder in me will never die.

I’ll always eat chicken and rice, track my macros, and pay attention to how my body responds to food. It’s how I built the muscle, mindset, and life I have now.

Honestly, though, since retiring, I’ve eased up a bit. But with my wedding six weeks out, I’ve got a reason to dial it back in. Not because I want killer abs, but because I want my face to look fresh in the photos.

Resetting the System

For a while, I was coasting, maybe taking in 2,300 calories a day, tops. And at 250 pounds, that’s nowhere near enough to maintain, let alone recover and grow. My metabolism slowed down. My energy dropped. I didn’t feel like myself.

So I flipped the switch.

My Full Day of Eating

On a typical day recently, I took in 3,035 calories, and the macros came out like this:

Protein: 289g
Carbs: 270g
Fat: 111g

This is what I need to feel good again, to train hard, and to stay lean enough for the big day.

Below, you can see exactly what I ate on a recent day — nothing hypothetical here. This is how I’m fueling myself right now to look sharp for the wedding.

It’s not prep-mode strict, but it’s intentional. I’m tracking again, eating more frequently, and paying attention to how I feel. This way of eating has me locked in and it’s the approach I’ll use for the next six weeks.

Meal 1 – Pre-Workout Fuel

• 5 oz sirloin steak (pan-seared in butter)

• 1 tbsp macadamia nut butter

High-fat, low-carb — no insulin spike, no crash. I used to love pancakes in the morning, but I’ve learned that leading with fat and protein keeps dopamine high, serotonin low, and gets me in the zone to train — not fall asleep.

Macros: ~480 calories, 40g protein, 32g fat, 4g carbs.

Intra-Workout Fuel

• 1 scoop RAW Fuel (carbs + electrolytes)

• 1 scoop RAW EAAs

• Mixed in 32 oz of cold water

Clean carbs + electrolytes + EAAs = energy, hydration, and muscle support mid-training. No crash, no bloat, just straight fuel to keep you locked in for long, intense sessions (especially leg day).

Macros: ~100 calories, 24g carbs.

Post-Workout

• 2 scoops dark chocolate whey

• Mixed in 12-16 oz cold water

• 1 Cadence bar

This is my go-to combo: fast carbs, fast protein, and plenty of sodium. The Cadence bar gives me 40g carbs from rice crisps and honey, and the protein gets me 50g fast. It’s easy, and I’ve had that chocolate protein literally thousands of times. Still not sick of it.

Macros: ~480 calories, 50g protein, 40g carbs, 8g fat.

Meal 2 – Lunch

• 200g grilled chicken breast

• 180g roasted sweet potato

• Steamed green beans

• Salt + olive oil

This one was prepped and plated at home. Simple meal — lean protein, clean carbs, and some fiber. I’ve been focusing more on gut health, so I’m including more cooked greens and different plant sources than I used to.

Macros: ~550 calories, 60g protein, 36g carbs, 15g fat.

Meal 3 – Afternoon

MegaFit Meal —This one’s a grab-and-go frozen meal I keep stocked for days when I don’t have time to cook. Usually grilled bison, chicken or turkey with sweet potatos or rice, and veggies.

Macros: ~550–600 calories, 45g protein, 50g carbs, 20g fat.

Afternoon Drink + Snack

• Japanese ceremonial matcha (see full recipe in Supplements section).

• 1 Raw bar.

This is my reset, a calming drink with antioxidants, gut support, and recovery benefits. Plus the Raw bar hits that “something sweet” craving without wrecking the day.

Macros (combined): ~350 calories, 30g protein, 25g carbs, 10–15g fat.

Meal 4 – Dinner

• 220g ground turkey

• 220g jasmine rice

• Shredded lettuce, pickles, pickled onions

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Ketchup + mayo (Big Mac style)

This is what I call my burger bowl. Tastes good, digestible, hits the numbers. I’ve been doing more bowls lately so I can rotate in more foods without overthinking it.

Macros: ~741 calories, 48g protein, 63g carbs, 32g fat.

Nighttime Snack – Wind-Down Mode

• 2 slices Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast

• 1 tbsp ghee butter

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being intentional — even with snacks. If you’ve got a plan, you’re already ahead.

Macros: ~200 calories, 13g protein, 20g carbs, 9g fat

This one day of smart eating got me back on track, and gave me what I needed to feel good again. Now, I just need to stack meals and days and stay on course for the next six weeks.

Set the Standard!

Chris

💪 Win the Arms Race — Grow Massive Triceps

Most people chase bigger arms with curls on curls. But here’s the truth: your triceps make up nearly two-thirds of your upper arm mass.

If you want arms that turn heads, you need to be smart about training your triceps.

Let’s break it down.

🔬 Anatomy Breakdown: The 3 Heads of the Triceps

• Lateral Head (The Lazy One):
  This outer head won’t fire unless the load is high or your arm is down by your sides. Heavy pressing is your best bet here.

• Long Head:
  This head crosses the shoulder joint, meaning it also helps control overhead motion. To grow it, you need overhead work that stretches it out.

• Medial Head:
  Smaller, deeper, and recruited across most movements — you’ll hit it naturally with good programming.

