Expert Consensus on Weight Management Strategies for Strength and Physique Athletes Before and After Competition.

A 3-round Delphi survey with 15 international experts reached consensus on 75 statements related to weight management strategies for strength and physique athletes.

• Fifteen international bodybuilding and powerlifting experts, including coaches and dietitians, participated.
• Round 1 used open-ended questions that were thematically analyzed into 85 statements.
• Round 3 consisted of 30 revised statements and 11 new statements that had previously failed consensus.
• Consensus threshold was set at ≥70% agreement.
• Agreement was reached on 75 total statements across the domains of individualized weight management strategies, weight loss methods, and peaking protocols.

Twenty-one statements failed to reach consensus, all pertaining to refeeding strategies for postcompetition recovery.

• Of the 96 total statements evaluated, 21 did not meet the ≥70% consensus threshold.
• All 21 failing statements were specifically related to refeeding and postcompetition recovery strategies.
• This finding highlights that postcompetition recovery strategies remain poorly understood even among experts.

Experts agreed that bodybuilders require 1–6 months for physiologic recovery and a 10–15% body weight regain after competition.

• Most experts agreed on a recovery duration of 1–6 months for bodybuilders.
• Expected body weight regain during recovery was identified as 10–15% of body weight.
• These findings were part of the structured refeeding approaches emphasized by experts.

Reverse dieting was not favored by experts for postcompetition recovery in bodybuilders.

• Experts recommended an initial acute energy increase followed by a gradual rate of gain, rather than reverse dieting.
• Reverse dieting involves very gradually increasing caloric intake after a dieting phase.
• This recommendation was part of the structured refeeding approaches that reached consensus.

Powerlifters were found to require less restrictive postcompetition dietary recovery strategies compared to bodybuilders.

• Most experts agreed that powerlifters could return to off-season training within 1–2 weeks after competition.
• This contrasts with the 1–6 month physiologic recovery period identified for bodybuilders.
• The difference reflects the distinct nature of weight management demands between physique and strength sports.

Strength and physique athletes undergo repeated cycles of weight loss and weight gain that create periods of low-energy availability and associated health and performance risks.

• Athletes in these sports optimize body composition for competition through repeated weight cycling.
• Low-energy availability during competition preparation is identified as a key health and performance concern.
• The study emphasizes the importance of athlete education, individualized weight management strategies, and structured recovery planning.