Podcast
The Bodybuilding Dietitians
Welcome to The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast!
Join your hosts Jack Radford-Smith, Lauren Stevens, and Damien Cox who are qualified dietitians, exercise scientists, and competitive bodybuilders. Each week we share evidence-based strategies to help you optimise your nutrition, training, performance, and body composition, while giving you a real look into the bodybuilding lifestyle on and off the stage.
Expect practical tips on fat loss, muscle building, contest prep, gut health, and longevity, alongside honest discussions about our own journeys and interviews with leading experts in the health and fitness industry.
Whether you’re a physique athlete, gym enthusiast, or simply someone wanting to improve your health, fitness, and nutrition knowledge, this podcast will educate, inspire, and guide you toward your goals.
Learn more about our coaching and services at https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com
We hope you enjoy!
- Nutrition chart
- #137
- Episodes
- 355
- Releases
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 40 min
- On air since
- 2018
- Latest episode
- 1 week ago
Episodes
355 episodes, newest first
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36 min
Nutrition Facts That Will Change How You Think About Food
Episode 56
Show notes
Could some of your nutrition choices be based on assumptions you have never actually questioned? In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, dietitians Lauren and Jack walk through the nutrition facts that most surprise our clients, and what they mean for your everyday food choices.
We cover why frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh, why feeling better without wheat does not necessarily mean gluten was the problem, and what the research on metabolism and ageing actually shows. We also compare pink salt with iodised salt and explain why pink salt’s mineral content is misleading, why eating fish does not guarantee you are getting enough omega-3, and what to check on your fish oil label.
We finish on why protein takes more energy to digest than other macronutrients, rising bowel cancer rates in younger adults and the role of fibre, and supplement testing that found banned substances in products sold online in Australia. We wrap up as always with what we learned this week.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five-star rating or review, it really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
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Links & Resources
Do you actually need a supplement?
https://www.instagram.com/p/DaAErYjgclc/?srtk=aDNwaGE2ZTJqNHVz
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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37 min
Ranking Fat Loss Strategies From Best to Worst
Episode 55
Show notes
This week on the Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast we’re ranking common fat loss strategies into a tier list.
Tracking and pre-logging, mindful eating, fasting, managing food focus, protein intake, diet drinks and chewing gum, and working with a dietitian or coach. Some of what you’d expect to be S tier isn’t, and some of what gets dismissed deserves a lot more credit than it gets.
We go through where each strategy actually sits, why we ranked it that way, and what to think about before you decide which ones belong in your approach.
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Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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46 min
How to Actually Track Progress for Fat Loss & Muscle Gain
Episode 54
Show notes
How do you know whether your nutrition and training plan is actually working?
Scale weight can be useful, but it only tells you part of the story. Changes in training performance, measurements, progress photos, health markers and your relationship with food may reveal progress that the scale completely misses.
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, you’ll learn which metrics are most useful for fat loss and muscle gain, how to make your measurements more consistent and why relying too heavily on a single number can lead to unnecessary changes.
You’ll also learn how to recognise psychological and behavioural progress, including becoming less reactive to weight fluctuations, handling unplanned meals more calmly and developing a healthier relationship with training and food.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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35 min
How We Train and Eat Right Now | What's Actually Working
Episode 53
Show notes
How do you continue making progress when you have already been training for years?
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we share what our training and nutrition currently look like, the physique goals we are working towards and which variables we are adjusting to keep progressing.
We discuss when adding more training volume may be useful, when execution and intensity deserve more attention, and why doing more work can become counterproductive if training quality or recovery begins to decline.
We also compare our current approaches to nutrition, including eating without tracking, managing low appetite during a gaining phase, structuring food around early-morning training and knowing when a strategy such as fasting is no longer supporting the primary goal.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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43 min
Strength and Longevity: How Lifting Extends Your Life and Healthspan
Episode 52
Show notes
You may have started lifting to build muscle or change your physique, but the benefits of resistance training extend far beyond how you look.
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we explain how lifting can support metabolic health, bone density, cognitive function, mental health and physical independence as you age. We also discuss how much strength training may be needed to gain meaningful health benefits and why building muscle earlier can provide a greater reserve for later in life.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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40 min
The Most Overrated and Underrated Foods, Supplements and Exercises
Episode 51
Show notes
Which popular fitness trends deserve your time and money, and which are mostly surviving on hype?
In this episode, we rate some of the most discussed foods, supplements and training methods as overrated, underrated or fairly rated.
We cover creatine dosage and the growing interest in its potential brain benefits, whether greens powders can replace anything meaningful in your diet and why many pre-workouts may be little more than expensive caffeine.
We also discuss whole eggs, sardines, potatoes, lentils and legumes before moving into Bulgarian split squats, antagonistic supersets and forced reps.
