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- 7-Day Anti‐Bloat Meal Plan for Flattening Your Midsection
7-Day Anti‐Bloat Meal Plan for Flattening Your Midsection
Jay Cutler thinks Derek Lunsford’s back-and-leg combo could spell trouble for Samson Dauda, while Anton Ratushnyi and Alice Rocha punched early tickets to the 2026 Olympia with clean wins in Dalton.
A low‑FODMAP reset isn’t about starving—it’s about ditching gut‑bomb culprits while still fueling hard workouts. Over seven days, you get rolled oats with berries, spinach omelets, quinoa salads, baked salmon, buckwheat pancakes, and tofu stir‑fries, all designed to ease digestion and keep energy steady. The plan limits high‑FODMAP triggers and uses lactose‑free dairy and gluten‑free grains so your gut gets a break. Each day balances protein, slow‑digesting carbs, and healthy fats so you can train without feeling sluggish or bloated. Additional tips urge you to stay hydrated, go for walks after meals, and sip peppermint tea to calm digestion. By week’s end, your midsection should feel flatter, your energy higher, and your bloat hopefully a thing of the past. [Flatten Your Belly In Seven Days!]
Four‑time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler thinks the reigning champ Samson Dauda has the most balanced physique, but still believes Derek Lunsford is in pole position. Cutler notes that Lunsford already collected wins at the Arnold Classic and Pittsburgh Pro and says if his legs match his monster back, it could be a short night in Vegas. He calls Lunsford a “huge problem” and says the former 212 king might join Cutler as just the second man to reclaim the Sandow after losing it. Still, Cutler warns that Nick Walker’s improved midsection makes him a spoiler if he controls his waist. With Choopan lurking and Dauda chasing back‑to‑back titles, the pose‑by‑pose breakdowns have fans salivating. [See Cutler’s Olympia Breakdown]
If squats make your knees scream, you’re not doomed to chicken legs. Millions suffer from knee issues and need to adjust their biomechanics rather than ditch leg day. Limit squat depth until you can move pain‑free, favoring hip‑dominant moves like hip thrusts, using unilateral exercises such as split squats and step‑ups, and slowing the tempo to increase time under tension. Strengthening hamstrings and calves also stabilizes the knee, while controlled ranges prevent shear forces. [Crush Leg Day Without Knee Pain]
Simplicity beats gimmicks when it comes to fat loss, so this brutal hybrid pairs kettlebell swings with weighted carries. Start by performing 20–30 swings, then carry the kettlebell 100–200 yards and repeat until you’ve covered a mile, which should take 20–30 minutes. The swings hit your posterior chain, core, shoulders, and grip while spiking your heart rate; carrying the bell boosts energy expenditure by 10–20% over normal walking. Switch between farmer’s walks, waiter’s walks, and goblet carries to spread fatigue and keep things interesting. The high intensity triggers a big afterburn effect, meaning you’ll burn calories for hours after finishing. With minimal equipment and maximum misery, it’s a go‑to for busy lifters chasing both muscle and conditioning. [Try the Swing & Ruck Challenge]
Retired 212 standout Jose Raymond has joined the prediction game, and his forecast should fuel debate. He slots Derek Lunsford for the win, puts reigning champ Samson Dauda second, and sees Nick Walker’s mass and new waist control earning third. Hadi Choopan, 2023 champ Andrew Jacked, and newcomer “Good Vito” Vitalii round out his top six. Raymond acknowledges how deep the field is with debutants like Urs Kalecinski and Good Vito, but warns Dauda must fend off multiple former champs. With legends like Ronnie Coleman backing Choopan and Cutler favoring Lunsford, fan arguments are heating up. [See All of Raymond’s Picks]
Brazilian champion Valter de Vargas Aita was brutally murdered in his home, and police have released chilling details. Investigators say his wife, Carvalho Aita, stabbed him 21 times while he slept, leaving blood throughout their Chapeco apartment. She allegedly drilled holes in the walls to spy on him and sent threatening messages with knife emojis, believing he was cheating. Audio recordings captured Aita fearing he’d be stabbed; he even planned to leave a letter implicating her if he died. Authorities note she was already wanted for an armed robbery and now faces homicide charges. The bodybuilding community mourns a rising star whose life was cut short over jealousy. [Read the Full Police Update]
The Southern Muscle Pro Showdown in Dalton, Georgia, delivered early Olympia qualifiers. Classic Physique standout Anton Ratushnyi displayed balance and conditioning to edge Momar Bah and Damien Patrick. In the Bikini division, Alice Rocha’s symmetry and stage presence outshone Nivea Gabriella Campos Sobral and Hope Castelli to secure a ticket to the 2026 Olympia. The event shows just how deep the talent pool is, with winners earning the right to face reigning champs next year. [See the Full Scorecards]
Las Vegas hosted the Ace of Stage Pro, a Men’s Physique qualifier for 2026. With flowing lines and razor‑sharp conditioning, Kyron Holden dominated callouts and topped the scorecards ahead of Victor Ramirez and Emerson Costa. The win adds another feather to Holden’s cap and ensures he’ll stand alongside the 2025 Men’s Physique champ at the 2026 Olympia. Rounding out the top five were Hossein Karimi and Joven Sagabain, showing how competitive the division has become. [Relive the Vegas Show]
In Duhok, Iraq, the Classic Physique division took center stage. Salman Dawood impressed judges with symmetry and conditioning to take first place over Sadeq Al‑Saedi and Mustafa Salman. The win qualifies him for the 2026 Olympia, giving Iraq its own contender on the big stage. The top five also included Hamzah Saeed and Tahir Ahmed, highlighting rising Middle Eastern talent. [View All Placings]
If numbers make your head spin, Fitness Volt’s calorie calculator does the math for you. Enter your height, weight, age, activity level, and goal, then choose formulas like Mifflin‑St Jeor, Harris‑Benedict, or Katch‑McArdle. The tool estimates basal metabolic rate, total daily energy expenditure, and even projects weeks to goal weight so you can plan whether you’re cutting, maintaining, or bulking. You can toggle between imperial and metric units and specify aggressive or moderate weight‑loss targets for personalized feedback. It’s a one‑stop hub for macro planning without needing a spreadsheet. [Calculate Your Calories Now]
212 champ Keone Pearson dropped a shredded sneak peek ahead of the 2025 Olympia—symmetry, striations, and zero off‑season fluff📸💪
Recovery Tip of the Day: 10‑Minute Dark‑Room Reset
Next time you feel fried, trade another espresso for ten minutes in a dark, quiet room. Light exposure keeps your nervous system revved, so dimming the lights helps your parasympathetic side take the wheel. Lie on your back, close your eyes, and focus on slow belly breaths—within minutes, your heart rate and cortisol will drop, and you’ll re‑emerge feeling like you rebooted your brain. It’s a micro‑nap without the grogginess, perfect between meetings or after a hard lift.
The Strength Bulletin
A crossover study tested whether pre‑workout carbs boost lifting performance by having 16 trained lifters eat a high‑carb, low‑carb, or placebo meal before sets of squats, presses, and rows. The result? Carbohydrate dose didn’t significantly change total reps or session volume; participants just felt fuller and more satiated. (Read the study)
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