Drew McIntyre has one of the best physiques in the WWE right now, and the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion has to follow a rigorous diet plan to achieve and maintain it.
At 40 years old, the 6-foot-5 Scotsman weighs more than 260 lbs, most of it muscle. But his transformation didn’t happen overnight.
McIntyre was way less bulky during his first run in the WWE. After WWE released him in 2014, he wrestled all over the world on the independent scene. With constant flights, busy schedules, and lots of late nights, it was hard for him to stick to a proper workout or diet plan.
The Scotsman later admitted that during that time, he was pushing himself too hard and not living in a structured way. That’s when he realized he needed to change if he wanted long-term success.
Drew McIntyre Details Nutrition Plan Behind His WWE Transformation
When WWE brought him back in 2017, he knew he had to look like a true main event star. At that time, Brock Lesnar was dominating the company. McIntyre honestly said that when he looked at Lesnar, he didn’t feel like he could physically compete with him. That motivated him to seriously improve his body.
At first, he started eating more. Instead of just a couple of meals a day, he moved to at least four. The extra food helped him gain size quickly.
“I didn’t really have much of a diet. I only eat a couple of times, a few times a day, I don’t pay attention to what I eat. So I started eating more during that period, and that’s where I started noticing the weight gain. I was like, ‘Oh, eating more food equals size- who would have ever known?” McIntyre said during his interview with The Sun.
He also worked with trainer Rob McIntyre, who has trained John Cena. “I’ve always worked out pretty hard. I worked with Rob McIntyre, you know, senior trainer at the time, I worked with him for years and years, so I started following a program that he was sending me,” he said.
For a while, McIntyre said he still ate pizza and burgers while keeping his size. “To be honest, I was eating pizza and burgers, and I’m sure we’ve talked about it over the years. Nobody believes me – or they hate me – when I say,” McIntyre said.
But about nine months ago, he tightened everything up even more.
He began training closely with Coach Jeff, focusing not just on muscle but also mobility. The difference has been huge. McIntyre says his body feels better than it has since his 20s. His hips are more flexible now, which allows him to throw head kicks and superkicks without any trouble.
“Like I can throw my head kick now. I can throw super kicks; I don’t because everybody throws them, but I’m capable of doing it now. I couldn’t before because my hips were in such bad condition. Now, my mobility’s gone through the roof, it’s like turning back time,” he said.
Today, his diet is very strict. He eats around 6,200 calories a day, with a big focus on clean carbohydrates.
“I have 6,200 calories a day now, which is insane, but I’m getting things in, like the carbs, I didn’t realize how important they were, not just for the size, but for the energy and how you feel overall,” he said.
“And the clean carbs, what you put into your body when it comes to inflammation. We’ve got that inflammation right down, so I just feel so much better, I move so much better, and as a side effect of the diet and working out all the time and staying structured, I look better on top of it,” he added.
The hard work paid off in 2020 when he defeated Brock Lesnar to win his first world title. Now a four-time world champion, he is heading toward WrestleMania once again in top shape.
Read More: Drew McIntyre’s Current WWE WrestleMania 42 Plans — Report
