Arnold Schwarzenegger’s youngest son, Joseph Baena, has not taken too long in catching up to his father’s footsteps. In 2026, he won multiple titles, coming in first place and becoming a crowd favorite.  However, Baena recently opened up about the less glamorous side of the sport: the brutal calorie deficits.

In an Instagram post captioned “Trying to be a foodie on a calorie deficit is difficult work," on May 24, he takes viewers through his journey of calorie deficits. Although the posts are filled with delicious-looking dishes, he had to constantly count his calories, which can be mentally and physically exhausting.

Fortunately, he credits his “best training partner,” his father, for his continuous motivation. “When the carbs are low, and the calories are low, and I start getting tired, he pumps me up,” he beamed.

Baena is no stranger to posting cooking tutorials and often shows off his culinary skills online. As a self-proclaimed foodie, Baena has often talked about how difficult it is to maintain his ripped physique.

However, the struggle to maintain a competition-worthy physique isn't just physical. After winning his debut bodybuilding contest, the International Natural Bodybuilding Association Iron Gladiator competition, Baena opened up about his stage fright.

He said, "Stepping on stage has always been a scary feat for me, but creating the goal and actually going for it is one of the best decisions I could have ever made."

But while he has conquered his stage fright now, his diet to cut weight for contests still subjects him to a fair amount of struggle.

What Joseph Baena Eats While Cutting for Competition?

Baena's focus was never to starve himself to reduce weight. Rather, he wanted to stay lean and preserve as much muscle as possible for his competition prep.

Following a strict 500-calorie deficit can be tough. However, Baena has found a way to make it fun by opting for delicious, protein-packed meals. These include cuts of beef, healthy salads, pancakes, chicken breasts, and black coffee. He also opts for sides of salmon, which are naturally high in omega-3 fatty acids.

As per Men’s Health, some of Baena’s go-to meals included eggs and spinach or mushrooms, spicy sauces, avocado toast, and turkey.

The results of his intense workouts and diet were visible on stage.

Baena’s journey proves that some of the biggest transformations are built during the most challenging phases. When calories drop, discipline automatically kicks in.

What do you think about Baena's challenging calorie-deficient diet and routine?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Souvik Roy