Rather than giving every topic a simple verdict, we explain when each one may be useful, when it becomes overhyped and what may provide a better return.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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40 min
Macro Tracking Guide: Accuracy, Common Errors and When to Stop
Episode 50
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we explain why macro tracking is often far less precise than people assume and how to make it more useful without becoming obsessive.
We cover inaccurate database entries, barcode errors, raw versus cooked weights, restaurant meal estimates, untracked bites and cooking oils, and why your calories and macros may not add up even when you appear to hit your targets perfectly.
We also discuss when tracking can support fat loss, muscle gain and contest preparation, when it may begin affecting your relationship with food, and how to gradually move towards a more flexible approach.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Calorie Calculator - https://tbd-calorie-calculator.subscribepage.io/
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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43 min
Contest Prep Mistakes: Where Bodybuilders Go Wrong and How to Fix It
Episode 49
Show notes
If your contest prep timeline only works when everything goes perfectly, prep can become much harder than it needs to be. In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we break down how to plan a smarter bodybuilding contest prep, from setting a realistic rate of fat loss to building in breathing room before fatigue, hunger and recovery become difficult to manage.
We explain how to reverse-engineer your prep from your expected stage weight rather than defaulting to an arbitrary 16 or 20 week timeline, why your starting position matters more than the calendar, and how leaving room for illness, plateaus and poor recovery can prevent the largest deficit from being forced into the hardest stage of prep.
We also cover maintaining food diversity as calories drop, identifying nutritional deficiencies before prep begins, starting posing practice early, and why training progress is often better judged through execution and muscle stimulus rather than load alone. Contest prep is never easy, but better preparation can prevent avoidable difficulties from stacking on top of the demands already required to get stage ready.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Fibre Guide - http://the-fibre-guide.subscribepage.io
Calorie Calculator - https://tbd-calorie-calculator.subscribepage.io/
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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46 min
Bulking for Muscle Growth | How Fast, How Long and When to Stop
Episode 48
Show notes
Is bulking dead, or have we simply misunderstood what a productive building phase should look like?
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we break down how to structure a bulk around your experience, starting body composition, training performance and personal preferences.
We cover appropriate rates of gain for beginner, intermediate and advanced lifters, how long a building phase should last, and why the scale does not need to rise every week for progress to occur.
We also discuss who may be better suited to recomping, why eating more does not automatically produce more muscle, and the common reasons people fail to grow despite believing they are in a surplus.
From clean versus dirty bulking to cardio, food quality and the psychological side of gaining weight, this episode provides a practical framework for making your next building phase more productive.
You can also access our new calorie and macro calculator through the link below.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Fibre Guide - http://the-fibre-guide.subscribepage.io
Calorie Calculator - https://tbd-calorie-calculator.subscribepage.io/
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
Talia O'Brien - https://www.instagram.com/dietitiantali/
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41 min
GLP-1s Explained: What Ozempic and Wegovy Mean for Fat Loss and Muscle
Episode 47
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, you'll learn how GLP-1 medications work and what to consider before, during and after using them.
We explain how medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro affect appetite, food intake, blood glucose and digestion. You'll also learn who may benefit from them, why eligibility should extend beyond a BMI cutoff, and why they are neither cheating nor a magic solution.
If you're currently using a GLP-1, we cover how to structure your meals, hit enough protein, preserve muscle and reduce your risk of nutrient deficiencies. We also discuss resistance training, hydration, fibre intake and how to manage common gastrointestinal symptoms when eating enough becomes difficult.
Finally, you'll learn what can happen when you reduce or stop the medication, why weight regain is common without a proper maintenance plan, and which nutrition and behavioural foundations to establish beforehand. We also answer whether GLP-1s directly cause muscle loss and whether using one should be considered cheating.
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Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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39 min
The Highest-Return Habits for Nutrition, Training and Body Composition
Episode 46
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we share the small habits and practical changes that can produce a disproportionate return across your nutrition, training, sleep and body composition.
We discuss how to combine structure with flexibility in your diet, choose exercises that stimulate the target muscle without creating unnecessary fatigue, and use a training log to make progression more objective.
We also cover how meal timing and caffeine can affect sleep, why your hardest food decisions should be made before you are hungry or exhausted, and how creating satisfying default meals can reduce your reliance on willpower.
Finally, we explain why consistently meeting a few nutritional minimums, including protein, fibre and proper meals, will usually achieve more than obsessing over minor details.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
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46 min
The Dieting Mistakes Making Fat Loss Harder (And How to Fix Them)
Episode 45
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we work through five common dieting mistakes that can make fat loss harder to sustain, even when your calories and macros appear to be in order.
We start with all-or-nothing thinking, including why one unplanned meal can quickly become an entire weekend of overeating, and why returning to your normal routine is more valuable than trying to compensate or waiting until Monday to restart.
