SNR #162: Andrew Chappell, PhD - Examining Contest Prep Strategies Followed by Natural Bodybuilders

Episode 162: Andrew Chappell, PhD of Sheffield Hallam University is on the show to discuss preliminary data looking into different nutritional strategies followed by natural bodybuilders. Dietary Strategies Of Elite Natural Bodybuilders - Chappell AJ & Simper T., The popularity of natural bodybuilding is increasing rapidly. Within the United Kingdom (UK) the British Natural Bodybuilding Federation (BNBF) runs seven regional qualifiers culminating in a UK finals. This cohort provides an excellent opportunity to study the dietary and training practices of an elite group of natural bodybuilders. In order to achieve the optimal physique for competition the athlete typically undertakes in a fat loss regime whilst attempting to maintain muscle mass normally accrued prior to the weight loss period. A combination of resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, calorie reduction, supplement regimes and peaking strategies are employed in order to obtain this physique. Although recommendations exist, these recommendations are not always based on bodybuilding populations and there is a paucity of applied research in this area. Here we report the results of a recent cross-sectional study investigating the preparation techniques of natural bodybuilding participant's competing at the BNBF finals. There was a tendency for successful bodybuilders to have a different macronutrient composition than unsuccessful bodybuilders. Specifically carbohydrate intake was higher over the duration of a pre-contest diet in successful bodybuilders. Implications for this will be discussed.