A bodybuilder has revealed her intense fitness regime, strict diet and bizarre breast milk routine that she swears by to win competitions.
Graciella Carvalho’s methods may leave people shocked – but the 39-year-old says they’ve helped her become a champion.
She trains each day, for up to three hours, and restricts her diet to include only high-protein foods such as fish, chicken and eggs, as well as rice and potatoes for carbohydrates.
READ MORE: ‘Doctors said I’d die in WEEKS because of my weight so I lost 20 STONE and saved my own life’
But perhaps her most bizarre trick in the book? Using breast milk in her skincare routine.
“I believe that care starts from the inside out,” the fitness and nutrition coach, who boasts over 8,000 followers on Instagram (@officialgraci), told Need To Know.
“What I eat reflects my skin, but I also apply breast milk to my face because I find it extremely nutritious.
“I’m very consistent with my skincare.
“And in the weeks leading up to a competition, my diet becomes very precise too.”
Graciella eats up to six meals a day – at strict times; 7 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm and 10 pm.
She aims for 1,500 calories with meals that are calculated by her nutritionist, so she can ensure to hit her carbohydrate and protein targets.
But that’s not the only thing under control.
She said, “We literally dry out everything.
“We control water intake, adjust salt levels, tweak every detail so the skin gets thinner and the muscles show more.
“It’s important to note that this kind of routine isn’t meant to be maintained year-round and only under supervision.
“People look at certain influencers and assume that their bodies came from training and clean eating.
“But it didn’t.
“These are people who don’t follow any fitness routine, yet appear with extremely defined bodies thanks to aesthetic procedures.
“This misleads beginners and discourages those who are actually putting in the work.
“It’s not about judging anyone for going under the knife – it’s about being honest.
“We can’t romanticise a surgery-built body and pretend it came from the gym.”
And while many people believe getting intimate in the bedroom is off the cards while training, Graciella says she has “weekly sex”.
The athlete, from São Paulo, Brazil, but currently lives in Miami, Florida, US, has just won first place in the Diva Fitness 35+ category in the World Beauty Fitness and Fashion contest.
Now, she’s preparing for her next competition.
To keep her muscular physique in check, she focuses on lower body training on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
On the other days, Graciella works on her upper body, starting with cardio on an empty stomach, followed by weight training in the afternoon.
Although tough, the results are all worth it.
She added: “All the hard work, discipline and sacrifices paid off.
“Winning this competition means a lot to me, especially competing alongside such dedicated and inspiring women.
“There’s so much discipline behind every photo.
“And when we show the hard parts, other women feel seen and supported.
“I want to show what’s behind the scenes – and what most people try to hide.”
READ MORE: Balding man gets ‘£1,720 Turkey hair transplant to stop looking like ‘absent’ father
Interesting to see how far bodybuilders go with strict diets and routines. For a more balanced approach, I liked this blog on macronutrients: shemed.co.uk.