From there, we discuss what happens when a diet ends without a clear plan. We cover how to estimate your new maintenance intake, why some weight gain is normal after a dieting phase, and how setting new training or performance goals can make the transition easier. We also explore why constantly moving between cutting and gaining can prevent you from learning how to maintain a stable body weight.
We finish on the practical side, including how food selection, protein, fibre, meal structure and food volume can improve hunger management during a deficit. We also unpack daily scale fluctuations, how to distinguish a genuine plateau from normal noise, and when removing scale weight as a progress metric may be appropriate.
We also introduce our new Fibre Efficiency Guide, which ranks approximately 80 foods by the amount of fibre they provide per 100 calories. We wrap up as always with what we learned this week.
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Links & Resources
Fibre Guide - http://the-fibre-guide.subscribepage.io
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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48 min
The Recovery Hierarchy | What Works, What's Overrated and What to Fix First
Episode 44
Show notes
Training hard but still feeling sore, fatigued or stuck in the gym? The answer may not be another recovery supplement, massage gun or cold plunge.
In this episode, we help you identify where your recovery may actually be breaking down. We explain how training volume, intensity and execution can create more fatigue than your current sleep, nutrition and lifestyle can support, along with the signs that it may be time to adjust your program or take a deload.
We also unpack the foundations that deserve attention first, including sleep, adequate fuelling, protein intake, stress management and hydration. We put popular recovery tools into context, including why feeling less sore does not always mean you have recovered faster and how immediate cold-water immersion may work against hypertrophy adaptations.
Before spending more money on recovery, this episode will help you work out which lever is most likely limiting your progress and what deserves your attention first.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode and leave us a five-star rating or review. It really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
⸻
Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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41 min
The Muscle Building Blueprint | What Your Nutrition and Training Are Missing
Episode 43
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, you’ll learn how to bring your nutrition and training together to support more effective muscle growth.
We cover whether a calorie surplus is necessary, how quickly body weight should increase, and why gaining faster does not always mean building more muscle. We also discuss the psychological side of a gaining phase, including accepting controlled changes in body composition while strength, recovery and training performance improve.
On the training side, we explore mechanical tension, proximity to failure, progressive overload, execution and volume. Find out how to identify whether you are doing too much or too little, when additional volume may be beneficial, and why simply adding more sets is rarely the first solution.
We also share practical strategies for reviewing training footage, selecting exercises with a strong stimulus-to-fatigue ratio, protecting shoulder health and creating a program that supports long-term progression. As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
Enjoying the podcast? Subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five-star rating or review. It helps us grow and reach more listeners.
⸻
Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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38 min
The Fuelling Strategy Lifters Miss | Muscle Gain, Hormones and Recovery
Episode 42
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we break down what it actually means to fuel properly for training, recovery and physique progress. Fuelling is often reduced to a pre-workout meal or simply hitting your daily calories, but an athlete can technically meet their intake target and still fail to support the periods where performance, recovery and normal physiological function matter most.
We cover the difference between under-fuelling, low energy availability and RED-S, including how each concept applies to lifters, physique athletes and anyone with a high training or activity load. We get into the warning signs that your intake may no longer be matching your output, from declining performance and slower recovery through to poorer sleep, low mood, frequent illness, hormonal disruption, reduced libido and recurring injuries.
We also explain why the scale remaining stable does not necessarily mean you are adequately fuelled, and why eating more than 3,000 calories per day may still not be enough for a highly active athlete.
We finish on the practical side, including how to distribute carbohydrates and protein more effectively across the day, fuel early-morning and double training sessions, manage low appetite, and use higher days, refeeds or diet breaks where appropriate. We also discuss why reducing unnecessary exercise expenditure can sometimes be just as important as increasing food, and how to assess whether your current intake genuinely supports the phase you are in. We wrap up as always with what we learned this week.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five-star rating or review, it really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
⸻
Links & Resources
EA Instagram Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaOpNuwTAQ4/?hl=en
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/ hl=en Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en ⸻
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40 min
The Fibre Framework | Gut Health, Fat Loss and the Best Sources
Episode 41
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we break down why fibre deserves far more attention than being treated as something that just helps with digestion. Fibre is the nutrient lifters most consistently neglect, and one of the best evidenced dietary factors for long term health, yet the typical high protein physique diet is almost engineered to leave people well short of what they need.
We cover what fibre actually is and why the different types matter, from soluble and viscous fibres through to fermentable fibres and their role in the gut microbiome. We get into the mortality and disease evidence, the short chain fatty acid mechanism that explains why fibre affects far more than digestion, the beta-glucan and cholesterol story, and why fibre is such a useful appetite and satiety tool during a fat loss phase. We also cover the honest limitations, including why ramping up too quickly backfires, how to time fibre around training, and the FODMAP consideration for people with sensitive guts.
