Most bodybuilders structure their preparation in two phases: “bulking” (also called “off season”, which is the time when the athlete goes on a high-calorie diet to build more muscle mass, and “cutting” (also known as “pre-contest”), which is the time when the athlete goes on a low-calorie diet to lose fat and fluid retention, thus increasing the definition of their physique.
Lately, one of the most talked about changes in Brazilian sport was that of Lucas Garcia, who gained 26 kilos in around 6 months.
In October 2025, the Brazilian bodybuilder in the 212 category took to the Olympia stage – a championship in which he took third place – weighing just over 88 kg. In April 2026, at the end of his “bulking”, he weighed 114 kg fasting. In an interview with the column, Garcia – who is 1.64 m tall – details what he did during that time and talks about the challenges inherent in gaining weight quickly.
According to the athlete, one of his biggest difficulties was maintaining a high food intake throughout this phase: “After a certain time, you lose your appetite (…) you can no longer eat after a certain point, you feel sick every day”. Other factors that he was forced to live with are “low back and knee pain, mainly due to excessive weight”.
One of the areas most affected during this period is generally breathing. Garcia, however, guarantees that his cardiovascular health is “up to date” and reveals a technique that helps him rest: “Sleeping should be a problem when you get heavy, but I ended this problem with CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). It’s something designed for sleep apnea, but it’s very good for us, heavier bodybuilders.”
Garcia points out that, since the end of his last competition, his trainer –Marcello Alfonsi– gradually increased the quantities in his diet until he reached his peak –6 thousand calories per day. This strategy is so that the bodybuilder’s progress is constantly monitored and so that high food intake does not lead to excessive fat accumulation. “One goal I set in the ‘off season’ is not to lose the markings on your abdomen. If all the markings disappear, if you have a pot belly, then it is an indication that you are doing something wrong”, he reports.
Trained by Vitor Bizzo, the third best 212 in the world also talks about the transition period between “bulking” and “cutting”. “Eight weeks before the end of the ‘off season’, we reduced our carbohydrate intake a little and increased our protein intake, which meant that the calories in the diet remained the same, even with this change”, he reveals.
In total, Garcia’s “pre-contest” for Olympia 2026 – which will take place between September 24th and 27th in Las Vegas, in the United States – will last 22 weeks: “We are gradually reducing the calories, because this way I can maintain the intensity in my weight training.”
Finally, the athlete reveals the benefits of cutting longer than usual: “This longer time brings more safety, it reduces the possibility of having to speed up the process at some point – this is not the best option, as a very strong calorie deficit causes us to lose muscle mass, when the objective is to just lose fat and water retention.”
This type of strategy used by bodybuilding professionals should not be followed without specialized medical advice. When asked about the risks that a possible sudden increase in weight could entail, doctor Vinícius Amaral draws attention to possible joint and metabolic problems. According to the health professional, this type of strategy can increase “sodium and water retention”, as well as “insulin resistance”. This scenario contributes to an increase in the patient’s pressure and, consequently, their cardiac output – the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute.
“The increase in body mass represents an increase in metabolic demand. With more weight, the heart needs to work harder. This increases cardiac output, a condition that can evolve into ventricular hypertrophy”, he explains.
Amaral also highlights that the rapid increase in muscles can cause joint overload: “Tendons adapt much more slowly than muscles. Therefore, this growth can lead to injuries.”
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