🔁 Our Training Approach

To grow your triceps, you need:

• Multiple angles (arms overhead, by your side, pressing out)

• Different resistance profiles (stretched vs. shortened position)

• Heavy loads and high effort

• Both compound and isolation work

🏋️‍♂️ Triceps Workouts

Option 1: Long Head Focus

(More overhead emphasis)

• Overhead Pin Press (with pause on pins) – 5x5
  ➤ Mid-range + heavy load = long head destruction

• Skull Crushers – 3x10
  ➤ Mid-range elbow extension

• Rope Pushdowns – 3x15
  ➤ Shortened position, higher reps

Option 2: Lateral Head Focus

(More pressing from the side)

• Incline Pin Press (paused) – 5x5
  ➤ Load + arms close to body = lateral head focus

• Weighted Dips (or Bench Dips) – 3x10
  ➤ Compound bodyweight overload

• Cable Extensions (Flat or Slight Decline Angle) – 3x12–15
  ➤ Finisher for full contraction

🧠 Tips from Justin

• Paused reps > bounce: Removing the stretch reflex forces more motor unit recruitment — especially in lazy fibers like the lateral head.

• Fat grips aren’t just for biceps. Use them to boost fast-twitch fiber activation.

• Grip variation (pronated vs supinated) matters less than hitting varied angles and loading patterns.

Compound movements are king, but don’t skip isolation, especially for hypertrophy.

🔗 Join STNDRD and start training like a champ.

— Justin King

🍃 Chris’s Wellness Drink for Recovery, Focus + Gut Health

Late in the day, I want something that hydrates, calms me down, and supports recovery — without overloading me with caffeine or junk.

This is my go-to drink right now. It’s got antioxidants, mood support, gut health, and strength benefits all packed into one.

CBUM’s Green Reset Drink:

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Japanese ceremonial grade matcha (do not settle for the grassy stuff)

• ¼ tsp saffron powder (for mood + stress support)

• 1 scoop collagen peptides (gut + joint health)

• 1 scoop Sunfiber (soluble prebiotic fiber)

• 5g creatine monohydrate (strength + cellular hydration)

• 12–16 oz cold water

• Ice

Instructions:

1. Mix all powders into 12–16 oz of cold water.

2. Stir thoroughly before adding ice to avoid clumping.

3. Add ice last. Sip and chill.

Macros:

• Calories: ~60

• Protein: ~10g (from collagen)

• Carbs: ~5g (from fiber)

• Fat: 0g

What It Does:

• Matcha → Light caffeine boost + high antioxidant load

• Saffron → Natural mood enhancer, calming

• Collagen → Supports joints, skin, and gut

• Sunfiber → Gut health, digestion, and blood sugar balance

• Creatine → Supports strength, hydration, and recovery

Whether you’re on prep or just trying to feel better, this one’s a game-changer. Think of it as your “off-switch” for stress and your “on-switch” for recovery.

Go to RAW Nutrition and use the discount code CBUM for the best deal on all of our products!

Q: Hi Chris, I’ve been training consistently, lifting heavy, and eating clean, but my physique hasn’t changed much lately. I’m frustrated. What gives?

Mark T., Houston, Texas

A: First off, Mark — I’ve been there. And I know that feeling.

You’re in the gym every day, moving real weight, doing “everything right” … and yet, your physique’s stuck in the same place. That’s one of the most frustrating spots to be in.

But here’s the truth:

Consistency without intensity is maintenance.

Consistency with the wrong strategy is a plateau.

A lot of guys mistake routine for progress — but your body adapts. What used to work won’t keep working forever. So here are a few things I always look at when I hit a wall:

✅ 1. Are You Actually Training Hard Enough?

Intensity is everything.

If you’re not pushing to (or near) failure, recruiting high-threshold motor units, and generating serious tension, you’re not sending the right signal.

I’m not saying destroy yourself every session. But you have to push. Comfort doesn't build muscle.

✅ 2. Are You Progressing on Paper — or Just in Your Head?

Track your weights. Your sets. Your reps. Don’t assume you’re improving — prove it.

Progressive overload doesn’t always mean adding 10 lbs every week. It could mean:

• More total volume

• Better execution

• Shorter rest with same load

✅ 3. Are You Recovering — or Just Getting By?

You grow when you recover, not just when you train.

That means:

• Enough sleep (7–9 hours)

• Enough food (especially protein)

• Not just clean eating — enough calories

If your body doesn’t have what it needs to rebuild, it won’t grow. Simple as that.

✅ 4. Are You Too Focused on "Clean Eating"?

I see it all the time — guys under-eat because they want to stay lean. Or they’re so “clean” they’re barely hitting their macros.

You don’t need to dirty bulk. But if you’re trying to grow, you need to eat more than you burn. And you have to be okay with a little softness in the mirror while you build.

Bottom line:

If you’re stuck, something’s got to change. You don’t need to flip the table — just tweak the right things. Track. Push. Recover. Eat. And keep showing up with intention.

Question for Chris? Hit reply or email [email protected] and we’ll consider it for inclusion in a future issue of The Standard.

Champion Mentality

"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." — Carl Jung

Did a friend forward this to you? You can subscribe here to raise your standard for mental and physical strength.

What Do You Think of The Standard?