We finish on the practical side, including which food sources actually deliver meaningful fibre and which ones only feel like they do, the highest leverage swaps to close the gap, and how to build fibre into your diet without rebuilding it from scratch. We wrap up as always with what we learned this week.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five-star rating or review, it really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
⸻
Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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44 min
The Complete Fat Guide: What Lifters Actually Need for Health and Performance
Episode 40
Show notes
In this episode of the Bodybuilding Dietitians podcast, we delve into the often-overlooked topic of dietary fat and its role in health, performance, body composition, and bodybuilding nutrition.
While protein and carbohydrates tend to receive most of the attention in the fitness space, dietary fat plays an important role in hormone production, brain health, cardiovascular health, cell function, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. We discuss why fat should not simply be viewed as the macro to push as low as possible, especially for physique athletes and lifters aiming to optimise both performance and long-term health.
We explore practical fat intake ranges, the differences between saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega-3, omega-6, and trans fats, and how to think about fat quality across the whole diet. We also unpack saturated fat, cholesterol, APOB, lipoprotein(a), fibre intake, omega-3 supplementation, and using bloodwork to guide more individualised decisions.
The conversation also covers practical swaps for improving fat quality, including how to incorporate more olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, oily fish, and other nutrient-dense fat sources without becoming overly restrictive or dogmatic.
As always, we wrap up with what we learned this week.
Whether you’re a physique athlete, gym enthusiast, or someone who wants to level up their nutrition and training knowledge, this podcast will educate and guide you forward.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five-star rating or review, it really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
⸻
Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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39 min
3 Fitness Myths That Are Still Costing People Progress
Episode 39
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we work through three of the most persistent fitness myths we see in practice and online. We start with detox diets and elimination diets, covering what the body actually does physiologically to manage detoxification, where clinical elimination protocols like low FODMAP have a legitimate role, and why the casual use of juice cleanses, skinny teas, and food group restriction tends to create more problems than it solves, including nutrient gaps, food fear, and a rebound dynamic that undoes whatever short-term progress you see on the scale.
We then move into waist trainers and spot fat reduction, unpacking why external compression changes how your waist looks without changing your anatomy, why spot reduction is not how fat loss works regardless of what it feels like when you are doing crunches, and what you should actually be focusing on if a smaller waist or leaner midsection is your goal.
We close on the carnivore diet and other major food group elimination approaches, looking at why some people do feel better initially when they cut out fibre, what is actually driving that response, and the longer-term cardiovascular and bowel health risks that the short-term wins tend to mask. We wrap up as always with what we learned this week.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five-star rating or review, it really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
⸻
Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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43 min
The Complete Carbohydrate Guide: What Lifters Actually Need and Why
Episode 38
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we work through everything lifters need to know about carbohydrates. We start with what carbohydrates actually do beyond just providing energy, including the glycogen story, why resistance training depletes far less glycogen than most people assume, and the other roles carbs play in supporting training quality, recovery, and adherence. We cover how to set your daily carbohydrate intake based on training volume rather than a fixed number, the low carb question handled honestly including where it works and where it costs you, and how to time carbs around training in a way that actually reflects the evidence.
We also get into the glycaemic index versus glycaemic load distinction, why GI matters far less than most people think once food is eaten in a real meal context, and how to select carbohydrate sources that support performance, satiety, and gut health across different phases. We wrap up as always with what we learned this week.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five star rating or review, it really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
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Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
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32 min
Cut or Bulk, Meal Frequency in a Cut and How to Stay on Track While Travelling
Episode 37
Show notes
In this episode of The Bodybuilding Dietitians Podcast, we run through another Instagram Q&A and welcome Talia to the show for her first appearance. We start with how to decide between cutting and bulking, covering why body fat percentage tends to be the more useful dial, where recomping and maintenance phases fit in, and how to make the call based on your current composition.
From there we get into meal frequency through a cut and contest prep, including how to structure eating around training performance, protein distribution, hunger management, and why total calorie intake matters more than meal frequency for metabolic rate. We finish on staying on track while travelling, from eyeballing versus tracking and how precise you really need to be, through to practical strategies for eating out and matching your approach to the phase you are in. We wrap up as always with what we learned this week.
Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a five-star rating or review, it really helps us grow and reach more listeners.
Links & Resources
Coaching Services – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/enquirenow
Website – https://www.thebodybuildingdietitians.com/
Instagram
The Bodybuilding Dietitians – https://www.instagram.com/thebodybuildingdietitians/?hl=en
Team TBD – https://www.instagram.com/_teamtbd_/?hl=en
Jack Radford-Smith – https://www.instagram.com/jack.radfordsmith/?hl=en
Damien Cox – https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_damiencox/?hl=en
Lauren Stevens – https://www.instagram.com/thephysiquedietitian_/?hl=en
Talia O'Brien - https://www.instagram.com/dietitiantali/
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